Ask the coach
Bad Habits
Hey, Coach! My son “Jimmy” has some bad habits, and I cannot convince him to give up one in particular. He smokes and has a young son who stays with us on most weekends. Jimmy does not smoke much, but when he does, he smokes in the house in front of his son. He won’t even step outside for a couple of minutes. I keep telling him that the smoke is not good for his son.
It’s been a real battle, and I have thought about how much tension this topic brings. Is there a better way to approach this without having to argue about it? Thank you.
Signed….Lungs at Work
Dear Lungs at Work: Your son lives at home with you and is being disrespectful, and that needs to change. Of perhaps even more importance, he is also being disrespectful to his son and not looking out for his welfare. That is not good parenting on his part. “Like dad, like son” holds true on many occasions, so Jimmy is a poor role model.
It only takes a moment to step outside and do the right thing, and it is easy to see how this can turn into a battle.
You probably worked hard to kick the habit, and you shouldn’t have to be subjected to smoke, either. While some would say kick him out or tell him to move, that is easier said than done, and that will bring on other issues that may end up being worse for his son, so ultimatums are not always a practical solution.
A compromise is usually the suggestion, but the Coach is unable to find any compromise that would permit Jimmy to smoke in the house (even when his son is not there). Good luck with this very sensitive situation.
Instant Replay
Hey, Coach! Did you see how the Pirates got robbed Tuesday night?
The ump missing that call is a perfect example of why baseball should have a lot of things that can be reviewed by instant replay so that an obvious blown call does not determine the outcome of a game in the 18th inning. The Bucs got jobbed. Is there any talk of expanding instant replay? Signed…Blown Call
Dear Blown Call: The Coach watched the ninth inning and then started to count sheep, so he missed the drama as it unfolded three hours later. In seeing it the next night on replay, it appeared very obvious that the Atlanta runner was tagged before touching the plate (actually, several feet in front of the plate), while the ump said the tag was missed.
To answer your question, the Coach is not aware of anything in the works to expand instant replay in baseball. However, if this missed call and others get enough exposure, perhaps then the powers-that-be will consider replay for situations like the one that happened Tuesday night.
Coach’s Comments: Very little will be attempted and accomplished if all possible objections must first be overcome. Be safe, and thanks for making the Coach a part of your weekend.
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You can contact the
Coach at askthecoach2003@yahoo.com.