Parents as Fans--A Winning Combination!

As the mother of eight, five of them boys, I know I’ve only just begun doing my time as a loyal, supportive parent who gives so freely of one’s self when it comes to sitting on the sidelines, or in yesterday’s case in the bleachers, cheering on my children as they flub goals, miss grounders or strike out looking. It’s just part of the territory.

I’m already well trained by my two oldest sons that I’m not to hoot and holler, no matter what the circumstance, until they’ve actually made a play or gotten a hit. If I should so much sneeze or breathe too loudly causing the hairs in my nostrils to move, I am to quickly leave the area and come back when I can behave. Got it boys!

Thank goodness for my younger boys, who also call me Mom, and love it when I clap and cheer even if they’ve just been taken out of the game so another kid on the team can play. I’m showing them my love and support—and boy are they proud!

But back to the six-hour torture session, I mean Babe Ruth game, that I attended yesterday—that would be all Sunday afternoon my friends—the day of rest that the Lord intended all of us to take each week. I don’t think the gentlemen who scheduled this game got that memo, but no problem….I’m a loyal, supportive mother who will be there for those very long and painful games no matter what day of the week they are held.

Keep in mind that we are playing on our home field, and are short one player for this afternoon delight called a “Double Session”. Not only do we now have to forfeit the game and borrow a player from the other team, the manager on the other team can’t see any harm in playing two games rather than one long one—after all—that means they technically win both games, am I right?

Also, we’d hate to disappoint the visiting PAF’s (Parents as Fans) that have arrived all the way from Cranston (in droves I might add) to cheer on their undefeated team! Did I mention yet that our team TaseRight (Something to do with meatballs) hasn’t won a single game? I think it’s us, quite frankly—the Butler’s have yet to be on a winning team unless selling the most magazines in the local Fundraiser counts as a win! Otherwise, when cleats, clubs or bats are involved—we haven’t felt the thrill of victory too often.

But back to those PAF’s. Here’s where I struggle with my good Catholic upbringing—when you are the parent of the losing team (and I do have a lot of experience with this my friends) it is very difficult to digest all the rambunctious ranting and raving going on one bleacher over—particularly when they feel it necessary to do the Wave every time one of our kids strikes out or drops a ball! Not fair I tell ya! Still, I always remember that motto “Turn the Other Cheek” and try to behave like the 40-something woman of finesse that I am……….rather than sticking my fingers in the corners of my mouth and whistling like I’m calling in the dog every time the other team makes a mistake. (I hope that big mama from yesterday isn’t suffering from a throat infection this morning.).

I could go on and on but I don’t want to take too much more of your valuable time, so I’m going to end on this note………

PAF’s need to come to an understanding that cheering and being enthusiastic when your own team is doing well is completely understandable and most of us applaud you for it.
However, when the winning team is up 30 to 1 and it’s quite obvious well into the 6th inning that there’s a better chance of finding Brad Pitt working the concession stand than the losing team making a comeback, layoff the nasty remarks to the boys that are not doing so well. Yes, they do have feelings believe it or not and listening to 25 grown men and women screeching “C’mon Bucko…….show him who’s boss” at the very last out of the 6 hour game when they already feel defeated, tired and cranky is really not necessary, is it?

Do they have PAF etiquette classes anyplace? If not, yours truly would love the job!