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Online now: 4 members: JohnO28, Omrosoftball, TABLE SETTER 11, bbigham2; 134 anonymousDiscussion: WESTERN NATIONALS IN AURORA, COLORADO
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| June 8, 2012 DD Men's 75 92 posts | WESTERN NATIONALS IN AURORA, COLORADO GSF decided to add this event to our schedule...dates are Aug 3-5. We figure Master Collision/Scrap Iron will be there...any other 60 Major Plus teams willing to make the trip? The Western National Championships, along with the Eastern Nationals in Raleigh the same weekend, make up the first step in winning the Triple Grand Slam. Those two winners play a National Championship game during the seeding round of the Worlds and that win is the second step. Winning the World Masters crown in Las Vegas during this year's LVSSA/SSUSA tournament is the final piece. It has been done before, but it isn't easy. You have to enter the Western (or Eastern) Nationals to have a chance at the Triple Grand Slam. |
| June 8, 2012 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | So much hype, so little substance. =( |
| June 8, 2012 Jawood Men's 50 943 posts | Never enough teams in Major-plus to make it worth while to go to this. |
| June 8, 2012 db14 104 posts | "So much hype, so little substance. =(" ................ Kind of like Gary 19 |
| June 8, 2012 hitman Men's 70 339 posts | Again more useless comments from Gary19. He just has to wave his hand and talk even if nobody is talking or listening to him. I'm sure he doesn't understand the Triple Grand Slam and what it represents and how difficult it is to accomplish. The Hitman |
| June 8, 2012 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | Difficult? Kind of, perhaps. First you have to win a REGIONAL against whoever might show up that weekend. NO qualifying required. Then you have to beat one other team who got to that point under similar, dubious circumstances. Then you have to win what might be an actual tournament of quality. Absolutely you have to win some games to do it, and there is no guarantee there. But which of the fields is made up of elite teams? Any for certain? And, keep in mind the hype of the "Triple Grand Slam", which for those mathematically-challenged should require winning 12 events, not three. Again, hype. Yes you do have to win, but not necessarily against an elite field and not 12 times. |
| June 8, 2012 CallaVett Men's 50 61 posts | So much type, so little substance. =( I always thought a GRAND SLAM was a singular event, (a home run hit with the bases loaded) with the most possible runs (4) scoring on ONE PLAY. So, I believe a Triple Grand Slam would be three singular events; for those mathematically-challenged that would be 3 X one event (tournament), not 3 X four events (tournaments). |
| June 8, 2012 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | Ever hear of the Grand Slam in golf? Or tennis? It takes FOUR specific victories to win it. It's okay, just feel kind of dumb and go away. |
| June 8, 2012 neck10 714 posts | dont confuse him !!!!!!!!!!!! |
| June 8, 2012 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | Looks like someone beat me to it. =) |
| June 8, 2012 CallaVett Men's 50 61 posts | I didn't realize we were talking about GOLF or TENNIS, I thought we were discussing softball. Where a grand slam a single event. |
| June 8, 2012 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | We were talking about GRAND SLAMS. Where winning one requires four victories. |
| June 8, 2012 Webbie25 Men's 70 2414 posts | And how do you change this and make it better? You advertise that you are going and recruit the other teams. Again Gary19 doesn't get it and has to put in his usual inane comments. Congratulations on another fine piece of work cutting sown the game you don't even play. We actually try rather than sit behind a typewriter doing nothing of substance. |
| June 8, 2012 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | I don't get what? That the East and West are not nations? That you don't have to win 12 titles to win the Triple Grand Slam? Those seem pretty clear-cut to me. I play plenty, we have been over this. More might play in your little tourneys is you improved the product. |
| June 8, 2012 garyheifner 649 posts | Interesting our friend (above) has acused the majority of us as being whinners and constantly trash talks our senior game! He is the absolute KING of whinners. So many posts and yet so little substance! The posts have envolved from who is this guy?, to pathetic. I will admit that after watching the evening news each night, I do enjoy coming on this site and looking at what non-sensical gibberish he will post. I believe he has fully established, he does not like senior softball. Maybe someday he will gravitate to replys that are interesting and worth discussing. |
| June 8, 2012 CallaVett Men's 50 61 posts | This was the first time (and the last)I replied to Gary19 post; I should have heeded the words of Mark Twain “Do not argue with an idiot they drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.” |
| June 8, 2012 swing for the fences Men's 50 1224 posts | Amen CallaVett! |
| June 8, 2012 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | As many do, when at a loss for words, comprehension, and logic resort to name-calling. |
