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Man denies threatening to shoot son's Little League coach
Wade Campbell (left), the man charged with making terroristic threats against the coach, began to cry when it came time to tell his side of the story in court. Campbell admitted being angry when he had said, "Send this guy back to Mexico," after he was kicked out of the dugout, and then muttered "Get a job," when the coach's relatives glared at him in the bleachers. But he emphatically denied saying anything about shooting anybody. (Minneapolis Star Tribune | KSTP/no-registration)
January 25, 2008 | Permalink
Comments
I just dont get the ridiculous level of competitiveness among some of these men and women...not just parents but coaches. When my youngest was in little league he had a coach one year that wasn't asked to come back because he practically had a heartattack on the field due to freaking out when the kids weren't winning. Sadly for the coaches own son, who also played on the team, his dad would stop the game and walk onto the field to berate the kid in front of everyone.
SERIOUS anger mgmt courses are needed!!! Too bad they don't have "How to act like an adult" courses too! But...you cant fix stupid....
Posted by: Cherie | Jan 25, 2008 6:38:15 AM
Man, when will parents (mostly dads) get it through their thick heads that it's just a game? let the kids have fun and don't worry about winning and losing. Plus, I noticed HE didn't volunteer to coach.
Posted by: pnwguy (no relation) | Jan 25, 2008 6:38:57 AM
Gee....after looking at the guys photo I can't imagine him as a racist angry moron......oh wait, yes I can.
Posted by: jimmyjohn | Jan 25, 2008 6:44:10 AM
This guy insulted the coach's son about a weight problem? Really?!?
I would think living in a glass house in Minnesota would be brutal this time of year.
I coached youth flag football when I was in high school, and went out of my way to keep the mood light and the parents of my team members entertained. Yes, I played everybody, especially on the third- and fourth-grade teams I coached. For the stakes, it seemed the right thing to do.
Now I'm a parent. Once my son starts participating in various activities, I hope as a spectator and fan I will have the same perspective as my 16- and 17-year old self once had. (Not often does one hope for that mindset as an adult...) But given that I live in a much larger community than my high school days, and the current climate around youth sports, I don't feel the itch to coach again. Which is too bad, as I like to think I was a positive role model for the kids I coached back home.
Posted by: ugboss | Jan 25, 2008 6:49:14 AM
Read the article and the guy comes off even worse for how he treated his own son. He is going to spend some jail time to mellow out.
Posted by: TSA | Jan 25, 2008 6:49:29 AM
ugboss...for the local kids...you should consider coaching...since morons abound, you'd be a breath of fresh air...and EVERY kid remembers their good coaches.
You also said something important "every kid played"
My youngest isn't the most athletic kid in the world, but when he started playing, they didn't even keep score! However many times he'd sit on the bench most of the season. I always wondered how he'd even have the opportunity to get better if he wasn't allowed to play. If I had a dollar for every time I had that conversation with a coach that was allowing his own kid the best positions and playing all game every game, I'd be rich.
Posted by: Cherie | Jan 25, 2008 6:52:37 AM
I'm trying to picture Wade "where's my Fn neck?" Campbell crying.
I'm was more suprised at my nephew's games when there wasn't at least one parent comepletely over the top. And they have no clue that they are total holes of the ass.
I don't know if I'll be able to stomach it when my boys are old enough to participate in things like this. One thing I know, they are not paying the (usually high school kids) refs enough. They should be issued Tasers with permission to use them as often and however they like.
Posted by: stopeatingmysesamecake | Jan 25, 2008 6:57:38 AM
This is why I love my son's participation in Martial Arts - no one every argues with the Black Belts!
Posted by: Zoot | Jan 25, 2008 7:01:19 AM
I'm trying to picture Paris Hilton in this same scenario. I'm sure she would have been sentenced to 30 mins of anger management. Also, this guy kind of looks like Otis Campbell on the old Andy Griffith show. Wonder if they are related?
Posted by: Zwxphtt | Jan 25, 2008 7:03:03 AM
Looks like they've found their man when they do the next remake of The Blob.
Posted by: G-Man | Jan 25, 2008 7:04:04 AM
is that a real man?! please, somebody tell me that is a photoshopped. LMAO.
