In my life as a sports reporter roaming the highways and byways of these two counties, I have had a wonderful opportunity to dispel a millenniums old perception about today’s youth. 

Socrates once said he thought “today’s youth are shiftless and lazy, they shun responsibility...” and so on. 

I’m here, in the hills and valleys of Western Montana to let Mr. Socrates know, not all youth fall into his sour vision. 

The kids I meet on the hardwood courts, grass fields and running paths are, for the most part, polite, courteous, intelligent (scarily so sometimes) and well adjusted. 

Now, I would have to admit “not all” applies to today’s youth also. As in every apple barrel, there are bound to be a few “bad” apples. 

Growing up in Billings, there were daily neighborhood fights. Nothing serious, just young lions jostling for social position without even knowing that’s what they were doing. 

And all you have to do is watch the evening news and your opinion of generation X, Y, Z, whatever, is likely shaped by what you often see.   

But my son sent me a photo that boosted my feeling that today’s youth are pretty good dudes and dudettes, for the most part. 

The picture is of my 6-year-old grandson, Emerson, at his first rodeo, sitting next to his dad, my son Tim. “E” as we call him, was so swept up by the rodeo he whipped off his shirt and cheered the cowboys with all his little heart. 

That frozen image tells me an awesome sport like rodeo lives on in the hearts and minds of young folks.  As a huge rodeo fan, my heart glowed with pride when I saw that picture. 

It reminded me of a photo of country legend Merle Haggard my son sent me several years ago. On the photo is a saying... “successful parenting is finding Merle Hagaard on your kid’s iPod playlist”. 

This aging redneck couldn’t agree more. 

Tim asked me if they had lights around sports fields when I was a kid. 

The picture of how he is raising my grandson eased my mind about that question. Anyone who understands rodeo is wholesome, American entertainment involving those who I have always said were the toughest athletes on the planet, is on the right path in my mind. 

And Merle? Yeah, he did some time in the gray-bar motel, but he pulled his life together and produced numerous legendary country songs. Who doesn’t sing along with “Okie from Muskogee” or “Mama Tried”? 

So, cowboy on, little buddy! Glad you found an activity for which your grandpa shares the same enthusiasm as is etched on your happy face. 

Let ‘er buck, E, Let ‘er buck.