It's pretty creepy. Kids aren't on their own in this. Americans, in general, are staying away from traditional athletics in droves. Most say they are too busy - they work too much and are too tired when they aren't working. For many, the lure of constant electronic entertainment is too strong.
Parents collapse in front of the tube while their kids play video games and chat online.
According to estimates, about 30 million people in the U.S. quit participating in traditional sports over the past decade. Softball and volleyball participation has fallen off 39 percent. Racquetball, badminton, tennis and baseball are all down 20-38 percent. When young people do decide to get some exercise, they seem to prefer recreational activities such as skateboarding and mountain biking over traditional team sports. If so, I can't really blame them.