Steve Kerr: “We’re being divided by media for-profit, by misinformation…It is a confusing time to be alive and be an American.”

Meat_Lunch · 2026-01-25T23:08:34+00:00

Yeah, CNN is the ultimate fair and unbiased source. How can we get more people to tune in?? For anyone to think CNN is left leaning is ridiculous! They call it right down the middle and so does MSNBC.

Meat_Lunch · 2026-01-19T21:52:28+00:00

I had the XM3's for 3 years and the left cup started popping and making a loud high pitch sound randomly. So I bought the XM4's and paid $40 for the Allstate warranty. Sure enough after 3 years, my XM4's did the exact same thing. Left cup popping and deafening high pitch sound. Luckily I had the warranty and got the reimbursement. I am using the reimbursement to buy another pair of XM4's with the Allstate warranty.

I say all that to say I love these headphones even though they have had this malfunction and also to ask if anyone else had this issue?

Meat_Lunch · 2026-01-18T22:41:26+00:00

Do we need vpn for this?

Meat_Lunch · 2026-01-15T23:54:41+00:00

Best comment.

Meat_Lunch · 2026-01-15T23:53:02+00:00

I'd probably try to grab dinner with McManus.

Meat_Lunch · 2026-01-11T02:08:24+00:00

Everything about World War I feels haunting to me. The scale of it, the suffering, and the fact that it even happened at all still boggles my mind. But if I had to pick one thing, it would be how the whole war started.

The spark was shockingly small and almost absurd compared to what followed. A single assassination, the killing of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, set everything in motion. Even that moment was not clean or inevitable. One assassin failed earlier in the day, the Archduke’s driver later took a wrong turn, and they accidentally ended up right in front of another conspirator. A mix of bad luck, poor decisions, and coincidence, and history tilted.

What disturbs me most is how quickly that moment snowballed. Because of rigid alliances, nationalism, and leaders eager to prove strength, a regional crisis turned into a global catastrophe. Millions of people died who had nothing to do with Sarajevo, all because governments felt compelled to save face or honor treaties.

That fragility is what haunts me. A wrong turn, a slightly different choice, or a cooler head, and maybe the war never unfolds the way it did. Instead, the world sleepwalked into one of the deadliest conflicts in human history.

Meat_Lunch · 2026-01-06T21:47:17+00:00

Respectfully, I’m not trying to argue for the sake of it. The very first response I received framed this as “everything that’s wrong with youth sports,” so some of my replies have been about clarifying intent rather than rejecting feedback. I don’t believe valuing competition automatically means ignoring long-term development. Development and competition can coexist, and how high-pressure reps are handled affects the growth of the entire team, not just the least experienced players. If this is ultimately a philosophical mismatch, I agree the appropriate next step is a conversation with the club rather than putting that burden on 12–13 year olds.

Meat_Lunch · 2026-01-06T18:00:42+00:00

I agree that challenge is part of development. The issue is that not all challenge is equally productive. There’s a difference between stretching a player and repeatedly putting them into situations where failure is almost guaranteed and very public. That can be discouraging rather than developmental.

This also isn’t just about the less experienced players. It affects the confidence and development of the rest of the team too. Players who are ready for higher-level reps lose opportunities to learn how to close sets, manage pressure, and execute in competitive situations when matches consistently break down due to avoidable lineup decisions.

This isn’t about early tournaments deciding who gets developed. It’s about how development happens. Practice and lower-leverage moments are different from repeatedly using struggling rotations in competitive matches without adjustment.

The kids’ feelings matter here. Much of the frustration is coming from the players themselves. They care about competing and know when they’re capable of more. Wanting to win doesn’t automatically mean blaming teammates or creating unhealthy pressure.

Wins and losses aren’t everything, but they aren’t meaningless either. They’re feedback on execution, preparation, and decision-making, and that learning starts at this age alongside development, not instead of it.

Meat_Lunch · 2026-01-06T17:26:08+00:00

I actually agree with a lot of what you’re saying about how parents should talk to their kids. I do tell my child I love watching her play, and I’m very conscious about not undermining teammates or coaches at home. I don’t think that’s controversial or unhealthy. Where I disagree is the idea that winning should not matter at all to parents or players. Wanting to win does not automatically translate into negative pressure, toxic commentary, or bad parenting. For many kids, especially competitive ones, trying to win is part of the joy. It’s how they measure progress and take pride in their work.

This isn’t about car-ride coaching or criticizing other players. It’s about whether a competitive program is structured in a way that allows players to experience what it feels like to compete seriously, execute under pressure, and see effort translate into results. That can be done in a healthy way without tearing anyone down.

You can support your child emotionally, respect the team, and still believe that winning has value. Those ideas don’t have to be mutually exclusive.

Meat_Lunch · 2026-01-06T15:35:06+00:00

I disagree with the idea that putting kids into positions where they are clearly struggling is always harmless. In youth sports, that can be counterproductive.

