Eric's soccer-game freakout

I realize that I'm creating a lot of threads based on Susan Klebold's book ... I know we already have a thread where we can react to the book ("I liked/didn't like..." or "She should/shouldn't have..."). But it is helpful to have threads dedicated to some of the specific events she describes and specific issues she addresses.

...

From her book:

The summer between Dylan’s sophomore and junior years was low-key. There was, however, one disturbing incident, and it involved Eric Harris.

Dylan hadn’t played soccer since kindergarten, but he decided to join the team Eric played for that summer, and they gave him a shot although he had no experience and few skills. We were pleased to hear he was joining the team, as soccer wouldn’t strain the arm he’d injured pitching. Plus, we admired his willingness to try a sport he hadn’t played in years.

Dylan wasn’t a great athlete—he was strong, but lacked agility and the coordination to manage his long, gangly limbs. He did not play soccer particularly well, but he attended practice faithfully. When the team made the playoffs, Tom and I came out to watch. Dylan played poorly, and the team lost.

Still sweaty, Eric and Dylan came over to where we were standing with the Harrises. Before we could congratulate them on a good effort, Eric began to scream. Spittle flying from his mouth, he lashed out at Dylan, ranting about his poor performance. Chattering parents and boys from both teams fell silent and stared.

Eric’s parents flanked him and guided him off the field as Tom, Dylan, and I drifted slowly, in stunned humiliation, toward our own car. I couldn’t hear what the Harrises were saying to Eric, but they appeared to be trying to settle him down. Dylan walked between Tom and me, silent and impassive.

I was shocked by the sudden inappropriateness of the display, and by the extremity of Eric’s rage. Dylan’s utter lack of affect alarmed me too; he had to be wounded, though he revealed nothing. My heart ached for him. I wanted to hug him, but he was fifteen years old and surrounded by his team. I couldn’t embarrass him further.

As soon as we got inside the car, though, I said, “Man! What a jerk! I can’t believe Eric!” As Tom started the car, Dylan stared out the window with a blank expression on his face. His calm in the face of Eric’s freak-out seemed unnatural, and I hoped he’d allow himself to acknowledge anger or humiliation as we drove away, but he did not.

I pressed him, wishing he’d blow off steam. “Didn’t it hurt your feelings, to have him act like that? I’d be incredibly upset if a friend treated me that way.” Dylan was still looking out the window, and his expression didn’t change when he answered me: “Nah. That’s just Eric.”

Tom, I could tell, was fuming. Dylan, on the other hand, appeared detached, as if he’d already shrugged it off. How fragile must Eric’s ego be, to be that upset about losing a dumb soccer game? I was more embarrassed for him than I was for Dylan; the tantrum had made Eric seem like a much younger child.

Seems like the time when Eric got mad at some girl hitting Dylan's car, and calling her a dumb bitch. Dylan pretty much told him to stfu, and go back in the car. lol.

I can just imagine this scenario. Eric screaming at the top of his lungs
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While Eric is screaming at Dylan, Dylan's face shows no fucks given
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To me, this illustrates one of Eric's biggest problems, maybe the root of all his problems.
His utter inability to control and manage his anger.
Most people if they were angry at a friend would have waited until they could talk to their friend alone.
Even if they were fuming the whole time ,they would wait .
But Eric just let fly in front of both sets of parents. Pretty much shows he could not control himself when angry. My guess is Eric was angry because he felt he gave his best effort and Dylan slacked off.
Maybe losing embarrassed Eric too. He also may have felt that since he brought Dylan onto the team he would be blamed by the others. He got really upset over things that others were able to shrug more easily.

I actually agree in the main with PaintItBlack here(!!).

I used to like playing 'soccer' for the school and later in life just with friends in the local leagues. We'd go mad at one another during the game for mistakes or if people looked like they weren't bothered about playing. Now I didn't see this particular game of course, but if it was something like PIB suggests about a lack of effort on Dylan's part, I wouldn't be surprised Eric blew his top.

Perhaps he shouldn't have done it after the game in front of everyone but it is frustrating when people aren't pulling their weight in a team game. Perhaps Dylan was trying his best but just wasn't very good but kids do get aggrieved if it looks like someone else isn't bothered. Particularly I would imagine in a play off game.

Interestingly I blew up at a soccer practice once. I was going goalie and they had to kick the ball and I had to stop it. So the guy boots the ball and hits me smack bang in the face. I went nuts, probably not to the extent that Eric went to but much to the same style.

Competition and Eric's tendencies made this scenario not very surprising.

