Father's Day: Dad, Always Wanted an Athlete?

Happy belated Father’s Day to all of the fathers in the house.

I meant to post this on Sunday, but Father’s Day weekend has become remarkably hectic around our place since my daughter was born on June 18, 2007. Father’s Day weekend has become not only about the men who raised my wife and I, and my wife’s aunt who celebrates a birthday on June 20th, but it has also become about my daughter.

Let’s be honest, it’s become 98 percent about my daughter, which is just fine with me, although not quite as fine with my son. While having a house full of visitors "oohing and aahing" over Abby Cadabby pajamas may equal good quality family time, it doesn’t equal good quality blogging time.

I’d also like to issue some blame for my procrastination to a Madison-area restaurant that shall go unnamed for putting me and my family in a foul mood for much of Sunday. This restaurant -- not a chain -- served up adequate food (no better or worse than the likes of Denny’s or Perkins), but offered, despite being only moderately busy, remarkably horrific service. It was close to nonexistent. When we finally complained after forty five minutes of being completely and utterly ignored, we were told that our experience was normal. I’d love to mention them by name, but instead I'll take the high road, which, as my wife would confirm, is highly unusual for me.

So, one day late, here my annual Father’s Day thoughts:

I became the head coach of my son’s kindergarten soccer team this year, and while I thoroughly enjoyed working and playing with most of the children on the team, one of the kids admittedly drove me crazy.

My son.

Now all parents say this about their children, but my six-year-old son is a remarkable kid. He’s very smart, very funny, and very creative. But he has obviously inherited his athletic prowess from his father. In short, he has none.

I’d be lying if I said that when my son was born I imagined him to be the next Eddie George, George Brett, or Brett Favre (though during his potty-training, he showed a lot of Favre’s rampant indecisiveness), but had he displayed any natural athletic ability I certainly would have encouraged it.

I realize that he’s only six and he has oodles of time to develop into a skilled athlete. However, neither my wife nor I are holding our breath.

But hardly a day goes by that I’m not proud to be his father.

Anyway, it’s not as if all children who become well-known athletes turn into men of whom their fathers can be proud. 

So here is a list of athletes who aren’t making their fathers beam with pride this Father’s Day:

1. Donte’ Stallworth. Not only does the Cleveland Browns receiver need to live with the guilt of killing a man while driving drunk, he now has to deal with the public hatred that comes when someone gets away with manslaughter basically scot-free. Oh, and he is indefinitely barred by the NFL from making a living.

2.  Sasha Vujacic.