| June 9, 2012 Webbie25 Men's 70 2414 posts | How many here have met Gary19 at a tourney? He says he plays plenty. Anyone?? Are you going to Aurora, Gary? If not, why do you cut it down before it happens? Have you been to a convention, ever, Gary, to try to improve things or do you just sit there and tear it down? Until you have done these things you should keep your useless words inside your cerebro muy pequeño. |
| June 9, 2012 swing for the fences Men's 50 1224 posts | LOL Webbie! Gary is just a frustrated EX softball player... Would love to hit against him with any rules he wants... Anyway, it won't happen because he only plays with his key board.. Sad Sad Sad individual! I have to admit, he's entertaining though... Fun to watch how many people he can piss off in a thread! LOL |
| June 10, 2012 boston Men's 60 355 posts | In a way I do understand Gary 19's point on definition of titles. Triple Grand Slam would logically mean winning 3 Grand Slam events. Grand Slam 4 events times 3 equals 12. Now as far as calling events Western, Eastern etc.. nationals. they logically should be labelled regionals. We are just one nation so logically there can be only one National event. maybe, gary doesn't play but does have the right to state his opinion on the subject. We all comment on issues, topics and subjects in which we have no experience, politics, education etc.. I am a public school teacher and always have to read and hear idiots opine about education issues. people who have never stepped into a classroom since they left high school or college. That is there right no rule says you have to know what your talking about. Having other perspectives are a good thing whether we agree with them or not. Sometimes an outsiders perspective can be more insightful since tey have no horse in the race. JMO |
| June 10, 2012 Corky Men's 55 451 posts | I've asked on several occasions to meet up with Gary for no other reason than to put a face to the poster.........I have met most of the guys who regularly post and it's good to talk face to face........We have another opportunity........Big tournament coming up the 23/24 of June in Barberton Ohio......I believe thats right in your back yard?? Are you going and who will you be playin with? |
| June 10, 2012 Webbie25 Men's 70 2414 posts | boston-you're right he does have the right to his opinion, even if he doesn't have the experience. Every tournament, though, I run into several REAL players who do not blog here because of his repetitive and inane comments repeated over and over and over, etc. etc.And he knows it. It is his schtick. It is a shame that knowledgeable players with something meaningful to share don't share it because he is tediously mucking the message board up, and has for years with no other agenda than to run senior softball down. If you want to defend that............JMO (and many, many others opinions) |
| June 10, 2012 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | boston, thanks for understanding both math and geography. As you have seen, not many on here seem to. Corky, Barberton sort of is in my backyard, about 50 minutes away. Played on those fields the past 7 years, took this year off of the Silver League as the 85-mile roundtrip twice a week was getting old. Not sure about next weekend. My mother's 82nd birthday is Saturday plus I have games that morning, and I have a doubleheader with the kids Sunday morning. Mark, as I have said before six tournaments was more than enough "experience" for me to see what senior tournaments are typically like. |
| June 10, 2012 Webbie25 Men's 70 2414 posts | Hey Gary-here is the schedule for the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA): Kragen O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals NHRA Arizona Nationals Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals NHRA Four-Wide Nationals O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Summer Nationals United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals NHRA SuperNationals NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals NHRA Northwest Nationals Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals Do you also blog about national events to them? Math and Geography have little to do with your blogs-you are just here to cut down senior softball. |
| June 10, 2012 gott2play Men's 60 212 posts | Gentlemen, In conversation with my senior softball buddies I've never heard the winning of these three tournaments referred to as the Triple Grand Slam, but rather the Triple Crown, which makes much more sense to me. After all, if you win all three you are essentially the "leader" of the three "categories", Western Nationals winner, Western/Eastern Nationals championship game winner, and SSUSA/LVSSA Championships winner. Gary19 we all know that if we win these, we're not the "World" champions in the true sense of the word. Why do you care if the organization calls it that? Does it personally offend you? If you don't play this organizations tournaments, why is this such an issue? Is it just your thing? After coming close to losing a leg due to a rollover traffic accident , I'm friggin' thrilled to still be able to play. I've had my left knee scoped three times, am bone on bone there, my right once for torn MCL, and the three surgeries from my accident. All that and I still run, so why don't you give it a rest, please. Tony Baltazar So Cal 55's - 55 Major Desert Dawgs - 50 AAA (soon to be Major) Ex-Barcelona Bandit - 50 Major |
| June 10, 2012 Webbie25 Men's 70 2414 posts | Tony-thank you for putting in perspective much better than I could. I wish you the best of luck as you continue to play this great game. |
