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Online now: 1 member: TABLE SETTER 11; 110 anonymousDetails for 17Black
Real name:
Gary Kadow CPOA Cleveland
Location:
Mentor, OH
Division:
Men's 60
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| Jan. 21, 2017 17Black | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: new ratings in December Thanks Titan. I had conversation with SSUSA office in December, some of the stats they told me about with the demotion didn't jive with our actual scores or stats? However, if indeed we were bumped down to AAA, it opens many more tournament possibilities for us. Softball over the past 6/7 years for our team, has been getting to be like the movie "Ground Hog Day" Same Tournaments, same travel dates, same motels, same toll booth persons :-), same teams, just different outcomes. With AAA, playing in different tournaments, different teams, more games around Ohio or Western PA instead of 6-7 hour car drives or plane flights. There have been only a couple 50 or 55 Major teams to play against in Ohio since 2010. There is no place local for us to play major, but there are several AAA teams/Tournaments in immediate area 2-3 hours. And tournaments in Akron, Toledo, Dayton where the highest class has been AAA that we couldn't attend in the past. In Major, we play a lot of the same teams, or players from Kentucky, Indiana and Michigan no matter where we go, including when we travel to places like Florida or Virginia, over and over and over, and over again. Thinking more clearly, maybe AAA is not a bad option (If we are indeed now AAA). Two players we had in 2016 who had Major + experience in 2015 are no longer with us this year 2017. Maybe we just move forward and see how AAA goes in 2017 and if we get bumped up at some point (assuming we win something, as we haven't done squat yet)------ then its no loss, we are back where we started. Titan I believe you are correct about the two year time frame, and 50 Major vs. 55 AAA though?? I don't think that's possible except for the fact the SSUSA office is who bumped us down, not us. I don't know how 55AAA would fly in SPA/ISSA/GSL and other orgs we also play in??? |
| Jan. 20, 2017 17Black | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: new ratings in December This absolutely stumps me how we got knocked from 55 Major to AAA in our first year of 55's after several years of 50 Major. We played 50 Major and won tournaments every year, SSUSA and other organizations? We played 55 major one year 2016, (with exact same group of guys, just older) in three SSUSA/ISA tournaments. Did we win a SSUSA/ISA tournament in 2016? No, but we finished 8-8 in those three we did play? We had games where we also hit the home run limit of (6) ?? We also won an ISSA 55 Major Tournament in 2016 and finished 4-2 in ISSA Worlds in Manassas 2016? Some of those we had to play and beat 50 Major teams with no extra runs? Some of those we won by 15/20+ runs???? I don't get it? I think we can still play "up" to Major, & we probably will if we can???? I think something is wrong though? George were you reading the correct stat lines??? I know a lot of teams complain about getting bumped up. I'm not sure why we got bumped down? If we were 0-16 or 2-14 "maybe"???? But not 8-8?? We are usually way over .500 with trophies or plaques every year? Is this the penalty for playing 500 ball? If so, so be it. CPOA Cleveland (formerly of 55 Major) |
| Nov. 10, 2016 17Black | Topic: Players looking to join a team Discussion: MIDWEST 55 MAJOR/MAJOR PLUS MANAGERS Yes, Great Series, nobody expected The Tribe to get that far: I was at Game 6 before flying to Ft Myers to play last weekend. cpoacleveland@hotmail.com |
| Nov. 10, 2016 17Black | Topic: Players looking to join a team Discussion: MIDWEST 55 MAJOR/MAJOR PLUS MANAGERS You are probably a "Cubs" fan too :( |
| Nov. 10, 2016 17Black | Topic: Players looking to join a team Discussion: MIDWEST 55 MAJOR/MAJOR PLUS MANAGERS I just looked, you are in Illinois, so not sure we could do that anyway??? Not a border state. |
| Nov. 10, 2016 17Black | Topic: Players looking to join a team Discussion: MIDWEST 55 MAJOR/MAJOR PLUS MANAGERS Rich33 what state are you in? We play 55 Major, Out of Ohio. Just looking at any options, as we won't play again till Late April 2017. We have pitchers, but not sure who is coming back or leaving, we usually have meetings after the holidays (January) Some guys go to other teams, or retire from playing tourney ball. We are "relatively stable" with a lot of the same guys on our roster over the past five years though. My email, click on my name. |
