- Aug 21, 2008
- 2,386
- 113
Some of this may sound like sour grapes as I've never got to pitch on ESPN. In fact, I can only ever remember 1 game of men's fastpitch on the channel. USA vs. Japan... Japan won, I think. Although USA was struggling to get their best players and pitching back then (and still do).
I'm happy softball has grown, partially thanks to ESPN. Any attention the sport gets is good, right? But, what about those announcers? Scarboro and Mendoza are the only ones that make sense. Now in full disclosure I have a beef with Michele Smith. I once asked for her help getting contacts with male fastpitch clubs in Japan to invite for the World club tournament and her webmaster told me she doesn't have email. Yea right. I said, listen I'm not some stalker... I was with her at Olympic Festivals, USA camps, etc. But she's too big time.
Perhaps it's that dislike that takes over for me with "Smitty's tips" before each game which include the most obvious things: Must get ahead of hitters (gee, thanks, I planned on pitching from behind!!) Must keep the ball in the park (Yea, I planned on giving up long HR's each inning). It's absolute moronic comments like this that make her feel like a genius and dumb it down for the rest of us. Even a brand new bucket dad knows not to give up HR's and throw strikes. Don't they?
And, if I had to hear her say how much "English" was put on a ball that was spinning one more time, I was going to puke. 'That bunt had a lot of English on it'. It's disgusting.
I also think it's illegal for ESPN to say her name without it being "2 time Olympic Gold medalist Michele Smith". Ok, I get it. She was in 2 Olympics. They need to qualify her to make her comments seem smart?
Michele Smith was/is a phenomenal pitcher. Just a horrible broadcaster. Instead of Smitty's tips she could talk about things that are easily forgotten... such as pitching to the defenese? Pitching for double plays with a runner on 1st? Not letting the hitter get an outside pitch to take the other way? And for GOD'S sake don't throw a riseball with a 1 run lead after the 5th inning!!! Be boring... drop drop drop, change, drop, drop, drop. Yes, mistakes will happen but I'd take my chances with a drop than a rise with Polycore balls and composite bats!!
Yes, it bother's me that the women's team gets to go to Japan each year. The men are lucky to get a training camp. What if that was reversed? Would people be screaming Title IV? Of course.
Softball will be an Olympic sport in 2020, bank it. But what most people don't realize is, it's a one year cycle. It's not on the books to be reinstated every summer games. Only 2020 because Japan wants it... badly. And, god forbid the ISF or WBSC put men's fastpitch in the Olympics. Oh no!! Why would the governing body of world softball support both genders? One of the problems with the Olympics is countries who do not play baseball and softball (such as Greece) having to build cathedrals for stadiums (I'm told the Greek facility was amazing) only to destroy them after the games. I'm told the Greek field is a parking lot now. But think of the money that could be saved if men's and women's softball was in... it could be played on the same field. The only difference is pitching distance 46' vs. 43'. And outfield fence. Everything else is the same. One stadium, without the steroid scandals of baseball and the disgust of Olympics that MLB won't let players play in Olympics.
Most people don't realize the impact of men's FP into the women's game today. Look how many former teammates are coaching D1 programs: Oregon, Tulsa, S. Florida, Florida State, NC state, San Jose State, Central Washington, etc. Do you realize Mike Candrea said he learned fastpitch from watching the men? Men are bringing their game into the women's in droves. Yes, there are some fantastic female coaches but, the game is changing to mimic the men's game. Softball exploded for girls with Olympics and ESPN... why wouldn't the WBSC do it for the men too? It's sad.
Ok, rant over. I should nap before landing.
Bill
I'm happy softball has grown, partially thanks to ESPN. Any attention the sport gets is good, right? But, what about those announcers? Scarboro and Mendoza are the only ones that make sense. Now in full disclosure I have a beef with Michele Smith. I once asked for her help getting contacts with male fastpitch clubs in Japan to invite for the World club tournament and her webmaster told me she doesn't have email. Yea right. I said, listen I'm not some stalker... I was with her at Olympic Festivals, USA camps, etc. But she's too big time.
Perhaps it's that dislike that takes over for me with "Smitty's tips" before each game which include the most obvious things: Must get ahead of hitters (gee, thanks, I planned on pitching from behind!!) Must keep the ball in the park (Yea, I planned on giving up long HR's each inning). It's absolute moronic comments like this that make her feel like a genius and dumb it down for the rest of us. Even a brand new bucket dad knows not to give up HR's and throw strikes. Don't they?
And, if I had to hear her say how much "English" was put on a ball that was spinning one more time, I was going to puke. 'That bunt had a lot of English on it'. It's disgusting.
I also think it's illegal for ESPN to say her name without it being "2 time Olympic Gold medalist Michele Smith". Ok, I get it. She was in 2 Olympics. They need to qualify her to make her comments seem smart?
Michele Smith was/is a phenomenal pitcher. Just a horrible broadcaster. Instead of Smitty's tips she could talk about things that are easily forgotten... such as pitching to the defenese? Pitching for double plays with a runner on 1st? Not letting the hitter get an outside pitch to take the other way? And for GOD'S sake don't throw a riseball with a 1 run lead after the 5th inning!!! Be boring... drop drop drop, change, drop, drop, drop. Yes, mistakes will happen but I'd take my chances with a drop than a rise with Polycore balls and composite bats!!
Yes, it bother's me that the women's team gets to go to Japan each year. The men are lucky to get a training camp. What if that was reversed? Would people be screaming Title IV? Of course.
Softball will be an Olympic sport in 2020, bank it. But what most people don't realize is, it's a one year cycle. It's not on the books to be reinstated every summer games. Only 2020 because Japan wants it... badly. And, god forbid the ISF or WBSC put men's fastpitch in the Olympics. Oh no!! Why would the governing body of world softball support both genders? One of the problems with the Olympics is countries who do not play baseball and softball (such as Greece) having to build cathedrals for stadiums (I'm told the Greek facility was amazing) only to destroy them after the games. I'm told the Greek field is a parking lot now. But think of the money that could be saved if men's and women's softball was in... it could be played on the same field. The only difference is pitching distance 46' vs. 43'. And outfield fence. Everything else is the same. One stadium, without the steroid scandals of baseball and the disgust of Olympics that MLB won't let players play in Olympics.
Most people don't realize the impact of men's FP into the women's game today. Look how many former teammates are coaching D1 programs: Oregon, Tulsa, S. Florida, Florida State, NC state, San Jose State, Central Washington, etc. Do you realize Mike Candrea said he learned fastpitch from watching the men? Men are bringing their game into the women's in droves. Yes, there are some fantastic female coaches but, the game is changing to mimic the men's game. Softball exploded for girls with Olympics and ESPN... why wouldn't the WBSC do it for the men too? It's sad.
Ok, rant over. I should nap before landing.
Bill