Illegal pitch and TV commentators

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Apr 5, 2013
2,130
83
Back on the dirt...
This probably will come across as petty as there are so many other things that need way more effort, but, what if the group that sees the obvious illegal pitching going on in the ncaa starts blasting emails and tweets to Michelle Smith, Amanda Scarbourogh and the other NCAA SB game voices? Asking them why the NCAA is letting this happen and why they are not speaking out on it? We obviously have many here that have the ability to share the GIFs of the IP's.

Do any of you think a grass roots type of sharing and calling out these issues would make any difference?

It is so frustrating to see the leap and replant not called when we work so hard to get our players to pitch with the correct mechanics.

Its just a brainstorm thought but if you see it on TV and they are not calling it and the TV commentators are not talking about it, to tweet or facebook comment on their page and maybe someone will see it and realize they are wrong.


I go back to my previous comment that when the rules committees established this rule and the penalty for it, they deamed it important enough to have it and to have a high penalty for it. Its not up to the umps to say its too harsh a penalty so im not calling it.
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
Where it becomes a mess is when they decide to start calling it, like in year end tourney or conference tournament. Everyone gets all wound up.
 
Jun 27, 2011
5,089
0
North Carolina
I'd be curious to hear a color commentator's thoughts on it.

Here are my thoughts, drawing on a background in journalism. Scarborough and company are there primarily to cover an event, not an issue. I don't think they feel it's there place to initiate that debate when it's not being called and when no one is complaining about it. The debate has to come to them.

If the issue arises in the game, then that's different. Let's say Barnhill is called for an illegal pitch, or if you have a flurry of IP calls at the WCWS. Then you need to discuss, explain and comment on it. They should educate viewers and let them know that it's fairly common and rarely enforced. They might even opine that the NCAA needs to get tough, or that it's fine the way it is.

But short of that invitation, it's not a big story.
 
Feb 17, 2014
551
28
My guess is one person would just get ignored. If they were hit with 30 tweets, maybe it would be different?

I've tweeted @ascarborough, [MENTION=1057]Cheri[/MENTION]kempf, and @GatorsSB asking about it. Will likely be ignored.
 
May 17, 2012
2,804
113
It is so frustrating to see the leap and replant not called when we work so hard to get our players to pitch with the correct mechanics.

TV commentators are paid employees of their respective networks. They are not journalists or stewards of the game.

Again, as long as everyone is getting paid nothing will change. I argue that it can't be a rule if it's not enforced by any of the vested parties.

I would argue to go the other way and explore leaping and replanting IF it benefits your daughter or pitcher.
 
May 20, 2016
433
63
Agree with the poster above. Seems that college softball is gaining some popularity and for the commentators to call out cheating would likely not help that, or next years raise with increased advertisers.
 
Jun 27, 2011
5,089
0
North Carolina
Agree with the poster above. Seems that college softball is gaining some popularity and for the commentators to call out cheating would likely not help that, or next years raise with increased advertisers.

I don't think it's an issue of popularity or revenue or advertisers.

I think it's an issue of interest - not enough people care about it.

The NCAA is fine with it. Opposing coaches are fine with it. Umpires are fine with it.

There is no real controversy until one of those parties dissents. Until it really starts bothering somebody with skin in the game, it's not that big of a story. There's not much for commentators to say about it that would be all that interesting.
 
Jan 4, 2016
44
0
I did in fact ask Amanda her thoughts on the IP epidemic going on in college softball and why they weren't being called for it on her Facebook page in response to one of her posts about the Florida pitching staff a couple weeks ago. That day Gourley pitched so I couldn't point her out as imo she pitches legally. I'm just paraphrasing here but the response I got was that it is difficult in to see in real time and unless it's completely clear the umpires won't call it. Guess who pitched for the Gators the next day? I meant to go back and ask again how Barnhill is not "completely clearly" pitching illegal but got busy with the "other life" well what little of that I have anyway.
 

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