(08-19-2015, 10:53 AM)SteelCitySouth Wrote: I had no idea the military gave out participation trophies.

What do you think all those bars and medals on a guy's chest meant?

(08-19-2015, 11:59 AM)PhilHos Wrote: What do you think all those bars and medals on a guy's chest meant?

Huh...

(08-19-2015, 12:43 PM)SteelCitySouth Wrote: Huh...

And don't get me started on the bars and medals on a military guy's chest.

(08-19-2015, 12:59 PM)PhilHos Wrote: And don't get me started on the bars and medals on a military guy's chest.

Oh........

(08-19-2015, 10:50 AM)Bmoreblitz Wrote: I agree.....and the biggest thing I tend to observe with the generation of "everyone gets a trophy" is the inability to adjust to failure and a sense of entitlement. It has caused many of them as young adults difficulty in being able to adjust to stressful situations.
My case in point being the more recent younger Soldiers I've came across. There are a lot more that cannot adjust.

I agree. My girlfriend is a teacher, I am in the Navy. Her administration is so afraid of frivolous lawsuits that they are barely allowed to provide honest feedback to students. You can't call a kid out for spending all period goofing off in the bathroom because they might be embarrassed (they should be!). They can't take a kid's phone when they're playing on it in class (if it breaks, the parents will blame us!). You can't set any sort of behavioral standard because then you're stifling their individuality. Then from this sterile world, they're supposed to flip a switch, immediately develop a work ethic, and be expected to earn what they get?

I currently work in a training command, and I see college grads fail on a weekly basis. Intuitive, brilliant people who never had to work for anything are suddenly struggling just to keep up. That's what happens when the real world comes crashing down all of a sudden. A passing grade you don't deserve here, a trophy you didn't earn there, it's easy to develop an entitlement complex. And the first time someone is honest with you and tells you you weren't good enough, it's heartbreaking. We've figured out not to feed bears, lest they become dependent. Why do we insist on sheltering our own kind so much?

Those who go from her world to mine experience a culture shock like you wouldn't believe, and it wasn't always that way.

(08-18-2015, 02:06 PM)SteelCitySouth Wrote: Bengal fans are always throwing stones at people on the street, from within their glass house.

As opposed to Pittsburgh, where they just sleep on the street with stones.

http://crossroads.newsworks.org/index.php/local/keystone-crossroads/80681-homeless-population-up-in-pennsylvania-down-nationally-

(08-19-2015, 09:08 AM)xxlt Wrote: Perhaps in your mind and Harrison's mind, if all you care about it is you got a trophy then you slack off. Not in mine and many others.

Maybe putting it in another context would help. If you cooked a meal and it was edible but not your best ever would you throw it out or eat it? I would eat it, but I would try to do better next time. It would seem by your and Harrison's logic that you would either throw out the meal or eat it and quit trying to cook better.

If your girl (or guy) gave you a hummer and you did not think it was the best one you had ever received would you still show some gratitude. It seems you and Harrison would not, because you would not want your lover to get complacent. I think a normally programmed person would show gratitude. Saying, "Thanks for the hummer," even though it wasn't the best one you ever got is equivalent to giving a participation trophy.

I am sorry that is anathema to you and Harrison but I am happy to recognize the efforts of all kids who play sports, all who try to feed me a decent meal, and all who try to gratify me physically. I will risk complacency in the name of decency.

Competing against someone and getting a trophy for just showing up is nowhere near the same as cooking for yourself. If the food is bad you have to eat. If you're bad at whatever you're competing in you don't have to get a trophy. Here let's put it in perspective. Should the Bengals have won trophies for playoff games they lost each of the last 4 years?  

(08-19-2015, 01:59 PM)Benton Wrote: As opposed to Pittsburgh, where they just sleep on the street with stones.

http://crossroads.newsworks.org/index.php/local/keystone-crossroads/80681-homeless-population-up-in-pennsylvania-down-nationally-

Hmmm....You bring up some very invalid points.

In Cincinnati

• Approximately 25,000 people experience homelessness each year.
• Between 1986 and 2000, the homeless population increased 150%.


http://cincihomeless.org/fact-sheet/

It's really more like roughly 1500 in Cinci...much like Pit. Though you guys do have a lot more trailer parks...that's about the same a being homeless.

(08-19-2015, 09:08 AM)xxlt Wrote: Perhaps in your mind and Harrison's mind, if all you care about it is you got a trophy then you slack off. Not in mine and many others.

Maybe putting it in another context would help. If you cooked a meal and it was edible but not your best ever would you throw it out or eat it? I would eat it, but I would try to do better next time. It would seem by your and Harrison's logic that you would either throw out the meal or eat it and quit trying to cook better.

Your trophy for cooking for yourself is the look and overall health of your body. I've had accomplishments that are definitely impressive and sport trophies that are for being the only team to go undefeated in the playoffs. The only trophy that I'm really proud of is my body after nearly 3 years of learning how to eat healthy and that doing it for every meal everyday.

My trophy for participating in this, but being no good would be 35% bodyfat, chronic fatigue and early onset diabetes.

