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Online now: 1 member: TABLE SETTER 11; 130 anonymousDiscussion: Merger: my wish list
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| Sept. 19, 2011 ebo17 5 posts | Merger: my wish list I am still not quite sure how i feel about this merger. If it ends up being the best of both worlds, that is great, but it is means that the big has swallowed up the small, all we have done is lose out on a nice alternative. If i understand correctly, the follwing is true: 2011 LVSSA Worlds in Las Vegas Sept/Oct SSUSA Worlds in Phoenix in Oct SSUSA Winter Worlds in Las Veags in Nov 2012 Combined Worlds in Las Vegas in Sept/Oct Combined Winter Worlds in Nov Ok, I do not expect this to be universally acclaimed, but here goes my wish list: 1. Major and Major+ need to be combined. The era of the "super" or "paid for" team has been mitigated by border rules. The continued separation of these classes is non-sensical, and really just serves to feed the participation mentality, rather than the competitive mentality. By the way, HR hitters do not dictates which teams are the best, it is determined by who wins on the fields. If they happen to be the one and the msae at tiems, so be it. Golf, tennis, etc., handicap their players based on acores/resutls, not by who hits the longest driver or the hardest server. 2. Flyers/websites that promote tournaments shall list, at a minimum and in advance: which fields are to be used for the various age groups and classification. You guys have been running these tournies for years, so you have a pretty good idea of the number of entries expected. whether divsions will be combined or not, and what is the minimum number of teams that are needed for a separate draw. If teams pay their entry and fee and it is later determined that the minimum was not met, then they can either request a full refund or play in the revsied format propsed by the TD. 3. I know softball players tend to lean toward the complaining side, but listen to what constructive input we do provide. That does not necessarily mean the rant and raves on this board, this one included, but in instances where compromise between "players wants" and "your orgnazation's business goals" result in a win - win for both. 4. Be flexible on playing dates. For example, except for Worlds, you can do your best to make sure that draws with five (5) teams or less only play two-day tourneys - you already make eight+ team draws in the 40's work. This may mean night games, but i am one of the few, and there may not be may of us, who still like playing a game or two at night - especially if it knocks a day off of the tourney on the back end. 5. Use your clout to ensure that hotels commit to room rates that are at least fifteen percent (15%) less than any price they advertise/offer to the public, including any price listed on any travel sites. I amy come up with more, but that is a start. I wish you the best of success and see you in Vegas and Phoenix. |
| Sept. 19, 2011 SSUSA Staff 3483 posts | Merger related major tournament schedule ... 2011 SCHEDULE • ACTUAL • LVSSA World Masters Championships - Las Vegas - September 19 - October 1 • SSUSA World Championships - Phoenix - October 14-23 • SSUSA Winter National Championships - Ft. Myers, FL - November 8-13 • SSUSA Winter World Championships - Las Vegas - November 15-20 2012 SCHEDULE • TENTATIVE • SSUSA Tournament of Champions - Polk County, FL - February 8-12 • SSUSA Spring World Championships - Mesquite, NV/St. George, UT - March • LVSSA/SSUSA Spring Classic Southwest Championships - Las Vegas - April • LVSSA/SSUSA World Masters Championships - Las Vegas - September 28 - October 7 • SSUSA Winter World Championships - Phoenix - October 23-28 (or 10/26-31/12) • SSUSA Winter National Championships - Ft. Myers, FL - November 6-11 NOTE - The TOC will NOT be moved to October or November |
| Sept. 20, 2011 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | TOC should be done in nov tho,b/c waiting till feb puts some teams at a disadvantage,and an advantage for others(weather for practice,losing players to other teams and age groups,teams not playing for 2-3 months,etc). |
| Sept. 20, 2011 Jawood Men's 50 943 posts | ebo17, #1 on your list is a must to make this work! Mad Dog, not that anyone cares what we do, but if the TOC was in November, we would go. There is no chance of us going to the TOC in February. Probably many more teams feel the same way that live in areas that we can't get outside for 4 months prior to the event. |
| Sept. 21, 2011 Tim Millette 615 posts | Moving down the major plus problem to the major level will NOT solve the problem. It will fog the issue for a few years but three or four years from now you same guys talking about moving major plus down to major will be saying we have to move major down to AAA. The issue is ranking players instead of teams. I see it as the senior associations have a few options for major plus... 1) just let plus teams drop down to major and destroy the major level with in four years. 2) keep it just like it is and let nature take it's coarse.... Meaning, the major plus teams/players that want to Play in tourneys with more teams will figure out how to fit the major level matrix...ie.... Maybe keeping four or five of their players and build a new major level team. 3) disband major plus, list all the plus plus players and regulate how many can be on major teams.... I'd vote not more then five And please..... Don't start the crap about how you plus teams just want to at with your friends..... I don't know about the 55 and up levels but... In the fifties there are not more then six or seven us teams. Last year SSUSA had around 25 very balanced major teams at worlds.... Why destroy a balanced 25 team division to add 5 or 6 more teams? If you add those major plus teams to major, you will loose more teams then you add. Just a fact! The real question in the merging question should be.... If all those plus players/teams want to play in bigger tourneys why aren't they trying to build or get on major teams? |
| Sept. 21, 2011 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | Maybe time has warped my memory, but wasn't participation at it highest in the 60s when ASA only had one division, or the 70s when there was just Open and A? If so why the need for four divisions, even further watered down by such small age brackets, now? |
| Sept. 21, 2011 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | don't think so.softball hit its peak in the 90's,if you'll take the time to research it.more people played then, then any other time,including now. |
| Sept. 21, 2011 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | Thanks for the "research". Any sources you can cite? |
| Sept. 21, 2011 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | your the one with the hi power degree,do it yourself.....it has been posted on here before......... |
| Sept. 21, 2011 Gary19 Men's 50 2609 posts | Keep duckin' and dodgin' |
| Sept. 21, 2011 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | not a bit,you want to see it go find it yourself,instead of have someone else do your work for you.it has been posted on this board before,quit being lazy and ducking/dodging yourself. |
| Sept. 21, 2011 Pricer Men's 50 621 posts | We need two divisions only. Any reasons for needing more than two is just BS. If you come up with reason for more than two, I can guarantee I can come up with reasons to push it to six or eight divisions in each. Excuses to do or not do something are easy. Finding the right solution that won't be popular is hard. |
| Sept. 21, 2011 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | pricer why 2,with that you'll make it so there will be less teams.there are a lot of guys who don't care for the hi-powered game that goes on in the upper divs,and will stay away from senior ball b/c of it.i say we need 3 divs-upper,lower and rec. |
| Sept. 21, 2011 Pricer Men's 50 621 posts | My opinion is water finds it own level. As you can see with the entire BS with drop downs and reclassifications, you can go on, on, & on with reasons for more than two. But this is tourney ball, not rec lge. The players who want to play for the fellowship and competition will find teams to play on. How many rec players pay the money to register and travel? If someone gonna give me a stupid number, I'm gonna tell you their not rec players then. The problem is the rec or lowest division should have never been created as well as the major plus. Seriously, whom are you looking to cater to? Two divisions are all that is needed. Instead of explaining why we need three, show me some numbers on whom two divisions will effect in a negative way? JMO |
