Merlin' Yankee's!!!!

[Merlin1958]

Okay, so I am retired, but I have been coaching a "PONY" little league, Colt division team for the past 12 seasons. The "Colt" division is for 15 - 18 year old kids and I at first thought, "OMG"!! However, I have been generally proven wrong as to my expectations and I have been happy to coach some very honorable, talented and classy kids.

Now, because I tend to show loyalty for my guys and try to build character more than wins, we have generally not done very well standings-wise, but this year I really feel that my team has a chance at a trophy that I do not have to provide (The League only rewards 1st, 2nd and 3rd). So, with this renewed confidence and faith in my boys I will go on record this season. 16 games are the season and we won the first in grand fashion, 10-5!!!

I'll keep you all updated, as a diary of sorts, on how well we do or, don't do this season. Our next game is Monday, April 21st. I will post the results as they are!!

Oh, and :YYY:

[Ben Staad]

Have fun and best of luck to the kids. I still have many awesome memories of my time playing little league. Go get em', coach.

[Merlin1958]

Thanks for the good thoughts. Let's see how they perform. I have high expectations!! Oh, and a "Pizza Party" at the end of the season!! LOL

[Still Servant]

Winning builds character. As does losing gracefully.

I think a lot of younger kids today aren't competitive enough. Maybe it's because they have nothing to play for since many of them have been given participation trophies since they were 4. When I was a kid and we lost, I was mad. So were the players on my team. We wanted what the other kids had. Even at a young age, this drove us to be better the next year.

[Merlin1958]

Winning builds character. As does losing gracefully.

I think a lot of younger kids today aren't competitive enough. Maybe it's because they have nothing to play for since many of them have been given participation trophies since they were 4. When I was a kid and we lost, I was mad. So were the players on my team. We wanted what the other kids had. Even at a young age, this drove us to be better the next year.

Oh, I hear ya, but I guess I do go with modern thoughts and conventions. One thing I will not tolerate is "Unsportsmanlike" conduct. To be honest, and to my surprise, this has not been an issue for the most part. I've had to deal with one or two kids, but in general they have been quite the gentlemen. While I do buy them "Trophies" regardless of their finish it is because I respect and like them each and every season. It may be counter-productive, but they are such good kids. Okay, I'm a sap!! LOL LOL

[Merlin1958]

So, after a promising start we drop a heartbreaker to the best team in the league, 1-0 and then, in a game we had well in hand, we drop a "wheels fell off" game to a team we should have creamed 11-8!!!! OMG, why do I subject myself to this misery???? LOL Next game is late Tuesday against a "Arch rival".


So now we are 1-2 instead of 2-1!!! I gotta find another hobby!!!! :cry:

[CRinVA]

Maybe you should stick to whoring! LOL

[Merlin1958]

Maybe you should stick to whoring! LOL

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Bob!!! LOL They seem to play to the competition, gotta get them the "Killer instinct"!!!








BTW, your rate just went up!!! LOL

[Randall Flagg]

Okay, so I am retired, but I have been coaching a "PONY" little league, Colt division team for the past 12 seasons. The "Colt" division is for 15 - 18 year old kids and I at first thought, "OMG"!! However, I have been generally proven wrong as to my expectations and I have been happy to coach some very honorable, talented and classy kids.

Now, because I tend to show loyalty for my guys and try to build character more than wins, we have generally not done very well standings-wise, but this year I really feel that my team has a chance at a trophy that I do not have to provide (The League only rewards 1st, 2nd and 3rd). So, with this renewed confidence and faith in my boys I will go on record this season. 16 games are the season and we won the first in grand fashion, 10-5!!!

I'll keep you all updated, as a diary of sorts, on how well we do or, don't do this season. Our next game is Monday, April 21st. I will post the results as they are!!

Oh, and :YYY:
Is the kids team name "Yankees"?

[Merlin1958]

Of course

[Merlin1958]

We beat the first place team tonight 12-5!!! We are now 2-2

[Ben Staad]

Way to go!

