USSSA Special

[sportsfan2020]

I was warned, but I guess this is what they called the USSSA special. 1:20 time limits, AA teams mixed with Majors, some teams playing 2 pool games, others playing 1.  What a joke. My team won't be making this mistake again.

[westend1]

Were you dealing with rain issues?  If so, what did you expect?  Cancellation of the tourney?

[sportsfan2020]

Games were always 1:20 before rain. Nations is 1:40. Forgot to mention tournament director is coaching a team too

[AllSportsMom]

Different age groups are different time limits. Nothing wrong with director having a team. Most we've played in the director had @ least 1 team. I'm sure that dealing w/weather they made adjustments the best they could & dealing with odd number of teams some have to play more than once.

[sportsfan2020]

Taking account for the weather, it was still a very poorly run event. No communication, umpires didn't know rules, guys in charge didn't know rules. There were major teams smoking AA teams 26-0, not sure why USSSA even bothers to classify teams.  The directors team was bad so it wasn't a big deal this time, but it is a conflict of interest when your playing the guy that pays the umpires.

[VP93....]

[quote name="sportsfan2020" post="1180720" timestamp="1329599397"]
Games were always 1:20 before rain. Nations is 1:40. Forgot to mention tournament director is coaching a team too
[/quote]

Nations games are not 1:40... Most directors have a team even in Nations.. ;)
BTW the local Nations Director has a team in every age group.....

[VP93....]

[quote name="sportsfan2020" post="1180682" timestamp="1329594526"]
I was warned, but I guess this is what they called the USSSA special. 1:20 time limits, AA teams mixed with Majors, some teams playing 2 pool games, others playing 1.  What a joke. My team won't be making this mistake again.
[/quote]

FYI.....the reason some played 2 and some played 1 was due to the fact that some teams cancelled day of tournament, and to get the team they were going to play,  some teams were asked to play two....  ;)

[rounder17]

[quote name="VP 93......" post="1181142" timestamp="1329707970"]
[quote author=sportsfan2020 link=topic=96232.msg1180720#msg1180720 date=1329599397]
Games were always 1:20 before rain. Nations is 1:40. Forgot to mention tournament director is coaching a team too
[/quote]

Nations games are not 1:40... Most directors have a team even in Nations.. ;)
[/quote]

Every game I have played in Nations has been 1:40. I haven't coached younger than 11u though. Where have you played that the director was a coach? BTW, the local Nations guy runs an organization, and doesn't coach a team in any of his tournaments.

[MJB]

Sound like sour grapes to me.

I think that considering the way the weather played a part in the modification of this event, I think it went well.  Would you have rather played 1 regular game or two short ones and been in the weather all night long?  There were a couple of teams that did get more than 1 pool game but I only saw a couple.  Had weather not been a factor, I bet everyone would have been happy.

As far as rules, let us know which rules that the umpires didn't follow?  I saw several umpires utilizing "teaching moments" in some cases and those were due to coaches not know the rules themselves.

Don't even get me started on Nations qualifying teams, that is a pure joke in my opinion.  I guess you were not aware of a Nations Director's organization that allowed a 9U player to play on an 8U team last week?  Was the coach and team sent to the house early??  No they only had to forfeit the 1 game where they were caught and then were allowed to play on Sunday.  That is pure cheating and caught red-handed and still allowed to move to bracket play. 

What about the "honest mistake" of a coach's son playing in 2 pool games and not being on the roster, but you know, that is an honest mistake, anyone could've done that,,,,give me a break.

Both organizations are so large they can't police everything so the coaches and managers must do it for every game.  If they were not following proper rules then you should have addressed it.

As far as "they are paying the umpires" being a conflict of interest, get real.  I hope you are not involved in any recreational ball, be it Pony, LL, Little Dribblers, Upwards, Soccer, because some volunteer, (a Coach), is paying those umpires, you just don't know it, lol.

Those umpires are all scheduled from a central location and as you know, if you are in the know, most of these umpires were from Houston with a few local guys in there.  That is a whole other story but I'm sure you know that one already if you are here flaming on USSSA.

[oldman]

Where was the location of this tourny

[VP93....]

[quote name="oldman" post="1181155" timestamp="1329709651"]
Where was the location of this tourny
[/quote]

Ford Park

[oldman]

All nations games are 1:40 time limit ( finish what you start ) in pool play.  In pool play you don't have to have a winner.  Once bracket play begins then time limit is still 1:40 , but you must have a winner.  Only the championship games are no time limit , unless agreed upon by both teams to set a time limit.

Speaking from experience,  using Nations as an example, most of the problems with coaches come from the lower level teams.  Elite or Premier level coaches for the most part are up to date on the rules and workings of a tourney.

I work primarily at Nations Tourneys in Humble and some in Spring.  I know for a fact that the majority of the umpires used there are High school level for Houston TASO.  If the umpires used in the tourney this weekend were from Houston I would be willing to bet they are not TASO umpires.

[rounder17]

@MJB, where did this happen at? Im referring to the illegal player on one of the directors teams.

[VP93....]

