Olympians all going to NPF

[Amy in AZ.]

Here is Cat in her own words. This game I love… | Cat Osterman

 

[abbygale]

Login | Facebook


Lauren Lappins thoughts. A very good read.

 

[Ken Krause]

Well, we all know who runs USA Softball. The same folks who require you to purchase THEIR insurance and participate in THEIR training program in order to play in THEIR tournaments.

I think the NPF has been hurt a lot in the past few years by having their marquee players out for a good portion of the season because of their National Team commitments. My original idea was to break the NPF into two seasons - a spring and a fall, with summer off - in part to avoid those conflicts. (Also because of the insane schedules many travel teams maintain, their players have little opportunity to go see an NPF game because they're always at a game, practice, conditioning session, private lesson or something else.)

This decision doesn't solve the second problem, but it definitely addresses the first. What's interesting to me is that it appears that unlike most professional or high-level athletes, these softball players are putting the sport and its future ahead of themselves.

We all know they're not doing it for the money -- most could probably make more delivering pizzas or unstopping toilets than they do in the NPF. If it was all about them and their egos, they'd be choosing the National Team. But instead, they've decided to try to make the NPF grow, and give more future players the opportunity to continue playing at a high level. That's a rare group of athletes.

Someday, if this all actually does work out and you can make a decent living playing softball professionally in the USA, I hope those future players remember the hard choice and personal sacrifice these ladies made. Based on history they probably won't -- they'll just take the money and complain there isn't more. But we can always hope.


Gee, is it Tuesday already?

 

[MTR]

Yeah Ken, we know who runs, AND FINANCES, USA Softball, the NGB, just as it should be.

The NPF is never, ever, going to be a solid entity until they face reality. They know what it is, but apparently are taking a Donald Trump view of "I'm doing it my way even if it does mean failure", just as he directed the USFL into oblivion.

The reality is that they play in areas where the game is not prevelant. They play a season during the same period their most captive fan base is on the field, themselves. OTOH, the areas where the game is prevelant do not have an off season.

If the NPF wants to succeed, they need to play when and where they can draw and satisfy their fan base because when it comes down to their fans needing to choose playing or watching, I'm pretty sure they will opt to play and that means they will not be able to see their heroes on a regular basis.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I went to one NPF game when Tucson had a team and it was just awful. My husband was beyond bored and my DD, who was an active softball player at the time, did not enjoy it.

There were better games being played at Kenzie Fowler's HS, for free.

I knew, that nothing had changed since professional softball was played in the mid 70s. I went to the games, somewhere in St. Louis, then.

 

[MsDinosaur]

Osterman and Megan Willis have signed contracts to play in Japan.

BTW, my DD went to a catching clinic put on by Megan Willis this winter and had a blast. We both thought she did a great job. If she gives any more clinics before she leaves, I recommend them!

 

[MTR]

The KFC world cup was a joke last year anyway. I fail to see how 4 teams, two of them from the same country, make it a world cup.

Maybe just like the NCAA calls their baseball and softball championships the CWS AND WCWS with just one country represented and the MLB World Series when the only time a team from outside the US is invited is if they win their league. It's all part of the standard American arrogance, and I agree with you. The "World Cup" part is the use of ISF rules and officials, much like The Japan Cup and Canada Cup. Personally, I woud be happy to see other countries involved and was disappointed when there was only two this past year.

The World Championship in Caracas was a much better display of softball then the farce called "world cup".

No kidding, it is supposed to be. And the fact that it was this year probably did not help ASA get teams for the WCOS. Then again, the World Championship was moved from Caracas because of a scheduling conflict with Latin American games that they only had two years notice to schedule. Very much an intentional move just the challenge the US's hosting.

Old Jim Easton screwed us all out of Softball in the Olympics. If you don't like it, stop buying his crap. This effectively killed Team USA. Look at the paltry funding and exposure the men's fastpitch team USA has. . . that's what Team USA is without the Olympics.

Well, he helped, but many of the votes that were promised were not delivered. This will happen as long as the votes are not public. Mendoza got a first-hand taste of this political BS. Like it or not, the US was not going to get the game back in the Olympics.

Truth be told, I don't see how the NPF could possibly do a worse job then the Team USA management.

Truth be told, you really have no idea what you are talking about.

-W

-M

 

[WinThemAll]

Billie Jean King: Different Time. Different Sport. Similar Story.

Billie Jean Kings take
Different Time, Different Sport, Similar Story

In 1970 nine tennis players signed a $1 contract with World Tennis Magazine publisher Gladys Heldman, which was the birth of women's professional tennis as we know it today. It also was a move that allowed players like Venus Williams, Caroline Wozniacki and Maria Sharapova to make a living today doing what they love... playing professional tennis.

Fast forward to earlier this month when I was talking to my good friend Jessica Mendoza about the current state of women's professional softball. It seems she and her colleagues are facing many of the same obstacles we faced 40 years ago.

Different time. Different sport. Similar story.