The Deflategate Effect

Share this page

patfan64

patfan64

Generally Aware
Supporter
Joined
Apr 20, 2006
Messages
7,917
Reaction score
3,591
Points
113
Age
61
Location
Southwestern CT.
I'm embarrassed to share this story but I need to come clean.

My 12 year old was involved in a Little League Fall Ball tournament over the weekend in Naugatuck, CT. There were two games to be played initially with the winners of each of the first two games to play against each other for the trophy and the losers would play a consolation game.

We played a Naugatuck team in the first game. The ump was a Naugatuck coach (from the AAA level - my son plays in the Majors.)

Ump was a little shaky from the beginning (had to look at the scoreboard when asked by the coach what the count was, etc...)

At one point, Naugy had a heavy set kid at second and he attempted score on a base hit. On his way to the plate, he lowered his shoulder and absolutely leveled our catcher. He held onto the ball for the out. Our sideline got really verbal. Little league rules say that the kid should be ejected. He wasn't. I was chirping at the ump for the rest of the game.

Bottom of the last inning, two outs, we are down 1 with runners on first and second. Batter has a 3 - 1 count and takes a strike. Umpire rings him up. On strike two. Game over. Coaches and parents on our sideline go nuts. Ump doesn't waiver. I get into a verbal with the other coach.

I almost called them cheaters.

Thank God I didn't. This is what I've been reduced to. Little league baseball game and I'm thinking there is deliberate cheating going on.

Most of you know my story but I really wanted a drink after that game.
 
patfan64 said:
I'm embarrassed to share this story but I need to come clean. My 12 year old was involved in a Little League Fall Ball tournament over the weekend in Naugatuck, CT. There were two games to be played initially with the winners of each of the first two games to play against each other for the trophy and the losers would play a consolation game. We played a Naugatuck team in the first game. The ump was a Naugatuck coach (from the AAA level - my son plays in the Majors.) Ump was a little shaky from the beginning (had to look at the scoreboard when asked by the coach what the count was, etc...) At one point, Naugy had a heavy set kid at second and he attempted score on a base hit. On his way to the plate, he lowered his shoulder and absolutely leveled our catcher. He held onto the ball for the out. Our sideline got really verbal. Little league rules say that the kid should be ejected. He wasn't. I was chirping at the ump for the rest of the game. Bottom of the last inning, two outs, we are down 1 with runners on first and second. Batter has a 3 - 1 count and takes a strike. Umpire rings him up. On strike two. Game over. Coaches and parents on our sideline go nuts. Ump doesn't waiver. I get into a verbal with the other coach. I almost called them cheaters. Thank God I didn't. This is what I've been reduced to. Little league baseball game and I'm thinking there is deliberate cheating going on. Most of you know my story but I really wanted a drink after that game.
Click to expand...
The ump clearly wasn't doing his job all game. I'm surprised both coaches didn't call him out for ending the game on 2 strikes.
 
patfan64 said:
I'm embarrassed to share this story but I need to come clean.

My 12 year old was involved in a Little League Fall Ball tournament over the weekend in Naugatuck, CT. There were two games to be played initially with the winners of each of the first two games to play against each other for the trophy and the losers would play a consolation game.

We played a Naugatuck team in the first game. The ump was a Naugatuck coach (from the AAA level - my son plays in the Majors.)

Ump was a little shaky from the beginning (had to look at the scoreboard when asked by the coach what the count was, etc...)

At one point, Naugy had a heavy set kid at second and he attempted score on a base hit. On his way to the plate, he lowered his shoulder and absolutely leveled our catcher. He held onto the ball for the out. Our sideline got really verbal. Little league rules say that the kid should be ejected. He wasn't. I was chirping at the ump for the rest of the game.

Bottom of the last inning, two outs, we are down 1 with runners on first and second. Batter has a 3 - 1 count and takes a strike. Umpire rings him up. On strike two. Game over. Coaches and parents on our sideline go nuts. Ump doesn't waiver. I get into a verbal with the other coach.

I almost called them cheaters.

Thank God I didn't. This is what I've been reduced to. Little league baseball game and I'm thinking there is deliberate cheating going on.

Most of you know my story but I really wanted a drink after that game.
Click to expand...
well 1st wanted is ok, following up on the want is not.

2nd, little league=serious bizness

time to get some qualified umpires.

on a side I get the outrage, I too have a couple embarrassing stories

I lost it once when the other coach flipped on one of my players for a "hard slide" - almost came to blows me against 3 other coaches - I simply offered to handle my own players and that they were not to police my team.