| June 11, 2012 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | Webbie, you keep telling yourself that it still is. You might even convince yourself one day. |
| June 11, 2012 Webbie25 Men's 70 2414 posts | Jealousy just oozes from you Gary. Don't you wish you could make these bats do what those of us that actually play can? Don't you just wish you were playing tournaments and meeting people? Doesn't that just rankle inside you? But you type well and spell well. Way to go! |
| June 11, 2012 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | That is such a lame card to play. I used to think you were better than that. I am fine, but thanks for asking. I can stay here and play twice the number of different teams for a tenth the cost. And I don't need anymore friends and acquaintances. But thanks for the concern. =) |
| June 11, 2012 paul0784 Men's 60 218 posts | After having won the Triple Grand Slam last year I would say that it feels like wining 12 events after winning the Eastern, Us Nationals and Worlds. Yes you have to play in two different regions to get the award but it is still difficult. The Worlds is the best tournament of the year with the most teams and if you think playing a one game winner take all is easy you are sorely mistaken. So, the Triple Grand Slam is a darn good accomplishment that I will remember for ever in spite of what Gary19 has to say. |
| June 11, 2012 5ToolsinOhio Men's 50 160 posts | Webbie, I thought you gave up on the drug G19, it takes time to ween off it but the end result is great haha. I see G19 did not see the doctor for his repeating problems. His post are amazing truly, he could never play again or should i say pitch again, he would have to wear goalie equipment. |
| June 11, 2012 boston Men's 60 355 posts | Webbie; good the see you are alive and well. As for defending Gary it is his right as a citizen I defend. I don't always agree with him but I look at things with an open-mind. I try not to allow my personal feelings towards an individual to interfere with the topic. As an educator for 20 yrs. I would not have lasted, if I closed my mind to other opinions, whether I like them or not. What I don't understand is why and how so many of you guys allow Gary to get under your skin so easily. If he can dictate who comes to the board or who doesn't. You guys have given him a power he is probably not looking for and doesn't deserve. If you don't agree with him either do not respond or respond in a logical manner which can offset his points. when you leave the board or turn to personal attacks you have given him all the power. Nothing personal Gary but I have had students like you that do their best to get under your skin and disrupt the education process. Maybe, those experiences have taught me how to better deal with your comments. Finally gentlemen, I am active on issues like education, politics, illegal immigration etc.. I blog daily on twitter, facebook, the Blaze, Newsbusters, etc.. I have sent e-mail and letters to Pres. Obama, Bill O'Reilly, sean Hannity, Gov. Martinez and many more. i have had letters published in Newsweek, BMX Magazine, Alb. Journal, EP Times, Chicago Tribune and Denver Post to name a few. even though I enjoy the discussions on this blog and they are relevent to the sport of senior softball. Please stop taking it so serious. Life is short to allow small things to upset you. Webbie: I can gaurantee you Gary is at home drinkling a cold one chuckling at how upset he has made you and all the other guys over a game. God Bless all you old farts. May God keep you and your families safe and healthy. In the words or Bill and Ted "ROCK ON DUDES" |
| June 11, 2012 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | boston, I respect what you say though I am not certain what is being disrupted. Well, other than the majority's panacean view of the current state of senior softball. |
| June 11, 2012 boston Men's 60 355 posts | Just an analogy as to how you disrupt the conversation of senior softball for many. You have actually hijacked the conversation on many occasions. Because people become tied up in insulting you, they loose track of the topic. You definitely have a gift for that. |
| June 11, 2012 goforit 97 posts | Ron, I always find it interesting how a simple comment or question can turn into such a large thread and then spiral out of control. To answer your question -- yes Master Collision will play in the Western Nationals and i believe the guys from KC Kids said they were going to show up. Other then that i have not heard from the other Major + teams out West. Congratulations again to GSF on a great tournament in Reno. John |
| June 11, 2012 Webbie25 Men's 70 2414 posts | boston-don't you know me by now? I'm having my beer laughing my ___ off. You think I'm upset? Believe me, you will know when I am upset. Boston-with the rights goes responsibility and gary has none of that. His type hides behind his interpretation of the first amendment right to free speech as being free license to say anything he wants, no matter what. That's why we spiral down-too many just want to disrupt and not actually do anything positive. It's like flag burning-legal, but I sure would never think to do it, but some do.-He is just another voice crying for attention. John-thanks-you guys too! We look forward to seeing you in Aurora and Vegas-it is always fun to play a solid team like you are! We still owe you from Vegas. I hope D&K looks at Aurora, too. |
