--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Maybe it's a stretch to blame a broader…" description: "\"“Maybe it's a stretch to blame a broader social pathology on hyper-competitive soccer parents. Still, there is not a huge downside to asking every once..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/charles-wheelan-23089_obituary_maybe-it-s-a-stretch-to-blame-a-broader_2784009.jpg" --- # Maybe it's a stretch to blame a broader social pathology… ![“Maybe it's a stretch to blame a broader social pathology on hyper-competitive soccer parents. Still, there is not a huge downside to asking every once in a while, Why am I doing this? We will know for certain that my analysis is wrong when we see the following obituary: "Bob Smith died yesterday…” quote by Charles Wheelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/charles-wheelan-23089_obituary_maybe-it-s-a-stretch-to-blame-a-broader_2784009.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/charles-wheelan-23089_obituary_maybe-it-s-a-stretch-to-blame-a-broader_2784009.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/charles-wheelan-23089_obituary_maybe-it-s-a-stretch-to-blame-a-broader_2784009.jpg) > ““Maybe it's a stretch to blame a broader social pathology on hyper-competitive soccer parents. Still, there is not a huge downside to asking every once in a while, Why am I doing this? We will know for certain that my analysis is wrong when we see the following obituary: "Bob Smith died yesterday at the age of 74. He finished life in 186th place.”” [Charles Wheelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wheelan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author critiques over‑analysis in sports parenting, suggesting that excessive questioning leads to meaningless conclusions. **In simple terms:** Over‑analysis can be pointless. Key Takeaway Avoid unnecessary self‑questioning. Themes sports parenting analysis Mood critical analytical Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - coaching - parenting workshops - sports psychology Key Concepts decision fatigue critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - When does analysis become harmful? A Different Perspective Can questioning ever improve performance? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Following Obituary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/following-obituary-3330769/) [Obituary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obituary/) [Obituary Bob](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obituary-bob-3330766/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Smith Died](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smith-died-3330768/) [Soccer Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soccer-parents-3330767/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [I didn't really think I was really good, I was just playing the game because I enjoyed playing it with my friends. Then once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonso-davies/i-didn-t-really-think-i-was-really-good-i-was-just-playing-the-game/) [Alphonso Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonso-davies/) > [“Obituaries are just like biographies, only shorter. They remind us that interesting, successful people rarely lead orderly, linear lives. I defy you to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wheelan/obituaries-are-just-like-biographies-only-shorter-they-remind-us-that/) [Charles Wheelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wheelan/) > [Read obituaries. They are just like biographies, only shorter. They remind us that interesting, successful people rarely lead orderly, linear lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wheelan/read-obituaries-they-are-just-like-biographies-only-shorter-they/) [Charles Wheelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wheelan/) > [When I die, if the word 'thong' appears in the first or second sentence of my obituary, I've screwed up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/when-i-die-if-the-word-thong-appears-in-the-first-or-second-sentence/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [“There's the obituary to look for the next week, six column inches about nothing that really mattered”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/there-s-the-obituary-to-look-for-the-next-week-six-column-inches/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“I'd been making desicions for days. I picked out the dress Bailey would wear forever- a black slinky one- innapropriate- that she loved. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jandy-nelson/i-d-been-making-desicions-for-days-i-picked-out-the-dress-bailey/) [Jandy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jandy-nelson/) > [“Do something you would be proud to have in your obituary, but not something that will haunt you until that day. Live for now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-regan/do-something-you-would-be-proud-to-have-in-your-obituary-but-not/) [Audrey Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-regan/) > [Everybody is a potential murderer. I've never killed anyone, but I frequently get satisfaction reading the obituary notices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/everybody-is-a-potential-murderer-i-ve-never-killed-anyone-but-i/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [A life spent in constant labor is a life wasted, save a man be such a fool as to regard a fulsome obituary notice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jean-nathan/a-life-spent-in-constant-labor-is-a-life-wasted-save-a-man-be-such-a/) [George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) > [I was studying the impacts of fishing on ocean life, while the places that I loved so much continued to decline: less and