OT: The Pussification of Americas Continues
"Staten Island mom settles suit with Little League and coaches over knee injury"
http://www.silive.com/northshore/index.ssf/2009/08/staten_island_mom_se…
Because the kid slid into the base wrong....the Mom sued and won $125,000. What the %&#@ is wrong with people.
That is horrible. What kind of message are we sending to our kids?
August 7th, 2009 at 11:46 AM ^
I was watching an HBO Real Sports episode some time ago and there was a school down in Arizona (I think it was AZ) were the kids were not allowed to even touch one another. No high fives, cool handshakes or pats on the back. Let the minority rule the majority!
i hate reading the news anymore.
And now, expect pretty much every little league in America to adopt a "no sliding" rule. Ugh.
Dark times we are entering yes.
Soon championships will be gone in all sports because "everyone is a winner".
What's the point at working hard and striving for your best when everyone around you will be recorded as an equal no matter how bad they did?
August 7th, 2009 at 10:18 AM ^
RR pulled his son Rhett from T-ball for this reason. The league operated under the policy of "everyone bats, everyone scores, and everyone is a winner". His response: "To Hell With That!!!"
August 7th, 2009 at 10:24 AM ^
I really like how you show how the word "equal" is being abused by America. The idea that some one is not equal because they do not have the skill to win is crazy, but I can see it coming!
Can some one tell me, how did this litigious idiot actually win this lawsuit/get her settlement? I am hoping that the kid did not have health insurance, so the league felt sorry for him and offered a settlement that will cover his medical bills. But anything short of that, and these people are just scum.
August 7th, 2009 at 11:00 AM ^
But I can't imagine that medical bills for that would exceed 10k.. let alone 125k...
And don't give me bullshit about how the kid is traumatized.
August 7th, 2009 at 11:11 AM ^
I hope he doesn't have any aspirations to play any other organized sports, because no coach in his right mind would allow him on the squad. You know Mom will run through the $150 in a year or so, so she'll need to get paid again.
Although I can understand that the LL organization may have settled our of court to simply to make the case and attendant publicity go away, I think they bear a good deal of the blame for this. There is no way this woman should have gotten a nickel, and the organization should have stuck to their guns.
August 7th, 2009 at 12:28 PM ^
...how much stuff costs when you go to the hospital. I had a pretty routine procedure I had to take care of a few months ago. Sure, it was surgery, but I was in the hospital for maybe 4 hours. When I saw the bill for it, there were over 15k in costs!
Fortunately, insurance covered basically all of it, but I was floored that something that seemed so straight forward could end up costing so much.
tell you that there are costs that would make people's head spin when they get procedures done at a hospital. I live in Canada where everything is covered (unless it is cosmetic) but when I do my billing (correction, when my secretary does my billing) you get an idea of what things cost.
For a "routine" surgery, depending on whether you are put to sleep or not you are paying for:
1)O.R. time
2)Surgeons fee
3) Assisting Physicians fee
4) Nurses wages (for a routine simple surgery there would be at least 2, maybe more)
5) Cleaning staff wages
6) all medical supplies used during the case
This is not even the complete list (I am a nephrologist, not a surgeon) but most of what you pay for is there, I know I am leaving a couple things out. Also, most procedures have a flat rate for the surgeon to perform so it isn't an hourly thing. If you had your gall bladder out via a laprascopic surgery you are probably paying the surgeon at least $10,000.00 for that surgery alone.
Having said all that, it would be impossible for this child to have incurred $150K of medical expenses for something like this. I think this LL did LL's around your country a huge disservice as this will likely be precident setting.
On a side note, I have always found it interesting/scarry how easy it is to sue people and win in the USA. Personally, I don't know how Dr.'s dare to practice down there.
August 7th, 2009 at 10:02 AM ^
Damn, back in the day we signed release forms. Granted, mine was made of stone, but isn't this commonplace?
Of course, I volunteered to play football with no helmet because we didn't have them and............urm.....what was I saying??
August 7th, 2009 at 10:03 AM ^
Buzz kill.
What is wrong with people? Off topic, I was at a Whitecaps game last night and a lady got smoked in the head with a foul ball because, as always, 95% of people don't pay attention at baseball games. She caused a huge stir and I heard the "sue" word being thrown around. Come on people.
August 7th, 2009 at 10:15 AM ^
I was at that game. I got wrecked.
August 7th, 2009 at 10:17 AM ^
As did I.
August 7th, 2009 at 10:21 AM ^
Did you see the lady get smoked by the foul ball? Actually two ladies did. One got a line drive in the ribs.