| June 12, 2012 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | Many of you guys seem great, but the lack of pride of some make me a bit ashamed to be a part of this age group. |
| June 12, 2012 Webbie25 Men's 70 2414 posts | We are totally ashamed that you are part of this age group, too. We finally agree on something. Lack of pride-quit hiding behind your keyboard. |
| June 12, 2012 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | "Triple Grand Slams". Special bats. "Western" Nationals. Run limits. "Courtesy" runners. Four classifications for too few teams. Just not a lot to be proud of with those. =( Easily fixable, but apparently no interest or desire by many. |
| June 12, 2012 neck10 714 posts | webbie dont try to talk to that guy just sit back and hope the powers will remove him from the site. |
| June 12, 2012 Webbie25 Men's 70 2414 posts | It won't happen-they pity him too. What would he possibly do if he didn't cut down Senior Softball? I don't see much there. |
| June 12, 2012 Webbie25 Men's 70 2414 posts | Dennis-how many teams are confirmed for Aurora-It is going to be a lot of fun! |
| June 12, 2012 Omar Khayyam 1357 posts | Webbie, I bet you were saving that rejoinder to Gary19 for quite awhile! |
| June 13, 2012 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | Interesting how the thin-skinned among you view any attempt to point out how the game could be improved and the bracket sizes might increase from their typical 3 or 4 as "cutting down". Must be tough to be old, closed-minded, and a bit lacking in basic pride. |
| June 13, 2012 Webbie25 Men's 70 2414 posts | At the beginning of this thread I asked if anyone had ever met Gary19. Nobody!! He won't even come out and meet the people he belittles all the time. He won't do something real like come to a convention and put his ideas out there-in person. That is lack of pride. I'm done here with him guys-he's like talking to a 3 year old repeating the same thing. Omar-I don't save them-he just presents them on a silver platter!! :-) |
| June 13, 2012 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | If, in this day and age, the associations that take enough of the players' money needs guys to show up in person to have their voices heard then I fear they are not very open-minded to change. Why the need to spend more money on top of money when a forum like this is just as effective a way to express ideas at a much more customer-friendly price? I wouldn't need to repeat if you did not repetitively resist any improvements to the game. Afraid if the games does improve you might not do as well? If the bats are reduced you might not hit as well? |
| June 13, 2012 neck10 714 posts | webbie thats the smart thing to do sometimes people just like to stir the pot I have a coulple buddies that play hockey they always tell me my sport(slow pitch softball) is for girls well one of them is playing on my 55 & over leauge team he found out quick that he is the weakest over all player on the team I told him he's rifght everyone can hit the ball but not all can hit it for hit's hit one out this week with 98 freak!!!!!!!!!! |
| June 13, 2012 goforit 97 posts | Gary19, I don't play the game because of the bats and balls, if the bats and balls were scaled back i would still be on the field whenever i could. For me its about getting away once in awhile and hanging out with team mates and other friends that i have had for years. There are quite a few guys still playing today that played in the 70's and 80's like i did. I started with wood bats nad then went to a heavier metal bat. At every level it was about playing the game not about the equipment. I will admit that the bats and balls used now a days do give you more of a chance to score more runs but since that is what the players and the association want to use then so be it. In your mind is softball no longer softball just because the equipment has evolved. I've never really understood your thoughts on why the equipment used today is so bad if everyone has the same chance to use it. Also you mention above that if the game does improve Mark may not do as well. After playing against Mark this year i'm pretty sure he would still be a very good hitter even if we all used scaled back bats. I have not seen all your comments so if you want would you please tell me what improvements you feel would benefit the game and the players and then maybe i will understand better. Thanks John |
| June 13, 2012 neck10 714 posts | you cant scale the balls back much more without going to a sock,where did u guys use wooden bats Ive played since 1972 & never used wood bats thats 40 yrs ago.but you are right about it being a equal playing field all the equitment is out there for everyone ,we used to have bats that lasted longer but they were $300.00 plus now they last 1/2 as long but they are 1/2 the price |
| June 13, 2012 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | goforit, the equipment is problematic because of all the rule changes it has created (run limits, time limits, PPRs, use of screens) and all of the safety issues it creates when the oldest and slowest group still playing is using the hottest equipment. Just not a lot of logic to that. neck, since the playing field is equal why the need for four classifications? Sounds to me like you are saying we all have the same opportunities, so why not all compete meaningfully against each other instead of creating JV (and below) divisions at our ages. Do guys this age really need to win the lowest of FOUR classifications to feel good about playing the game? |
