From Which Direction to Take Direction?

High school basketball affords endless opportunities to observe the highs and lows of human behavior, as well as stuff that just doesn't make sense.

For example, tonight I was reminded of a question that has bugged me for a long time. Just what do fans (especially certain parents) think is going to happen when they yell playing instructions from their seats? The players are presumably doing what the coach has told them to do -- if not, there would be definite signs from the bench area to indicate their error. Why in the world would they ignore the coach's instructions to listen to random advice from spectators? If the coach, say, has told them to wait near the baseline on defense for a certain amount of time before moving in to challenge the ball-handler, why would anyone actually expect them to ignore those instructions in order to satisfy the shouted strategy offered by anyone else, even Mom and Dad?

A failure to listen to the coach, after all, earns a benching. Not listening to Mom and Dad earns...what? Some griping? Teenagers have few constants in life. One is that everyone else has it all together and they themselves are hopeless basket cases being humored until the other shoe drops. The other is that fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly and the 'rents gotta gripe. What else could happen? Get "benched"  at home? Get kicked outta the house? Good luck getting that one by the judge at family court.

When non-parental fans coach from their seats, it makes even less sense. If I'm a player, I'm given a choice between the person who gives me a grade and says whether or not I play, and the Wooden-in-hiding eight rows up in the stands who may not have dribbled a step since NBA hairdos exceeded the size of a regulation ball. Wonder who earns more of my attention.

I love the parents and fans who shout real encouragement, applaud and cheer good play and keep the noise level high to help make small-school basketball one of the top in-person sports viewing experiences one might have. But for the others -- a group which I confess has included me in years gone by -- it may be time to ride the pine for awhile.