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Online now: 6 members: Blizzo35, Crumpy, Dbax, Dick6, TABLE SETTER 11, TRosenthal; 84 anonymousDiscussion: Response to Jim16 on AA Tournament Classification
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| May 5, 2009 zonk 55 posts | Response to Jim16 on AA Tournament Classification Jim, this is in response to your comments on 5/4/09 on the subject of the Demise of Senior Softball. While I agree with most of your points, I have to take exception to your comments about AA teams. You stated: " Making a AA national champion is a joke and we all know it, but what can we do". I was very surprised that you would state this. Especially, after I met you in Phoenix at the world tournament, and the conversations that we had about softball. Thus, what follows is with all due respect to you and the higher divisions. - Conversations with you at your bat layout at the Desert West Complex, you said to me that you were impressed by the quality of play by the AA teams. - All players are not home run hitters; or, high caliber all around players. Thus, they are not sought after by the better teams. The average player can participate in tournaments at the AA level. - I do not think it is a joke to travel almost 3000 miles to play softball. My 16 teammates and I qualified for Phoenix; and, we took it very seriously. We all have families, jobs, etc, yet we made the commitment to play. - We were the only team from the east coast in 65 AA. The other teams were from Az, Ca, Tx, Hi, Ut. When we left Philly it was 55*F. In Phoenix it was 90-95 everyday. The above factors put us at a disadvantage. - Each player had a substantial financial commitment, which for some players was even more, as they brought their wives. - I know that my teammates and I gave all we had: heart, body, mind, and soul was put into the Phoenix Tourney. - We had to come from the loser's bracket to beat a very fine team from Arizona twice to win. - The elation, pride, relief, sense of accomplishment, disbelief, etc., that we felt cannot be described. Yet, when I read your hurtful words, it does not take away from what we did. Frank Taverno, outfielder Cash For College 65 AA, Philadelphia, Pa |
