I Believe the Riversharks Fell 2 Runs Short of Claiming The Top Spot in Rankings

[fastball]

 I  Believe the Riversharks  Fell 2 Runs Short of Claiming The
Top Spot in Rankings



    The Orillia Riversharks, not in existence last year, easily
the most exciting team in the sport this year, apparently  lost
a nail biter to County Materials today, and saw their legitimate
claim as the best team in the world headed into the World Tourney,
go away with that loss. I only say this from my readings on Al’s
list, and discussions with many, but please understand what I
say in this article is not based on any statement I am making
as a member of the Rivershark’s management, so let’s get on with
it.

     By a 4-2 score in the semi at Boys of Summer, County Materials
managed a 2-1 record against the upstart Sharks this year, their
second consecutive, and put to rest the fear that they would
fall below the top spot in the final rankings which will be turned
in tomorrow by the ranking committee.

     But wait……this is only July, there’s Still Orillia’s tourney,
there is STILL the Walsh, there is STILL a third of the season
remaining. Yet rankings are in for the year? Come On!!   They
do not vote the Heisman that way. 

      To be honest with you, I don’t think the committee Ranking
members are hanging out at the Downtown Athletic Club, either….

     So big deal, Pete, where have you been hanging out as well,
who are you to pop off about what is what,……… haven’t seen you
at a single event yet this year, are you going to Orillia? Answer:
No. The ISC world tourney is the first event I will attend this
year. But for those of you who thought I would sit back and mind
my absence with some degree of peace and quiet, I have to let
a bit of enthusiasm leak out, with some comments as well. I like
the Shark’s progress thus far.  

     From the vantage point of a Fastpitch fan getting no closer
to the game than Florida this year, and not even attending the
AAU, I give you this report: I believe, as a person sitting in
Florida The Sharks have a shot to win it all. So I am proud to
think the Sharks will be going into the ISC land of the Kitchener
Canucks and all that is wonderful about this game, easily ranked
as a title contender 

     Let’s look at the Sharks, they have been nobody’s Patsy’s,
they sport two battery brothers but they are not twins, and they
have not been plowed under by any team from Madison.

    What I am saying, is they hold a slim disadvantage to County
Concrete boys, and I tip my hat to John Becker, we beat you once,
shut you out and then lost the final at Monkton and the semi
to you at Boys. 

     The Sharks also beat the Farm in the only meeting this year.
However, in softball like in cold Ocean water, Sharks don’t brag,
talk trash, or pound their chests. They eat, hunt, tear flesh
and hunt more, cold blooded, period.

     The Sharks have not played the Twins, other than league,
and we got beat there. However, never  have we met in a tourney
this year.   It is amazing how that has worked out yet, it begs
the question.….. why is it  the Twins & Sharks have not been
paired on the  battlefield  all year for a tourney confrontation?
I was telling  Brian Ballie I had hoped for a Hallman-Orillia
final.  

    Then there is Patsy’s. This is a very very good team, but
we have beaten them twice and only lost once. (Bet they are saying
the same things about us we are saying about County)

     We lost one to Circle Tap, and from what I gather it was
an excellent defensive effort by the Tap….We also lost one  to
one of the 6-10 ranked teams during the season, but that goes
to show the field is competitive.

     In spite of the excellent season that has been played by
the Sharks, the entire School of Sharks has yet to appear on
the radar  for any one game. Either Stacey McLean, Rhys Casley,
Ian Fehrman, Bam Bam Kahler, or various combinations have been
absent from each and every component of the year. Remember that
I have not been there too, but we are talking people who can
make the difference between winning and losing, not Florida based
administrative staffers, who don’t put themselves in harm’s way.


     By the way I talk about harm’s way and I cannot help but
think of the greatest warrior the Farm ever had, Paul Algar and
his facial injury. I pray for the absolute best recovery for
you, Alfie, any other pitcher would have walked away after injury
such as your injury. I remember all the times, when your team
was down, you seized the ball, injured or other wise in the past
and made the difference in the fighting ability and winning outcome
for the Farm. Now without you there, Paul, things cannot be quite
the same.

So let’s be candid about the rankings going into the now reinvented
double elimination format. Years ago, Uncle Milt would base your
seed at the tournament on the way the team you had last year
with the same name finished in the World Tourney. Wow, things
have changed. If you remember, he also would pit 3 against 1
and 2 vs 4. Don’t ask me why, but this time double knock out
has a great place in center stage. County Concrete, errr Materials
is our clear number one, in my mind, the Sharks are just as clearly
number two, that much we know. Where Farm, Twins, Patsy’s, Midland,
So Cal, Tap, end up will be determined by the Ranking Committee,
although I can tell you Dak Millers did a great job of promoting
their position from their showing at Boys of Summer. I am not
sure I agree with Zakk Flash and call Boys the little ISC, I
think it is a fab tourney, but I reserve that title for……….you
guessed it, Orillia. After all, Orillia is the successor to Perth,
and that tourney traditionally ended in the past the day before
the ISC bids came out and the very same day Neil Fennell always
completed his K-9 Demonstration of the OPP. Neil awarded plaques,
and a leather jacket in the dead of summer to the Perth MVP.
I used to get such a hoot out of that concept, leather to a summer
victor.

     Everyone enjoy Orillia. I have been saddled with Biz obligations,
but want to make some observations as a fan who has not been
to a tourney and see how much is consistent with those who have
been there say…to compare what I say with their slant on what
is what. Aspen has had a great schedule, but not a lot of success.
Watch out for my friends in Vancouver, they are good, very good.
I hope they do not suffer the curse that my Victoria team endured,
play well in Western Canada, see wheels come off in ISC. Speaking
of the Farm and Victoria, it is great to see Harvey Stevenson
Jr. a very good Victoria based player, and yet a tremendous 
leader again playing championship ball, this time with the Farm.
Also it is great to read about Darrell Joy playing full time
for a second consecutive season, last year with Saskatoon, this
year with Madison. Two years ago, he played on my Calgary team
and I criticized his lack of participation due to work commitments,
yet I understood, and called him “Rusty.” Well Darrell was in
my face with an email right after that, but more importantly,
he put his time where his ball talent is, and has played full
time ever since,  and even has come back from serious injury.
I admire that, Darrel, you are a stud! . (even if it is for the
Farm).  

    Before I go, a couple of things……can ANYONE GET DERRICK ZECHMAN
OUT? Dunno here, but he looks great. Is Bongo Baird the MVP for
the Sharks? We will tell you at the ISC. What is it like not
attending all year during the regular season? Two words, it’s
unbearable. Can Monkton get any better? I don’t think so, but
I only have half the IQ of Brian Ballie, and none of us have
half of his imagination and innovative talent. So I wont count
him out, but that IS NOT TO SAY Monkton lacks anywhere anyhow.

    OK. Watch for the World tourney seedings. That period of
time between the ranking committee’s report to the ISC and the
time they reveal the results seems to me like the time when the
space shuttle reenters earth’s atmosphere and the black out period
takes place……Earth to ISC, do you copy? (squaawwwwwk).

Reply to PeterJPorcelli at aol.com 

 






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