Trying something new and being no good at is is expected. Accepting that fact is okay; celebrating it is not.

I believe what I've just said, but I do think treating participation trophies like the end of the world is stupid. I have plenty of them and I never mistook the gift for an accomplishment. That alone isn't going mess up a kid.

(08-19-2015, 11:59 AM)PhilHos Wrote: What do you think all those bars and medals on a guy's chest meant?

#badass

(08-19-2015, 02:36 PM)SteelCitySouth Wrote: Hmmm....You bring up some very invalid points.

In Cincinnati

• Approximately 25,000 people experience homelessness each year.
• Between 1986 and 2000, the homeless population increased 150%.


http://cincihomeless.org/fact-sheet/

I don't live in either. My town has one homeless person. We all take turns letting him sleep it off in the back of our trucks.

(08-20-2015, 12:11 PM)Benton Wrote: I don't live in either. My town has one homeless person. We all take turns letting him sleep it off in the back of our trucks.

Band Wagon Bengal Fan

(08-20-2015, 01:42 PM)SteelCitySouth Wrote: Band Wagon Bengal Fan

Outside of maybe the Jaguars, I think we're the team least likely to have a bandwagon.

To all of those that think that participation trophies are a good idea:  What is the entire point of doing anything competitive?  Obviously to see who is the best.  The best, the winner deserves the trophy.

The "participation award" comes in the form of learning the value of hard work, teamwork, not being afraid to try one's hardest, being graceful in defeat, humility by congratulating the winner.  Giving one's all in competition, and coming away with nothing, has developed many a strong character that has went on to be completely successful in life.

(08-19-2015, 02:36 PM)SteelCitySouth Wrote: Hmmm....You bring up some very invalid points.

In Cincinnati

• Approximately 25,000 people experience homelessness each year.
• Between 1986 and 2000, the homeless population increased 150%.


http://cincihomeless.org/fact-sheet/

That is why Carson left town.

(08-21-2015, 03:50 PM)Benton Wrote:

Outside of maybe the Jaguars, I think we're the team least likely to have a bandwagon.

Ain't that the truth…

unfortunately.

(08-21-2015, 06:04 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: To all of those that think that participation trophies are a good idea:  What is the entire point of doing anything competitive?  Obviously to see who is the best.  The best, the winner deserves the trophy.

The "participation award" comes in the form of learning the value of hard work, teamwork, not being afraid to try one's hardest, being graceful in defeat, humility by congratulating the winner.  Giving one's all in competition, and coming away with nothing, has developed many a strong character that has went on to be completely successful in life.

As long as a participation trophy is different/worse than a 1st place trophy what is the harm?  Why do we give students grades of B through D?  It should all be A's or F's!  If you didn't get an A you are a failure, right?

If we give students grades below A they are going to think getting anything less than an A is "ok" and then no one will try to get A's!  Did James Harrison get straight A's in school or did he get a 2.0 or something and then he was simply allowed to skate by because he was "participating" in school?  It doesn't matter because he didn't need school for his career, so who cares?

My point is, no matter how much you win and abhor the idea of awarding people for simply trying I would bet my left nut there is something you are NOT totally awesome at that you've been given as "Meh, good enough" sort of pass on whether you know it or not.  Someone pointed out that James Harrison was a mere participant as a Bengal, so until he gives that paycheck back he's just being a bit too selective on this one.  Also, I hate him...so there's that.

(08-22-2015, 12:27 AM)Nately120 Wrote: As long as a participation trophy is different/worse than a 1st place trophy what is the harm?  Why do we give students grades of B through D?  It should all be A's or F's!  If you didn't get an A you are a failure, right?

If we give students grades below A they are going to think getting anything less than an A is "ok" and then no one will try to get A's!  Did James Harrison get straight A's in school or did he get a 2.0 or something and then he was simply allowed to skate by because he was "participating" in school?  It doesn't matter because he didn't need school for his career, so who cares?

My point is, no matter how much you win and abhor the idea of awarding people for simply trying I would bet my left nut there is something you are NOT totally awesome at that you've been given as "Meh, good enough" sort of pass on whether you know it or not.  Someone pointed out that James Harrison was a mere participant as a Bengal, so until he gives that paycheck back he's just being a bit too selective on this one.  Also, I hate him...so there's that.

Again, we're talking about COMPETITION here. Grades are not supposed to be used to compare one student to another, but rather are supposed to quantify a student's knowledge of a particular subject.

(08-22-2015, 09:42 AM)PhilHos Wrote: Again, we're talking about COMPETITION here. Grades are not supposed to be used to compare one student to another, but rather are supposed to quantify a student's knowledge of a particular subject.

You're telling me community colleges aren't the "participation trophies" of the academic world?  Look, the point I was trying to make is that even people who talk about being #1 awesome are not #1 at everything, so everyone is pulling "participation" level performances at something.  Again, I'll admit that I dislike Harrison so much that he could say the sky is blue and I'd scoff.  But still, saying participation trophies are going to convince people to not be winners is like saying having enough lifeboats to save everyone is going to convince cruise ship captains that sinking isn't a big deal.