Crotch grabbing, ‘earthquake’ celebrations … what the deuce is going on in the Little League World Series?
Aug 26, 2011, 1:43 PM EDT
Reuters By now you may have seen the video of Holland’s home plate celebration at the Little League World Series on Thursday. Phayson Antonia had just clouted a home run in the consolation game against Rhode Island, and as he crossed the plate the team went into a choreographed ‘earthquake celebration,’ in which Antonia stomped the plate and his teammates all fell to the ground in unison.
Notice how one kid, No. 4, is the only one who doesn’t fall. Apparently he didn’t get the memo.
Cut to Wednesday. Ocean View Little League from Huntington Beach, Calif., is preparing to take the field in the U.S. losers bracket final, and several of the kids perform their pregame ritual for the ESPN cameras — a Michael Jackson spin-and-crotch-grab. Um, preteen crotch grabbing on national television? Say this isn’t happening …
It’s OK, because they were all wearing cups. Which was, by the way, Jackson’s legal defense at his last trial.
Cut to, last week: Vaughn Bergen, 11, is playing for Aruba, which is losing 20-0 to Chinese Taipei. When he takes his place in right field in the fourth, Bergen begins dancing. During the game.
Big deal. You can see this at all three outfield positions with the Mets.
Resolved: ESPN has not succeeded in showcasing the innocence and true meaning of baseball. Instead it has created the ultimate reality show, in which kids are changing their behavior because they know they’re on a national stage. It’s Jersey Shore with braces. Stop this madness before it’s too late.
And by the way, does it seem like the LLWS has been going since January?