Posted by: sometimesilie | Jan 25, 2008 7:07:38 AM
Since when is Jaba the Hutt's kid playing little league?
Posted by: Luke Skywalker | Jan 25, 2008 7:28:29 AM
I have kids in youth sports. Okay, just soccer, but still. There are helicopter parents as well as over-competitive parents at every level. You either figure out how to deal with it, or keep your kids out.
Every season I figure out at the first game who's who in the stands. How? I'm the parent who cheers for everybody. The parents who give me dirty looks when I cheer for the other team are the ones whose kids I pity. Until these kids are getting paid for their talent, everyone deserves a little bit of encouragement and cheer. But that's just my opinion.
I could tell stories all day about the antics I've seen in the stands, about the kids I just knew didn't want to play but their parents made them, about coaches who practically had an aneurysm on the field. Hell, my own mom was banned forever from the city park for her antics during a particularly heated softball match, and in Mister's hometown all parents were banned from the playing fields for all "little league" sports.
Posted by: Soo | Jan 25, 2008 7:33:55 AM
Racists in Saint Paul's east side? Color me unsurprised...
Posted by: Somebody | Jan 25, 2008 7:37:03 AM
I feel so fortunate - my little league soccer coaches were awesome. I had one that took everyone out for pizza or ice cream after almost every game - whether we won or lost. And my parents gave me nothing but encouragement.
To be honest most everyone's parents were pretty cool, with a small handful of exceptions. I don't know if this 'crazed sports parent' thing is something new from the last few years, or just getting more attention, or maybe I was just lucky or what.
Posted by: elchampino | Jan 25, 2008 7:38:47 AM
When I read what the neckless wonder said to his son, it told me all I needed to know. He's a complete turd.
Posted by: Swangirl | Jan 25, 2008 7:48:57 AM
How can you say he's a complete turd when he actually shed tears over his actions? Sheesh, crocodile tears don't go very far these days.
Posted by: Somebody | Jan 25, 2008 7:51:37 AM
Seems that the ideal coach would be someone who could teach the skills, yet have an attitude such as ugboss, ie., noncompetitive/make sure everyone has fun. But with the charisma (or stones) to get everyone on that page.
Problem is that ugboss is the exception-coaching (and most other of these volunteer positions) seem to attract a competitive, 'winning is the only thing' personality.
But then again, this doesn't address the issue of assbat parents.
Posted by: arthurtwoshedsjackson | Jan 25, 2008 7:53:24 AM
Lol, Luke.
HBO has been playing the original Star Wars trilogy lately, and yes, all Wade would need is a little makeup for standing in for Jabba the Hut.
Off topic: First 3 Star Wars >>>>> the Prequels
Posted by: stopeatingmysesamecake | Jan 25, 2008 7:56:37 AM
IMHO...STMSC....The First 3 are the only ones worth a crap.
Posted by: Cherie | Jan 25, 2008 8:24:01 AM
you people talk about mr. noneck but I seriously doubt you would want to go a round with him in the ring!!!
Posted by: steve | Jan 25, 2008 8:35:57 AM
you are correct, steve. because he has no neck.
Posted by: elchampino | Jan 25, 2008 8:41:45 AM
steve, he doesn't exactly look like the quick sort. You'd have to make sure you weren't underneath him when he toppled unless you were planning on being flattened like a pancake. This guy would make a good professional wrestler on looks alone!
Posted by: sometimesilie | Jan 25, 2008 8:44:25 AM
---
you people talk about mr. noneck but I seriously doubt you would want to go a round with him in the ring!!!
---
No, I wouldn't. But I also wouldn't recommend he go against me in a to the death round of Jeopardy, either.
Posted by: stopeatingmysesamecake | Jan 25, 2008 8:57:19 AM
My husband coaches my son baseball team and my daughters baseball team and is vice pres of the association. He is the coach that has mose request for him to be coach. He never yells or belittles the kids and his teams always do good 1st or 2nd place but when they loss it is ok with him as long as the are learning something and having fun. The Teams we play agaist also have kids we know and we still cheer them on. My husband also leaves baseball on the field and does not bring it home. I just wish all parents and be like this.
I have watch to many kids with real talent quit sports because of there parents.
Posted by: Tera | Jan 25, 2008 9:04:02 AM