| June 13, 2012 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | goforit, add one more. I would bet any clamoring for lengthening the bases and rubber would stop as well since infielders won't have to play quite as deep to defend themselves from the balls coming off the special bats, and won't need the extra step or two by the baserunners to help get them out. |
| June 13, 2012 goforit 97 posts | Neck10, I also started playing in 1972 in Twin Falls, Idaho -- first bat they handed me was wood and i used it all year. Was still able to hit home runs, Granted the fences were only 275'. Took acouple of years for the next level of bats (heavy metal) to make it to our area. John |
| June 13, 2012 gott2play Men's 60 212 posts | G19, So, do you believe that we should all compete meaningfully against each other and not have lower divisions, JV and lower as you state? I think that is what you're saying, so correct me if I'm wrong. Given that logic, why do high schools even have Varsity, JV, and even lower in some parts of the country? It's because of skill level. I guess if you were the decision maker, all 15 thru 18 yr old "athletes" would compete against each other in one division, right? Did any of your kids ever compete at the lower level or did they all jump right into the Varsity world. If they didn't, I bet you were ok with that. How about this G19, at the professional level we would eliminate all lower level organizations Football - just the NFL, no CFL or WFL. Baseball - Just MLB, no A, AA, AAA, or Independent League Basketball - just NBA, no European,Chinese,Italian...leagues Soccer - just World Cup Sport is Sport, I think that's what you're saying. In your view of senior softball, it seems your issue is that teams are not beating the best. Well, the winning team is the best that weekend, the number of teams attending is not something that can be controlled DD (Dennis Dalton)- The Desert Dawg 50 team will be at the Western Nationals. Looking forward to this one as it will be my first time to Aurora. Tony Baltazar |
| June 13, 2012 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | Tony, I could live with two classifications. Perhaps one might not be enough, though I think we all remember the days when ASA had only one, and even three might be too many. Not everyone is entitled to be a champion, that is just the way sports is, and to make more classes just to let more guys be "champs" just cheapens things to me. High school is not really a good comparison. First, a primary difference between Varsity, JV, and Freshmen is age. That is NOT the case with senior softball where there are four classes within the same age group. Yes, skill level does play a part in it in high school, but as an example only 9th graders can play at the Freshmen level, though of course they can play up. Another huge difference is that at that young age kids get a chance to develop at the lower levels to hopefully ultimately compete at the highest level. Who in senior softball is really playing at AA with the hopes of improving and moving up? I know guys who have played, perfectly happily, in AA for 10+ years. They have no hopes/dreams/aspirations of even moving up to AAA. They are content/complacent. That is not the story in high school, sure wasn't with my kids and many of their teammates. Heck, if anything senior softball players whine to move down, rarely if ever up. NOT the case with kids at all. For my family, two of the five played varsity right off the bat. Two others did by their sophomore years. And for those two while we were "okay" with it, they were not and had legitimate claims to a varsity spot but that was the coach's decision and it fueled them to make Varsity the next year, NOT to be complacent and stay at the same level for their entire careers. My primary two thoughts are: 1. I would rather finish third in Major than first in AA, as an example. Kind of like I would rather be last in my graduating class at Harvard than first at The University of Akron. But that might just be me and my family. 2. Fewer classes means larger and more meaningful tournaments and championships. Means much more to beat 8 or 10 decent teams than 2 or 3 mediocre ones. Again, maybe that is just me. |
| June 13, 2012 neck10 714 posts | when did asa have just one class ????????? |
| June 13, 2012 neck10 714 posts | if you have aa aaa & major that would be great we have been to three tourney's this year TOC florida brickyard & jimmy clark(louisville)not many major plus at least not in 55's none in florida or louisville indy had two or three!!!!!!!!! |
| June 13, 2012 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | I believe the 50s and 60s. The ASA web site does not list "A" national champs until 1971. A TOC with one team in the bracket? That is the stuff I keep referring to. |
| June 14, 2012 neck10 714 posts | we had nine teams in our 55 major(TOC AUBURNDALE)bracket.I dont know of any of the classes(bracket)with only one team!!!!!!!!!I believe in northern louisiana there was no softball before the early 70's.you had to go into one of the cities to find any then. |
| June 14, 2012 neck10 714 posts | gary you have to have classes I said every one can get the same equitement now comes into play a players ability.there's no way you would ever have this many people playing senior softball if there was only one class.it would be like bowling green trying to play LSU in football the reason to play that game would only make sence fo BG to play LSU at home for the gate.Im surprises you havent complained about two SEC teams playing for national championship wouldnt by your thinking be the SEC championship. |
