So… is this going to be a “sports is dumb” arc? I love the Frazz comic strip, but this “watch the book nerd outsmart the dumb football coach” schtick isn’t that entertaining. Hoping for a twist somewhere soon.
I’m more surprised that Caulfield knows the name “Guy Lombardo.” When I was a kid, he was the guy who did the New Year’s Eve TV show, where the ball would drop in Times Square. I only slightly remember him, and I’m not young.
And Caulfield looks like a bit of a jerk, here. “Let’s make fun of the Coach for having a great coach as his idol.”
For sailors ‘the doldrums’ used to be the belt of winds between the east and west trade winds. Calms, sudden storms, erratic winds. For writers and comic artists that can happen any time and last indefinitely.
To be fair to Caufield, the coach kind of started this by insisting that Caufield accept his belief that keeping score and winning is more important than having fun. Is Caufield being any more of a jerk than Bugs Bunny?
The lengths at which people go to in their defense of such a self righteous character who delights in being mean spirited and condescending towards those he feels are beneath him (which seems to be everyone but the janitor) is astonishing. Reminds me of the political situation in this country…
I am finding this week’s arc rather sad. Caulfield has always had a tendency to be a bit rude (and somewhat of a jerk) to certain grownups, but this multi-day reiteration and even increasing rudeness to Coach Hacker…. it (to me) becomes more distasteful each day.
Do not get me wrong, most of the time I like “Frazz” as a comic, and I think most story arcs are funny and fun. I generally like all of the characters (especially Principal Spaetzel). But, SOMETIMES Caulfield’s actions and behaviors as a character, to me, are over-the-top in terms of being rather mean, or rude, or inappropriate for a 10 year old kid (my estimate of his age). As a parent myself, I would be on the case of my son if he behaved in the fashion he has here and in some other instances as well.
Sure, Caulfield is smart, but it is disappointing to me that Jef is also making him into a more and more frequently mean and/or rude kid as well.
Most of the “Hacker vs. Anybody” scenarios are a direct result of Hacker asserting his self-perceived superiority (e.g. he watches sports on TV all weekend, but feels superior to Frazz for spending his weekend biking/running). When I was in high school I hated my gym teachers (as teachers; outside that role they were mostly okay). They seemed to be marginally sublimated sadists (no offense meant to BDSM folks). However, they never asked us to do anything they themselves could not do. A gym teacher who cannot do a single pullup, or would collapse in a gasping heap if he attempted even a 50 yard run, is in no position to berate anyone for their lifestyle, and as far as I’m concerned, is asking for more derision than he actually gets. And as noted above, he usually instigates it himself.
All of the above is not to say that I totally disagree with Puma about the black-and-white, either/or world view that many of us (self included, though I try not to) have.
Elvis might not have won a Super Bowl, but he won Grammys and had countless # 1 hits. That’s certainly a form of keeping score and/or winning, in the appropriate field of endeavor.
Randy B Premium Member almost 7 years ago
The Coach is such a soft target.
Bilan almost 7 years ago
Actually, Jim Taylor scored the winning touchdown in Super Bowl I. But nobody seems to remember him.
Eisbaer Borealis almost 7 years ago
So… is this going to be a “sports is dumb” arc? I love the Frazz comic strip, but this “watch the book nerd outsmart the dumb football coach” schtick isn’t that entertaining. Hoping for a twist somewhere soon.
Masterskrain Premium Member almost 7 years ago
Oddly enough, there WAS no “Super Bowl I or II” It didn’t get that name until the third year of the “AFC/NFC Championship Game”, if memory serves…
billmanjim almost 7 years ago
And Guy Lombardo was a band leader. It was called the “Band of renown.”
billmanjim almost 7 years ago
Whoops. That was Les Brown’s band of renown. My bad.
Ignatz Premium Member almost 7 years ago
I’m more surprised that Caulfield knows the name “Guy Lombardo.” When I was a kid, he was the guy who did the New Year’s Eve TV show, where the ball would drop in Times Square. I only slightly remember him, and I’m not young.
And Caulfield looks like a bit of a jerk, here. “Let’s make fun of the Coach for having a great coach as his idol.”
sandpiper almost 7 years ago
For sailors ‘the doldrums’ used to be the belt of winds between the east and west trade winds. Calms, sudden storms, erratic winds. For writers and comic artists that can happen any time and last indefinitely.
Darwinskeeper almost 7 years ago
To be fair to Caufield, the coach kind of started this by insisting that Caufield accept his belief that keeping score and winning is more important than having fun. Is Caufield being any more of a jerk than Bugs Bunny?
Richard S Russell Premium Member almost 7 years ago
Who didn’t win them? About 5 billion other people.
Ubermick almost 7 years ago
The lengths at which people go to in their defense of such a self righteous character who delights in being mean spirited and condescending towards those he feels are beneath him (which seems to be everyone but the janitor) is astonishing. Reminds me of the political situation in this country…
Pipe Tobacco Premium Member almost 7 years ago
I am finding this week’s arc rather sad. Caulfield has always had a tendency to be a bit rude (and somewhat of a jerk) to certain grownups, but this multi-day reiteration and even increasing rudeness to Coach Hacker…. it (to me) becomes more distasteful each day.
Do not get me wrong, most of the time I like “Frazz” as a comic, and I think most story arcs are funny and fun. I generally like all of the characters (especially Principal Spaetzel). But, SOMETIMES Caulfield’s actions and behaviors as a character, to me, are over-the-top in terms of being rather mean, or rude, or inappropriate for a 10 year old kid (my estimate of his age). As a parent myself, I would be on the case of my son if he behaved in the fashion he has here and in some other instances as well.
Sure, Caulfield is smart, but it is disappointing to me that Jef is also making him into a more and more frequently mean and/or rude kid as well.
childe_of_pan almost 7 years ago
Most of the “Hacker vs. Anybody” scenarios are a direct result of Hacker asserting his self-perceived superiority (e.g. he watches sports on TV all weekend, but feels superior to Frazz for spending his weekend biking/running). When I was in high school I hated my gym teachers (as teachers; outside that role they were mostly okay). They seemed to be marginally sublimated sadists (no offense meant to BDSM folks). However, they never asked us to do anything they themselves could not do. A gym teacher who cannot do a single pullup, or would collapse in a gasping heap if he attempted even a 50 yard run, is in no position to berate anyone for their lifestyle, and as far as I’m concerned, is asking for more derision than he actually gets. And as noted above, he usually instigates it himself.
childe_of_pan almost 7 years ago
All of the above is not to say that I totally disagree with Puma about the black-and-white, either/or world view that many of us (self included, though I try not to) have.
ckeller almost 7 years ago
Elvis might not have won a Super Bowl, but he won Grammys and had countless # 1 hits. That’s certainly a form of keeping score and/or winning, in the appropriate field of endeavor.