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TOPIC: erie times news |
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| wow wtf!!!
July 6, 2009
4:56:25 PM
Entry #: 3207217
| Did anyone else waste 5 minutes of their lives reading that stupid article on Big Ball? Jesus Christ, I have never been so insulted in my life. Especially the quote that "it takes talent to catch a ball without a glove" ARE YOU KIDDING ME???????? AND PEOPLE GET UPSET WHEN ITS CALLED KICKBALL??????
It disgusts me that people are too lazy to attempt modified OR fastpitch. Hey just throw a f'n watermelon sized ball and i hit it 2 feet and THATS SO FRIGGIN AWESOME!!!!!
I would love to see bigball's best(hahahaha) against our C all-stars..... No reason to waste a night with the big dogs, sick the little guys on em and they will still lose........MARK IT DOWN
P.S. I noticed Doug Robinson is looking for someone to take over bigball commish. I would love to do it and run that league into the ground
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| benson
July 6, 2009
6:12:55 PM
Entry #: 3207299
| i wouldn't go calling out the big ball's best vs our C all stars just yet. especially since some of modified's best also play big ball. you might not like the game, neither do i, but i wouldn't go making challenges like that unless you think you can back them up.
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| Groove~
July 7, 2009
10:49:17 AM
Entry #: 3207866
| Its already been proven Dewey & a team of modified studs went in and showed On Deck how easy it was to go in their back yard and win the big ball tournament! Not once but twice, enough said!
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July 7, 2009
3:15:31 PM
Entry #: 3208197
| yea but dewey and his boys arent a "C" team
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| Dewey
July 8, 2009
12:01:49 AM
Entry #: 3208739
| What up boys, first Groove....got to set you straight. D&B won that tourney four times in our five years in it.
Benson is right about the number of good modified players that also participate in big ball. There are players from every team in our A division that also play big ball.
But back to the topic at hand. I still have mixed feelings about big ball. The game is just so different. Big ball averages are far lower than modified averages. You just dont see guys hitting .500 in big ball over the course of the season. The scores are way lower as a result.
And there are a lot of players who are good at it that are very good at regular softball. But it's unfair to slam the game for that reason because it's just a differnt type of game. There are also very good modified players who have trouble in big ball.
I played a lot of each and fastpitch is still the best game of softball played. However, the atmosphere got worse and worse and teams vanished. I really enjoy modified over big ball but I am telling you the atmosphere is changing so much over the last few years.
That article was correct, this sport is growing while modified is dying. 7 years ago, Erie had four modified leagues and now have only two. In that same time, Big ball went from 7 teams to 14 (and by the way, the Sunday slow pitch league now has 48 in five divsions).
But its all about atmosphere down there. Go check out a Friday night. Sound system, PA announcer, league awards, etc. Go check out the website (www.eriebigball.com). Alot of people want to be a part of that. And Im telling you the tournament they put on in Aug is by far the best atmosphere of any tournament anywhere near here.
Another interesting thing that should be noted is that they really care about their game more then fastpitch and modfied teams do. They have 14 teams they play in 1 division. They dont divide it up like we do. The worst team in that league will glady try and take down the best team. We bicker at meetings because teams dont want to play the good teams cause they "feel that dont have a chance". When they host tournaments.....all teams are welcome. They dont exclude the good ones. They are having three tournaments this summer........all 14 league teams will play IN EVERY TOURNAMENT. Meanwhile our league is figuring out ways to hold tourneys where some teams cant come. All of this results in one thing.....they grow the game of big ball.
There are some knuckleheads that play big ball, there is fighting, ejections, suspenions way more than any other league. And I would take a modfied game over a big ball game any day, but its unfair to knock them when they are growing the game while we tread backwards.
If Doug Robinson (the big ball commish) decides to stay in charge of that league, it will grow to more than 20 teams and soon take over the world.
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| onlooker
July 8, 2009
10:49:22 AM
Entry #: 3208991
| I think dewey has said it all.......Good jod Dewey.
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| CUSEMAN
July 9, 2009
9:19:46 AM
Entry #: 3210009
| I used to knock on Big Ball and some of their legends like T-Lew and the RICK. It is not as easy as it looks. I suck at it but it is a totally different game and should not be compared to modified.
As bad as it may sound Big Ball is taking over the city in big part to the job Doug Robinson is doing for the league. Who wouldnt want to play in front of a packed crowd or have tailgating going on all weekend for a tourney. But the biggest reason the league is growing is becasue of the players. They care more about their league than modify players do. They get up for every game no matter who they are playing. Its ok to be proud of your league and get pumped up to play ball. As for the modify guys it almost seems the fire is lost and its a chore to come out and play.
Guys should not worry about what is going on at the Hess's field but should be finding ways how to make Haborcreek better and revive modified in the city of erie.
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| mohney
July 9, 2009
5:20:07 PM
Entry #: 3210637
| I understand where veryone is coming from here, the only wuestion is, how do we make our league as fun?
its far too late to plan anything for this year, but next year is exactly where we should start trying to improve our league. One thing suggested was a league day on a saturday. I think we should do that the first weekend before season starts. maybe have everyone play two games so people wont just pack up and go after their respective game.
Suggestion #2: ALL-STAR GAME.