August 7th, 2009 at 10:26 AM ^
pay attention!!!
August 7th, 2009 at 10:49 AM ^
I only spent about 2 innings in my seat. The rest was in line or on the concourse.
August 7th, 2009 at 11:24 AM ^
The Whitecaps are the only baseball team I've actually been to that I watched. It was a whole lot more entertaining than watching it on tv!
August 7th, 2009 at 10:34 AM ^
She can't sue. People have tried. Judges have repeatedly smacked them down.
August 7th, 2009 at 10:36 AM ^
I was at the Tigers game yesterday and had outfield box seats right along the first base line. You better believe I was watching the action every at bat. As a result, two things happened; I didn't get beaned with a foul ball and I watched the game. What a concept!
August 7th, 2009 at 10:04 AM ^
on the pussification of america... but how many times are we going to steal days old Deadspin posts and put them on the board here without referenicing where it came from - like you found the article yourself?? You even stole the exact title of their post. Its been happening on this board frequently as of late.
-1
August 7th, 2009 at 10:34 AM ^
People still read Deadspin?
August 7th, 2009 at 10:41 AM ^
is deadspin?
August 7th, 2009 at 11:05 AM ^
Sorry folks I did link to that article from DeadSpin....but the phrase "Pussification of America" I actually coined from Sean Baligian when he was on 1130 WDFN The Fan. He would do weekly stories on articles like the one I referenced above. I didnt realize some squeeker would get offended.
August 7th, 2009 at 11:18 AM ^
I'm pretty sure George Carlin coined the term pussification. He mentions it either in Complaints and Grievances or You're All Diseased.
"The continued pussification of the American male in form of Harley Davidson theme restaurants."
August 7th, 2009 at 11:28 AM ^
Your absolutely correct.
For having a completely unrelated, yet very, very valid message in your avatar.
I, too, am a believer.
YOU can coin something SOMEONE else said.........
Deadspin hasn't been cool and edgy in like 3 and half years. The fact that they still desperately try to milk the Barbaro story for yuks all these years later is the biggest sign of what a shell they've become. Really, the beginning of the end was Will Leitch's transformation from fun, quirky sports blogger to HEY ESPN LICK MY ASS LOL douchebag.
August 7th, 2009 at 10:14 AM ^
As someone mentioned, what the heck happened to the liability waiver?
The article says that a judge still needs to approve the settlement. Hopefully whatever judge they have isn't out of his freaking mind and turns it down.
Apparently the money is coming from the local organizations. This surprises me that a local little league has $125k (or will have that much over the course of years it is paid out).
August 7th, 2009 at 10:42 AM ^
I work in insurance, specializing in businesses with kids, and unfortunately this stuff is pretty common.
The major problem is that signing away liability isn't as cut and dry with kids as it is with adults. Since they're minors, the parents sign the forms, but the courts don't always allow for someone to fully sign for someone else.
So, the bottom line is that all of you should buy lots of liability insurance, let me know if you need any.
August 7th, 2009 at 10:58 AM ^
But if he was, he'd be saying: "One insurance policy please!"
and my brother (who is a Lawyer) has told me repeatedly that waivers aren't worth the paper they're written on, whether for children or adults. The bottom line is that it is extremely hard to sign away someones liability/responsibility/accounability and at the end of the day, if you have a good lawyer they will generally get you money whether you signed one or not.
August 7th, 2009 at 10:29 AM ^
A great disservice to all the kids involved in the sport.
Where is dad in all this? Bring the hammer, big man! Don't let wifey make a decision that will heap disgrace upon your family. More importantly: Don't let her turn your son into a sniveling weakling!!!
Remember, men: The pussification of America starts at home.
August 7th, 2009 at 10:28 AM ^
that is truly awful.
August 7th, 2009 at 10:29 AM ^
It's Staten Island. Just saying.
August 7th, 2009 at 10:31 AM ^
Robert Gates should sue Mrs. Jean Gonzalez of Meiers Corners for weakening the National Defense by popping out and raising a brat that's clearly going to be 4-F on both physical and emotional grounds.
August 7th, 2009 at 11:14 AM ^
Further evidence of pussification? Marine Corps Style:
When I was in boot camp, a recruit's mother called our company office to complain about her son being picked on too much. I'm pretty sure the drill instructor got in some sort of trouble.
I'm in Iraq right now, and if I were to tell one of my Marines to do some pushups, I could be charged with hazing and demoted. Same thing if I were to make an overweight Marine run more unless I were to run with them.