| June 14, 2012 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | neck, do you mean like Kent State and Stony Brook getting into the College World Series? Those schools are MUCH more thrilled to be in the big-time World Series than they would be if there were more classifications and they did not make the top one. I said I could live with two classes, but more than that and it just cheapens the "accomplishment". As a kid I used to go to Parma every other year when the ASA Worlds came here and there were plenty of teams despite many knowing they did not have much chance of winning. But they came to compete, and occasionally pull the very-rewarding upset. |
| June 15, 2012 Webbie25 Men's 70 2414 posts | If you actually played, Gary, you would realize how fast you begin deteriorating physically at this age. The 5 year increments are set up well and there is a huge difference going from one level to the next. As has been posted, a lot of guys play for the love of the game and the friendships made on and off the field. The longer I play, and the the more players I actually talk to, I realize they have pretty close to the best formula for maximum participation right now. Only pride problem here is you hiding behind the typewriter to cut down the game, while you don't even play. NOT ONE PERSON HERE HAS COME ON AND SAID THEY KNOW GARY19. Not one! When did you say you last played an SSUSA tourney? |
| June 15, 2012 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | You are not kidding about the effects of aging! Did you always have to have things repeated to you so many times before you finally remembered it? |
| June 15, 2012 neck10 714 posts | thos guys are division one like every one else try someone like grand valley different division dont compare apples to oranges.ASA is so far behind every one else because they wouldnt change with the times. |
| June 15, 2012 swing for the fences Men's 50 1224 posts | Mark, Gary can live with two classes... LMAO I'm so happy he can live with this I can sleep better tonight... In SF in the 70 and early 80s we had 144 teams of C and CC alone.. there was A BB B C CC DD D for classes.... It was appropriate and well ran.... Is Senior Softball perfect? No however I believe the Class separation that we have from Major plus to Major to AAA is well ran! My Team the Barons has been competitive at Major level with no team I was on the field I felt we couldn't beat... The competition has been outstanding at the Major level... I was picked up by a AAA team as a hired gun last year and will say there was some great competition at that level... each level seems to be a bit more power.. I rank it like this in the 50s AAA two to three power hitters Major 4 to 6 power hitters Major plus virtually the entire team! This is a generalization of how it is but pretty close.. |
| June 15, 2012 udaplaya 90 posts | Gary19, you certainly are no dummy, as you continue to defend yourself admirably against the rest of the message board posters. i agree with a few of your positions on the state of senior softball. let me play mediator for a moment...how about you publish your complete, unabridged manifesto on senior softball - the good, the bad, and the ugly, along with any recommednations to improve the game. we will ask SSUSA to place it at the top in red, up there will all of their important messages. This way, if you want to comment on a paricular thread, you can just write "see my manifesto above" one time per thread, and lay in wait for the next thread. this is not meant to be censorship, but merely a possible solution as a way to keep threads on point and more streamlined. |
| June 15, 2012 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | Yes they are D-1, but by choice. They could have chosen another division, it is not like college divisions are by enrollment, they are by other factors like how much you want to be able to spend on your program, size of facilities, etc. Doesn't happen often, but schools can change the division they play in by altering the factors above and others. Yes, ASA is behind, primarily because they would not offer all of the divisions that USSSA did/does. USSSA capitalized on guys willing to sandbag to win division like E rather then work and recruit hard to compete with the "big guys", or even the semi-big guys. swing, I am assuming in the 70s you are referring to USSSA. Here all we had then was ASA Major and ASA A. No USSSA to speak of. Really did not become prominent at all until the early 80s here. |
| June 16, 2012 swing for the fences Men's 50 1224 posts | it was rec league in SF Calif... ASA I was playing UTrip in 90s and ASA. I was just making it a point that the class seperations we had then were numerous and well done and it kept the competition balance throughout the classes! My feeling is that SS 4 classes is not broken and doesn't need fixing. Now if they wanted to get more teams playing major plus I would want to see them do something with the existing teams that are loaded for Bear! |
| June 16, 2012 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | Gotcha! If you don't feel it is broken, that is fine, but to me the typical, very tiny brackets is not a sign of good health in the sport. And that seems to happen at all levels, not just plus. |
| June 18, 2012 berger Men's 70 66 posts | John (goforit), to address your post from June 10th, yes the KC Kids will be in Aurora. |