Now that millcreek is gone, we have no way to play other leagues in an all star games. So maybe every team pick 2 guys and even out the teams. Perhaps have 2 teams from each league be on one team and the rest on another. Glenwood and bigball both do this. Maybe name the teams after certain people or sponsors( i.e. team Folmar) make it something big.
Suggestion #3: newspaper articles.
I know this would be very hard to pull off, but managers would just have to step it up and do their part. It takes 5 minutes to report scores and stats, but majority of people cant spare that i guess. I try to go around and get peoples scores and stats, and sometimes i am ansered with "we got our asses beat" or "i can't remember who did what" so i said fuck it, whats the point. I would be very willing to help out on this subject as long as managers are willing to write down their stats for me without grief.
Suggestion#4 ONE LEAGUE
I know that there are some teams who strike fear in other teams, but although i play for a "c" team, i would like to go out there and give it a shot. Ass beatings will happen, but then u might have yourself an upset of two. Teams would just have to agree on the pitching style before game, simple solution. This is probably the most far-fetched possibility, but in order to make our league better, we need to stick our balls out there and see what happens. Teams shouldnt fear others, this isnt football. Its softball for christs sake!!
There is planty of room to improve, and there are planty of people who would be willing to put forth effort to make it better. If being relegated to playing co-ed slo-pitch, either people will step up and make an effort, or they will face the fact that they have to warm-up with their wives or girlfriends before a game. Thats enough for me to give it 100%
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| Dewey
July 10, 2009
12:30:20 AM
Entry #: 3210964
| Some very good ideas there.
Promoting the league (via newspaper) is always a positive idea in any sport.
The one league idea is outstanding but your right, i get the impression that teams are so afriad to lose. That's why people plan tournaments that exclude teams. Big Ball teams will play anybody. There is an 0-16 team in that league that gets up every game, even when they play the first place team. There have been upsets that shake up the standings, close calls, etc.
17 Teams
everyone plays each other one time
Top six records go into A division and play each other one more time
Next six records go into B division and play each other one more time
Bottom five records go into C division and play each other one more time
So thats 22 league games (21 for C division).
Now playoffs
A Division (1 seed bye, 2 seed bye, 3 vs 6, 4 vs 5) then semi finals and finals
Same in B division
C Division (five team double elimination style playoffs) if this goes smooth...could be a model for other divisions in the future.
Results: Teams that claim they cant hang with the big dawgs only have to play them once. There would be more interaction between our leagues.
I also like the opening day "league day" where all teams play multiple games on a day so everyone can hang out.
Have rainouts take place on the first weekend of Aug....similar style to "league day". It would give the same atmosphere and keep the season from going too late since teams would be knocking out multiple games on one day.
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| J Irwin
July 10, 2009
11:02:24 AM
Entry #: 3211254
| Great idea Dewey and I would like to see this implemented for next season. I think this was also one of Benes's proposal too. One other variable that Big Ball is more successfull is the league fee they pay which I believe is picked up by their sponsor anyway. Makes life a lot easier not having to pay the bill with no or just a few wins. Just an opinion, but like the schedule proposal for next season! Good luck to all teams playing this weekend!
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| CED
August 21, 2009
11:57:14 PM
Entry #: 3253007
| How can you say that bigball is wack??? it hadgone from 6 teams to 14 teams what does that tell you.. erie big ball has much more to offer then modified... the have added the big ball hall of fame and many more if you modified players thin your big and bad step on the big ball dimond and see who stings some fingers!!!!
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| grammar police
August 22, 2009
12:36:21 AM
Entry #: 3253019
| whoa there bud, u are ruining your feeble point there. So you say that bigball is awesome and modified is dying? Well lets look at the facts....
1.Bigball is staged in erie, easier access for people to get to.
2.Bigball is a sport anyone can play. Impossible to argue this. Modified softball has hands down better athletes.
3.Expenses. Not sure on this one, but I know they don't fork out 980 a year to play. Plus upkeep on equipment costs.
4.Modified is not dying. In fact, I have heard there is more then a few new teams on the horizon.
This argument can go on forever. BigBall has a distinct advantage that its basically in downtown erie. It might sound stupid, but I personally know people who dont play in Harborcreek just because the drive is too far for them to get to 615 games.
So with that in mind, you can have your taped up wooden bats and your mangled fingers and your "awesome" crowds. I will settle for a more skilled and exciting game that we called modified.
PS. if everyone thinks that these bigballers are great, how about you get an exclusive bigball team and come out to a tourney? I would be happy to let someone borrow my glove....
out
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| C.E.D
August 30, 2009
4:12:10 PM
Entry #: 3260272
| yo grammer police.. you realy wont to have a game agiasnt us big ballers???? you probbly couldnt even feild it you would probbly stub yout finger and start crying like a little girl.. i thrink that the best modified players should play agiasnt the best big ball players in a 3 game seris 1st game big ball 2nd game modifed and the thrid game slow pitch i would like to see you guys play agisnt the best!!
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| Eddie Feigner
August 31, 2009
5:23:44 PM
Entry #: 3261512
| Don't forget Fast pitch!
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| grammar police
August 31, 2009
10:30:10 PM
Entry #: 3261803
| hey spell check, figure it out bud.
or in your language
yo speel ceeck, figga itot boyeeeeeee
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