It irritates me when I hear this during games ( sorry.. small rant.)

[silvermetalflake]

To some this is nothing, perhaps petty, but it really bugs me. It's how coaches and commentators refer to College football players.

When we uniform-up young Americans, give'm a gun and a helmet and send them to war, we called them "men". But we take those same guys, uniform them up in team colors, give them a ball, and a helmet and send them onto the field, coaches and commentators call them "kids" or "boys".

When coaches give after game interviews (for example) and say things like.. "You know, our kids played a great game!" or "These boys really came together on defense, and....." it just bugs me. Referring to Jadeveon Clowney as a "boy" (a term commonly used for new-borns and pre-schoolers), or "kid" (also used to identify young goats on a farm), is just annoying to hear. Surely these players with their competitive ethic, training and strength regimes, and the physicality they endure on the field are closer to soldiers than they are pre-schoolers or little goats. Why can't coaches refer to them not just as "guys" but as "men".

Okay.. I feel better.

 

[planomateo]

Umm, serving your country is much different than playing football - I know what you are saying, comparing them to vets struck a nerve w/ me.

 

[XXL TideFan]

The difference between being in harms way vs playing football and going to class. Damn big difference. I had a greater responsibility as an E5 at 20 yrs old than I do as a 50 yr old manager in manufacturing

 

[silvermetalflake]

A wee spot of clarification: I didn't mean to suggest comparing a soldier and football player in any way other than by their age. Sorry; poor choice of subject comparisons. But when a guy is over the age of 18, soldier, football player or Home Depot employee... they are at the very least, a "young man". Referring to College players as boys and kids is insulting IMO.

 

[0LDSCH00L]

Coach Bryant always made a point of addressing them as men. How can you expect them to conduct themselves like men if you address them as kids?

 

[XXL TideFan]

Do you two ever go to restaurants and pick fly turds out of pepper shakers?

 

[silvermetalflake]

Coach Bryant always made a point of addressing them as men. How can you expect them to conduct themselves like men if you address them as kids?

Exactly my point. Great minds think alike!!!inkbiggrin:

 

[planomateo]

I read this article and immediately thought of this post.

So he's minimizing what he did by calling him a kid

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http://espn.go.com/college-football...nti-teo-acknowledges-lying-first-tv-interview

Te'o's father defended his son when Couric pointed out that many people don't believe the Irish star, suspecting he used the situation for personal gain.

"People can speculate about what they think he is. I've known him 21 years of his life. And he's not a liar. He's a kid," Brian Te'o said with tears in his eyes.