RIPSHOT

Now there you have it. This is a perfect example of how people can talk it out without getting bent out of shape. Thank you Mr. Jack for clarifying it all. And, to sum it up. The Godzilla comment back at the very start was not the "Godzilla of softball" it was "she looked like Godzilla out there" ...and this was only a reference to her height as compared to the other girl that had pitched against us all season... she looked very tall, and threw harder. Yes, she beat us but my Godzilla comment was about her stature only. And, talking about any player, or, prompting others to talk about a particular player is not promoting a player. Heck, you could talk about anybody and somebody will inevitably start trashing these young ladies for some reason and I still do not get that. If a girl gets her name in the paper every day, it ain't the coach, it ain't the dad, it ain't her mom, it ain't the player...it the writer of the article that's the reason for it. Don't know the dad or the girl but I find it hard to believe that he promotes the paper to mention his daughter and I am certain you realize that. Our girls are in the paper all the time and I KNOW that their moms and dads ain't out there calling asking for a spot for their daughter. /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" /> In fact, I have never even heard anyone ever say that. I have been around a while and I have found if someone wants to say something or "promote a player" ... then promote away. I can read it and I can hear it and...I can either agree or disagree but in no way will I every disparage that player or their family on hearsay or personal opinion. It just ain't right. Mr. Jack, I ain't saying you necessarily did this...but you almost did if you know what I mean. If someone starts promoting Caroline Mason...is that bad? Heck no it ain't bad even it I am her dad. In fact...I am gonna start promoting Caroline Mason right now. She is one of the best players in the state (in my opinion only), she is a hard out, a great out-fielder and a wonderful Christian girl. And...she is going to contiue her education at Lipscomb University? I hope she makes it to the state with the rest of her fine team and great coach cause she deserves it and she is an Amazon at the plate. Thanks Mr. Jack for your clarification. We seem to be on the same page I hope. And...I hope your are a visionary with your MJ and Beech picks for the state. We'll know Monday nite. I do hope that a 9AAA wins it and I hope it is MJ. If it ain't MJ, I want Beech. The Soddy Daisy and Ooltewah example is a good one. But, District 9 better batton down the hatches for Monday's match-ups and take care of business.

I agree, I do not assume one big play got Caroline a scholarship at Lipscomb or Shelby a scholarship at East Tennessee. These girls are dedicated and have produced their entire high school career. I would think there was some promotion along the way but in the end it is their character and abilities that get em noticed. And, all of em have earned their way. But I have some questions for Mr. Jack... 1. "Who is playing with whom for the summer"? 2. "What do the Nighthawks have to do with softball success in TN" (from your previous post), and, 3. "What does any of your ramblings have to do with how exciting it was to watch three teams in District 9 symbolically fight to the death for a Regional Berth"? If you saw these games, which I assume you did not...you would (or should) be congratulating these teams, their coaches, their parents and their schools. It sounds like it is YOU who has some ill will against these teams. Could it be that it is YOUR...as you put it..."darling daughter" has not carried the mail like some of the players on MJ, Beech and W.C.? As you said... "Your guess is as good as mine"!

Holy Cow Mr. Jack, You have fallen way down the ladder on this one and lost it. First, if you were a MJ fan you would know why I mentioned Beech initially. YOu may not know this but we have played em twice in the last 3 days. But you know what, I have mentioned Ravenwood, Brentwood. Rossview,etc. A month ago I talked on this site for 3 days on Shelby and the W.C. pitcher who's name escapes me. Holy Toledo you need to relax. I do not even understand half your post, but the half that I do understand makes little sense in terms of the games MJ have played, AND, the games they are going to play in the coming week. The only group of girls I hope fail are the one's playing them during that game. /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" />

Now, Now, gentleman. Stlbrd was simply trying to answer some questions for me and quite effectively might I add. This site is not about who "misses" a word spelling along the way, so give that part of it a break. I am an old guy who needs assistance and stlbrd was simply helping. Before this response, it looks like stlbrd supports either Hendersonville or W.C.. I could not make a determination. But, I think it is Hendersonville. Either way, he is not with Mt. Juliet or Beech. For that, I am certain. Therefore, his comments about Mt. Juliet and Beech do not seem to be coming from and "insider" if you know what I mean. So, MrNoitAll and stlbrd need to be friends and make up. I need stlbrd for info...NoitAll for listing his opinions which I must admit I do find funny and interesting. Question: When is the sub-state match-ups played? Meaning, is it this week, this weekend or next week? It is my assumption that the two regional games are to be played on Monday and Wednesday of this week. After that...the state tournament starts _____________? /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" />

Thanks for your help Stlbrd. Another question, what teams are in the "other" region that we will match up with? I am thinking it is the Ravenwood region if I recall from last year. And, which teams in that region are still in it assuming they have not yet determined their district champs? /popcorneater.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":popcorneater:" border="0" alt="popcorneater.gif" /> /popcorneater.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":popcorneater:" border="0" alt="popcorneater.gif" />