smaller…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enric-sala/i-was-studying-the-impacts-of-fishing-on-ocean-life-while-the-places/) [Enric Sala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enric-sala/) > [“Eight Bells: Robert J. Kane ‘55D died June 3, 2017, in Palm Harbor, Florida. He came to MMA by way of Boston College. Bob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/eight-bells-robert-j-kane-55d-died-june-3-2017-in-palm-harbor-florida/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) > [“The clear awareness of having been born into a losing struggle need not lead one into despair. I do not especially like the idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-clear-awareness-of-having-been-born-into-a-losing-struggle-need/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's not the loss of life that makes the death bitter -- it's the obituaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/it-s-not-the-loss-of-life-that-makes-the-death-bitter-it-s-the/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [If you could have a famous writer, dead or alive, write an obituary for you and really puff you up to have been something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padgett-powell/if-you-could-have-a-famous-writer-dead-or-alive-write-an-obituary-for/) [Padgett Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padgett-powell/) > [Hang onto your sense of humor. I picture my obituary : The sexiest man alive is now dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-harmon/hang-onto-your-sense-of-humor-i-picture-my-obituary-the-sexiest-man/) [Mark Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-harmon/) ## More by Charles Wheelan > [“Several studies of thousands of British civil servants (the Whitehall studies) have found that workers who have little control over their jobs—meaning they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wheelan/several-studies-of-thousands-of-british-civil-servants-the-whitehall/) [Charles Wheelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wheelan/) > [“We’ve built a society that values civil liberties even at the expense of social order.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wheelan/we-ve-built-a-society-that-values-civil-liberties-even-at-the-expense/) [Charles Wheelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wheelan/) > [“Is the journey still worthwhile if the mountain turns out to be enshrouded in fog at the top?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wheelan/is-the-journey-still-worthwhile-if-the-mountain-turns-out-to-be/) [Charles Wheelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wheelan/) > [“Here is one of the most important things to remember when doing research that involves regression analysis: Try not to kill anyone. You can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wheelan/here-is-one-of-the-most-important-things-to-remember-when-doing/) [Charles Wheelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wheelan/) > [“During the twentieth century, communist governments killed some 100 million of their own people in peacetime, either by repression or by famine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wheelan/during-the-twentieth-century-communist-governments-killed-some-100/) [Charles Wheelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wheelan/) > [“Most economists would concede that, in theory, government has the tools to smooth the business cycle. The problem is that fiscal policy is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wheelan/most-economists-would-concede-that-in-theory-government-has-the-tools/) [Charles Wheelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wheelan/) > [“In a basic agricultural society, it's easy enough to swap five chickens for a new dress or to pay a schoolteacher with a goat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wheelan/in-a-basic-agricultural-society-it-s-easy-enough-to-swap-five/) [Charles Wheelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wheelan/) > [Being great involves luck, and unique circumstances, and a lot of other forces beyond your control. You can’t just make it happen by working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wheelan/being-great-involves-luck-and-unique-circumstances-and-a-lot-of-other/) [Charles Wheelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wheelan/) > [“But it’s not perfect. The GPA does not reflect the difficulty of the courses that different students may have taken.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wheelan/but-it-s-not-perfect-the-gpa-does-not-reflect-the-difficulty-of-the/) [Charles Wheelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wheelan/) > [Economics is like gravity: Ignore it and you will be in for some rude surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wheelan/economics-is-like-gravity-ignore-it-and-you-will-be-in-for-some-rude/) [Charles Wheelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wheelan/) > [“Recognize that your own motivation, ambition, and talents will determine your success more than the college name on your diploma.”8”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wheelan/recognize-that-your-own-motivation-ambition-and-talents-will/) [Charles Wheelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wheelan/) > [“When I applied to graduate school many years ago, I wrote an essay expressing my puzzlement at how a country that could put a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wheelan/when-i-applied-to-graduate-school-many-years-ago-i-wrote-an-essay/) [Charles Wheelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wheelan/) > [“(Remember, human capital embodies not only classroom training but also perseverance, honesty, creativity—virtues that lend themselves to finding