[T-Dogz_AK47]

Yankees eh? I was always fond of the Brooklyn Dodgers myself... :D

In fact, I think there should be a Brooklyn Dodgers emoticon to go with the Yankees one. How about it eh? :idea::thumbsup:

[Merlin1958]

Yankees eh? I was always fond of the Brooklyn Dodgers myself... :D

In fact, I think there should be a Brooklyn Dodgers emoticon to go with the Yankees one. How about it eh? :idea::thumbsup:

Well, I fully understand (and BTW you just "Dated" yourself!! LOL). My Dad was a Huge, Dodger fan before they moved to L.A. I even had the front page of the "Daily News" framed for him with the famous "Who's a Bum"? headline. However, sad and tragic as it may be "The Brooklyn Dodger's" are no more. Hence a "smilie" would be somewhat irrelevant and silly. It was all, Walt Whitman's fault, the bastard!!! I suppose a "Dodgers" smilie may be practical though.

When you go back and look at "back in the day" it's truly amazing how many times the Yanks, Giants (who also left town) and Dodgers (Brooklyn) played for the title.

[T-Dogz_AK47]

"Dem Bums" were great though. It's a shame they moved to LA... :D

[Merlin1958]

"Dem Bums" were great though. It's a shame they moved to LA... :D


My Mother in law had a crush on Pee Wee Reese!! LOL


Lost a heartbreaker 3-2 today. Guys played very well just couldn't get a break. A walk and two "Texas League" hits sunk us. We did turn three DP's and had a few very good defensive plays/catches.

2-3 record, we should be 4-1 :pullhair:

[Ben Staad]

Coach em up, Merlin.

[Merlin1958]

Well, we played the first place team (New winner) on, Monday and lost 3-4 with the winning run on base!! Tough one to swallow. They played their hearts out. Tonight, we beat up on a lower seeded team and won 19-7. So, now we are 4-5. Not exactly to my expectations, but they have heart. We shall see in the next couple of games.

[Merlin1958]

Been a bit delinquent, but we have won our last two games (tonight 21-13, Tuesday, 7-6), so we are now 6-5 and in Third Place!!! Maybe, just maybe I won't have to buy the trophies this year!! LOL

[Ben Staad]

A mini win streak. Woot! Hope your kids can keep up the good play.

[Randall Flagg]

This needs a merge.

[Merlin1958]

Season is over in two weeks then you can just archive it, no?

[Merlin1958]

Two more wins!!!



8-5!!!!

[Merlin1958]

Well, we lost another heartbreaker to the first place team, 3-2. Again we had the tieing and winning runs on base at the end and couldn't bring them in.



8-6



That dropped us to fifth place with two more games to go.

[Ben Staad]

Is there a playoff or round robin type tournament at the end of the season?

[Merlin1958]

No, two more games and that's it. There should be though.

[Ben Staad]

Too bad. Having a one and done (if you lose) for lower seeds and a bye for the higher seeds would make a cool end of the year event. I'm pretty sure that is what my area pony/independent league did when I was part of it.


No, two more games and that's it. There should be though.

[Merlin1958]

Too bad. Having a one and done (if you lose) for lower seeds and a bye for the higher seeds would make a cool end of the year event. I'm pretty sure that is what my area pony/independent league did when I was part of it.


No, two more games and that's it. There should be though.


Well, actually our "post season" is the Tournament Team (All-Stars) that goes to CA. each year. There should be a playoff though, all the younger kids get one.

[Merlin1958]

9-6


Another win this evening!!!

[Merlin1958]

Well, we finished in fourth place, out of ten teams so not a bad season. Had the "Pizza Party" and passed out the trophies (I bought, Sigh) and we wait for the "Fall Season" to begin. Many thanks, Jerome for tolerating the thread this long. You may feel free to archive it as you wish. Thanks for showing some interest, folks!!!!

[Ben Staad]

Congrats on a winning season. 4th place isn't bad and hopefully you have some players to grow the team around.

[Merlin1958]

Congrats on a winning season. 4th place isn't bad and hopefully you have some players to grow the team around.

Yes, except for one or two "age-outs" most will be back for Fall Ball.