I used to play goalie. Used to take a hit to the face most matches. I guess as long as you keep it out it doesn't matter which body part you use!

I'm glad we get to hear about more situations like this. As much as they try to portray him as being so charming and manipulative, would Eric really be that sloppy to have meltdowns like this or one where Judy Brown had his backpack?

Marco1211 wrote:

I'm glad we get to hear about more situations like this. As much as they try to portray him as being so charming and manipulative, would Eric really be that sloppy to have meltdowns like this or one where Judy Brown had his backpack?

The shrinks would call it "narcissistic rage."

Meh, I don't believe it too much. Easy for her to say this years and years later, I wouldn't take it as gospel. All very dramatic the way it's written.

x5000x wrote:

Meh, I don't believe it too much. Easy for her to say this years and years later, I wouldn't take it as gospel. All very dramatic the way it's written.

You find it hard to believe that a person who got angry enough to kill everyone in the school would get angry at a soccer game too?

Everyone who has played sports at any level knows that this happens all the time. Even between teammates.

x5000x wrote:

Meh, I don't believe it too much. Easy for her to say this years and years later, I wouldn't take it as gospel. All very dramatic the way it's written.

I found her whole book to be written that, very over the top and flowery.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Sue seemed to be grasping for straws. I'm sure she goes over everything that happened leading up to the massacre in that same light even though the majority, if not all, of the incidents like this one are actually quite commonplace for many people. I don't think she was necessarily attempting to be dramatic. Her desperation to find answers in anything and explain anything just came across that way.

It's confusing how she describes Eric differently in other interviews where she doesn't bring up him potentially being a psychopath. Was she somewhat directed in how she should write this book and what she should say about Eric in order to avoid the most scrutiny? Who knows.

switch3650 wrote:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Sue seemed to be grasping for straws. I'm sure she goes over everything that happened leading up to the massacre in that same light even though the majority, if not all, of the incidents like this one are actually quite commonplace for many people. I don't think she was necessarily attempting to be dramatic. Her desperation to find answers in anything and explain anything just came across that way.

It's confusing how she describes Eric differently in other interviews where she doesn't bring up him potentially being a psychopath. Was she somewhat directed in how she should write this book and what she should say about Eric in order to avoid the most scrutiny? Who knows.

That's what confused me, I watched all the interviews before reading the book and was shocked at her sudden lynching of Eric (in the sense that she indirectly put all the blame on him)

Considering she had Cullen assist her in her book, I wouldn't be surprised if it was directed that way, but most people will see one interview and read the book, that's it, left with the popular narrative Dylan was a follower, Eric was a psycho.

I bet Eric envied how Dylan was able to keep his rage under control. But I think Dylan was smarter than pissing himself over a stupid soccer game. I bet Eric chewed Dylan's ass off when they got caught from the van break in hence why Dylan tells his mom he's crazy and avoids his calls for a little bit afterwards. If anyone of them was a follower I bet it was Eric.

astrospace92 wrote:

switch3650 wrote:

That's what confused me, I watched all the interviews before reading the book and was shocked at her sudden lynching of Eric (in the sense that she indirectly put all the blame on him)

Considering she had Cullen assist her in her book, I wouldn't be surprised if it was directed that way, but most people will see one interview and read the book, that's it, left with the popular narrative Dylan was a follower, Eric was a psycho.

I wouldn't call it a "popular narrative." All of the doctors consulted on the case, Dr. Peter Langman, Dr. Mary Ellen O'Toole, Dr. Dwayne Fuselier, and Dr. Frank Ochberg, have diagnosed Eric as a psychopath. So there is strong medical support for it. It isn't just a "popular" theory.

As far as Dylan being a follower, well, Heidi Johnson, Nick Baumgart, Tyler Chenoweth, Terry Lawson, Katelyn Place, Steve Trujillo, Dominick Duran, Michael Bierman, Leslie Burns, Jason Cornelius, Brett O'Neill, Roison McEwen, and finally and most importantly Devon Adams (11k 10618) all say Dylan was a follower of Eric. I can give you 11k page numbers for all. These are peers who actually knew them.

So I think there is a little more support for her conclusion than it simply being a "popular" theory.

To your point that she "puts all the blame on Eric." Well, she writes that Dylan was "a mass murderer," that she is "the mother of a murderer," that "he committed an atrocity" and "participated in an atrocity," that she is the "mother of a murderer" who "raised a murderer," that he is a "sadistic killer" and a "vicious killer" and that she is the "mother of a killer."

