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Theo Vonn’s recent podcast about boys and men

Posted on 2/27/25 at 7:12 am
Posted by Roughneck2020
San Antonio
Member since Nov 2020
214 posts
Posted on 2/27/25 at 7:12 am
Theo recently had Richard Reeves on his podcast. Reeves specializes in studying social issues. He stated that the suicide rate in males under age 20 has increased 40% since 2010. He said the majority of the suicide notes say the boy feels useless or worthless. He also stated that males communicate best when talking shoulder to shoulder or when doing something physical. There have been a lot of threads on here where people criticize travel ball, one just a week ago. I said in the thread last week that the best thing I ever did for my son was build a batting cage and threw batting practice to him after work. The criticizers of travel ball are missing the point. It’s not about Braxton getting a scholarship. It’s about throwing BP to your child in the backyard or catching him pitching when no one else is around. It doesn’t have to be baseball. It can be anything your child is good at and likes. But you need to show them that you love them and that you’re willing to sacrifice your time for them. Many days I didn’t want to get home after work and then spend an hour in the backyard throwing BP. But I did it. All of you dads who want to go play golf on the weekends with friends or go hunting and fishing with buddies or get home from work and sit on the couch and drink beer and play video games or watch tv and veg out need to work on making your children better at something so they don’t end up feeling useless or worthless.
Posted by soccerfüt
Location: A Series of Tubes
Member since May 2013
70013 posts
Posted on 2/27/25 at 7:15 am to
Holy wall of text there Batman!

I’d be despondent if I had to read all that, no matter what age I was.
Posted by CocomoLSU
Inside your dome.
Member since Feb 2004
153657 posts
Posted on 2/27/25 at 7:15 am to
I agree with your underlying point, but this:
quote:

The criticizers of travel ball are missing the point. It’s not about Braxton getting a scholarship.

..is largely false for a LOT of people.

You can do any number of those kinds of things to bond with your kid and not be in travel ball.
This post was edited on 2/27/25 at 7:16 am
Posted by X123F45
Member since Apr 2015
28697 posts
Posted on 2/27/25 at 7:17 am to
quote:

aggie fan


Good advice or not, I'm not fully on board with you and your husband adopting.
Posted by Oilfieldbiology
Member since Nov 2016
39748 posts
Posted on 2/27/25 at 7:17 am to
quote:

All of you dads who want to go play golf on the weekends with friends


The majority of men that I know who do this now take their sons and daughters with them now that they are old enough to play golf

quote:

or go hunting and fishing with buddies


The majority of men I know that do this have always taken their sons with them

quote:

or get home from work and sit on the couch and drink beer and play video games or watch tv and veg out need to work on making your children better at something


I know this is a stereotype, but I don’t know one single father in my life that does this thankfully.

Your trying to justify coaches pitch travel ball by tying it to prevention of teen suicide of men is a stretch. However, your broader point of involving yourself in your son’s life and letting him know he’s loved and valued is an important one and should be shared chord and lived in every family household.
This post was edited on 2/27/25 at 7:19 am
Posted by hometownhero89
Center of the Earth
Member since Aug 2007
1799 posts
Posted on 2/27/25 at 7:17 am to
quote:

He also stated that males communicate best when talking shoulder to shoulder or when doing something physical. There have been a lot of threads on here where people criticize travel ball, one just a week ago.


Quite a tangent.

I get the message you’re conveying. But this is where you lost me.

But the non travel ball correlations make sense. Men don’t want to be talked down to and they want a leader in the trenches alongside them instead of governing them.
Posted by willymeaux
Member since Mar 2012
4834 posts
Posted on 2/27/25 at 7:18 am to
There’s a differece between playing pitch and catch with your son and taking a loan out to build a MLB batting cage in your back yard where Braxton can practice his nukes.
Posted by dsides
Member since Jan 2013
6127 posts
Posted on 2/27/25 at 7:19 am to
quote:

I’d be despondent if I had to read all that, no matter what age I was.


Do you have a learning disability?
Posted by Green Chili Tiger
Lurking the Tin Foil Hat Board
Member since Jul 2009
49897 posts
Posted on 2/27/25 at 7:20 am to
Posted by Oilfieldbiology
Member since Nov 2016
39748 posts
Posted on 2/27/25 at 7:20 am to
quote:

But the non travel ball correlations make sense. Men don’t want to be talked down to and they want a leader in the trenches alongside them instead of governing them.


Boys, more so than girls, need physical outlets to burn their energy. Sports, building things, simply being outside are necessary for healthy men and boys.
Posted by Diseasefreeforall
Member since Oct 2012
6666 posts
Posted on 2/27/25 at 7:22 am to
Suicide rates for girls have been rising as well so it's not specific to boys.
Posted by Rebel
Graceland
Member since Jan 2005
137920 posts
Posted on 2/27/25 at 7:23 am to
I just played Dixie Youth and my dad still did all of that stuff with me.

My kid played local little league and I did the same with him.

Not knocking travel ball. Sounds like you found something that worked for you.

Life is good man.
Posted by LazloHollyfeld
Steam Tunnel at UNC-G
Member since Apr 2009
1859 posts
Posted on 2/27/25 at 7:23 am to
It’s really travel ball causing the depression - when a kid is a 10-year travel ball veteran at 15 and realizes he is no good and can’t make the Varsity squad - the regrets of having dad scream at him and wasting the time set in and all that is left is faux gold relics of 28 past “World Series Championships”
Posted by Hangover Haven
Metry
Member since Oct 2013
29729 posts
Posted on 2/27/25 at 7:26 am to
quote:

Holy wall of text there Batman!


You mean the minute it took to read that?
This post was edited on 2/27/25 at 7:27 am
Posted by LemmyLives
Texas
Member since Mar 2019
9995 posts
Posted on 2/27/25 at 7:27 am to
quote:

The criticizers of travel ball are missing the point.


Weird excuse to justify why their college savings are being blown on travel ball (trick question, I know it was already spent on Yeti gear.) They can also build a fort in the woods with boys from the neighborhood, too. Or be a Boy Scout. Or put him in BJJ. Or ... Or...
Posted by Oilfieldbiology
Member since Nov 2016
39748 posts
Posted on 2/27/25 at 7:28 am to
quote:

Or put him in BJJ


You mean gay wrestling?
Posted by HeadCall
Member since Feb 2025
1809 posts
Posted on 2/27/25 at 7:29 am to
Weird to take a serious topic that could have been a good discussion just to defend travel ball
Posted by OysterPoBoy
City of St. George
Member since Jul 2013
40414 posts
Posted on 2/27/25 at 7:30 am to
quote:

There have been a lot of threads on here where people criticize travel ball


I also got blasted for saying men don’t spend enough (or any) time naked around other men. It’s the same philosophy. Bro up.
Posted by HeadCall
Member since Feb 2025
1809 posts
Posted on 2/27/25 at 7:30 am to
quote:

You mean gay wrestling?


It’s only gay if you tap out
Posted by Hangover Haven
Metry
Member since Oct 2013
29729 posts
Posted on 2/27/25 at 7:30 am to
My kid wrestles club and now high school. Some of the best talks we had were when driving to and back from distant tournaments.

Furthest was Atlanta, it was an awesome trip for just the two of us.
This post was edited on 2/27/25 at 7:31 am
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