MelroseHawkins
Well-Known Member
Two attributes of individuals or players that do not necessarily go hand-in-hand. They are not the same as one can be strong as hell but not the most tough, and vise versa. Both these attributes should be found in many Iowa and midwest young players, especially for guys playing on the lines.
I'd like to think with our agricultural background in Iowa and the midwest that we raise tough kids, kids that are used to working hard on the farm. I grew up baling hay in the summer, walking beans or picking up rock an entire day. That toughened kids while becoming strong. I'm not sure it is like that anymore. I don't think my 12 yr old boys would know what the hell I was talking about if I mentioned baling hay! I don't think they have a clue.
We have athletes that work out hard as hell in the gym and get strong as hell to the very most their bodies can handle, but, are they tough? Are we losing that attribute in these past couple generations. It kinds of seems that way. Too much Fortnite anymore? Kids are not outside all hours of the day? My buddy and I spent many hours as 10-18 yrs olds in our Father's garages making crap, fixing crap, getting dirty grungy, banging wrenches and hammers, getting injuries and fixing ourselves. I don't see kids like that. We're raising a bunch of nincompoops it seems. Kid's who are going to have to hire everything done for them when they are adults, because they won't know how to fix anything.
I ask, are we losing that "toughness" quality in our young players these days? Are teams in general not as tough? Iowa hasn't seemed to have that "team leader" the past few seasons. That guy who wreaks of toughness and nastiness. Who was the last "tough" player we had that went through? Josey Jewell, I suppose.
Are there any more hay balers out there?
I'd like to think with our agricultural background in Iowa and the midwest that we raise tough kids, kids that are used to working hard on the farm. I grew up baling hay in the summer, walking beans or picking up rock an entire day. That toughened kids while becoming strong. I'm not sure it is like that anymore. I don't think my 12 yr old boys would know what the hell I was talking about if I mentioned baling hay! I don't think they have a clue.
We have athletes that work out hard as hell in the gym and get strong as hell to the very most their bodies can handle, but, are they tough? Are we losing that attribute in these past couple generations. It kinds of seems that way. Too much Fortnite anymore? Kids are not outside all hours of the day? My buddy and I spent many hours as 10-18 yrs olds in our Father's garages making crap, fixing crap, getting dirty grungy, banging wrenches and hammers, getting injuries and fixing ourselves. I don't see kids like that. We're raising a bunch of nincompoops it seems. Kid's who are going to have to hire everything done for them when they are adults, because they won't know how to fix anything.
I ask, are we losing that "toughness" quality in our young players these days? Are teams in general not as tough? Iowa hasn't seemed to have that "team leader" the past few seasons. That guy who wreaks of toughness and nastiness. Who was the last "tough" player we had that went through? Josey Jewell, I suppose.
Are there any more hay balers out there?