Sounds like a pretty good amount of blame for Dylan too.

Squid wrote:

I bet Eric envied how Dylan was able to keep his rage under control. But I think Dylan was smarter than pissing himself over a stupid soccer game. I bet Eric chewed Dylan's ass off when they got caught from the van break in hence why Dylan tells his mom he's crazy and avoids his calls for a little bit afterwards. If anyone of them was a follower I bet it was Eric.

Do you realize that their friends said the opposite in the 11k? Read my post above.

lasttrain wrote:

Well, she writes that Dylan was "a mass murderer," that she is "the mother of a murderer," that "he committed an atrocity" and "participated in an atrocity," that she is the "mother of a murderer" who "raised a murderer," that he is a "sadistic killer" and a "vicious killer" and that she is the "mother of a killer."

Sounds like a pretty good amount of blame for Dylan too.

You posted the same collection of quoted phrases yet again so I feel like I need to say this.

Those quotes are statements of obvious, undeniable fact. There is no insight there.

She could say "I am the mother of Dylan Klebold, sadistic, vicious, mass murderer who participated in an atrocity" but she could have ended the sentence with "because he ate too many twinkies."

She acknowledges that he's a murderer. Maybe she doesn't acknowledge WHY he was a murderer. I'm not making a judgment one way or another but you really need to stop pulling out the same old copy-pasted quotes because they don't prove that she blames Dylan. She can't deny he was a murderer and that he was vicious when he killed his peers because if she did, we'd think she was crazy. That doesn't mean she acknowledges everything that happened (inside of Dylan) before 4/20 and repeating these particular phrases won't ever prove that she does.

sscc wrote:

lasttrain wrote:

Well, she writes that Dylan was "a mass murderer," that she is "the mother of a murderer," that "he committed an atrocity" and "participated in an atrocity," that she is the "mother of a murderer" who "raised a murderer," that he is a "sadistic killer" and a "vicious killer" and that she is the "mother of a killer."

Sounds like a pretty good amount of blame for Dylan too.

You posted the same collection of quoted phrases yet again so I feel like I need to say this.

Those quotes are statements of obvious, undeniable fact. There is no insight there.

She could say "I am the mother of Dylan Klebold, sadistic, vicious, mass murderer who participated in an atrocity" but she could have ended the sentence with "because he ate too many twinkies."

She acknowledges that he's a murderer. Maybe she doesn't acknowledge WHY he was a murderer. I'm not making a judgment one way or another but you really need to stop pulling out the same old copy-pasted quotes because they don't prove that she blames Dylan. She can't deny he was a murderer and that he was vicious when he killed his peers because if she did, we'd think she was crazy. That doesn't mean she acknowledges everything that happened (inside of Dylan) before 4/20 and repeating these particular phrases won't ever prove that she does.

Yes, I agree with everything you've said here. Of course she cannot deny that she is the 'Mother of a killer' but I still do not believe she holds Dylan as responsible nor would she ever fathom that the idea was Dylan's. She also put a fair amount of Dylan's actions on his mental illness. And let me just say, from my own personal experience and the experience of someone I love very much, him and I both have suffered from some of the worst depression you can imagine and the only people we have ever thought about killing were ourselves. Most depressed and suicidal people do not commit murder or even think about murder.

Yes, Dylan had some kind of mental illness but it was not 'depression' that led him to commit murder. Sue keeps trying to push the mental illness issue as though this were one of the main factors as to why Dylan did it. That along with being persuaded by Eric, it still feels as though she's saying 'yes Dylan did it, but it wasn't Dylan who was actually responsible for it. He was depressed and he was led into it by a psychopath'.

Dylan was showing signs of hate and jealousy along with saying he wanted to hurt people several years before Columbine. There was something wrong with him other than just depression. I don't believe that he nor Eric were psychopaths no matter what any 'doctor' may say because you cannot properly diagnosis someone who is already dead on journals they left behind. But I also do not believe that Dylan was just a depressive who followed Eric into this. And it seems though that is what Sue still believes. That she's not fully accepting what Dylan did.

sscc wrote:

lasttrain wrote:

Well, she writes that Dylan was "a mass murderer," that she is "the mother of a murderer," that "he committed an atrocity" and "participated in an atrocity," that she is the "mother of a murderer" who "raised a murderer," that he is a "sadistic killer" and a "vicious killer" and that she is the "mother of a killer."

Sounds like a pretty good amount of blame for Dylan too.

You posted the same collection of quoted phrases yet again so I feel like I need to say this.