August 7th, 2009 at 11:21 AM ^
That's truly insane. My father was career Army, and he complained bitterly when the new recruits were permitted to do their timed runs in sneakers instead of boots. Times change I guess.
Will you be able to watch much football this fall? Stay safe, and thanks.
August 7th, 2009 at 12:51 PM ^
When I was in boot camp (old school) it didn't take long for me to figure out that mother was only half a word.
to have some help getting through university (for each year you served you had a certain amount of your education paid for) and boot camp was crazy. This wasn't old school either, we are only talking about the 90's here but it was flat out nuts.
I remember the first night I arrived at the base I got in after everyone else had already gone to sleep. Unbeknownst to me, before I arrived everyone was given a tutorial as to what they could expect in the a.m. and how to put on their uniform and a brief review of what the different badges meant (who was a private and who was a General etc)....I missed all this. So, needless to say when I was still sleep ing at 6 a.m. the shit hit the fan. Sarge came in a flipped me out of my cot onto the floor and started cursing his face off at me about what a "bag of shit" I was....I had no idea who he was or what his rank was so I just said "Yes sir".....That proved to be a huge mistake because you only call officers "Sir" and people who aren't officers, generally think they are overpaid pieces of crap who do nothing all day.
Anyway, after screaming at me for about 5minutes while I tried to get dressed he was told I missed the tutorial the night before so he eased up a bit, but continued to ride me for the next couple days until I proved I was no pussy.
Back then when I guy f@#*ed up he got what was termed a "blanket party" where you waited until the person was asleep and someone would hold a blanket over his head while people beat him with socks that were full of bars of soap. This generally only happened when someone was either a "rat" or got the rest of the squad in trouble for something they had done.
I can't believe we now have mommy calling because her son is getting made fun of and what is worse...that people are taking her seriously....Do these guys understand that these boys have to go out and fight a WAR!!!!! If they can't take getting made fun of how are they going to handle having bullets shot at their ass without having mommy there to wave the white fucking flag for them!
Hearing this definintely depresses me.
In all fairness, the DI did proceed to own the kid basically the rest of the 13 weeks. The fact that someone wrote home during Marine boot camp and had mommy call to get the DI yelled at just blew my mind.
August 7th, 2009 at 12:12 PM ^
pussification would be a good thing, but no.
what a country we live in.
August 7th, 2009 at 12:21 PM ^
the world is ending because of some meaningless suit in Staten Island. In related news: Marines are not allowed to even yell at recruits, OMG America is totally fucked!!
Jesus christ, nothing pisses me off more than people who pick out some meaningless piece of fucking news, especially legal news and act like it is so important. There are a thousand bad decisions/opinions that come out every year and some of them happen in criminal cases where people actually go to prison or get killed, or important statutory cases. But these are not nearly so important as a case about little league because everyone loves little league so it gives them something they can all gather around and bitch about.
Oh wait, this wasn't even a case! It was a settlement. There was not even precedential value in this. So this doesn't even show that any judge thought that Little League was liable. It shows that the Little League thought that the risk of the judge finding liability times the damages (plus legal fees) was greater than the $125,000 (plus less legal fees). So at most this shows that Little League believes America is "pussified." But of course we won't want to doubt the judgment of Little League because it's totally awesome. Hence America is going down the tubes, right?
It should be noted that everyone's beloved Little League didn't bother to litigate this super important issue at the heart of American society. Apparently having their day in court to attempt to save our country was not worth the extra money that they predicted it would cost them. Of course given that Little League already judged that America was pussified, and that their judgment is infallible, such a day in court would have been a wasted effort.
And who would dare to think that Little League's judgment is fallible? Certainly not me.
August 7th, 2009 at 12:40 PM ^
This case is a microcosm of our society. America is evolving into a cannibalistic, socialized, impotent giant. I hate discussing politics, but here it goes: The government is fucking.this.place.up, and the people are getting sick of it.
The fact that you fail to comprehend everyone's frustration with this story leads me to believe that you are a lawyer. I hate politicians and lawyers. Universal healthcare sucks. Pineapple.
August 7th, 2009 at 12:44 PM ^
to believe that I am rational. Of course that would only happen if you were rational. But your post demonstrates otherwise anyway.
August 7th, 2009 at 12:45 PM ^
So are you a lawyer or not?
I am not.
I feel like I am talking to the two doors on the David Bowie movie, "Labyrinth".
"One of always tells the truth, and the other always lies".
If you are not a lawyer, then you are telling the truth.
If you are a lawyer, then you would be damn good at lying about it.