Politics in College Ball

[Rick M]

Did you feel you had a good year? Did you meet your individual goals? Did you enjoy your time on the field? Did you do as well as you would like with your grades? Etc, etc.

This is the conversation every parent should be having with their player, whether they’re in middle school, high school, or college. DD’s HS team has had a pretty good season, but they’re all complaining for one reason or another.

That said, DD got a text from her coach after her last game thanking her for being a dedicated player all season and she was elated by such a simple act of recognition. So it does matter.


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[FP26]

My diplomas are at my parent's house..I am not a medical doctor.

Wow... Lot of feistiness in this thread. I thought I took a wrong turn and ended up in the hitting forum...

 

[_MIA_]

Wow... Lot of feistiness in this thread. I thought I took a wrong turn and ended up in the hitting forum...

Just follow me and my ivory tower arse around on here if you want feisty. I have a lot of friends...

 

[_MIA_]

This is the only award I have in my office. They stopped giving it out because it went to me every year and it wasn’t exactly positive recognition despite the award name trying to convey that…

 

[jdint]

This is the only award I have in my office. They stopped giving it out because it went to me every year and it wasn’t exactly positive recognition despite the award name trying to convey that…

View attachment 25551

Most challenging academically? Or are we talking personality here?

 

[_MIA_]

Most challenging academically? Or are we talking personality here?

It was code for "Professor we dislike the most because he is hard.."

 

[Nimrod]

I need to talk to the manager please! The All Conference Awards were announced this week for DD's Conference and it ignited a fire storm in the parent group chat. Needless to say we were surprised at some of the selections. It was very biased to the top teams as were the weekly hitter/pitcher awards. You would think if a kid is 2nd in HR's and 4th in RBI's, was batting .427, single digit K's, High Slugging and OBP when the voting took place she would be an automatic 1st team selection. Nope. 2nd Team. Team MVP too. One of the selections only had 72 AB's while the rest were over 100, .444, 0 HR's and only 2 Dbls, she shouldn't even qualify since she didn't play full time. A player on another team had an awesome year as well, and I truly thought 1st team all the way. Nope 2nd team. One of our pitchers went 8-2 and didn't even get Honorable Mention. One of our OF's had 5 Hr's, 27 RBI's and batted .331--3rd team. Meanwhile an OF with only 3 HR's, 16 Rbi's, .333 gets 1st team!!! These are legit stats not Max Prep HS stats. Do these people think we are stupid? Very disappointing and Pathetic. Do better ASC Conference!!!

With nothing better to do, I looked at the stats ... Love this stuff.

In the infield and at catcher, they got the best hitters at each position, so unless a great fielder was snubbed over an inferior one, those choices look very solid.

Interesting that they selected two third baseman – Cummings of ETBU and Gordon of Belhaven – for first team. Cummings out-hit Gordon this season, but Gordon got Player of the Year. Perhaps she’s the better fielder, but my guess is that she’s the best player on the best team, and that’s why she’s POY. But if Cummings is her equal defensively, then she had a better year than Gordon.

My choice for POY, however, would’ve ETBU’s shortstop, Maddox – assuming she’s a good defensive shortstop. She ranked ranked #2 in conference OPS+ (behind teammate Cummings) while stealing 19 bases and while playing perhaps the most important defensive position on the field. Also appears to have led the conference in runs scored.

In the outfield, some better hitters were snubbed – namely Abila of McMurry and Markley of UT-Dallas. They were the best-hitting outfielders in the league. One is second team; one is third. Both steal bases, so I assume they can run and play defense. I see that Markley batted #3 and played center field and got third team. She probably should've been first team. Abila was a leadoff hitter who played left field. Probably should've been first team.

Thibodeaux, who made it despite72 at-bats, must be a really good player that they gave the benefit of the doubt to because of injury keeping her out of some games. Did not deserve first-team based on production. She made it as utility, not outfield, so maybe she plays a bunch of positions.

The outfielders who did make first team weren't chopped liver, though. But McMurry or Markley should've been first team, if not both.

With the pitchers, all picks look fine to me. Williams (second team) had better stats than Grogran (first team), but they are teammates, so I’m guessing the coach advocated for Grogan. Perhaps she’s the one facing the better opponents, aka, the real ace.

How's that?

 

[schwabach]

Worth noting is that peer-review and approval of academic papers is life and death for professors who are generally expected to publish research papers and win research grant money. Sports awards don't determine a players playing time on their own team..

 

[radness]

Sports awards don't determine a players playing time on their own team..

✔

 

[FP26]

Just follow me and my ivory tower arse around on here if you want feisty. I have a lot of friends...

Sure seems that way. Personally, I always appreciated your honesty. Sometimes honesty is not welcome.

Recognition is a challenging topic to me. Obviously there are levels to it, but awards should be reserved for those that excel; academically, athletically, professionally, etc. There are those that believe being average deserves an award.