Last week, Pittsburgh Steelers’ linebacker James Harrison became de facto spokesman for millions of parents everywhere, including me, when he said that kid “participation trophies” are nonsense, and that he didn’t care whether he hurt anyone’s feelings by saying so.

“I’m sorry I’m not sorry for believing that everything in life should be earned,” he said. “And I’m not about to raise two boys to be men by making them believe that they are entitled to something just because they tried their best.”