| Nov. 9, 2016 17Black | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: EH & DH ?????? I overheard a couple of guys at Florida tournament last week (FYI we did not play against them) I know what EH (extra hitters) are--------we often bat 12 or 13 (maybe even 14) in Friday seeding games, and trim line ups down to 10-11 & turn the top of the order over more in double elimination. I heard a guy on another team say they had a guy who was a great fielder but not a very good hitter so they were going to DH for him (not put him in the batting order)-----like American League Baseball or almost any level of baseball??? To my knowledge if you play in the field, you have to bat in Adult Softball, in just about any association, seniors or other??? Honestly, I have never taken a look see, to make sure everybody we are playing against in the field, is in the batting order???? Maybe its done all the time, but I don't think so?????? But I am checking to see if this (DH) for somebody in field (Pitcher or other) and position player does not hit, can actually be done, because its news to me??? Thanks |
| Nov. 8, 2016 17Black | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Winter Nationals Tim, SSUSA Very Well Run Tournament this year, THANK YOU Game times organized and adjusted very well due to teams that dropped out during tournament. Weather was great!!! Although this is the 1st 2017 tourney, we consider this the last of 2016, as we pack it in for six months now due to snow up north. XXL T-shirts were sold out before we even played our 1st seeding game on Friday????? Senior Softball players tend to be "bigger" in size :):):):):):) looked like nice design this year too :):):):) We played some teams we don't normally run across in other tournaments which was nice, and for most part good groups of guys, well played games. Thanks CPOA/NOP Cleveland Softball GK |
| Aug. 17, 2016 17Black | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Retirement Ceremony? We spread his ashes (at his request) in left field of his favorite softball field after he lost his battle with cancer.----------That's a retirement ceremony :) |
| Aug. 16, 2016 17Black | Topic: Associations Discussion: Unfavorable weather conditons...... The actual temps at this tournament were between 97 and 103 with heat indexes apparently hitting 112-116 Ambulances were at our complex multiple times. I went to another complex to watch some buddies after our game finished on Sunday, and I saw an ambulance with lights on, leaving there too. One of my guys admitted himself to hospital Monday after returning home, had to get hooked up to IV for fluids and Doc said his blood test was bad, he was probably a pinch away from heat stroke Sunday. He couldn't even drive his own car home, had to lay in back seat 7+ hours. We can't change the weather. I am not usually a fan of time limits. but this weekend I think the Manassas tournament was very well run and the time limits were a MUST. Time Limits probably cost us our two losses to a point, as we lost by two and by one. It is what it is to keep games somewhat on time. It was nice to play some different teams than the ones we run into at every other tournament all season. We Met Good Guys on all the teams we played!!!!!! Congrats to All World Champs and competitors!!!! CPOA/NOP |
| Aug. 1, 2016 17Black | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: who won at the ISA WORLDS in Columbus I don't know who won, we were eliminated at 11AM Sunday morning and drove six hours home. I do want to say that as a Sponsor/ Coach/ Player, this was one of the BEST run senior softball tournaments I've been to in the past several years!!! Games on Time, Stuck to time limits and open innings, Grounds Crew did excellent, fast turn around after Fridays heavy rainstorms------Actually to me it was amazing. Umps for our games were for most part very good ( we all disagree with umps sometimes :) I had phone calls from tournament directors staff letting me know next game time throughout the weekend. Directors were available whenever needed. Facilities were impressive, bathrooms clean, the town (Columbus Indiana)---- anyplace we went was clean, friendly, nice!!!! Brackets well done, teams we've never played against before which is always refreshing, and met some very nice people!!! We will be back in the future. |
| June 30, 2016 17Black | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: 1-1-----0-0 count k man --- AGREED, outfielders defensively/offensively/base running, just going to their position between innings put on "miles" I love your assessment of interpreting the rules-----------one of the leagues I play in is a "senior" over 50 league with GSL rules------------senior because we are over 50 and use a mat---------------GSL has a 5-10 arc 1-1 count, NO Senior bats (U Trip only) pitchers use USSSA rules, faking, bobbing, weaving, stuttering, dancing, throw under the legs, flat, fast, windmills, etc etc etc-----------it was OK when we used to play USSSA when we were younger-----------GSL is modified with the 5-10 arc because very few USSSA umps ever called "3 feet from release" properly--------at least 5 feet is some kind of gauge----------------but it throws even seasoned senior tournament players off with the herky jerky stuff nobody has seen in several years. The best GSL pitchers in a 12 team senior league dominate, but there are only about three guys that can do it well.---------Last night I saw 50 Major Plus Players swinging and falling down in the batters box, hitting into DP's due to the pitching. We do need a QB cheat sheet to play SSUSA/ISSA/SPA/ISA/USSSA/GSL and whatever else is out there, plus every local league seems to have different local rules too (screens, no screens, 65 feet/70 feet bases, ten kinds of balls, ten men, eleven men, I've seen 12 men defensively------------where does it end???? |
