A friend called me yesterday and said she was sending over a young man that she knew to talk to me. He is a business graduate from ETSU and is really into sports. He came and we talked about his experiences at ETSU and all about what he wants to do with the rest of his life. I asked him if he had any classes with some of you I know up there...but he had only heard about you.Anyway, in a round about way, he was wondering why I would start a business in a sport that is obviously losing momentum with the younger generation. Good question. As I think about it, I believe that if we don't keep pushing baseball...it may die out and that would be a tragedy! Already, the inner-city kids have rare opportunities to play this game since the game has been pushed out to the suburbs. We're missing out on a lot of talent because of that...and schools now are focusing mainly on football, basketball, and now soccer, because of the money it generates. Thankfully, ETSU is one of the few schools that have dropped football for baseball!
Baseball is an expensive game to manage (not that football isn't!)...but I think football creates that "feed the lions Roman coliseum attitude" that most crave...as well as, the fast pace games of basketball and soccer. I think people have a hard time sitting through the mind game of baseball...It's a bit too slow for our fast-food give it to me now generation.
My new friend wants to start a coffee shop that also serves beer! Great idea! Maybe I could create a sports complex and have him run the coffee/beer bar while we watch football, basketball, and soccer games on TVs that would be placed everywhere... and practice baseball during 2 minute commercial breaks! Hmmm...are we on to something here!
2 comments:
"I think football creates that "feed the lions Roman coliseum attitude" that most crave..."
You've hit it on the head with this idea. Football, basketball, hockey and soccer are "MTV" sports; baseball and golf are "Weather Channel" sports. At least that's one way to think of it. Personally, I've never understood what's fast-paced about soccer (apart from the running around and kicking behavior), but I don't really know much about it. Soccer is certainly the sport of choice for lots of top athletes in high school, college and beyond; at lower levels, it also seems to the sport of choice for a lot of kids who can't hit or catch or throw a baseball . . . or stand still.
Growing up in Korea and playing soccer, I understand the game and actually enjoy it to some degree. But...there really isn't anything like baseball where you learn to play the game with a team, but then turn around and it's a one on one situation: the pitcher and you. What a great game!
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