Amateur Sports

I was at the park and saw some kids playing that kind of ragtag basketball that kids play at parks. A lot of bad guarding, rough, uncontrolled dribbling, and reckless shots.

I was thinking, too bad a professional ref doesn't come swooping in, striped shirt and all, to call a few fouls and some traveling calls. That'd teach them to be such amateurs.

Then closer to home, some guys were playing amateur soccer, or some variation on the theme. And there goes a major kick, and the ball goes rolling down the street. So the game had to stop for a minute or so while one of the kids ran and got the ball.

There's some kids in this neighborhood who spend more time running in the street to get their ball than they actually do playing with it. I don't know why they don't switch directions and play parallel to the road instead of having it for a backdrop. But it must not have ever occurred to them. Nor must it have occurred to their parents that the more they run in the road to get the ball the more likely it'll be that we'll see a disaster.