Ward's priorities - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

crakker_jakk · 12-21-2004, 06:09 PM

Today's episode reminded me of Ward's almost juvenile obsession with sports throughout the show. It seemed to be more important to him than just about anything else. I think that has to be his biggest flaw. I can understand being tough on the boys about schoolwork or the small jobs the boys had. But sports?? "Gimme a break", Nell Carter!!

Tonyd · 12-21-2004, 10:51 PM

I felt bad for Beaver here too, as I was never good at basketball either!

crakker_jakk · 12-22-2004, 01:15 AM

I'm not great at sports either. Don't get me wrong, I like sports, but I seem to remember Ward pressuring Wally about Football too. I don't know if we were supposed to perceive this as a distinct characteristic of Ward's, or if this was the Zeitgeist of fathers during that era, (as I don't recall June or anyone else ever calling him out on this particular idiosyncrasy), but to me he seemed to act like a big baby when it came to his sons' athletic prowess.

CCRYDER1968 · 12-22-2004, 02:40 PM

Unfortunately,there are still plenty of dads out there just like this...why? I don't know!

rockrgurl71110 · 12-22-2004, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tonyd
I felt bad for Beaver here too, as I was never good at basketball either!

I was never good at it ethier.

desilu #1 · 12-22-2004, 06:30 PM

The only thing Beaver was good at was getting snowed by his so called friends.

tdr · 12-22-2004, 09:13 PM

I don't think Ward has an "almost juvenile" obsession with sports. He was an athlete himself in his earlier years, as is referenced in several eps, and now all he has is his weekly golf and watching and encouraging his sons to play the sports they are interested in and that they are good at. In the meantime, he bacame obviously successful in his career field, whatever that is, and I think there is at least one ep where he mentions having gotten a scholarship. So Ward realizes as well as any parent that being young, agile, and vigorous is a wonderful thing that can do a lot for a young person. But it is also a short foundational phase in life; so he just wants them to take advantage of that while they can.

crakker_jakk · 12-23-2004, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tdr
all he has is his weekly golf and watching and encouraging his sons to play the sports they are interested in and that they are good at.

It seemed to me that he wanted the boys to be good whether they were or not, and they knew it.

OK Beaver Fan 89 · 12-23-2004, 02:24 PM

It must have been really hard for Beaver to try to live up to both Wally and Ward!

12-21-2004, 10:51 PM	#2
Tonyd Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 27, 2004 Location: Lawton Oklahoma USA! Posts: 720	I felt bad for Beaver here too, as I was never good at basketball either!
	__________________ Proud member of Michael's LITB Fan Club

12-23-2004, 02:24 PM	#9
OK Beaver Fan 89 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 11, 2004 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 283	It must have been really hard for Beaver to try to live up to both Wally and Ward!
	__________________ ~Amy~ Member of the LITB Fan Club

12-21-2004, 06:09 PM	#1
crakker_jakk ~~~~~~~~~~~ Frequent Poster Join Date: May 27, 2004 Location: ~~~~~ Posts: 161	Ward's priorities Today's episode reminded me of Ward's almost juvenile obsession with sports throughout the show. It seemed to be more important to him than just about anything else. I think that has to be his biggest flaw. I can understand being tough on the boys about schoolwork or the small jobs the boys had. But sports?? "Gimme a break", Nell Carter!!

12-22-2004, 01:15 AM	#3
crakker_jakk ~~~~~~~~~~~ Frequent Poster Join Date: May 27, 2004 Location: ~~~~~ Posts: 161	I'm not great at sports either. Don't get me wrong, I like sports, but I seem to remember Ward pressuring Wally about Football too. I don't know if we were supposed to perceive this as a distinct characteristic of Ward's, or if this was the Zeitgeist of fathers during that era, (as I don't recall June or anyone else ever calling him out on this particular idiosyncrasy), but to me he seemed to act like a big baby when it came to his sons' athletic prowess.

12-22-2004, 02:40 PM	#4
CCRYDER1968 #1 Sitcom Fan Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 15, 2000 Location: Chicago Posts: 438	Unfortunately,there are still plenty of dads out there just like this...why? I don't know!

12-22-2004, 06:30 PM	#6
desilu #1 Lucy/Desi 4-EVER Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 23, 2000 Location: Battle Creek, Michigan USA Posts: 724	The only thing Beaver was good at was getting snowed by his so called friends.

12-22-2004, 09:13 PM	#7
tdr Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 23, 2001 Posts: 1,454	I don't think Ward has an "almost juvenile" obsession with sports. He was an athlete himself in his earlier years, as is referenced in several eps, and now all he has is his weekly golf and watching and encouraging his sons to play the sports they are interested in and that they are good at. In the meantime, he bacame obviously successful in his career field, whatever that is, and I think there is at least one ep where he mentions having gotten a scholarship. So Ward realizes as well as any parent that being young, agile, and vigorous is a wonderful thing that can do a lot for a young person. But it is also a short foundational phase in life; so he just wants them to take advantage of that while they can.