Phil Mickelson missing US open for HS Graduation

[Kalnoky]

31 minutes ago, Groucho Valentine said:

I didn't think HS graduations were a thing anymore, but i guess they are in the Mickleson fam. Its not like there isnt going to be a US Open next year...

Oh no, they still are. I've been roped into one on Saturday. Unfortunately. 

 

 

[Shorty]

7 hours ago, skydog said:

Unfortunately it's sounding like the high school is standing firm on the graduation date....seems a bit draconian to me considering it's a small private school that I'm guessing could bump it up a day without too much disruption.

How do you know that people haven't booked flights or holidays or postponed important meetings or made plans that to them are of equal importance to Mickelson's? Unsurprisingly, Jack Nicklaus thinks the school should change its schedule, but that's what a sense of entitlement does to the brain.  

Edited June 7, 2017 by Shorty

[No Mulligans]

9 minutes ago, Shorty said:

How do you know that people haven't booked flights or holidays or postponed important meetings or made plans that to them are of equal importance to Mickelson's? Unsurprisingly, Jack Nicklaus thinks the school should change its schedule, but that's what a sense of entitlement does to the brain.  

Exactly, you've got your grandparents that probably booked their trips and hotels as long as 9 months ago.

If I was Phil, I wouldn't want the date changed.  It would just look bad to accommodate one person while disregarding everyone else.  

Edited June 7, 2017 by No Mulligans

[14ledo81]

I do think it means something to children when their parents attend their functions.  Even more so at a younger age.

 I have a son that was in 3rd grade this year.  His school is approximately 3 miles away from my work, and I am usually pretty flexible with my schedule.  I did attend a few things for him this year, and in most instances was the only dad there.  I could see it meant a lot to my son, and his teacher mentioned it as well.

[jamo]

I do find it interesting that this is only becoming an issue now. They set the U.S. Open dates years in advance: http://www.usga.org/articles/2015/07/usga-announces-2022--2023-and-2024-u-s--open-sites.html

I would also assume that the school sets the graduation date, I dunno, a year in advance? If Phil really wanted them to move it, he could have done it much easier a year ago.

I think the simplest explanation, which a lot of people seem to be presupposing isn't true, is that Phil just would rather see her graduation than play in the Open. I see no reason to assume his daughter badgered him into it or he's "taking one for the team" or something. I think he'd probably just rather go than miss it. 

[Kalnoky]

5 minutes ago, jamo said:

I think the simplest explanation, which a lot of people seem to be presupposing isn't true, is that Phil just would rather see her graduation than play in the Open. 

+1, agree 100%

I for one, am projecting my own desire to play golf this weekend onto Phil, because unlike Phil, I've been chained at a desk all week. So the thought of spending my Saturday afternoon at a graduation ceremony/party for a dumb arse who could care less (and has no future) sounds like absolute torture on a sunny day.

23 minutes ago, 14ledo81 said:

I do think it means something to children when their parents attend their functions.  Even more so at a younger age.

 I have a son that was in 3rd grade this year.  His school is approximately 3 miles away from my work, and I am usually pretty flexible with my schedule.  I did attend a few things for him this year, and in most instances was the only dad there.  I could see it meant a lot to my son, and his teacher mentioned it as well.

There are still a lot of good kids out there, that is true.

[skydog]

1 hour ago, Shorty said:

How do you know that people haven't booked flights or holidays or postponed important meetings or made plans that to them are of equal importance to Mickelson's? Unsurprisingly, Jack Nicklaus thinks the school should change its schedule, but that's what a sense of entitlement does to the brain.  

It's not an entitlement thing, but you can choose to call it that if you'd like. And if you're going to pick on someone for a sense of entitlement Jack is probably the last person to go after. The guy is pretty down to earth all things considered.

I grew up in a tight knit private school community. I am quite confident that in that school, many of the parents would be clamoring to get behind Phil and try to get the date changed if possible....maybe that's happening in this care but it doesn't sound like it.

Edited June 7, 2017 by skydog

[Shorty]

39 minutes ago, skydog said:

It's not an entitlement thing, but you can choose to call it that if you'd like. And if you're going to pick on someone for a sense of entitlement Jack is probably the last person to go after. The guy is pretty down to earth all things considered.

 

I thought you may have seen the emoji.

[Zekez]

17 hours ago, 14ledo81 said:

I do think it means something to children when their parents attend their functions.  Even more so at a younger age.

