jimlemon

You are right, Gann hung in there when the chips were down. He came the farthest, improved the most, showed character, and stayed tough when his fate was in other's hands. He is by far the most deserving and MVP, (Most Valuable Person), on the team.

Great game. Gann, Lebanon's pitcher, deserved a better fate. Not to take anything away from Riverdale, as they played certainly well enough to win; Lebanon finds a way to victimize a pitcher in yet another clutch situation.

I've been making lemonade. I see that you made manager. You will be moving up to liversmellman or limberger status in no time flat. I will call you.

Two great questions and a good observation sandwiched in between. Could it be a question to the amount of milk supplied to this group, and the time that the milk has been given? A 1 run loss to NorthEast; bases loaded 1 out in the seventh, and 2 straight K's. A 2 run loss to Siegel; 8 men left on base. A 1 run loss to Riverdale; no runs scored. A 2 run loss to Oakland; 3 straight errors in the 6th. A 1 run loss to Blackman; a catchable flyball left hanging in the outfield. A 1 run loss to Warren County; error in the seventh let both the runs that tied and won the game cross the plate. The question posed is relevant. It is not a question of if they will be better, but WHY......

Wilson Central 3 Oakland 2.

Coach T lost his edge? I doubt that, but if he has then he deserves the respect that comes with any person that has had such a positive effect on many young men. I played for Coach T on his first year back in Tennessee; after coaching in Alabama; after playing for Coach Bryant; before he left to join Coach Brown at Austin Peay; before his stint at Unicoi County; and before his present position at Lincoln County. His personality and coaching style is tough. The changes being seen are more to do with players, parents, and society in general. More than one person, on this thread, has brought that up. A coach can't instill the discipline or requirements that were a regularly seen on display 30 years ago. 30 years ago, in Coach T's first season back in Tennessee, the team started with 60 players, ended with 25, with 4 walking wounded, and could not even have a full line scrimmage during practice. It was not uncommon for that team to run 50-60 50 yard sprints, in the dark, after a 3 hour practice of pure hitting and this included the QB. Yes, he is tough. Many of us respect him for that reason, and many of us still keep in contact with him because we were one of the young men that he has had positive impact on. After spending some time with him last year, I really can't see the change in him at all. However I do see the changes in attitudes and tolerances in parents, players, and society in general. Only a few are willing to pay the sacrifices due to become winners and leaders.

QUOTE(MTDirtDog @ May 8 2008 - 02:57 AM) Allow us to look at the landscape of baseball today for a moment. With the recent changes to the rosters and scholarship limitations, perhaps one could find solice in these facts. The NCAA gives DI programs 11.7 scholarshps, the rosters limitations are now in effect, and the awards are a minimum of 25% to each player. For a state school costing $10,000 per year a 25% award would equate to $2,500 per year. A student working at $8.00 per hour would need to work roughly 312 hours or approximately 8 weeks to earn the same amount of money. Certainly, a student engaged in part time employment during the academic year and full time employement during the summer will go much farther in earning enough money to pay for an education. The values utilized above are approximate, and do not in any form speak to anyone's passion and/or ability to play baseball. An education today is far more important than it was several years ago, and this education is affordable in many ways, shapes, fashions, and forms. A young man or woman choosing the correct college for academic reasons, choosing the correct curriculum for future professional reasons, and working dilligently, will afford himself or herself the opportunity to become successful leaders of society. If one chooses and has the ability to play a sport, then this is a huge bonus.

Rumors have it that a strong willed former college coach that has been banned by the NCAA has been recruited after spending 10 years in the Navy. He will need to win over the close-knit town and a skeptical community in order to lead his team to a state championship...

To the woman sitting in the lawn chair in the back of the pick up; knock the ashes from your cigarette before you speak, unroll your canary yellow double knit pants to below your knee, wear something besides a tank top for no one likes the sight of your tattoos. You may not be setting a good example for the young lady sitting next to you in the naugahyde skirt, tube top, and stiletto heals. To the caveman sitting in the back; fire is good, yes, we know that already.

I am not an expert in any fashion, but I find it to difficult to comprehend that politics played any part in; having difficulty fielding hard hit ground balls, letting games slip away with last inning leads (one that I saw and maybe more), difficulty in producing a clutch hit, other than good choices on the base paths, and pitching difficulties. I saw them once early and they did look like a good team, and I saw them again in mid-season. There was a vast difference.

Oakland pitches by committee and does in an all around solid performance. Lebanon rides a tired and limping horse to the finish line.