Then the other coaches son got in my face at 15 and I explained to him I hope he enjoys watching me beating the living shit out of his father and other two coaches. The other coach grabbed his son and ran. seeing that I was a 25 year old kid with no children in the league I had nothing to lose.

I was asked to coach a team, as a favor to the president, that lost their coach, I was not going to take shit from three guys who joined to stack their team (we beat them in the playoffs BTW).

I later had the three apologize to me as I did nothing wrong but defend my boys...Kraft could learn from me.

______

A different time I had a date and a rain game make up for the same time so I told my little buddy to steal a base right away. he was out and I argued the call, throwing myself out of the game with a wink to the Ump and made my date. I was so loud the lights on the houses in the outfield turned on. That was with the travelling team they elected me to coach.
----------

moral is Little League is indeed serious BizNess!!!
 
This is one of the reasons why I'm glad the youth sports days are far behind me.
 
patfan64 said:
I'm embarrassed to share this story but I need to come clean.

My 12 year old was involved in a Little League Fall Ball tournament over the weekend in Naugatuck, CT. There were two games to be played initially with the winners of each of the first two games to play against each other for the trophy and the losers would play a consolation game.

We played a Naugatuck team in the first game. The ump was a Naugatuck coach (from the AAA level - my son plays in the Majors.)

Ump was a little shaky from the beginning (had to look at the scoreboard when asked by the coach what the count was, etc...)

At one point, Naugy had a heavy set kid at second and he attempted score on a base hit. On his way to the plate, he lowered his shoulder and absolutely leveled our catcher. He held onto the ball for the out. Our sideline got really verbal. Little league rules say that the kid should be ejected. He wasn't. I was chirping at the ump for the rest of the game.

Bottom of the last inning, two outs, we are down 1 with runners on first and second. Batter has a 3 - 1 count and takes a strike. Umpire rings him up. On strike two. Game over. Coaches and parents on our sideline go nuts. Ump doesn't waiver. I get into a verbal with the other coach.

I almost called them cheaters.

Thank God I didn't. This is what I've been reduced to. Little league baseball game and I'm thinking there is deliberate cheating going on.

Most of you know my story but I really wanted a drink after that game.
Click to expand...
I knew I'd met you somewhere. It was back when I coached Little League. :facepalm:


Cheers, BostonTim
 
The worst incidents we encountered were in tournament softball. It's serious business for those involved (lots of money, travel and commitment).

We were in a tournament facing a CT team, tight game half way through. One of our players slid into third and was called out on a close play. The field ump didn't have a good view, so our coach ask if he could check with the home plate ump. The home plate ump had a clear view and reversed the call. The CT coach went crazy and started throwing vulgarities. He was warned to stop or face ejection. He simmered down for about 1 minute and then started again, this time with their parents getting involved. The ump tossed him and told him to leave the field. The coach left, and came back to have a few more words. It was getting a bit hairy.

At that point, the ump puts his hands up and declared the game over, our team wins by forfeit. Well, their side explodes. While that is going on, our coach takes the entire team to the outfield away from the situation. A few minutes later, the tournament director approaches us and asks us to leave the facility until our next game, for our own safety, while they call in the cops. We didn't need to be asked twice. When we returned a couple of hours later, we were told that the coach had been tossed from a game the day before and it was likely the last time that team would be playing in any sanctioned tournament.

And that's just one of several incidents we had over the years.
 
bideau said:
The worst incidents we encountered were in tournament softball. It's serious business for those involved (lots of money, travel and commitment).

We were in a tournament facing a CT team, tight game half way through. One of our players slid into third and was called out on a close play. The field ump didn't have a good view, so our coach ask if he could check with the home plate ump. The home plate ump had a clear view and reversed the call. The CT coach went crazy and started throwing vulgarities. He was warned to stop or face ejection. He simmered down for about 1 minute and then started again, this time with their parents getting involved. The ump tossed him and told him to leave the field. The coach left, and came back to have a few more words. It was getting a bit hairy.

At that point, the ump puts his hands up and declared the game over, our team wins by forfeit. Well, their side explodes. While that is going on, our coach takes the entire team to the outfield away from the situation. A few minutes later, the tournament director approaches us and asks us to leave the facility until our next game, for our own safety, while they call in the cops. We didn't need to be asked twice. When we returned a couple of hours later, we were told that the coach had been tossed from a game the day before and it was likely the last time that team would be playing in any sanctioned tournament.

And that's just one of several incidents we had over the years.
Click to expand...

Parents were the main reason I gave it up (that and a 4-4 record in my 4th and final season).

Cheers, BostonTim
 
bideau said:
This is one of the reasons why I'm glad the youth sports days are far behind me.
Click to expand...