 I have a son that was in 3rd grade this year.  His school is approximately 3 miles away from my work, and I am usually pretty flexible with my schedule.  I did attend a few things for him this year, and in most instances was the only dad there.  I could see it meant a lot to my son, and his teacher mentioned it as well.

Exactly.  I have done the same thing for my daughter her first six years of school.  She loves it when her dad shows up at the school for a function.

Based on some of the responses here, I assume that some posting here have no kids or are mediocre parents.

[Kalnoky]

19 minutes ago, Zekez said:

Based on some of the responses here, I assume that some posting here have no kids or are mediocre parents.

Or they have a very large family where all the kids are involved in dozens of activities consuming literally every other weekend and they just need a break.

[Zekez]

50 minutes ago, Kalnoky said:

Or they have a very large family where all the kids are involved in dozens of activities consuming literally every other weekend and they just need a break.

Sorry.  I meant those trashing Phil for attending the graduation.

[boogielicious]

20 hours ago, 14ledo81 said:

I do think it means something to children when their parents attend their functions.  Even more so at a younger age.

 I have a son that was in 3rd grade this year.  His school is approximately 3 miles away from my work, and I am usually pretty flexible with my schedule.  I did attend a few things for him this year, and in most instances was the only dad there.  I could see it meant a lot to my son, and his teacher mentioned it as well.

I did that with my son all through elementary, middle, high school and into college. We went to everything without hovering, but volunteered or went to lots of school events. I chaperoned his trip to DC with other parents. He was resistant for that one (because he was an 8th grader) but appreciates it now. He is 22 now.

I coached his baseball, basketball and soccer teams. In high school, I went to whatever sport he had unless I was traveling. He is my only child and I wouldn't miss those things for anything. But I never hovered, just was there.

[iacas]

3 hours ago, Zekez said:

Based on some of the responses here, I assume that some posting here have no kids or are mediocre parents.

Gee whiz.

Like I said my daughter had her 8th grade graduation today. She didn't care about it, thought it was stupid, and her mother and I agreed. I played golf.

I have a kid and am NOT a mediocre parent. Pretty judgmental comment there. And maybe you weren't directing your comment at me, but it's still a pretty judgy remark.

Phil can do what is right for his family, and people would be well advised to realize that everyone can feel differently about this particular situation and how they'd handle it.

[Zekez]

11 minutes ago, iacas said:

Gee whiz.

Like I said my daughter had her 8th grade graduation today. She didn't care about it, thought it was stupid, and her mother and I agreed. I played golf.

I have a kid and am NOT a mediocre parent. Pretty judgmental comment there. And maybe you weren't directing your comment at me, but it's still a pretty judgy remark.

Phil can do what is right for his family, and people would be well advised to realize that everyone can feel differently about this particular situation and how they'd handle it.

True I was being judgmental, but aren't we all judgmental in some way when posting about topics? And of course we all have different situations.

I can't recall who i was directing that comment towards, but some of the responses in this thread have blown my mind.  

 

[Golfingdad]

Not sure if it's been posted yet, but apparently the title of this thread MIGHT be inaccurate. ;)

He hasn't officially withdrawn and ...

http://www.golfdigest.com/story/the-usga-just-gave-phil-mickelson-a-chance-to-still-play-in-the-us-open

[iacas]

1 hour ago, Zekez said:

True I was being judgmental, but aren't we all judgmental in some way when posting about topics?

No. We don't have to be.

I'm not judging this. It's Phil's decision (and his family's). I'm not giving him brownie points or saying that he's doing the wrong thing. It is what it is, and that includes being none of my business, really.

I don't know what I'd do, but I'm not a world-famous golfer nor do I have Phil's family, etc. We're all different people.

[Zekez]

Just now, iacas said:

No. We don't have to be.

I'm not judging this. It's Phil's decision (and his family's). I'm not giving him brownie points or saying that he's doing the wrong thing. It is what it is, and that includes being none of my business, really.

I don't know what I'd do, but I'm not a world-famous golfer nor do I have Phil's family, etc. We're all different people.

I was directing my judgment to those that criticized Phil for his decision.  Humans are judgmental.  Always have been, always will be.  Maybe not ALL the time.

[iacas]

12 minutes ago, Zekez said:

I was directing my judgment to those that criticized Phil for his decision.  Humans are judgmental.  Always have been, always will be.  Maybe not ALL the time.

I know. But we don't have to be.

If we weren't, there'd be fewer posts in topics like this, though, so some level of judgment is fine by me…