Barnhill-Collegiate Player of the year. #usasoftball

[MNDad]

Last year I had a conversation with a former coach of the Chicago Bandits of the NPF. He was an assistant when Monica Abbott was playing there. I asked him why Abbott never gets called for an IP. He told me the following story:

The Bandits were playing in a Nationally televised game. The field ump called an IP on Abbott. The HC calls time and walks out to ask the ump why the IP was called. The ump explained Abbott was taking a step forward from the pitcher's plate with her pivot foot. The HC told the ump that every time he called an IP he was going to call time and request an IP explanation and that would not make for a good fan experience, or good television and if calling the IPs was going to continue it was going to make for a very long day for everyone.

IPs are not being called in College Softball because it would make for a poor spectator experience and bad television. This year more games than ever have been made available for television viewing. I do not believe the umpires have the intestinal fortitude to call IPs. I don't believe the NCAA has the intestinal fortitude to tell the umpires to call the IPs. JMHO.

...and Florida knows it, and they don't care, just look no further than social media.

DD had two IP's called and team had total of 10 this season. We're not exactly prime time though.

 

[BobInMadison]

I can really understand where riseball is coming from.

His posts inspired me to have a conversation with DS about this. DS is a rower who went from being an average rower on a very good team in HS, to an above average freshman rower as a freshman at a D-3 school, to one of the best rowers on his team and competing in Nationals against D-1 teams as a sophomore, to being one of the best lightweight rowers his school has ever had as a junior. He will probably train with Wisconsin, one of the best teams in the country, over the summer. His goal is to be the best lightweight rower his school has ever had by the end of his senior year.

I had a nice talk with him about how a reputation for honesty saved my butt when some false accusations were made against me once, and how glad I was that he was learning integrity and sportsmanship with both his former HS rowing club and now his college rowing team. I made sure he knew that the values of honesty and sportsmanship were FAR more important than the results of any one race.

When DD 3, my freshman HS pitcher, comes home from school I will talk to her as well. I would much rather her lose with honor and sportsmanship than win dishonestly.

I can really see how riseball is looking at this not just as a fan of the game, but as a parent who is very proud of what his DD has done, AND HOW SHE HAS DONE IT. Riseball, you know very clearly your DD's integrity is a million times more valuable to her over her lifetime than any game she lost that she would've won by cheating. Good for you for raising her that way. and good for her for following the right path.

 

[Rocketech1]

That is something that we don't have a lot of in our society anymore. There has definitely been a huge loss of absolutes and morals and it permeates every aspect of life.

Classof2020 - let me ask you this, your avatar (Cat) is the poster child for highly decorated fastpitch pitcher that pitched illegally her whole career. Why celebrate and promote her accomplishments if you are so concerned by pitchers that "cheat" and erosion of morals in our society?

 

[GunnerShotgun]

Classof2020 - let me ask you this, your avatar (Cat) is the poster child for highly decorated fastpitch pitcher that pitched illegally her whole career. Why celebrate and promote her accomplishments if you are so concerned by pitchers that "cheat" and erosion of morals in our society?

Your not suppose to notice the hypocrisy that permeates throughout this thread. Be silent while they are reigning down judgement on student athletes.

 

[Classof2020]

Classof2020 - let me ask you this, your avatar (Cat) is the poster child for highly decorated fastpitch pitcher that pitched illegally her whole career. Why celebrate and promote her accomplishments if you are so concerned by pitchers that "cheat" and erosion of morals in our society?

Good point To be perfectly honest when we first started in softball about 5 years ago and knew nothing of mechanics, IP's etc my DD thought she was the BEST and we started following her. We watched her videos and watched her pitch with the Pride and were definitely oblivious to her leap at the time. It really wasn't something that I picked up on in real time. Not sure if she didn't do it with every pitch or if I just don't have good eyes. When I saw on here that people said she was a leaper I was shocked and in denial. Then watched the video and was really bummed. Didn't even tell my DD at first. I suppose I attributed it to competing internationally and the different allowances. But now I have seen that this was something she did before . . . should consider a new avatar and practice what I preach.

 

[riseball]

Good point To be perfectly honest when we first started in softball about 5 years ago and knew nothing of mechanics, IP's etc my DD thought she was the BEST and we started following her. We watched her videos and watched her pitch with the Pride and were definitely oblivious to her leap at the time. It really wasn't something that I picked up on in real time. Not sure if she didn't do it with every pitch or if I just don't have good eyes. When I saw on here that people said she was a leaper I was shocked and in denial. Then watched the video and was really bummed. Didn't even tell my DD at first. I suppose I attributed it to competing internationally and the different allowances. But now I have seen that this was something she did before . . . should consider a new avatar and practice what I preach.

[MENTION=9061]Classof2020[/MENTION] I would keep your avatar. This is a common tactic by [MENTION=7876]Rocketech1[/MENTION] where for whatever his motive tries to minimize the actions of Barnhill by comparing her with icons of the game. Do not fall for the smoke and mirrors. Comparing the illegal actions of Osterman with Barnhill is like comparing a jaywalker with a serial killer. From your post it sounds that with time your understanding of pitching mechanics has deepened. That said compare their mechanics side by side and come to your own conclusion. Which one happens to be illegal and which one is illegal by design? Which one attains a competitive advantage and which one does not? Like most true students of the game I expect you will come to the conclusion that Osterman who worked in the mid-60's and was a spinner just happened to be illegal from time to time and never attained a competitive advantage. Conversely I expect you will find that Barnhill who will hit 72mph and is a power pitcher is illegal by design and realizes a huge competitive advantage.

Of course [MENTION=7876]Rocketech1[/MENTION] will chime in that illegal is illegal which is true. But as you and most others know, this is not about IP's. It is about integrity. And when it comes to integrity, ones intent and deliberate actions are everything.

 

[riseball]

Your not suppose to notice the hypocrisy that permeates throughout this thread. Be silent while they are reigning down judgement on student athletes.

They are not little kids. They are adults and fully accountable. As student-athletes they are held to an even higher standard to not cheat. By and large they have greater character and demonstrate integrity well beyond some who post here.

 

[DmystifieD]

People with strong moral principles don't TROLL on message boards calling peers of their daughter CHEATS and NOT A TRUE ATHLETE. They shut the f'n mouth. I suggest you check what the definition of integrity is. Yo have turned this board into heybucket. great work.

 

[Rocketech1]

[MENTION=9061]Classof2020[/MENTION] Of course [MENTION=7876]Rocketech1[/MENTION] will chime in that illegal is illegal which is true. But as you and most others know, this is not about IP's. It is about integrity. And when it comes to integrity, ones intent and deliberate actions are everything.

Your argument that Barnhill is the only elite pitcher who knowingly cheats is a fallacy...they ALL know exactly how they pitch, and because the ruling bodies cannot or will not enforce these capricious and arbitrary rules they will continue to pitch illegally. This is bigger than Barnhill and has been going on for more than a decade and permeates all levels of the game. She is just a by-product of this broken system....

 

[riseball]

Your argument that Barnhill is the only elite pitcher who knowingly cheats is a fallacy...they ALL know exactly how they pitch, and because the ruling bodies cannot or will not enforce these capricious and arbitrary rules they will continue to pitch illegally. This is bigger than Barnhill and has been going on for more than a decade and permeates all levels of the game. She is just a by-product of this broken system....

I never said that Barnhill was the only elite pitcher who knowingly cheats. Once again you are offering nothing but distractions. Barnhill is arguably the worst of the worst, and the topic of the thread. If you wish feel free to start anther thread listing the others.