I'm gonna suck at this...

I sat through football practice tonight fighting the urge to march out onto the field, grab a certain kid by his face mask and throw him to the ground. Then I'd get right in his face and tell him to back off my kid!

Now, I know football is violent. I expect him to get tossed around, shoved down and even pulled down by his legs. That's the game. What I didn't expect was to see another kid grab his face mask and throw him to the ground so hard that he nearly flipped him over! By the face mask! After the next play the kid then ran up behind him and slammed his fist into Caden's back. They definitely had my attention at that point! But when he got Caden down and the play was over and Caden rolled onto his back and the kid took both fists and slammed them down on Caden's chest and stomach so hard that Caden doubled up - then I was MAD! Then next play Caden just dropped to the ground immediately in a ball and put his hands over his helmet and didn't move. Yeah, he's really learning about the game that way! I am still fuming. Boy is Rick going to get an earful when he gets home tonight! I didn't want to say anything for fear of being the overprotective mom but since Rick is at most practices helping with the coaching I'm hoping he can keep an eye on the situation and say something if necessary. Oh! That little brat! I just want to smack him!

The only good thing about the situation though was listening to Trace in the car on the way home. At first he wasn't sure that Caden wasn't exaggerating (not Caden!) but once he heard that I'd seen it too then it was a different story! He was going on and on about how this other kids should be kicked off the team and he hoped the other kid gets kicked out of school for being a bully and any number of other scenarios he could think of. It took me a second to realize that that was his way of supporting and protecting his brother. Awww, see they do love each other. Sometimes.