| June 30, 2016 17Black | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: divivsions.. I have a different idea to "divisions" and honestly I think the current AA/AAA/Major/Major Plus format is good, & for the "most part" it works if teams aren't sandbagging and playing down. Even if they are, they are still bound by the home run limits of their division, regardless. What I don't personally like are the 5 year breaks in divisions----------50/55/60/65/70 etc----------I just think those are too many divisions with not enough teams per rating to go around. At least regionally here in Ohio. Way too many times for the amount of money, I as a sponsor, shell out for tournament entry fees, motels, uniforms and other expenses--------------I just don't like going to a tournament and playing one team in a best of three after the seeding games because there isn't anybody else to play----------or giving, or receiving, five runs because of different age or ratings divisions in the same bracket. We got a 55 Major trophy in another association last month because we were the only 55 Major team and had to play 50 teams all weekend (both major and AAA)----------& to me that stinks, and its kind if like the silly "participation trophies" they give to all the little leaguers now, win or lose. We pulled out of another tournament last week because we were going to be, at the time, the only 55 Major again. I don't know what the "break" in age should be. Part of me thinks simply 50+/60+/70+/80+-------all in 10 year increments Arguments go both ways that the best teams in a 10 year break are all going to be guys closer to 50 then they are to 59., and those are probably true? But five years doesn't seem enough??? And another argument is some of the best 50 Major/M+ teams around now actually have A LOT of guys 55 and older anyway, many in their 60's, If we did (10 years) that more teams might stop playing senior ball because of disparity in age and not being competitive? Then again more teams make tournaments more fun (TO ME), especially for the cost of them. Another issue is the LACK of younger players moving up to senior softball because once the current band of guys in their 40's move up, there isn't very much behind them, the younger generations just don't play as much softball as we used to. I'm worried about senior softball as a whole, especially in the 50's division over the next 10/15 years. My guess is the current bands of 50/55's will keep playing as they get older--------------its a lifestyle we are used to. My "suggestion" is to drop the 50 division to 48 years old----------and have the divisions in 7 year breaks------------(48-55)(56-63) (64-71)- (72-79) and 80+++ There is no perfect way to do this and this is me thinking out loud. What our team should have done is stayed 50 major instead of moving to 55, because all of our guys except for one was over 55.---------we thought we improved ourselves and played divisions smart, now we have very few regionally to play without getting on a plane.----------maybe as the year goes on, we'll take our chances back in 50's again???? |
| June 30, 2016 17Black | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: 1-1-----0-0 count I am open to all ideas' not sure about the 8 inning games above. I'm fine with 0-0 or 1-1 count as long as the batter doesn't get an extra foul ball, because that doesn't speed anything up. . There is another thread going on about "heat stroke" and many others about general health Do the math if your an outfielder-------------going from the dugout to your position is 250 feet, coming back is another 250 feet---------that's 500 feet an inning 500 feet an inning times 7 innings is 3500 feet without even chasing a ball. Now the outfielders are going 4000 feet in 8 innings without chasing a ball, and with one less run an inning the innings in theory should go quicker, so even if you don't chase a ball, your coming back and forth quicker. if you did this in a tournament and played even three games that's 12,000 feet "without chasing a ball" -------------that's over 2 1/4 miles a day, NOT chasing balls down in the outfield. Do the math if you played a 4th or even a 5th game----------heck even a 6th game in a day we've done in tournaments. Its one thing if its extra innings-----------why add an inning though? |
| June 30, 2016 17Black | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: ISA Worlds Columbus Indiana We are coming to Columbus, Indiana for the first time next month as a 55 Major. (CPOA Cleveland/NOP) Looking at past history of this tourney, and the lack of numbers of 55 Majors in the surrounding states, is anybody else planning on going???? The last two tournaments we had on our schedule we were the "only" 55 Major. |
