LLWS wajke me when its over!

[Dan_ref]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Little League isn't professional baseball. It isn't college or high school baseball. It isn't middle school baseball. It isn't meant to be. Enjoy it for what it is - kids playing a game.

Nice post, very eloquent...but LL baseball is definitely not just kids playing a game. Nothing that gets broadcast by major networks is just kids playing a game.

If you want to see kids just playing a game walk over to your local sandlot, or empty lot, or park or school or whatever and watch those kids playing ball without adults managing their every move.

edit to say add that UmpLarryJohnson is one smart guy.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by Dan_ref

Nice post, very eloquent...but LL baseball is definitely not just kids playing a game. Nothing that gets broadcast by major networks is just kids playing a game.

If you want to see kids just playing a game walk over to your local sandlot, or empty lot, or park or school or whatever and watch those kids playing ball without adults managing their every move.

edit to say add that UmpLarryJohnson is one smart guy.

We won't need any of us on the sandlot - coaches or umpires.

I offer you the same challenge I offered Garth.

[Dan_ref]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

We won't need any of us on the sandlot - coaches or umpires.

I offer you the same challenge I offered Garth.

I've been up to W'port a few times, once dropping off then picking up my son at their camp and once to see a game (as an unbiased observer). No need for me to go back there for the purposes of this discussion.

Of course none of that has anything to do with the fact that a huge multi-national corporation is driving every aspect of everything and anything that has to do with baseball. Do the kids get to use the pool and get their hot dogs for lunch during down time? Sure. But at game time, at this time of year, it is NOT just kids playing a game.

[Mike L]

For some guys who often state you wouldn't give LL a second thought during the season, they sure seem to spend a lot of time *****ing about it now.

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by Mike L

For some guys who often state you wouldn't give LL a second thought during the season, they sure seem to spend a lot of time *****ing about it now.

For some of us who don't live in areas with a lot of LL this is the first opportunity to see the product.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by GarthB

For some of us who don't live in areas with a lot of LL this is the first opportunity to see the product.

So I'll add to the challenge. Spend a bunch of time with local leagues (plural) - that's the real "product".

How can you adequately judge the program without spending time withi it?

Was your bad rental car bad because of the manufacturer or the rental company? What were your criteria and what did it fail to meet? Did your criteria match the class of car you rented?

[UmpLarryJohnson]

LL greed + ESPN + TV $$$$ + frosted flakes $$$$ + silly offfield intervs and TV pieces straigt from "MTV'=

sadly same ole umpires.


cant wport spend a few of thier bigbucks contract to find a overal better quality of umpire?

this 'reward the sandlot lifer' mentality 'hurts the kids' which is a RATs fave saying (usualy as hes being tossed)

i LOVE watchin the actual gamebeing played...but its so hard now to dig thru the crap to see it!

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by UmpLarryJohnson

cant wport spend a few of thier bigbucks contract to find a overal better quality of umpire?

They could. They choose not to. Those who have spent a lot of time in LL understand and accept it. It's part of the overall LL scheme of things.

It's called VOLUNTEER.

Maybe they could hire Angel Hernandez. From what I read here and elsewhere, he has a stellar reputation. None better.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Maybe they could hire Angel Hernandez. From what I read here and elsewhere, he has a stellar reputation. None better.

I would call an umpire that works in the Major Leagues as having a much better reputation as some guy we have never heard of and probably would not work a JV game.

Peace

[UmpLarryJohnson]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

They could. They choose not to. Those who have spent a lot of time in LL understand and accept it. It's part of the overall LL scheme of things.

yah, well, the same could be said for the CDreamPark ripoff, but umps who laff at that mess just LUV how w-port does bisiness. go figure.


you just said it:

"we could make it beter, we have the money to do so, the kids deserve beter umpiring....but..we just deliberately choose to display a inferoir product. and those who are shafted are used to it and it dont hurt so bad now"

thanks for proving my point!

[ChucktownBlue]

Originally Posted by UmpLarryJohnson

LL greed + ESPN + TV $$$$ + frosted flakes $$$$ + silly offfield intervs and TV pieces straigt from "MTV'=

Actually, it's ESPN who pursued the contract initially, and its expansion, not LL.

I wonder if coaches have a forum where they sit around and criticize everything those volunteer coaches do. Perhaps LL can start paying coaches in order to get "higher quality" coaches out there too.

[UmpLarryJohnson]

Originally Posted by ChucktownBlue

Actually, it's ESPN who pursued the contract initially, and its expansion, not LL.

ah its the johns fault, not the streetwalker, huh? puh-leeze. where was the gun forcing LL to take the money?


beside you miss the POINT: its OK! that LL takes the money!!! but USE the money to IMPROVE the PRODUCT! why is that so hard to grasp?

I wonder if coaches have a forum where they sit around and criticize everything those volunteer coaches do. Perhaps LL can start paying coaches in order to get "higher quality" coaches out there too.

who give a fig about the coaches? why dont you FIND that forum and report back?

OMG you are funny. COACHES are there to WIN (ie bend rules, lie, bushleauge, etc). they are EXPECTED to act like ninnys sometimes if it gives them the advantage. Its only worse in degree now cause they are wearing mikes and we have to hear thier blather like 'foul off the bender, johhny' and 'give em the gas, petey'

UMPIRES are supposed to be EXCELLENT and NEUTRAL. I would say that MILLION-dollar TV contracts = the best umpires you can find!

LL would rather pocket those few bux to reward the 'sandlot lifer' and thats whats sad. GOOD sandlot lifer = come to wport! LOUSY sandlot lifer = stay home!

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Mike L

For some guys who often state you wouldn't give LL a second thought during the season, they sure seem to spend a lot of time *****ing about it now.

This is after all a discussion board. People can discuss everything and anything that can be seen. Also all the games are on National TV. There is a lot to talk about just like MLB games are talked about.

Peace

[Interested Ump]

Originally Posted by Mike L

For some guys who often state you wouldn't give LL a second thought during the season, they sure seem to spend a lot of time *****ing about it now.

I don't call it, haven't called much of it (by %), don't much care for it and the pay sucks. It's baseball so I discuss it, others are interested in LL so it interests me to see why.

[Mountaineer]

Originally Posted by Mike L

For some guys who often state you wouldn't give LL a second thought during the season, they sure seem to spend a lot of time *****ing about it now.

Well, I do a heckuva lot of it during the regular season, serve on our district staff and I have worked regionals and I'm waiting for my WS now. Does that give me the right?

I don't give much of a thought to MLB either but I can sure discuss it - can't I?