[EdJW]

Why suggest that Congress has anything to do with the Olympics? Because, the United States Olympic Committee was established by an act of Congress and exists in its present form solely as an expression of the will of the American people through this act of Congress.

Why suggest that we let all involved with the olympics, including sponsors, that we want the money associated with olympic softball put into the hands of an organization that will spend it to promote international softball? Because the money is already commited to the USOC and the IOC for the 2012 games. Don't take my word for it. Go to the current audited annual reports of these organizations. These reports tell you precisely how much money is already commited to the 2012 olympic games.

Why should American softball umpires be so cavalier with the loss of so much money for women's fastpitch softball over the next several years? Money that would have gone to promote international women's softball competition. Frankly, the IOC and several national olympic committees have already accounted for income through 2012, and they are not about to go back to contributors and sponsors with a "give back" because the IOC has cut softball and baseball out of the olympics. Rather, they will spend more money on the remaining 26 sports. Even though this is money that the 26 sports do not need. They already have plans and budgets through 2012. They might love the thought that they might get the softball and baseball money as freebie add ons to their income streams, but they do not need this freebie money.

Would you like to know who needs the money, money already commited to olympic games that include softball and baseball. In my opinion, its international softball. I'll let baseball speak for itself.

But, this is an officials forum. So go ahead and do your LOL thing. Even though its difficult to LOL when you realize how much money will disappear in the next few years in funding softball internationally.