I guess you have one in every crowd .... :'( 



I guess cancelling the tournament would have been the easy thing to do,but I'm glad they didn't because seeing all those kids up agianst the fence watching the helicopter while it was hovering over the fields was PRICELESS!!!!

[sportsfan2020]

So why were major teams playing AA again. Not sour grapes either, we won the tournament.

[VP93....]

[quote name="sportsfan2020" post="1181167" timestamp="1329713141"]
So why were major teams playing AA again. Not sour grapes either, we won the tournament.
[/quote]

What age group?

[MJB]

I did forget to add that I think a lot of people would have been really happy with the cancellation of the event from my discussions at the facility.  Most were from local teams that did not have to travel from all over to play here though.

I was impressed with the travel distance for some teams.  There were a few teams from Corpus Christi and at least one from McAllen which was very good to see.  I don't recall a Nations event ever drawing from that distance.

Regarding the Director's team in question, Nightmare, just ask around in the 8U circle and they will tell you really quick what went down. 

As far as the team in 10U that had an illegal player, Bayou Rage from Baytown/Mont Belvieu area left a player off the roster, it happened to be the coach's son.  I guess you can make that mistake.

I know of at least 2 other players that were on the field playing both days that were not on a roster but I am not the Roster Police for divisions that I am not entered.  I just happen to spend a lot of time at the ball parks and know some players that are in "limbo" so to speak.

[Guest TX_RENEGADES]

IMO ..... The manager that have a AA should of kept track of the event throughout the week leading to it and seen all the age divisions get put together. I was one of those that pulled out when I was told about it along with others. It's not the DIRECTORS fault just simply on the teams manager/tourney booker for not seeing that. I have played USSSA for a long time and those directors would of called off the event and rescheduled that way all those teams that pulled due to rain would of came back and people wouldnt blame the rain for poor playing. Like I said just my opinion, I was out there watching my old friends from back home kick ass so I had a great time DIRTY BAY BANDITZ good job, poor weather or playing same teams no matter those boys had fun.

[VP93....]

[quote name="TX_RENEGADES" post="1181190" timestamp="1329742087"]
IMO ..... [b]The manager that have a AA should of kept track of the event throughout the week leading to it and seen all the age divisions get put together[/b]. I was one of those that pulled out when I was told about it along with others. [b]It's not the DIRECTORS fault just simply on the teams manager/tourney booker for not seeing that.[/b] I have played USSSA for a long time and those directors would of called off the event and rescheduled that way all those teams that pulled due to rain would of came back and people wouldnt blame the rain for poor playing. Like I said just my opinion, I was out there watching my old friends from back home kick butt so I had a great time DIRTY BAY BANDITZ good job, poor weather or playing same teams no matter those boys had fun.
[/quote]

GOOD POINT!!

[rounder17]

MJB, I think you may be confused. Are you saying that our local Nations director, runs an organization called Nightmare Baseball? If so, you are way wrong.

[VP93....]

[quote name="rounder17" post="1181202" timestamp="1329746261"]
MJB, I think you may be confused. Are you saying that our local Nations director, runs an organization called Nightmare Baseball? If so, you are way wrong.
[/quote]
He's not saying it's "Nightmare Baseball" I believe he's saying it's a Nightmare dealing with that organization!!

[rounder17]

[quote name="VP 93......" post="1181203" timestamp="1329746464"]
[quote author=rounder17 link=topic=96232.msg1181202#msg1181202 date=1329746261]
MJB, I think you may be confused. Are you saying that our local Nations director, runs an organization called Nightmare Baseball? If so, you are way wrong.
[/quote]
He's not saying it's "Nightmare Baseball" I believe he's saying it's a Nightmare dealing with that organization!!
[/quote]

Im pretty sure he is referring to Nightmare Baseball that played in the 8u division 2 weekends ago. They forfeited two games on Saturday.

[oldman]

In my opinion,  Nation's events are better than USSSA .  I have worked both.  The Premier division for Nations has some salty teams.

[Guest TX_RENEGADES]

I have done mostly USSSA back home but did a tourney 1 age division up earlier this month NATIONS director contacted me about it. I think that if directors are going to make such a move they should send out an email about it, not just take it up on themselves to make a class. I dont agree with some of the things that went down, but Im glad we didnt play this tournament. If my team decides to play USSSA I will most likely play at BIG LEAGUE DREAMS or LA. No hard feelings about the guy in charge of this one, but If I was in his shoes I would rescheduled just so people wont talk about " REMEMBER THE 1ST TOUNEY OUT HERE IT WAS ..........." But he did have a good turnout.

[MJB]

VP93, Good one, I laughed out loud on that one, lol,

Reread the post, I never said it was a local Director.  The Nightmare organization out of Houston is run by a Nations Director and they played a 9 year old on the 8U team, just brought him out of the stands more or less to take over at 1st base as they were having too many errors there.

I agree with the post on remembering the 1st event here??  I will say that I will remember the Nations fiasco year before last when we were at the park in sub 40 degree rainy weather until midnight playing our 2 pool games that lasted about 45 minutes each.  Having been in both situations, I liked the 1 game format better for all involved.