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Online now: 4 members: Jnegro420, Karousel, dkrollw364, kara4sure; 10 anonymousDiscussion: A few comments...
| Posted | Discussion |
| Oct. 17 udaplaya 90 posts | I am really looking forward to my first SSUSA 50 Worlds next week. I think SSUSA does a great job and tries its best to be player friendly. I don't always agree on things with my family and best friends, so it would be silly to expect that softball players from all parts of the country will agree across the board on how things should be done. For my money, with all things considered, SSUSA is the way to go. That being said, i wanted to pass along a suggestion. Although I personally love the three day events, starting on Friday morning, I feel that such a format may need to be revisited next year in light of the worsening economy. I would recommend keeping it is place for the Worlds, but with tournaments like Palm Springs, Reno, etc. starting no earlier than 6 pm Friday night might be the way to go. I understand that this will mean less rest between games for our old bodies, but i think it may help keep the team participation high. Taking off Thursday and Friday versus Friday only or a half-day Friday may make the difference between some teams opting in or out from a given tournament. My final two cents. Given that a team was properly classified to begin with (which may very well be part of the problem), I feel that a team should be able to remain in the same division for the full year, unless they are absolutely dominating the competition. To win one or even two tournaments, no matter how big, should not be grounds for move-ups during the year, such moves should be effective for the following season. i understand that player and team ratings are a hornet's nest, but i feel that a team should not be punished for playing on all cylinders on a given weekend or two. i do not expect everyone to agree, but it amy generate a meaningful discussion. Good luck to everyone next week in Phoenix. |
| Oct. 17 Ken Men's 55 462 posts | Udaplaya, I agree with almost all of the things you said, except for SSUSA being “player friendly.” You’re definitely right about the 3-day tournaments. Most people, whether they can afford it or not, just don’t want to use vacation or sick days for a softball tournament. Some of us eat, sleep, and breathe softball. Some of us don’t. I also agree on teams staying in the classification they started the year in. No Dice earned the right to play in the National Championship by winning their tournament. If they had to be moved up, it should have been at the end of last year. I’m sure, with the successful season they had, they wouldn’t have complained. Teams will begin to be ranked correctly when SSUSA gets away from their one-man show and starts to use the tools at their disposal. Tournament Directors and opposing teams are, currently, the best way to assess a team’s ability to compete in their division. A player commission is without a doubt the ideal situation - people who will listen to a valid appeal and not just ignore everyone. Most importantly, teams should not be subjected to a higher ranking by someone who has never seen them play. That is just common sense. |
| Oct. 17 DCPete 409 posts | I'd suggest that teams should not be re-rated after a certain point during the year, say June 30th. By the end of June, most teams have finalized their Rosters & Travel plans for the rest of the year. To then win 1 tournament in July or August and be told that you're being rated up for the rest of the year hardly seems reasonable. |