| May 5, 2016 17Black | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Brickyard results Our Guy, who took the ambulance ride Sunday------------------(18) eighteen months recovery & rehab time!!! NOT a MIS-PRINT------(18) months estimated by the doc. The doc is experienced, works on U.S.A. Ski Team injuries. Certainly age comes in to play. Surgery was Success Tuesday May 3rd. Immobilized for the next two weeks. Two more weeks of light stuff. Four weeks total projected off work-----------burning his entire year of vacation time. Luckily he has a desk job when he goes back. Still going to be uncomfortable. Probably TWO full seasons of lost softball----------he might not even come back to play. This is also a guy who kept himself in tremendous physical shape, the guy is "ripped", and eats extremely healthy diet/lifestyle. The doc said due to his physical condition------"maybe, just maybe" cut down full recovery time to 12-15 months. What a shame!!!!!!!!! |
| May 3, 2016 17Black | Topic: Teams looking for players Discussion: new 85 team forming looking for players If you would have told me when I was 16, that I would still be playing ball at 56, I would have said you're out of your mind. Here I am. IK------Congrats to still be playing------good luck in your search------I hope the man upstairs keeps me healthy to still play in another 30 years!!!! |
| May 3, 2016 17Black | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Brickyard results Our player and friend is having surgery 8AM this morning as I type this. Torn Patella tendon, broken bones in femur and knee cap, torn muscles above knee, not sure what else, but he lucked out and got one of the best doctors anybody could ask for here in NE Ohio. I had another thread going "before" we even left Cleveland for this tournament. As stated, 100% chance of rain leaves little doubt its going to rain. Most of my team was adamant to "not even make the trip at all" but we (I) chose to do it. The injured players sub came into the game, and slipped throwing the ball back to infield, looks like probable torn rotator cuff. Moving forward, we will probably just eat tournament entry fees in the future, and save on human injuries and other expenses. You never know if its going to rain or tournaments might be shortened and modified. We spent a couple thousand $$$$ on motel rooms-------as did all other teams-------so this was win, win, win, for SSUSA/Midwest Sports Complex/ and local motels and eateries. I was really hoping when tournament director called the 3PM meeting to get all coaches together on Saturday, that they were going to just call it, and send teams home before spending another night in motels. I was shocked it was moving forward. I mean, as he was saying we were "going to start in a little over an hour" it was pouring like a monsoon outside?????? Yes it did stop raining when the radar said it would stop raining, but common sense had to see the standing water and mud everywhere????????? I took pics of it as I was walking up to the meeting room. We got done a little after 1AM on Saturday. Sure it was nice being 4-0 at the time. We did not get back to motels till around 2AM. I think the team we beat had to be back to play 7:30AM. Most of my guys haven't seen 2AM in decades, unless they have to get up to take a leak. I have a lot of "mixed thoughts" on this situation right now, some of them rational, and others emotional. I'll let others speak their mind as I really do not have anything "positive" to say about the entire weekend. If anybody has pics of the playing fields please feel free to email me. |
| May 2, 2016 17Black | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Brickyard results I'm not a doc, so explaining the best I can. Muscles that attach lower leg to upper leg around the knee ripped. & broken bone in upper leg above knee. He is going to go through more extensive testing at his doc in Ohio today, they think tendons damaged too, not sure what extent? He needs to get MRI for full evaluation. I "think" they only did xrays and doctors review in Indianapolis. He is in good spirits. THANK YOU for asking, and was nice playing against you guys. |
| May 1, 2016 17Black | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Brickyard results Kudos to Tim and Nancy for your due diligence under "horrific" conditions (Both Days) Saturday Sunday. I know & understand you need to do, what you needed to do. I am going to wait a few days to post more complete comments, as "horrific" conditions is a key word. We lost two guys today who will need season ending surgeries due to field conditions. One took an ambulance ride and spent the afternoon in the ER, and over 7+ hours drive home in my car on his back. A 3rd guy was hurt due to slipping, although his injury occurred two weeks ago and is now hurt worse. He's likely done for quite some time too. The ambulance crew, who sloshed through the outfield with a stretcher & paramedics, asked "why are you playing in this"????? Keep in mind today was the "sunny day" I'm leaving it at that for now. Congrats to all teams/all divisions, who participated, and made it through, hopefully safely?????? |