I am a Mt. Juliet fan and was at the final game in our district tournament. Here is a scenario... Mt. Juliet won the district and was runner-up in the tournament and placed 5 on the All-district team. Beech, who waxed our tail finished runner-up in the district and won the tournament placed 3 on the district team. Here's my point...Wilson Central finished 3rd in the district and 3rd in the tournament and placed 4 on the district team. This is a little bit to your point. I guess sometimes it don't matter where you place...either Wilson Central simply had better players than the Beech group and finished behind them in every aspect and put more players on the district team, or, the other coaches just simply voted FOR the W.C. players. That may not make a lot of sense but I hope you get my point. Lower finishing teams sometimes DO place more players on these sort of teams than higher seated teams.

Let's get off the "Kat" thing and onto other things of importance. Does anyone have a clue who Mt. Juliet will play next week? I have heard Dickson County, Rossview and Clarksville Northeast. What is the status of the other district? It is my understanding that our district matches up with theirs to make up our region. And...when is the first region game?

I am not a softball junkie, but there is a Kat who I believe got hurt this year at Riverdale (Hosefield, I think), there was a Kat Osterman that pitched at Texas a while back (I do believe), and I was thinking there used to be a Kat that pitched somewhere in Chattanooga last year or year before but I can't be for sure. Anyway, that is my inventory of the "Kat" thing and it ain't too lenghty. By the way, the Kat at Beech, I thought she threw harder than anyone I have seen all year from whom Mt. Juliet has played. Who compares to this type of speed? I am sure the Hosefield girl probably threw harder, but is there anyone else up there in the 60's...especially in the AAA division that Mt. Juliet is playing in and whom they MAY play later on?

You have to be kidding. This Kat Banks looks like God-zilla out there...a tall and skinny one that is. Is she a transfer in this year to the Beech School district cause I don't think I remember her from last year even though I didn't follow MJ like I have this season?

Of course, following MJ is my passion in all sports. If anyone had a chance to see the Mt. Juliet/Wilson Central game you would have not believed it. Wilson outplayed my girls...I must admit. But, in the end after 11 innings my M.J. Lady Bears prevailed on some key plays and a much needed single in the bottom of the 7th to keep their hopes alive. Now, all of the sudden...M.J. can't beat Beech with a stick and a hammer. In the last two games that M.J. played those Beech girls, I have never seen so many hard balls hit by one team. And, they have two pitchers who are like night and day. I had not seen one of their pitchers before in our last 2 games. She looks like she is 8 feet tall and throws it so fast I can't keep up with it. Who is that and has she been injured cause that girls KILLED us in the last 2 games both hitting and pitching? What is going on with Beech? I know they have been one of the best teams in the state this year, but they look like they have added some players because it was unbelievable seeing what they did in this district 9AAA tournament. Heck, they had 4 homeruns in two games against my M.J. girls ! Have they added some players that were previously injured or are they just in the grove so-to speak? And, I am confident M.J. will make it to the state. But, in order to do that do we have to play Beech again...and beat them?

I read that Ooltewah beat Gibbs to win the Knoxville Tourney by a score of 6-0. It is my understanding that in the Semi-Finals, Ooltewah was down 2-0 in the bottom of the last inning and got 3 runs across to win on a couple of errors and a bad call (hey...they are all bad calls when you come up short)! Give me some feedback and who were the pitchers for that game cause that sounded like the game of the tournament.

Now that the season is underway, who are the best players by class in the mid-state? I know this is a real "open ended" question cause it is all subjective. BUT, to the trained eye (which I am untrained), who are the the Seniors, Junior, Soph, Freshman and 8th graders that will stand out as the season moves on?

Now that basketball is about over (for MJ it is definitely over to my surprise and sadness), I turn my eyes to the upcoming softball season. I am curious about this upcoming season. Who are the best pitchers around in the AAA division? And, if you could help me keep track...who are the best "Senior" pitchers, "Junior" pitchers, "Soph." pitchers and "Fresh" pitchers in the Middle TN area...or in the State for that matter. I am not up on this sport like I try to be in basketball. From what I gather, there are a number of really good pitchers in Middle Tennessee ! Any help would be appreciated.

Congratulations to Taylor Hall of MJ for the tournament MVP. Who rounded out the all-tourney team?

Had to leave during the Mt. Juliet/Wilson Central game but I did see that Smyrna beat the Beech team pretty good. Those Beech girls looked tired and couldn't throw it in the ocean. So, Smyrna is 3rd and Beech is 4th. We'll wait to see who ends up #1 and #2. Looking at all four...not a bad representation for District 9. Three of 'em could go all the way and that Beech team can play with anyone on any given night and potentially upset anybody. Go "9AAA".