I used to ref under 12 soccer games when I was a kid for extra cash. You people with kids are crazy (and this was 15-20 years ago)
 
I had a father show up with a load on, the guy looked like magilla gorilla, huge guy who was in SI for his hitting abilities. His kid was pitching (made it to AA in sox system as a SS) and the dad was all over the kid and the kid was showing it.

I had to walk over and stop him before explaining the next time someone is going to call the cops on him and he is screwed for being lit at a game he drove to. He left and the kid was relieved. Sucked but hey again they were my boys.

I still see some around town and it is fun seeing them now as parents with kids in local sports, donating their time and thanking me for when I did with them.
 
bideau said:
This is one of the reasons why I'm glad the youth sports days are far behind me.
Click to expand...

You and me both.

BostonTim said:
Parents were the main reason I gave it up (that and a 4-4 record in my 4th and final season).

Cheers, BostonTim
Click to expand...

The political bullshit that surrounds youth sports is staggering. O.Z.O. Jr quit playing after his sophomore year because he just got fed up with it. Hit 2 home runs each over 400' against a kid with a full D1 ride and then gets cut because he hurt his elbow and couldn't throw. You can use up to 3 DHs in our HS league here, idiot coach just wanted a kid that's he's know since grade school...kid can barely hit a ball out of the infield and you're going to keep him over a kid that was one of the best pure hitters in the county. Okay...whatever...
 
mikiemo83 said:
I had a father show up with a load on, the guy looked like magilla gorilla, huge guy who was in SI for his hitting abilities. His kid was pitching (made it to AA in sox system as a SS) and the dad was all over the kid and the kid was showing it.

I had to walk over and stop him before explaining the next time someone is going to call the cops on him and he is screwed for being lit at a game he drove to. He left and the kid was relieved. Sucked but hey again they were my boys.

I still see some around town and it is fun seeing them now as parents with kids in local sports, donating their time and thanking me for when I did with them.
Click to expand...

I got lots of stories. One of my favorites was this fat kid's parents. My assistant's son played left field he batted around .650. he had eight home runs in an 8 game season. The fat kid didn't even want to play. So he either went in early when we had a huge lead then back to to the far end of the bench after his at bat (rarely swung) or at the end (RF naturally).

Every single game the parents sat in the bottom row of the Bleachers right next to our dugout screaming at me to put the kid in and crying favoritism and at the end of the game they surrounded me and bitched about the coaches son gets to play and Robbie doesn't. Wrote Letters to the local league pres telling them to ban me.

It was hilarious to me but NOT to Robbie. Sad.

Cheers, BostonTim
 
BostonTim said:
I got lots of stories. One of my favorites was this fat kid's parents. My assistant's son played left field he batted around .650. he had eight home runs in an 8 game season. The fat kid didn't even want to play. So he either went in early when we had a huge lead then back to to the far end of the bench after his at bat (rarely swung) or at the end (RF naturally).

Every single game the parents sat in the bottom row of the Bleachers right next to our dugout screaming at me to put the kid in and crying favoritism and at the end of the game they surrounded me and bitched about the coaches son gets to play and Robbie doesn't. Wrote Letters to the local league pres telling them to ban me.

It was hilarious to me but NOT to Robbie. Sad.

Cheers, BostonTim
Click to expand...
yeah or the parent who drops the kid off in the 1st inning, picks him up early and never spends a moment at the games - nevermind brings kid to practice. He complained to me bout this kids playing time and I used to bat every kid 1-12 every game so I took my book that night ran the stats and when he dropped his kid off the next game I walked over to the car and dropped stats on the guy, explained his kid would play more if he was on time and stayed the full game and despite that the kid averaged over 3 AB's a game. I told him I am glad I serve as a cheap baby sitter for him and will continue to play his son despite his butthead parents.
 
I too am glad my youth sports / parent gig is over and also glad the coaching end is done. Too many WTF moments in both roles.
 
My wife is always asking me if I have any desire to ref/ump youth sports. No way in hell :shake:
 
bideau said:
My wife is always asking me if I have any desire to ref/ump youth sports. No way in hell :shake:
Click to expand...

Oh yeah, no amount of love for the game could get me to put up with that nonsense now. Especially now with today's climate and attitudes towards parenting.
 
Claremonster said:
I coached 5th/6th Grade Community Basketball for a season once. Something about "providing service to the community in leiu of confinement" or something, but I digress.
Click to expand...
I think I may choose the confinement next time!!!

I would come home and 6 kids were waiting for me to just hang out. All of them turned out to be fine adults and I hope my time with them was part of the reason. I taught them to embarrass hard asses, to flirt properly, to remember to put on a rain coat when entering the rain forest....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top