chuckm

Again, respectfully, I would say that their entire sports department, except for those who were working in the office, was at the banquet last night. The folks writing the stories -- the Joshes -- couldn't write and present the awards also. I'd also say that most of the important newsroom people were at the banquet -- editor, news editors, publisher, etc. I've been a part of those type banquets and your staff is always well-represented. When you have put the planning into the all-sports banquet that they have over the past few months, it's very hard to change your plans in a blink of an eye because Tuesday's games were rained out. Should the games have been covered? Probably. But a major event like the all-sports banquet will always take priority -- unfortunately -- over a live event that there was no guarantees that would even happen (could have been more rain outs yesterday, right at game time).

I think you need to cut the DNJ some slack for Wednesday night. Reason ... they were honoring 200 or so high school athletes at their annual banquet, which was scheduled for a night in which there were no games scheduled prior to the rain outs on Tuesday. As a media person, deadlines are deadlines. Do you have to like them? No. But, if you don't meet them, you don't have a product. The deadlines are not conducive to night events, but it affects the City Council or County Commission meetings just like it does high school sports.

bump

Direct from David Limbaugh: Final scores (as of 9:15 pm) Blackman 9, White County 1 Riverdale 8, Cookeville 3 Lebanon 5, Oakland 2 Siegel 11, Warren County 4

I agree with your reasoning. Hopefully everyone will get at least 5 innings in tonight.

I would think you've got some time to wait and get the games in prior to the end of the week. TSSAA requires districts to be complete by Friday, May 12 with region semifinals scheduled for Monday, May 15. If you moved the tournament back to a Monday start, it would just eliminate the off-day (Sunday). If it rains the rest of the week, I'd say the coaches would vote on whether the regular season is complete as played, especially since everyone played the same amount of games, even though they didn't play every one twice.

Is weather part of the 7-AAA Mobile phone unit or do you have to subscribe to Weather Channel Mobile. I hear they've got the same security folks at Weather Channel in Atlanta as they do at ESPN, so you can't storm the gates to ask Jim Cantore if there are any hurricane chaser positions available.

I had this sitch about a week ago. The batter would swing and then release bat at feet or catcher and me (U1). I asked the coach to ask the batter to watch slinging the bat, then asked the batter when he returned to plate. Not much you can do there if the action isn't careless or deliberate, other than continually ask the batter to quit. I'm not going to warn a team or eject a batter if it's just the usual backswing and release.

Question ... after you break the first tie, don't you group the remaining teams together again and re-start the process to determine third place?

David, did I just see you on ESPN working the phones doing a commercial for 7-AAA Mobile? Wait, maybe that was Mel Kiper Jr.

Lebanon and Cookeville won, but I do not know the scores.

In NFHS, a fair ball is defined in Rule 2-5-1: A fair ball is a batted ball which: a. settles on fair territory between home and third base or between home and first base; or b. contacts fair ground on or beyond an imaginary line beween first and third base; or c. is on or over fair ground when bounding to the outfield past first or third base; or d. first falls on fair ground on or beyond first or third base; or e. touches first, second or third base; or f. while on or over fair territory, touches the person of an umpire or player, their clothing or equipment; or g. while over fair ground passes out of the playing field in flight. NOTE: A fly ball or line drive, which passes over or inside first or third base in flight and curves to foul ground beyond such base, is not a fair hit; but a hit which goes over or through the fence is a fair hit if it is over fair ground when it leaves the field.

The district coaches would have established the tie-breaking procedures during their pre-season meeting. Most likely, if two teams tied and split the series against each other, as mentioned above, they would have a coin toss to determine the champion. Most likely they would not resort to runs allowed or runs scored to break the tie.

Definitely not, even on a pitch to a batter. In the end, in most cases, it will all work out evenly. You're going to miss a pitch here and there, but if you start trying to "make it up," you're going to screw everyone up and they'll not know what they can safely take and what they have to swing at. Cadet, as to what you're saying about hustling and treating coaches with respect, I agree completely. I think the guys I work with in the Boro do a good job with this. If you treat people right, whether they agree or disagree with the call, you're going to have less problems on the field.

Harvey ... here are the rules as it is written in the 2006 National Federation Rules Book. The earlier rules I quoted on the situation were 2005, thus the changes in 3-3-1d and 1-4-12 being re-numbered. Rule 3-3-1 states: A coach, player, substitute, attendand or other bench personnel shall not: d. wear jewelry (players participating in the game) or wear bandanas. PENALTY: At the end of playing action, the umpire shall issue a warning to the coach of the team involved and the next offender on that team shall be ejected. Rule 1-4-12 states: Jewelry shall not be worn (See 3-3-1d) except for religious or medical medals. A religous medal must be taped and worn under the uniform. A medical alert must be taped and may be visible. Also, I don't think Major League Baseball has banned tobacco use. I don't think the players' union will let them do this. However, tobacco has been banned in Minor League Ball for several years.

Are you talking about where you said first warning, second out, third ejection? Completely wrong by NFHS rule book (see my previous post where I quoted the NFHS rule book), which is what you're supposed to be using for high school ball. As for tobacco, the use of tobacco and tobacco products has been banned at all levels of organized baseballs except for Major League Baseball. I believe that being caught with tobacco in Minor League Ball is a lengthy suspension. In high school and college ball it is an ejection. However, I believe the reason this may not be enforced is that umpires are not looking into every players' mouths trying to search for tobacco. But if someone is dumb enough to spit tobacco juice out right in front of me, I guarantee you that the person will be ejected.

The other Jody on skis would definitely be something to remember, though probably not as much as if it was me.

I heard some parents say the same thing today - and yesterday too!

Absolutely ... pregame conference reminder is not the same as a team warning. I think the only thing you could get away with during the pregame meeting is issuing team warnings for throwing with intent at hitters if something from the previous game (either that day or day before, not three weeks before, like is sometimes done in MLB) necessitates it. And then it would have to be a really bad incident from the previous game to carry it over to the next game.

I hear Sunday's Siegel-Lebanon game will now be at Veterans Field -- their regular field for those who don't know -- instead of Cumberland.

I think I saw an obit in Friday's Tennessean. There was also a story on The Wilson Post's Web site.

Bad interpretation by the umpire. Rule 3-3-1 states: A coach, player, substitute, attendand or other bench personnel shall not: c. wear jewelry (players participating in the game). PENALTY: At the end of playing action, the umpire shall issue a warning to the coach of the team involved and the next offender on that team shall be ejected. Rule 1-4-10 allows exceptions to the jewelry rule. It states: Jewelry shall not be worn (See 3-3-1c) except for religious or medical medals. A religous medal must be taped and worn under the uniform. A medical alert must be taped and may be visible.

You would be amazed though at how many times coaches are reminded of the no jewelry rule during pre-game, then during the first inning you'll be asking players to remove the jewelry.

Are you going to be ready by football? Someone will have to keep your white cap in line. I guess this ends your Spring Fling streak. Sorry to hear that.