Kyle Smith 🦬

@PrazMaster @DEvanAltman So much security “because of the Gold Gloves”. Amazing stuff.

@DEvanAltman Maybe. Just feels like he has so much security because of the Gold Gloves, but it’s overkill to have that in LF. To me, LF should be occupied by whoever your highest upside bat is that’s either a poor fielder or blocked at their natural position. That’s how Joe used LF in 2016.

Is there another player as good as or better than Ian Happ who is perceived by a not-insignificant number of fans as being bad?

@SamQuinnCBS There is absolutely 0% chance the suns would do this

There would be something heartbreakingly hilarious about the Suns having this feel good, underdog season only to cash it in for Kawhi Leonard after his healthiest season in years. A real “you’ve learned nothing” sort of trade.

@ModestTeacher all critique, no solutions

Sports for profit is disastrous in so many ways. It kills family time, it’s expensive, it gives kids (and their parents) an inflated sense of their ability, cuts into church time, forces kids to specialize at a young age, causes overuse injuries, etc., etc.

@drantbradley By the way, do you have a definition for “travel sports”? Seems weird to hate something you can’t define

@drantbradley All while asking zero questions about what I do believe. I do look forward to your next Clemson athletics post since surely none of those kids played travel sports.

@kylesmith6 "Dude," when I go to churches and talk to pastors, this is that is the issue. And it's real. Success idols are destroying families and travel sports is 100% apart of the mix. It's a real issue in church life, hence he pushback. flatrun.org/blog/post/shou…

@drantbradley Dude, no one is arguing that.

@kylesmith6 Parents aren't really my concern, it's teen mental health. There is no "third way." There is only one way that matters: "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?" Hell will be full to people who athletically gifted. Success idols are blinding.

Every time I speak at a church about the lack of wisdom in putting kids in travel sports, I get massive pushback from parents. That same class of parents then wonders why their adult children, in their 20s, are nominal. Here come the replies in 3, 2, 1: “Well, not my kid…”

@drantbradley You love to quote David Pollack & Kirk Herbstreit - both of whom have kids who play “travel sports” - and both of whom advocate for a third way. You would do better to work with sports families on how to navigate competitive sports well rather than paint with such a broad brush

@drantbradley Several. Including the ones you site. Generously, they cite small percentage points of difference between high level athletes and the general population. Can travel sports parents be absolutely crazy and be the cause of this 2-3% increase? Absolutely. Hence, the third way.

@just_mindy Thanks Mindy. I think you just described a third way.

If your kid is athletically gifted, they don't need to play 7 days a week to get noticed. The problem is every parent whose kid has become decent at the sport because of non-stop practice thinks they are going pro. It's not happening

@drantbradley Sir, I’m not trying to fight you. But you’re literally arguing a straw man. No one is saying faith, character, & good works don’t matter. Unless you’re taking the stance that children shouldn’t play organized sports at all, then your position is ignorant to the complexities.

"Please point me to the Bible verse that says which leagues my kids are allowed to play in." This is wrong question/framework--which is really sad. You should be more concerned with what kind of people your kids are becoming in this life and eternally and what activities advance that becoming. American parents, even Christians, have the wrong priorities and it really shows up in the data. There's a reason that 70% of kids today quit sports at 13 years-old. God is not going to hold you accountable for what you did with your children's "athletic giftedness." Jesus was more gifted than your kids and his father had him not participate in a lot of things he could have done because there are things in life that matter more.

@drantbradley As I said, ignorant. Please point me to the Bible verse that says which leagues my kids are allowed to play in. “They shall only play in the YMCA”? My favorite part is how you quote David Pollack or Kirk Herbstreit, and support Clemson athletics - all of whom play “travel sports”

Here’s your third way for “athletically gifted children”: “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” I’m longing for the day when you care more that your children are spiritually gifted children. It’s sad that such gifting is lower on your priority list. I feel so bad for pastors who have the make the case that God really does not care how “athletically gifted your kids are.” He is jealous.

80% of kids quit youth sports by age 13. Eli Manning says he hopes his kids say: “I want to ride home with your dad.” That tells you everything. Parents: The game ends with the whistle. The ride home decides if they want to keep playing.

@jansenshayne @JeffBiesinger Actually never. I just like winning.

@kylesmith6 @JeffBiesinger Moron that has nothing to do with appreciating him as a role model. You get bullied a lot I can tell

As I have gotten older, I’ve changed how I view athletes. Westbrook was someone who frustrated me for years. Then, I came to realize, he’s never cheated the game for one second. He plays as hard as anyone ever has. He’s never once gotten in trouble off the court. He seems the be great husband and father. And, you hear all types of stories about him helping in the community. I’m a big Westbrook fan now.

@kaeae @JeffBiesinger You just made my argument. Thank you.

@kylesmith6 @JeffBiesinger You could argue his style is not winning games, but ‘not particular good at basketball’? show us your tape

@Bull15ChinaShop @JeffBiesinger I prefer a stat called wins.

@kylesmith6 @JeffBiesinger Hes not good at basketball?

@405pokefan @JeffBiesinger Call me crazy, I prefer people who help their team win.

@kylesmith6 @JeffBiesinger Not good at basketball? A former mvp and future Hall of Famer not good at basketball?

@Canedude08 @JeffBiesinger You and I have different definitions of good then.

@kylesmith6 @JeffBiesinger He's particularly good at basketball, the issue is that his style of play doesn't lead to nearly as many wins as one would like.