Ill-prepared for what?

ASA made no changes and should not have to go out of their way to accommodate people who are not smart enough to know in what tournament/league they are participating.

Stupid is as stupid does.

Yes they do. We deal with a lot of teams that "are not smart enough"... and it was predicted many times this would happen. There is absolutely no guidance on how to handle it. I'll be working a huge 18G NQ next week. What do I do? what ever I get told to do, it wont be out of the rule book.. since there is nothing there.

I believe Wade is correct. Actually, this was even foretold by Nostradamus in one of his last, and most obscure, quatrains. I believe it went something like:

The one with the four letters shall deviate from the palindrome with three,
On the dusty field of combat young women will don blades on their feet,
The one in blue shall wade in to them proclaiming the laws are not set forth,
And he shall be made to take the heat.

Rule 3, Section 6

...If a player is requested by the umpire to remove jewelry, illegal shoes or illegal parts of the uniform and they refuse, the player will not be allowed to play.

Handle it exactly like you would the jewelry rule. If they don't comply with your request, they can't play. No ejection, just not allowed to participate. If they want to play, they will comply.

"Coach, player A can't play until she complies with the rule. Who is going to replace her?"

I have to agree that it is not ASA'a fault for maintaining the status quo, and to put the blame on them just doesn't make sense. As MNBlue states above, if they don't comply with the rules, then they don't participate. As far as I am concerned this is really a non-issue.

Thanks Bob. That's a keeper. :cool:

Thats a very nice rule when it takes two seconds to remove an ear ring..

What if they agree and 10 minutes later, they are still agreeing, changing the cleat things on the bottom of their cleats, digging in their cars and bags looking for cleats or shoes.. etc.. but the other coach is not so agreeing that get as long as they want to agree and the game is a time limit game?

That is pretty good :D

"Coach, who is your sub for player A?"

It mentioned wade, but said nothing about the girls sprawled on the ground, crying. :eek:

I am surprised at you, wade. You've made this claim a couple of times about no guidance on how to handle it. Phooey. It is illegal equipment, treated the same as any other illegal equipment (other than a bat). Remove it from the game. If the player refuses to remove it from the game, that player cannot play. Simple. No ejections. No threats. No need to get official rulings from higher ups. No ejections. No forfeits (unless the player refusing to remove the cleats makes the team drop below 8 players).

I truly do not understand all the drama here.

Actually, the rule book specifically states that such action results in a forfeit. Play under the given rules or go home. Like it or not, that is exactly what the teams agree to when they sign their roster and enter a tournament.

However, as previously stated, that is something that should be avoided and used as an absolute last resort in dealing with a problematic team.

I have no problem just sitting the player until the proper footwear is attained and worn. A little lecture to the coach about how he just avoided forfeiting the game due to your generosity might be in order if the umpire feels it necessary to get a point across.

YOu might want to read what I said because I already said they agreed.. they just took forever.



To keep saying "yada yada yada if they refuse remove them from the game" is useless.

And no one is allowing a forfeit... so some real rules and guidance certainly would be nice.

This team was 9+1 sub with their only pitcher having metal cleats and other players with metal cleats.

Its not a drama, its a situation that was handled by making up rules because ASA doesnt have a usable rule.

That is just plain not true. The ASA rule says the players are not allowed to play with illegal equipment. If the team cannot field a team of legally equipped players, they forfeit the game.

If forfeits are not allowed, the problem is with those who disallow the forfeits, not with the ASA rules.

Oh, I forgot... you Cali boys all think "ASA" is the same as your local HMFICs. ;)

So I take it you disagree with ASA needing a new metal cleat rule since their current rule is so wonderful?

I.e. Go ahead, walk on the field with them, play with them until caught, then when caught by the umpire, get told to go change them... go to the dugout and change them come back on the field.

Thats your idea of a good rule?

I disagree.. that is not a good rule.

They should
A) Legalize them.
(preferred)

B) create a usable rule.