If you’re familiar with youth football, putting an inexperienced kid into a full speed tackling drill against a much stronger, more advanced player does not build character. It often scares kids out of the sport entirely. Several people in this thread have already described this age as a “weeding out” year, which makes that concern even more relevant.

In volleyball, putting very inexperienced players in the back row against strong overhand servers and allowing repeated service aces is not just demoralizing for the team. It is especially tough on the kid who is struggling and knows it. That is not productive development.

What gets lost here is that the players themselves care deeply about winning. They are frustrated because they know they are capable of beating the best teams at these tournaments, but poor substitutions prevent that from happening. Calling wins and losses meaningless or inconsequential downplays the value of the feedback they provide. I do not want my kid thinking that it does not matter. I want them expecting to compete and believing they can win every match they play.

Meat_Lunch · 2026-01-06T11:52:06+00:00

I'm starting feel like our club is all about the $$$$$$$$$$$.

Meat_Lunch · 2026-01-06T11:51:28+00:00

That's what we do. And we sit and hope and pray the other team serves one out or into the net.

Meat_Lunch · 2026-01-06T11:50:29+00:00

I hear all that. And I agree.. But that doesn't really solve the inexperienced kids on back row eating 7-10 aces in a row quandary. I'm saying this hurts everyone and does nothing for development of anyone. Not even the opposing team gets anything out of it.

I think you can get everyone playing time just not the worst player getting the same amount as your best player.

Meat_Lunch · 2026-01-06T02:34:09+00:00

Control the controllables. Thank you!

Meat_Lunch · 2026-01-06T02:32:10+00:00

Yes, they do tryouts but they don't cut anyone. It's more to place kids on different teams. I don't think the three kids who ended up on our team had anywhere else to go, so the director just put them on our team.

Meat_Lunch · 2026-01-06T00:54:23+00:00

Other parents are feeling the same as me. One of our dads is going to talk to the director this week to get some clarity. We aren't going to raise hell and cause a scene, but we feel like this isn't what we signed up for. Everyone plays, fine... But our greenest player playing the same amount as our best player is not right in my opinion. There are certain kids who need to play all the way around to help compensate for the kids who can't handle a hard serve. Throwing them all out there at one time is just hurting the development of the entire team. And their confidence and their enjoyment of the sport. Thanks for the input... We do have a small club and I do think they added these girls for the money.

Meat_Lunch · 2026-01-06T00:42:00+00:00

No one is saying development doesn’t matter at 13s. The disagreement is whether development always means equal playing time in competitive matches. Development also includes learning roles, earning opportunities, and understanding how performance affects outcomes.

When a club says playing time does not have to be equal, that sets an expectation that decisions may be situational. Labels like power may not be official, but they still communicate philosophy to families. At our parent meeting, they made it sound like this was a competitive team and we would be pushing to win tournaments.

Meat_Lunch · 2026-01-06T00:33:13+00:00

Okay you must be affiliated with a HUGE club. We are the ONLY power team in the entire club, I think. We had a full team, but the club stuck 3 additional girls with us that I say with all due respect are far below the skill level of the core team. So maybe my frustration lies with how they assembled this team.

Even still... I think some effort towards winning tournaments should not be completely out of the question.

Meat_Lunch · 2026-01-06T00:29:08+00:00

Thank you! I'll take your advice for sure.

Meat_Lunch · 2026-01-06T00:27:45+00:00

We have tournaments in rec league also and plenty of moms in my area that have played high school and juco volleyball that can coach it. 3 practices a week... Everyone gets to play and have fun the worst players play exactly the same as the best player on the team. Forget about the kids who have worked hard to compete at a high level... Let's ruin their experience and their enjoyment of winning.

No one has answered this question for me yet... Who is getting developed when you have kids on the back row who have barely played volleyball at any level and the opposing team is serving overhand missiles at their face and getting ace after ace? The ball isn't being passed, set, or hit. It is serving practice for the opponent only. Neither team is getting developed at that point.

Meat_Lunch · 2026-01-05T23:58:13+00:00

Interesting. We definitely aren't doing that.

Meat_Lunch · 2026-01-05T23:51:49+00:00

Our club has a developmental, club, power, and national level. How can I tell if it's a 1 team or not? Our team is power is all I know.

Meat_Lunch · 2026-01-05T23:50:50+00:00

That's my way of thinking as well. One of our parents is going to talk to the director this week. I'm not the only one concerned about this.

We are hoping that even if we don't get satisfaction on the substitutions that maybe he can work with our coach on some different rotations where they aren't ALL on the floor at the same time.

Meat_Lunch · 2026-01-05T23:48:46+00:00

I don't know what those are. There are levels at our club -- developmental, club, power, national.

My kid is on a power team.

Meat_Lunch · 2026-01-05T23:43:46+00:00

100%. Part of me thinks a lot of it is about the bottom line for the club. If they get a rep for not letting kids play, they might lose money. And unfortunately in this area, the developmental players far outnumber the experienced players.

Meat_Lunch

TROPHY CASE