Merlin' Yankee's!!!!

**Merlin1958** · 04-14-2014 08:49 PM

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

**Ben Staad** · 04-15-2014 04:01 AM

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** · 04-15-2014 05:18 PM

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** · 04-15-2014 05:22 PM

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** · 04-15-2014 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by 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.

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** · 04-24-2014 09:09 PM

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!!!!

**CRinVA** · 04-25-2014 12:40 PM

Maybe you should stick to whoring! LOL

**Merlin1958** · 04-25-2014 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by CRinVA

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"!!!

Spoiler:

**Randall Flagg** · 04-28-2014 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by 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

Is the kids team name "Yankees"?

**Merlin1958** · 04-28-2014 04:42 PM

Of course

**Merlin1958** · 04-29-2014 09:46 PM

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

**Ben Staad** · 04-30-2014 08:56 AM

Way to go!

**T-Dogz_AK47** · 04-30-2014 09:56 AM

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

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

**Merlin1958** · 04-30-2014 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by T-Dogz_AK47

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

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

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** · 04-30-2014 10:08 PM

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

**Merlin1958** · 05-03-2014 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by T-Dogz_AK47

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

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

**Ben Staad** · 05-04-2014 05:51 AM

Coach em up, Merlin.

**Merlin1958** · 05-13-2014 10:11 PM

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** · 05-21-2014 07:37 PM

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** · 05-22-2014 04:29 AM

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

**Randall Flagg** · 05-24-2014 12:03 PM

This needs a merge.

**Merlin1958** · 05-24-2014 02:17 PM

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

**Merlin1958** · 06-04-2014 03:08 PM

Two more wins!!!

8-5!!!!

**Merlin1958** · 06-05-2014 09:31 PM

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** · 06-06-2014 05:15 AM

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

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