I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but once again I am amazed by the ineptitude of the league with regards to playoff scheduling and decisions.
Could someone please explain why the fields for the 25+ playoffs are getting changed 48 hours prior to game time? After last year's playoff debacle, I had figured that the league administration would give more consideration to the players in the league. Clearly, I was naive in believing that grown men could be capable of learning from past mistakes. In changing both the field location (causing a great driving inconvenience at ridiculously short notice for those who live near Schenectady Central Park) and the time (causing a day of baseball that was scheduled to end at roughly 3:00 to end closer to 3:30, plus what will now be two hours spent in the car), it has become painfully obvious that those people making decisions in this league have no concern for the players that make up the league.
I have played in many leagues over the course of my playing career, and I can say without any reservations that compared to all leagues in my past, this league's administration is by far the worst.
It is time for the league administration to recognize the following:
1. Schedules are schedules... That means that the time and place of the game on the schedule is in fact the actual time and place that the game is to be played... Crazy idea, I know, but barring bad weather that cancels a game, no team should be expected to change plans at the league's inexplicable scheduling whims.
2. If for some reason a game must be rescheduled (such as double-scheduling a field for a playoff game) both teams should be ASKED ABOUT, not TOLD OF the changes. If a change is of too great of an inconvenience to either team, the game needs to be rescheduled for a later date that is acceptable to both teams. If this screws up the league's planned playoff schedule (I write the words "planned schedule" as I laugh at the thought this league has ever really done a decent job at sticking to a planned schedule), too damn bad... You guys are the ones screwing up in the first place... Don't punish us with your ineptitude.
Many of you who have responded to my past posts with stupidity will be thrilled to learn that I will no longer be playing in this league after this season... Those of you who care about the quality of play in this league are sure to find themselves dissapointed as I and many other talented ballplayers in this league leave out of frustration. I am tired of being treated like a teenager who has nothing better to do with his weekend than play ball wherever and whenever some administrator says I should at a moment's notice. I do not have the time to be a great father, husband, son, and teacher and spend extra time playing (and paying to play) in a league that causes far more frustration than it is worth. I look forward to the playoffs as do all players in this league as a chance to make a run at a championship. Let's face it, it's the reason why good players play ball. Finding that our team will be weakended in the playoffs by league administration disgusts me.
Those of you that will disagree with me should feel free to prove your lack of concern for others and room-temperature IQs by responding negatively to this post. For those of you that support my efforts to make this league administration recognize it's own ineptitude, I thank you in advance.
...And before league administrators respond with the cry of "if you have a problem, then get involved with the decision making process," I thought that my efforts and suggestions last year (not to mention numerous phone calls to remedy last year's screw up in the cancelled Orioles/Yankees playoff game last year...) got me quite involved with the playoff process... a process that should be handled better by those who have volunteered to do the job in the first place. (And yes I'm digging up last year's crap up again... you guys need to be reminded how spectacularly you screwed that one up).
I wish the best of luck to the players of this league in the playoffs, and I hope that despite my team's shorthandedness this weekend, we will win through to next weekend's games (although I again laugh at the thought that those games will actually hold to the schedule).
See you on the field this weekend... unless the schedule changes before then.
Actually Keith will be missed. Keith is a GREAT ball player and an even better person. Unfortunately he has been around the league for 2 years and has become unhappy with the way the playoff situations have played out. It is an inconvenience to guys when things change on the fly. You make plans accordingly and then it changes... as a manager you lose guys for games because of it but you try to adjust....
We are all free to play in this league and we are all free to leave. We are all free to criticize and we are all free to make suggestions. Keith you sound like a smart guy. Become part of the solution. Quitting is habit just like complaining and criticizing. Winning is also a habit just like goal setting and building. I would challenge you to channel your efforts towards fixing and rebuilding whats broken. It will be a worth while habit that will pay you back in all areas of your life.
After last year's playoff debacle, I had figured that the league administration would give more consideration to the players in the league.... In changing both the field location (causing a great driving inconvenience at ridiculously short notice for those who live near Schenectady Central Park) and the time (causing a day of baseball that was scheduled to end at roughly 3:00 to end closer to 3:30, plus what will now be two hours spent in the car), it has become painfully obvious that those people making decisions in this league have no concern for the players that make up the league.
What about those players who don't live near Schenectady's Central Park? The time frame you outline alters the game time by 1/2 of 1 hour. How is that "ridiculously inconvenient?"
This "scheduling debacle" puts you out, but what about the people who live closer to Ichabod Crane? Are you really concerned about "the players that make up the league" or are you concerned about how it just affects you and/or a few of your teammates?
2. If for some reason a game must be rescheduled (such as double-scheduling a field for a playoff game) both teams should be ASKED ABOUT, not TOLD OF the changes..... If this screws up the league's planned playoff schedule (I write the words "planned schedule" as I laugh at the thought this league has ever really done a decent job at sticking to a planned schedule), too damn bad... You guys are the ones screwing up in the first place... Don't punish us with your ineptitude.
