Ridiculous

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Nine-year-old Jericho Scott is a good baseball player -- too good, it turns out.

The right-hander has a fastball that tops out at about 40 mph. He throws so hard that the Youth Baseball League of New Haven told his coach that the boy could not pitch any more. When Jericho took the mound anyway last week, the opposing team forfeited the game, packed its gear and left, his coach said.

Officials for the three-year-old league, which has eight teams and about 100 players, said they will disband Jericho's team, redistributing its players among other squads, and offered to refund $50 sign-up fees to anyone who asks for it. They say Jericho's coach, Wilfred Vidro, has resigned.

But Vidro says he didn't quit and the team refuses to disband. Players and parents held a protest at the league's field on Saturday urging the league to let Jericho pitch.

"He's never hurt any one," Vidro said. "He's on target all the time. How can you punish a kid for being too good?"

I never understood situations like this. So okay, my retarded child can't hit this guy so wah let's kick him out of the league?!

Back in my day, one we were facing that guy in little league, we would try to bunt or something but under no circumstances did any of our parents and coaches cry or whine about it or say it was unfair. Yea we all looked like idiots trying to hit his 70 mph fastball but who cares? Not only that but the one hit the guy gave up was probably the best moment of the season for us as one of our guys homered off him. It taught us all a very important life lesson that maybe, just maybe baseball wasn't the right sport for me or that hey life can surprise you once in a while.

I mean think about it like this -- if they said the same thing to Micheal Phelps that he couldn't be on the swim team because he was too good. Do you think he would have won 8 gold medals at this year's Olympics? I'm not saying this kid is the next Pedro or anything - he could flame out his arm before that - I'm more sick of this glorified Disney Channel lifestyle that's filtering its way to our nations' youth. Wasn't there stories of little leagues that wouldn't keep score?

Hey, Let's not develop any personality traits in our kids. That's much better. They don't need to learn about winning and losing or why it's ok that some kids are better at things. Instead just kick them out of the league.

And for the record, if I packed up and forfeited because I saw some kid pitching, I'd be pissed at the coach. Did Spartans forfeit against the Persians?! HELL NO! Did the Jets forfeit against the Colts?! HELL NO! Did the NY GIANTS against the evil Patsies? HELL NO! Did this coach have something better to do or something? I mean seriously how much of a wuss can you be?

Now before I go all Lou Holtz on anyone, I'm sure there is some back story to this but I failed to actually read the whole thing. So consider me an asshole when it's reported this kid is actually 15 but I'm just bothered how everything is becoming all rose-colored with pink fairies and sunshines with kids these days. Maybe that's why we have so many emo kids out.

How about we make a rule to just ban parents from kids sports? Sports were so much more fun during lunch recess anyway.