he was so use to success he didn't know how to deal with failure and he didn't realize that, while people look back on his high school football career fondly, the world is what have you done for me lately? Yeah, absolutely--his bubble might never have burst if he'd not had his accident, or maybe it would have been more of a slow decline until a midlife crisis of meaning or something. But as it is, he tends to go from emotional high to emotional low very fast because he's not really experienced much in between: he's either the golden boy or a total failure. He doesn't have much middle ground and that makes him both interesting and fragile. I think fatherhood will ground him eventually, but he needs to stop expecting himself to move mountains every single time--give himself a break sometimes!
I felt he had a subtle look of relief on his face at the end of the conversation I think that was the reading the show wanted us to have. *nods* But personally I was just left with a 'boy, do men suck!' feeling from that scene, because it was contrasted with the warm Julie/Tami one. And I know that Matt is not Coach's son, but he doesn't have anyone else who can offer him that warmth... It just left me with a lot of thoughts about the different messages we send boys and girls about sex. And while I understand that Matt wasn't expecting more than this, and that Coach was in some kind of unfathomable male rage about his 'little girl' (?!?!? sorry I don't relate to that at all), I still think it's sad and only perpetuates the gender divide. Actually come to think of it, while Tami had the best of intentions she did give Julie the feeling that her virginity was something she shouldn't have 'thrown away'--when I really don't think that was what she did at all! Julie was completely ready and in charge of the experience. And Matt was just as vulnerable, potentially, as Julie, in this dynamic. Yes, young girls need to be careful, but I kind of think both kids deserve more credit for making a healthy choice.
But then I guess I don't know much about 'normal' families when it comes to teen sex. My own family repressed all discussion of the matter.
no subject
Yeah, absolutely--his bubble might never have burst if he'd not had his accident, or maybe it would have been more of a slow decline until a midlife crisis of meaning or something. But as it is, he tends to go from emotional high to emotional low very fast because he's not really experienced much in between: he's either the golden boy or a total failure. He doesn't have much middle ground and that makes him both interesting and fragile. I think fatherhood will ground him eventually, but he needs to stop expecting himself to move mountains every single time--give himself a break sometimes!
I felt he had a subtle look of relief on his face at the end of the conversation
I think that was the reading the show wanted us to have. *nods* But personally I was just left with a 'boy, do men suck!' feeling from that scene, because it was contrasted with the warm Julie/Tami one. And I know that Matt is not Coach's son, but he doesn't have anyone else who can offer him that warmth... It just left me with a lot of thoughts about the different messages we send boys and girls about sex. And while I understand that Matt wasn't expecting more than this, and that Coach was in some kind of unfathomable male rage about his 'little girl' (?!?!? sorry I don't relate to that at all), I still think it's sad and only perpetuates the gender divide. Actually come to think of it, while Tami had the best of intentions she did give Julie the feeling that her virginity was something she shouldn't have 'thrown away'--when I really don't think that was what she did at all! Julie was completely ready and in charge of the experience. And Matt was just as vulnerable, potentially, as Julie, in this dynamic. Yes, young girls need to be careful, but I kind of think both kids deserve more credit for making a healthy choice.
But then I guess I don't know much about 'normal' families when it comes to teen sex. My own family repressed all discussion of the matter.