Message board »Message Board home »Sign-in or register to get started
Online now: 4 members: CHI-TOWN BALLERS, Leuthen, TABLE SETTER 11, Walt Disney; 187 anonymousDiscussion: World's Perspective
| Posted | Discussion |
| Oct. 11, 2017 softball4b Men's 70 1248 posts | World's Perspective Every year you start the season with vigor, resolve, and the goal to bring home the "Ring". World Champions or even better "The Triple Crown". For the majority, when the tournament ends, you get in the car for the long drive home or sit on the airplane trying to figure out what went wrong. Whenever someone asked me how my tournament was, I start to whine about this or that as the reason we did not win. So the weather was bad. No, we probably had the best weather we have ever had for World's in Vegas. The umpires were terrible. No, in 12 games over two divisions, whomever the umpire was, seemed personable, knowledgeable, and informative. The Tournament Director was overly officious. No, in fact when one of my teammates threw his bat after making an out. The TD told me to tell him, if he did it again he would be gone. TD did not buy my comment that it was my fault he was throwing it to me and I missed it. Message relayed and player finished the game. The other teams were jerks. No, every team we played were competitors on the field and brothers after. Many of the games ended with both teams sharing a prayer. You were short players. Yes and no, sure, we lost a few players just before the tourney, but that did not stop some teams: 60 Major - Reloaded finished 2nd- lost their pitcher in the first inning of the first game, SS pitched 10 of the next 11 games. Houston Fire finished 3rd brought 10 players and 2 additional guys, not starters. They only had to deal with two of their players losing their homes in the hurricane. Your knee hurt. No, for the first time in 3 years, I could actually run or at least a reasonable facsimile of same. 11 outs in 12 games, not great but certainly did not suck. The total knee replacement gave me back a quality of life I thought I might have lost forever. Highs and Lows: Low - (we only gathered approximately two banker's boxes of toiletries via the Little Red Wagon for Project Dignity, High - very generous people filled almost two banker's boxes of toiletries via the Little Red Wagon for Project Dignity) (Low - I had friends that could not play.) (Low - One because he had to go on dialysis twice a week for kidney failure High - he is improving and in good spirits) (Low - another because he had cancer surgery High -they think they got it all) (Low - another because he lost a family member High - his home became the gathering/healing place for his family) (Low SS had a family commitment and could not play, High SS got to spend time with his son at college) (Low friend had season ending shoulder surgery, High went perfect and started rehab early) (Low teammate has never won a ring and did not win a ring with u,s High teammate won his first ring with another team in a different age plus he was a triple crown winner) (Low teammate thought his season was over and maybe the end of a career, High - after 3 doctors, he found the right treatment, finish second in one division won triple crown in another performing at a very high level. Lowest of the Low - Some evil vile idiot decided that a music venue was his own personal shooting gallery and we all know someone that was affected High - A reminder not miss an opportunity to share my love with those around me and the comfort/confidence, God has my back. Mike Adair |
| Oct. 11, 2017 Enviro-Vac Men's 65 489 posts | Hey Mike, very nice post. It certainly helps put things into perspective. |
| Oct. 13, 2017 STL0 Men's 60 230 posts | Well said Mike. I think everyone could write something similar. The shooting is another thing that adds perspective this year. We happened to choose to head to the other end of town that Sunday night. We just as easily could have chosen to be in the middle of the chaos. |