This sounds like a 13 year old saying, "you can't tell me what to do!" Are you sure you qualify for the age minimum in the league?
I have played in many leagues over the course of my playing career, and I can say without any reservations that compared to all leagues in my past, this league's administration is by far the worst.
You should've played in the Tri-City League or the CPNABA in 2004-2005.
Many of you who have responded to my past posts with stupidity will be thrilled to learn that I will no longer be playing in this league after this season....Those of you who care about the quality of play in this league are sure to find themselves dissapointed as I and many other talented ballplayers in this league leave out of frustration....Those of you that will disagree with me should feel free to prove your lack of concern for others and room-temperature IQs by responding negatively to this post.
Self-perpetuation and insults for those who disagree. Nice debate tactics. I can't believe you're paid to teach children. I hope you don't teach in the Maple Hill School District. I'll make sure my kids don't get you for a teacher. Use the expansive vocabulary all you want, you're a phony to anyone who knows better.
"I'm smarter than you because I can use clever phrases like 'room-temperature IQs' and words like 'ineptitude' 55 times in one post; and I'm a better ball player than you. Why? Because I said so."
I am tired of being treated like a teenager who has nothing better to do with his weekend than play ball wherever and whenever some administrator says I should at a moment's notice.
Then perhaps you should stop behaving like a teenager.
Look, we all have lives. I have a family with three kids of my own - it's why I stopped playing in the 28's. It truly sucks if this game is really going to screw up your weekend with the family - I know how that feels. I'm not sure why the game had to be moved or if it had to be moved at all, but the bottom line is it was. You're justified in voicing your displeasure; but this post smacks of self-indulgence as well as heavy-handed insults. Of course people are going to respond negatively to your post; it's an ego-driven tirade that serves only one person - you. Your "holier than thou" attitude isn't going to fly, no matter if you're in the classroom or on the ball field. Nobody likes a jack-ass who thinks he's a better jack-ass than the rest of us.
A person who apparently teaches children (you make reference to it) should know better as I assume you have a minimum of a Master's Degree in order to teach in New York State.
Mr. Landry, please keep in mind that league officials are VOLUNTEERS and maybe not professional administrators. They do their best at all levels. Be glad they take the time to organize your games for you. Otherwise, you'd have to do it yourself and take the heat they take from prima donnas like you.
Learn some manners. You may be a good ballplayer, but you sound like a spoiled 15 year old to me. Dung occurs.
Keith - over the 19 years I've been playing in this league, one of the common attitudes I've witnessed are the people who are openly hostile and critical of the administration of the league. We can debate all we want, but the bottom line is this - our league is run for and by the players... people travel great distances and give great amounts of time to not only play ball but to make this league the best they can... there is a big difference between constructive criticism and self indulgence... as someone who was on the board for 10 years, I've participated in my share of disagreements with the league - but it was always within the confines of a board meeting... What I have found is that the people who scream the loudest are usually the ones who are willing to do the least when it comes to administration. The previous response is right - it's your choice to become a part of the solution. Get on the board... get involved... get active...
First let me state that I have been given further information by Quentin about the reason for the field change and scheduling. In light of the events that led to the field change (of a very difficult and personal nature to members of this league), my issues with playing a game at a certain field are truly insignificant. To those players and families who are dealing with the situation I am referring to, I will be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers this weekend.
While the baseball issue is of little significance in the grand scheme of things, it is important to note that those people who are making arguments that it is o.k. to INFORM players in this league of sudden scheduling inconviences rather than ASKING about inconveniences clearly have little concern for members of the league. I am not sounding like a child... Rather, I am asking not to be treated like one.
I have enjoyed the opportunity to continue to play ball over the past two years in the league, but I emphasize as I have previously that more players with families will quit the game if they continue to be treated poorly, and the quality of play in this league will diminish until it no longer resembles baseball.
I thank Quentin for the time he spent on the phone this evening explaining the events that led to this weekend's situation. He truly was attempting to deal with an impossibly unforseen and tragic situation on short notice. Hopefully policies will be adopted (like those in my original post) such that no commissioner would need to make difficult decisions without guidelines from the league. Had I only been informed about these events, the original post would not have been caustic in any way out of respect for those enduring true hardship this weekend. I truly wanted to know why a schedule was again changed last minute and expressed frustration in what appeared to be a repeat performance of last year's playoff debacle.
Hopefully the league will improve after I have left and will create an influx of quality players that will make the league grow. I do hope that my posts have shed light on some of the mishandling of this league in the past and that policies that govern this league will only improve in years to come.
Again, my thoughts and prayers go out to those players and their families enduring this week's events.
This is my first post but I have to admit that the Guru absolutely said it best:
So much drivel over so little inconvenience. You won't be missed!
I am sorry Mario31, I have no idea who this person is but there is no room in this league for such a person with such venom and malice toward the league and concommitant (means related) refusal to be part of the solution. (I am a lawyer so .25 words are a dime a dozen where I come from). After reading the Klandry post I felt as if I was back on the Board of the Little League. I do not know what Q said to this person, but bridges have obviously been burned.