Those quotes are statements of obvious, undeniable fact. There is no insight there.

She could say "I am the mother of Dylan Klebold, sadistic, vicious, mass murderer who participated in an atrocity" but she could have ended the sentence with "because he ate too many twinkies."

She acknowledges that he's a murderer. Maybe she doesn't acknowledge WHY he was a murderer. I'm not making a judgment one way or another but you really need to stop pulling out the same old copy-pasted quotes because they don't prove that she blames Dylan. She can't deny he was a murderer and that he was vicious when he killed his peers because if she did, we'd think she was crazy. That doesn't mean she acknowledges everything that happened (inside of Dylan) before 4/20 and repeating these particular phrases won't ever prove that she does.

Jenn wrote:

sscc wrote:

lasttrain wrote:

Well, she writes that Dylan was "a mass murderer," that she is "the mother of a murderer," that "he committed an atrocity" and "participated in an atrocity," that she is the "mother of a murderer" who "raised a murderer," that he is a "sadistic killer" and a "vicious killer" and that she is the "mother of a killer."

Sounds like a pretty good amount of blame for Dylan too.

You posted the same collection of quoted phrases yet again so I feel like I need to say this.

Those quotes are statements of obvious, undeniable fact. There is no insight there.

She could say "I am the mother of Dylan Klebold, sadistic, vicious, mass murderer who participated in an atrocity" but she could have ended the sentence with "because he ate too many twinkies."

She acknowledges that he's a murderer. Maybe she doesn't acknowledge WHY he was a murderer. I'm not making a judgment one way or another but you really need to stop pulling out the same old copy-pasted quotes because they don't prove that she blames Dylan. She can't deny he was a murderer and that he was vicious when he killed his peers because if she did, we'd think she was crazy. That doesn't mean she acknowledges everything that happened (inside of Dylan) before 4/20 and repeating these particular phrases won't ever prove that she does.

Yes, I agree with everything you've said here. Of course she cannot deny that she is the 'Mother of a killer' but I still do not believe she holds Dylan as responsible nor would she ever fathom that the idea was Dylan's. She also put a fair amount of Dylan's actions on his mental illness. And let me just say, from my own personal experience and the experience of someone I love very much, him and I both have suffered from some of the worst depression you can imagine and the only people we have ever thought about killing were ourselves. Most depressed and suicidal people do not commit murder or even think about murder.

Yes, Dylan had some kind of mental illness but it was not 'depression' that led him to commit murder. Sue keeps trying to push the mental illness issue as though this were one of the main factors as to why Dylan did it. That along with being persuaded by Eric, it still feels as though she's saying 'yes Dylan did it, but it wasn't Dylan who was actually responsible for it. He was depressed and he was led into it by a psychopath'.

Dylan was showing signs of hate and jealousy along with saying he wanted to hurt people several years before Columbine. There was something wrong with him other than just depression. I don't believe that he nor Eric were psychopaths no matter what any 'doctor' may say because you cannot properly diagnosis someone who is already dead on journals they left behind. But I also do not believe that Dylan was just a depressive who followed Eric into this. And it seems though that is what Sue still believes. That she's not fully accepting what Dylan did.

Yes, that's exactly what I've been trying to say Jenn and sscc.

I can fully articulate what I'm trying to say here, but I hope you'll be able to understand. Dylan, yes, he may have been secretly taking herbal remedies for his depression, but Eric was the one on prescribed medication (some speculate it contributed to his homicidal actions) he was also the one who was seeing a medical professional.
I applaud Sue for reminding people that sometimes there's no signs that someone is suffering or you can miss them. HOWEVER, she wants to push the notion that mental illness was the reason, yet doesn't want to full acknowledge that Eric was mentally ill as well. If she feels Dylan was not fully compus mentis and therefore not fully responsible for his actions on 4/20, she would have to apply the same thinking to Eric, surly? which she doesn't.

I cannot blame Sue. Not only did she raise Dylan for 17 years, but even after Columbine she lived for several months with no real answers just gossip and theories. She had developed a theory that it was an impulse decision, that he was pulled into this by Eric etc. Then the BT shoved that idea out of her head forcibly and she was not left with much else.

If my child did this I wouldn't want to blame them either. It is a mother's nature. May not be logical or correct but it is none the less true.

Sue openly admitted that she wished she had been more aggressive in separating Eric from Dylan which I believe she should have.

aquillina wrote:

Sue openly admitted that she wished she had been more aggressive in separating Eric from Dylan which I believe she should have.

