Scott Van Pelt (ESPN) Defends Tom Izzo

[archives]

Did you play sports growing up? I did and like most people I had many different kinds of coaches with different philosophies. But a couple of the best I had were hard *sses but they cared about you. I saw it then and I especially see it in hindsight. They got on me because they cared and they wanted to see me do the best I could.

Is it fun being yelled at? No, it's not. But I'd rather than a coach who doesn't care and doesn't push you.

Yes I played sports, even excelled at two of them, and a coach yelling at a kid is one thing, doing what Izzo did was beyond "caring" for the kid, he even had to be restrained twice from going after the kid, it wasn't about the player at that point, it was about him

This tough love thing is bogus, as I said, sport coaches are suppose to be teachers, not DIs, and humiliating a kid infront of his peers isn't accomplishing anything. Always lived by the guiding principle that my father has the right to yell at me, others talk to me

[leaningright]

Yes I played sports, even excelled at two of them, and a coach yelling at a kid is one thing, doing what Izzo did was beyond "caring" for the kid, he even had to be restrained twice from going after the kid, it wasn't about the player at that point, it was about him

This tough love thing is bogus, as I said, sport coaches are suppose to be teachers, not DIs, and humiliating a kid infront of his peers isn't accomplishing anything. Always lived by the guiding principle that my father has the right to yell at me, others talk to me

Never had a tough boss? Been in the military? Chastisement is often necessary for growth. Yes, some go overboard with it but it is a necessary. I didn’t think Izzo was going overboard. I guess my experiences with coaches and authority have been different.

[leaningright]

And in a lot of cases self defeating. I know kids who give up on sports cause they hated their Coach cause they took the fun completely out of playing sports. There’s a time to pat someone on the back and a time to kick their ass but you know as an educator that positive reinforcement and peer pressure are far better motivators than negative reinforcement.

It’s something I’ve learned about leadership and it’s why so many businessmen, successful businessmen at that, really suck at leadership. Fear is the only method of leadership they know and that one trick poney don’t ride.

I would only change one phrase in your post to agree with it completely. “A lot” I would replace with “some.” And good coaches such as Izzo know which kids are which.

Kids do quit sometimes when coaching gets more intense. My high school coach coached both the 7th-8th team and the high school team. As you might guess, he was more demanding and intense at the high school level. Some guys quit. My best friend was one of them. I had/have no problem with that. Not all of them were cut out to be a high school basketball players.

Plus my best friend had the same attitude about “yelling” as archives (no one but his father could yell at him). Similarly, my friend has had many jobs with many bosses. Fortunately he has been able to get by being self employed. This adds to my perception that coachable kids become employable adults. If a kid learns nothing else from sports that is a valuable lesson. Do some bosses carry thier authority too far at times? You said it in your post...some are a one trick pony. Bad bosses and bad coaches exist because of this.

Also you are correct about that positive and negative reinforcement thing. It’s better to be positive and use positive reinforcement. I stay positive as long as I can. But sometimes I still have to tell a kid to get his butt out of my classroom until he learns to show some respect. And when I do I’m not talking softly or even in a conversational manner.

[archives]

Never had a tough boss? Been in the military? Chastisement is often necessary for growth. Yes, some go overboard with it but it is a necessary. I didn’t think Izzo was going overboard. I guess my experiences with coaches and authority have been different.

Tough boss, no, coaches, yeah, but none that were good coaches, and even in the military, the DIs only screamed at the idiots, which I don't think really changed the idiots

Chastisement could be necessary for growth, but not coming from a guy coaching sports, the only ones who ever get away with it are those that have winning teams, which is the minority cause the others don't last long

And I disagrees, Izzo is a grown man physically going after a young man, he didn't correct him, or raised his voice, but lost it and challenged him, even had to be restrained on both occasions. He wasn't concerned that the kid might have screwed up but rather that the kid didn't execute something he thought he instructed him, he lost control, looked more like Captain Queeg than Knute Rockne

[cawacko]

I don't care about Izzo's actions.
Just your wild assumption that van Pelt,could lose
his job.

Good to see ESPN still has one backer in this country, even if it is someone trolling on the internet

[leaningright]

Did you play sports growing up? I did and like most people I had many different kinds of coaches with different philosophies. But a couple of the best I had were hard *sses but they cared about you. I saw it then and I especially see it in hindsight. They got on me because they cared and they wanted to see me do the best I could.

Is it fun being yelled at? No, it's not. But I'd rather than a coach who doesn't care and doesn't push you.

Best baseball coach I had once yelled at me for 90 ft. I hit a home run in one game and while I was watching the ball go over the fence I stepped over first base. I turned immediately and touched it and then continued around the bases. Problem is neither umpire saw me do that so when I reached home plate they called me out. Needless to say I was mad. We won that game and sat a game then played the last game of the evening. Same umpire was in the field. I hit one out and instead of watching the ball go over I looked straight at the umpire, jumped up and landed on first base with both feet, then continued my home run trot. When I reached third my coach yelled at me all the way to home about showing people up and other things. If I hadn’t been pitching that game and if we had more than 10 players he’d have sure pulled me. I didn’t like it at the time but I realize he was trying to make me a better person. I like to think it kind of worked.

[Mason Melchizedek]

Good to see ESPN still has one backer in this country, even if it is someone trolling on the internet

You just keep deflecting from your original statement.

[Mason Melchizedek]

Best baseball coach I had once yelled at me for 90 ft. I hit a home run in one game and while I was watching the ball go over the fence I stepped over first base. I turned immediately and touched it and then continued around the bases. Problem is neither umpire saw me do that so when I reached home plate they called me out. Needless to say I was mad. We won that game and sat a game then played the last game of the evening. Same umpire was in the field. I hit one out and instead of watching the ball go over I looked straight at the umpire, jumped up and landed on first base with both feet, then continued my home run trot. When I reached third my coach yelled at me all the way to home about showing people up and other things. If I hadn’t been pitching that game and if we had more than 10 players he’d have sure pulled me. I didn’t like it at the time but I realize he was trying to make me a better person. I like to think it kind of worked.

Off topic.

[Mott the Hoople]

I would only change one phrase in your post to agree with it completely. “A lot” I would replace with “some.” And good coaches such as Izzo know which kids are which.

Kids do quit sometimes when coaching gets more intense. My high school coach coached both the 7th-8th team and the high school team. As you might guess, he was more demanding and intense at the high school level. Some guys quit. My best friend was one of them. I had/have no problem with that. Not all of them were cut out to be a high school basketball players.

Plus my best friend had the same attitude about “yelling” as archives (no one but his father could yell at him). Similarly, my friend has had many jobs with many bosses. Fortunately he has been able to get by being self employed. This adds to my perception that coachable kids become employable adults. If a kid learns nothing else from sports that is a valuable lesson. Do some bosses carry thier authority too far at times? You said it in your post...some are a one trick pony. Bad bosses and bad coaches exist because of this.

Also you are correct about that positive and negative reinforcement thing. It’s better to be positive and use positive reinforcement. I stay positive as long as I can. But sometimes I still have to tell a kid to get his butt out of my classroom until he learns to show some respect. And when I do I’m not talking softly or even in a conversational manner.

I think were in agreement then. It’s about timing and the person you’re dealing with and what motivates them.

[PostmodernProphet]

Generic419
Verified User

Mason is such an idiot.....