I watched a few innings of the NE vs Texas game. Those kids actually looked like Little Leaguers...what has happened to the giants that I've seen in years past. I swear I saw a pitcher last year who was 6'2" and more than a few other big kids. Are they checking birth certificates, drug testing now? BTW anybody see that girl pitch a 2 hit shutout, I didn't but the way they talked about her she is real deal.
I'll throw this out for Corey... Should players in the Little League World Series be paid? Article on Yahoo Sports makes a case for it. http://sports.yahoo.com/news/mlb--is-it-time-to-pay-players-at-the-little-league-world-series--of-course--it-is-162419281.html
That's the most idiotic thing I've read this week. I'm sure something else will come along next week to trump it, but for now it's a short-sighted, illogical argument that makes his employer look stupid and should get him fired, but it won't.
This is the natural next step after unionization and payments to college players. If an event is televised and someone is making money off it, the participants in the event are being "exploited."
I think that's the point of the article gip, a lot of money is being made and it's not going into the kids pockets. I think the guy said he wasn't arguing for Joey from Pearland getting a game check. But how about scholarship awards for the players? Here in Houston we have the Rodeo, kids from all over Texas enter animals in the Fat Stock Show and the winners receive scholarship money for that prize chicken, pig, cow, etc. I think there is winner/runnerup and 3rd place money/scholarship for the kids. The kid with the winning Steer can make something like 100 Grand at the auction of his animal to boot. So why couldn't some of these mega dollars go to scholarships for the kids who make it to the LLWS. How about reimbursing the kids teams for the cost of coming to the WS, for their hotel bill, etc. I think that's where college football went wrong. We've been so focused on making so much money for the programs but all the rules make it hard to reward the kids in ways beyond room/board and tuition. They are starting to get it as I see more and more schools guaranteeing the 4 years of school. I see that IU is willing to go one more and tell them they can attend for free until they get their degree. If you remember Braxton Banks left ND early, didn't get drafted and couldn't afford to return to ND to get his degree. If he were at IU he now could come back and continue on scholarship and get his degree. As much criticsim as the Power5 concept has gotten that's really the only way these schools can get some benefits to the players. So many schools couldn't afford them because they don't have the income from TV and Conf Networks to pay for them.
Terry We have kids showing pigs, citrus trees, goats and steers at all 67 counties in Florida at the yearly county fairs. The livestock and trees (yes trees) are judged and then local businesses pay a astronomical rate to the grand-champion and 2nd and third place. Most are sons and daughters of prominent Ag businessmen that may influence how sales go the remainder of the year. I cannot equate this to pay for play in college football because it is who you are and who you are related to. Kinda sad in the end but after thirty years of watching the local politics of this the truth. As my son enters his Senior year in college at UF paid by yours truly I just laugh at the idea of pay for play. The idea of attending for free until they get a degree is entertaining though but either they pay their own way and get paid or get the benefit of a very costly higher education as they play is fine with me....
The only thing I can relate to out of this conversation is guaranteed-until- degreed scholarships. I believe Maryland just announced a similar program.
On the fairs portion of the topic... It's the ridiculousness of those over-inflated sales that led the Florida State Fair to create an achievement premium system that rewards effort put into the animal and participating in fair events instead of unrealistic auctions at the end. They try to reflect more of the real-world livestock industry than just who knows the right people or does the best PR. I spend a good bit of February in Tampa at the State Fair helping to administer many of those events. Kids at the top can still earn a lot, but it's in the form of scholarships. And overall, more kids get more money instead of a few getting a LOT. Some of the county fairs are following suit, but's very slow and not nearly enough. As Ralph implies, too many good 'ole boys entrenched in the local systems. Come to think of it, "too many good 'ole boys" is probably the root of most of the illogic going on in any sport.
Oh great, we see over and over again all the cheating that goes on in college football because of the big money involved and now we're going to start putting big money on little league games. What a giant can of worms. ****, there's a lot of money being made by the news networks covering the riots in Ferguson, MO. Let's pay the looters money....WTF
As ridiculous as it sounds, esteemed counsel has encapsulated and extended the flawed logic rampant in the above article.
LOL...pay the looters. You know it might save some money, they could act like they are looting without actually doing it and once the camera's are turned off they can hug it out and pick up their checks like they were Hollywood extra's! BTW in discussing this over dinner my sister said she thought they must already be getting paid because every kid there is sporting 200-300$ Oakley Sun Glasses. Also thanks for the lesson Wendy/Ralph. Being way on the outside, I hadn't considered that in the world of show chickens that who you know might make a difference. Naive me thought these kids had a straight up chance of winning. As far as the big money for the Grand Champions in the various categories, never thought that it might be nice to put at least some of that money back into the scholarship pot! But in the most recent show (2014) they gave out a lot of money to scholarships. I hope most if not all was to truly deserving kids, not the sons and daughters of connected people. SUPPORT AMOUNT Scholarships $12,418,000 Graduate Assistantships $525,400 Educational Program Grants $3,731,064 Junior Show Exhibitors $6,388,000 2014 TOTAL EDUCATIONAL COMMITMENT $23,062,464 http://www.rodeohouston.com/AboutUs/EducationalSupport.aspx
if the market can tolerate it, go for it. At the same time, comparing these two is beyond apples and oranges. BTW, Little League picks up the travel tab for the kids and their teams. They feed the kids, they house them. They cover it all. In fact, when my son's team made the state tournament for Dixie Boys this past summer, I was shocked to find out that the leagues are supposed to pay there way to the tournament. Little League starts picking up the travel/housing/food tab once you reach the state level. I know, from first hand experience, that American Legion does the same thing. You were responsible for travel expenses at the District and Area level, but if you made the state tournament, the state organization provided transportation for you. Basically, they give you vans to take the teams. Our legion hall felt we were better than vans, so we took the cash payout and used charter buses. After winning the state tournament and moving onto the national tournament, not only were all of those elements provided but there was additional give away items from the corporate sponsors of the tournament. They paid for air fare, car rentals, hotels, meals and per diem for players and coaches. Since I'm bouncing back and forth between feedings and naps, I'll check out the article to see what it claims. I do know many Dixie leagues here in Alabama are considering going over to Little League because of the well funded, and centralized support system provided by the national organization.
okay, Harlow cooperated so I was able to finish it. While I do not agree at all that college football and Little League baseball are 'the same' even at the highest levels, I actually agree with his entire argument for paying them.
Hooray for Jackie Robinson West! They did it. They were 10 run ruled in 4 innings just a few days ago by a dominating Nevada team, who had their best pitchers available. They came back against the same team vs. a 6'2" kid throwing the MLB equivalent of 98-100 mph fastballs. JRW just scratched and clawed their way to a 7-5 win and the American championship. A perfect example of why in the game of baseball, you never give up. On any given day..............
The LLWS is always fun to watch. Not so much for the baseball but for the kids. The raw emotion and the way they handle it is priceless. 8)