I don't think it matters if she does. Teenagers know how to sneak their way into seeing people they shouldn't see and doing things they shouldn't do. plus in this case, they hid bombs and arsenals. So yeah, they pretty much took the cake in fooling everyone.

Jenn wrote:

sscc wrote:

lasttrain wrote:

Well, she writes that Dylan was "a mass murderer," that she is "the mother of a murderer," that "he committed an atrocity" and "participated in an atrocity," that she is the "mother of a murderer" who "raised a murderer," that he is a "sadistic killer" and a "vicious killer" and that she is the "mother of a killer."

Sounds like a pretty good amount of blame for Dylan too.

You posted the same collection of quoted phrases yet again so I feel like I need to say this.

Those quotes are statements of obvious, undeniable fact. There is no insight there.

She could say "I am the mother of Dylan Klebold, sadistic, vicious, mass murderer who participated in an atrocity" but she could have ended the sentence with "because he ate too many twinkies."

She acknowledges that he's a murderer. Maybe she doesn't acknowledge WHY he was a murderer. I'm not making a judgment one way or another but you really need to stop pulling out the same old copy-pasted quotes because they don't prove that she blames Dylan. She can't deny he was a murderer and that he was vicious when he killed his peers because if she did, we'd think she was crazy. That doesn't mean she acknowledges everything that happened (inside of Dylan) before 4/20 and repeating these particular phrases won't ever prove that she does.

Yes, I agree with everything you've said here. Of course she cannot deny that she is the 'Mother of a killer' but I still do not believe she holds Dylan as responsible nor would she ever fathom that the idea was Dylan's. She also put a fair amount of Dylan's actions on his mental illness. And let me just say, from my own personal experience and the experience of someone I love very much, him and I both have suffered from some of the worst depression you can imagine and the only people we have ever thought about killing were ourselves. Most depressed and suicidal people do not commit murder or even think about murder.

Yes, Dylan had some kind of mental illness but it was not 'depression' that led him to commit murder. Sue keeps trying to push the mental illness issue as though this were one of the main factors as to why Dylan did it. That along with being persuaded by Eric, it still feels as though she's saying 'yes Dylan did it, but it wasn't Dylan who was actually responsible for it. He was depressed and he was led into it by a psychopath'.

Dylan was showing signs of hate and jealousy along with saying he wanted to hurt people several years before Columbine. There was something wrong with him other than just depression. I don't believe that he nor Eric were psychopaths no matter what any 'doctor' may say because you cannot properly diagnosis someone who is already dead on journals they left behind. But I also do not believe that Dylan was just a depressive who followed Eric into this. And it seems though that is what Sue still believes. That she's not fully accepting what Dylan did.

As long as people keep denying that Sue blames Dylan, I will keep citing the excerpts from her book where she obviously blames him.

I just reached this point in the audiobook:
What level of soccer are we talking about? Was this really more like a rec/fun league or something closer to club?

I am trying to work out how they made the playoffs, then lost (yelling Incident here), but played again (another loss, but much improved performance from Dylan)? Typically losing in the playoffs would be the end of the season?

Was Eric at this point close to being the NBK? I cannot presume to understand the mind of either. I did wonder if soccer was special to Eric. He got his friend in (maybe touched for him to try coach?) who turns out not to be very good and plays poorly. Did this make it all work for Eric?

Also, it seems like if Dylan was under Eric's spell, this would have hurt him more. Sounds like he had been there done that with his friend, and knew that was how he blew off steam?

this certainly paints a different image. It is usually said that Dylan is the one who couldn't handle his anger and would explode in rage at his bosses and teacher and Eric was the one who was calm and always knew the right words to get out of a sticky situation fast without drawing attention to himself or losing his temper.

HuskerStorm wrote:

I just reached this point in the audiobook:
What level of soccer are we talking about?  Was this really more like a rec/fun league or something closer to club?

I am trying to work out how they made the playoffs, then lost (yelling Incident here), but played again (another loss, but much improved performance from Dylan)?  Typically losing in the playoffs would be the end of the season?

Was Eric at this point close to being the NBK?  I cannot presume to understand the mind of either.  I did wonder if soccer was special to Eric.  He got his friend in (maybe touched for him to try coach?) who turns out not to be very good and plays poorly.  Did this make it all work for Eric?  

Also, it seems like if Dylan was under Eric's spell, this would have hurt him more. Sounds like he had been there done that with his friend, and knew that was how he blew off steam?

