Friday Night Tykes - General Discussion

[scrb]

Yes watched the first two episodes.

Interesting that Todd moved Central Valley up to older kids, where they could be up to 175 pounds.

First couple of games CV was dominated.

That other team, Blackhawk was it, also dominated in the new league.

They definitely give the players tough love, barking at them in the face of adversity, being beat up by bigger and older players.

You definitely get the sense with Aliquippa and Beaver Falls teams that if some cousin or brother went on to college football or the NFL, the kids are expected to go hardcore into football at age 8 on.  These kids are doing resistance training at that age and living and breathing football.  I think some of them may go on to play high school football but also play games for these leagues?

Definitely no concerns about CTE, concussions, etc.

And the parents are all-in on making their kids football players, not hit the books, which probably gives them better odds of success than trying to make the NFL.  You hope they're not representative of the mentality in these communities.

[PepperMonkey]

I'm watching Steel Country. I actually like it better than FNT original recipe.

The coaches are just as bat shit crazy, as are some of the parents, but the kids seem more honest and real to me.

I do find myself wondering with CV, what happened to Landon's "best friend since babyhood"? He and his dad were featured prominently last season and are nowhere to be seen this year and no mention of them.

Also that guy from Aliquippa whose son plays for Beaver Falls? He is one of those parents who try to live vicariously through their kids and that has always driven me crazy.

Wondering with the weird hours airing on USA and not much promotion or mention of the program, if we may be watching the final season, especially now that Esquire channel is gone for good.

[Rlb8031]

Re: Landon's friend - He's still there and still quarterback, but the impression I get is that with the step up in size, he doesn't have anywhere near the impact as when all the kids were 90 lbs or less. They showed him in the episode where it was the rematch against the team that broke his arm the year before. The dad is there also, but they seem to be showing the white coach more - possibly trying to set up future conflict with Todd Alexander? There seems to be a lot of quiet disagreement between the two, especially when it comes to how hard he is on Landon. 

Both dads from Beaver Falls (Josh's and Chase) are living through their sons. I get the sense with Rod, it's way more serious - and that if his son sucked at football he'd be hard pressed to have anything to talk to that kid about. I thought his story about his time fighting to get his son back was heartbreaking, but there are  so many open questions. Do Chase and the oldest daughter have the same mom? Did she take both kids or was it just Chase? When did the current wife come into the picture and does dad have any interest at all in the little ones? He seems to preach with the oldest daughter and have football with Chase, but in scenes with all the kids - didn't seem to focus at all on the other three.

Josh's dad is also over-invested, but there seems to be a light-heartedness there given the fact that the mom was busting on Josh equally for dogging it at practice. The family dynamic seems more focused on busting chops rather than any serious withholding of love if you don't perform, which is how Rod comes across. Even on tv he seems like an intense guy and one who would suck all the oxygen out of any room he was in. I feel so sorry every time I see that little kid sitting around looking dejected. He definitely doesn't have his dad's cockiness, although that may come later with puberty.

I hope this isn't the last season. This is a great show.