http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/highschool-prep-rally/arkansas-mother-sues-district-state-constitutional-violation-son-113537254.html

Let me start by saying I hate participation trophies and policies that require all kids to play an equal amount of time.  Even more so, I despise leagues where we don't keep score because god forbid little Joey find out his team actually lost the game.  I remember when if you weren't good enough to play you didn't play until you practiced and made yourself good enough to earn a spot on the team.  So I'm probably pretty far at one end of the spectrum of this discussion.  But I thought this story summed up so much that is so wrong.

So Mrs. Bloodman's baby boy tried out for the basketball team and survived the initial cuts.  But when football season ended and a number of the school's athletes became available, young Bloodman found himself on the outside looking in.  Guess what, welcome to the real world.  One day your doing your job and the next day some fresh faced kid with an MBA from Stanford comes along and replaces you.  Or maybe you're just phased out by new technology.  Whatever the reason, shit happens. 

The problem is that Baby Boy Bloodman (say that 3 times fast) has probably spent his entire life being told he was a fine basketball player.  In fact, he's probably got the trophies to prove it.  3rd grade participation.  Check.  4th grade participation.  Check.  Hell, he's probably got a ribbon or two from a tournament his team played in.  Never mind he was probably too busy picking his nose to actually score a basket.  Dammit, he participated and that's what counts. 

So Mrs. Bloodman thinks her son is being denied his "constitutional right to compete in high school sports and for athletic scholarships."  Now I know nothing about Maumelle High School, but if Mrs. Bloodman's baby is good enough to compete for an athletic scholarship and the school has 11 players better than him, then they must have been one of the top schools in the country.  I looked it up.  They finished a respectable 21-12.  But they lost their playoff game 67-34.  I wonder how many college coaches attended that game.  Here's a clue Mrs. Bloodman--maybe your son just isn't that fucking good.  Side note: maybe it's a typo, but the story identifies the school's attorney as the attorney for the "Pulaski County Special School District.  If that's correct, this story just got even worse.

Lastly, I really hope that I read somewhere that either Mrs. Bloodman or Mr. Bloodman (although I doubt anyone could actually remain married to a shrew of this caliber for long) is an attorney.  It's embarrassing enough that attorneys file some of the shit that gets filed, but this is just fucking ridiculous.  They should disbar the moron who filed this claim.

One final thought.  I know the answer, but do you think for a minute this idiot considered the possibility that she was actually hurting her son more than she was helping him.  The kid is a freshman.  He has 3 more years to try out for the basketball team.  Now, if the kid makes it, no one is going to believe he did so because of his own skills, everyone will assume it's because mommy threatened another lawsuit.  Can you imagine the shit this kid is receiving from the other kids at school.  Who is going to want to be his friend.  Will any girl ever date him and, if so, will she have to fear a lawsuit from mommy if she decides to break up with him.  After all, doesn't baby boy have a constitutional right to the social activities.  Maybe mommy can sue and get him a date to the prom.

What a fucking joke.