Hmm they became friends in middle school right? Eric was new in Middle school and iirc he was preppy when he moved there. So prob then he was into sports. It was not until HS when he became withdrawn and no longer into sports at least on a school basis.

spidEr wrote:

this certainly paints a different image. It is usually said that Dylan is the one who couldn't handle his anger and would explode in rage at his bosses and teacher and Eric was the one who was calm and always knew the right words to get out of a sticky situation fast without drawing attention to himself or losing his temper.

That and the car situation. Where a girl hit Dylan's car in the parking lot shortly before NBK. Eric was blazing mad about it but Dylan told him to shut up and get in the car and diffused the situation.

Could also be bc he knew he was going to die soon and was in that "happy" phase...

spidEr wrote:

this certainly paints a different image. It is usually said that Dylan is the one who couldn't handle his anger and would explode in rage at his bosses and teacher and Eric was the one who was calm and always knew the right words to get out of a sticky situation fast without drawing attention to himself or losing his temper.

Yeah I don't know how people can get that impression.

Pretty much all of Eric's friends were unsurprised when they heard he played a part in the massacre.

Lizpuff wrote:

spidEr wrote:

this certainly paints a different image. It is usually said that Dylan is the one who couldn't handle his anger and would explode in rage at his bosses and teacher and Eric was the one who was calm and always knew the right words to get out of a sticky situation fast without drawing attention to himself or losing his temper.

That and the car situation.  Where a girl hit Dylan's car in the parking lot shortly before NBK.  Eric was blazing mad about it but Dylan told him to shut up and get in the car and diffused the situation.

Could also be bc he knew he was going to die soon and was in that "happy" phase...

Dylan seemed like he was the Eric whisperer. He could really calm him down.

I wonder if they had similar triggers when they got mad?

Dylan liked and was better at baseball than soccer so maybe if the roles were reversed and Eric was playing baseball with Dylan and Eric didn't do well, Dylan would have gotten mad?

Maybe Dylan got mad at what he deemed was more important where as Eric could be more erratic.

Screamingophelia wrote:

Lizpuff wrote:

spidEr wrote:

this certainly paints a different image. It is usually said that Dylan is the one who couldn't handle his anger and would explode in rage at his bosses and teacher and Eric was the one who was calm and always knew the right words to get out of a sticky situation fast without drawing attention to himself or losing his temper.

That and the car situation.  Where a girl hit Dylan's car in the parking lot shortly before NBK.  Eric was blazing mad about it but Dylan told him to shut up and get in the car and diffused the situation.

Could also be bc he knew he was going to die soon and was in that "happy" phase...

Dylan seemed like he was the Eric whisperer. He could really calm him down.

I wonder if they had similar triggers when they got mad?

Dylan liked and was better at baseball than soccer so maybe if the roles were reversed and Eric was playing baseball with Dylan and Eric didn't do well, Dylan would have gotten mad?

Maybe Dylan got mad at what he deemed was more important where as Eric could be more erratic.

The Eric whisperer! I kinda agree with that. I can ONLY imagine Dylan rolling his eyes while trying to calm little Eric down!

ShadowedGoddess wrote:

Screamingophelia wrote:

Lizpuff wrote:

spidEr wrote:

this certainly paints a different image. It is usually said that Dylan is the one who couldn't handle his anger and would explode in rage at his bosses and teacher and Eric was the one who was calm and always knew the right words to get out of a sticky situation fast without drawing attention to himself or losing his temper.

That and the car situation.  Where a girl hit Dylan's car in the parking lot shortly before NBK.  Eric was blazing mad about it but Dylan told him to shut up and get in the car and diffused the situation.

Could also be bc he knew he was going to die soon and was in that "happy" phase...

Dylan seemed like he was the Eric whisperer. He could really calm him down.

I wonder if they had similar triggers when they got mad?

Dylan liked and was better at baseball than soccer so maybe if the roles were reversed and Eric was playing baseball with Dylan and Eric didn't do well, Dylan would have gotten mad?

Maybe Dylan got mad at what he deemed was more important where as Eric could be more erratic.

The Eric whisperer! I kinda agree with that. I can ONLY imagine Dylan rolling his eyes while trying to calm little Eric down!

I know I'm not much of a lover of the memes or cartoons but I do like the one where someone drew Eric yelling and I think his hat is flying off and Dylan is standing there with his arms crossed like "are you finished?

Though in the BT Eric was I guess egging him on to "feel the rage, get angry"

Dang Dylan was more mature than Eric. Eric was still a kid .