work.) Some”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wheelan/remember-human-capital-embodies-not-only-classroom-training-but-also/) [Charles Wheelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wheelan/) > [Change is inevitable; but progress depends on what we do with that change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wheelan/change-is-inevitable-but-progress-depends-on-what-we-do-with-that/) [Charles Wheelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wheelan/) > [“According to the American Lung Association, the average smoker dies seven years earlier than the average nonsmoker, which means that smokers pay into Social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wheelan/according-to-the-american-lung-association-the-average-smoker-dies/) [Charles Wheelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wheelan/) [Explore all 25 Charles Wheelan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wheelan/) ## More Obituary quotes > [Hang onto your sense of humor. I picture my obituary : The sexiest man alive is now dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-harmon/hang-onto-your-sense-of-humor-i-picture-my-obituary-the-sexiest-man/) [Mark Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-harmon/) > [If you could have a famous writer, dead or alive, write an obituary for you and really puff you up to have been something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padgett-powell/if-you-could-have-a-famous-writer-dead-or-alive-write-an-obituary-for/) [Padgett Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padgett-powell/) > [It's not the loss of life that makes the death bitter -- it's the obituaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/it-s-not-the-loss-of-life-that-makes-the-death-bitter-it-s-the/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [“The clear awareness of having been born into a losing struggle need not lead one into despair. I do not especially like the idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-clear-awareness-of-having-been-born-into-a-losing-struggle-need/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Eight Bells: Robert J. Kane ‘55D died June 3, 2017, in Palm Harbor, Florida. He came to MMA by way of Boston College. Bob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/eight-bells-robert-j-kane-55d-died-june-3-2017-in-palm-harbor-florida/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) > [I was studying the impacts of fishing on ocean life, while the places that I loved so much continued to decline: less and smaller…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enric-sala/i-was-studying-the-impacts-of-fishing-on-ocean-life-while-the-places/) [Enric Sala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enric-sala/) > [A life spent in constant labor is a life wasted, save a man be such a fool as to regard a fulsome obituary notice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jean-nathan/a-life-spent-in-constant-labor-is-a-life-wasted-save-a-man-be-such-a/) [George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) > [Everybody is a potential murderer. I've never killed anyone, but I frequently get satisfaction reading the obituary notices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/everybody-is-a-potential-murderer-i-ve-never-killed-anyone-but-i/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [“Do something you would be proud to have in your obituary, but not something that will haunt you until that day. Live for now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-regan/do-something-you-would-be-proud-to-have-in-your-obituary-but-not/) [Audrey Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-regan/) > [“I'd been making desicions for days. I picked out the dress Bailey would wear forever- a black slinky one- innapropriate- that she loved. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jandy-nelson/i-d-been-making-desicions-for-days-i-picked-out-the-dress-bailey/) [Jandy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jandy-nelson/) > [“There's the obituary to look for the next week, six column inches about nothing that really mattered”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/there-s-the-obituary-to-look-for-the-next-week-six-column-inches/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [When I die, if the word 'thong' appears in the first or second sentence of my obituary, I've screwed up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/when-i-die-if-the-word-thong-appears-in-the-first-or-second-sentence/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [I'm fairly certain when I die that the obituary will say, 'Author of 'Angels in America' dies.' Unless I'm completely forgotten, and then it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-kushner/i-m-fairly-certain-when-i-die-that-the-obituary-will-say-author-of/) [Tony Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-kushner/) > [“In less than three years he would be the most celebrated American battle captain of the twentieth century, a man whose name—like those of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-atkinson/in-less-than-three-years-he-would-be-the-most-celebrated-american/) [Rick Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-atkinson/) > [There is no such thing as bad publicity except your own obituary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-behan/there-is-no-such-thing-as-bad-publicity-except-your-own-obituary/) [Brendan Behan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-behan/) [Browse all 137 Obituary quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obituary/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Maybe it's a stretch to blame a broader social pathology on hyper-competitive soccer parents. 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