Last Chance NIT

Resmondo Softball wins the last Conference NIT of 2007. The sod boys end up the conference season going 48-3. Resmondo will now set sail for the Conference Championship and the grand daddy of them all the USSSA Worlds. Resmondo has a chance to set the modern day season record if they run the table in their next two tournaments. Warren Motors out of Jacksonville, Fla. in 1976 went 94-2. Long Haul/TPS lost six games in 2001 and went 18-0 in the grand slam in 2001. Rich’s Superior went 81-6 in 1993. Steele’s Silver Bullets went 72-6 in 1990. Dan Smith went 76-6 in 2004. I know this the critics can argue about who was or is the best team of all times, and that is fine. I can tell you I have seen them all, Warren Motors, Howard’s, Steele’s, Rich’s, Dan Smith, Long Haul and other great teams over the years in bigtime softball. This is my opinion and I believe that Resmondo Softball’s 2007 team is the best to ever play the game. I know this no team in the history has ever had four shortstops, three centerfielders, the best pitcher and arguably two of the games greatest hitters ever. Combine all that and you have the greatest team in history bar none. I also believe that Long Haul/TPS’s 2001 team was the second best team of all times. I believe the 93 Rich’s Superior team to be the third best team of all time. I believe the 90 Steele’s Silver Bullets team to be the fourth best team of all time, and finally the Dan Smith team of 2004 the fifth best team of all time. Remember this is only MY OPINION. I will not accept any bashing about MY OPINION. You may express your opinions about your teams.

Resmondo did not have to play the first game of the finals because it was raining hard and both teams agreed to end the tournament and catch their flights home. Resmondo will now have a month to rest, get players healthy and ready to play the last two tournaments. Bell Corp. will also have a month off and that will give them a chance to get healthy also. The A teams will now set their thoughts on the upcoming Class A Worlds Aug. 17-19 at Disney’s Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Fla. Congratulations to Resmondo on an unbelievable season and good luck in the Worlds.

Bell Corp/Backman/Belcher finished in second place in this one and I’m sure are looking at starting a new season against Resmondo in the two championships coming up. I think playing on the two biggest fields these two teams will play on will be very interesting; 330′, 390, 400′ makes for a whole lot of defensive plays and only the real HR hitters will hit homeruns consistantly, I guarantee you. I’m looking forward to an interesting World Series, we shall see. Congratulations to Bell on a good season and good luck in the Worlds.

Third place went to Jean Shoppe/Worth who has proven to be one of the very best Class A teams in the world. I believe this is the team to beat in the USSSA A Worlds. Congratulations on a great season and good luck the rest of the way.

Fourth place goes to Aubrey’s/Worth who has struggled most of the season, but might be getting it all together for the upcoming Worlds, we will see. Congratulations on your season and good luck in the Worlds.

I would like to commend Don Dedonatis Sr. on a great second conference season. I know the numbers were up in conference play in 2007 and that has been good for the game. I also know it is time for a change. I would hope you would take a very good look at the game and make some big changes for the best interest of the game. The sponsors and players are the game not the associations, because without the sponsors and the players there is no game. I have said I believe that every sponsor who spends his hard earned money in softball should have a chance to win. That is not the case now or ever in bigtime softball. I know it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out how to get the game competitive and more even. There are about 25 players making good money left in the game. These 25 guys work their ass off to make this money. I say put three elite players on each participating team, make the right elite players list so the rich don’t get richer and you will have about 20 very competitive softball teams and the game will even out. I say keep the conference going, cut down on the number of events, 8 NIT’s, the Dudley and the Smoky makes for ten tournaments, the Conference Championship and the USSSA Worlds. The Class A Worlds should keep going. This is my opinion and I can tell you also that a lot of the sponsors and players have the same opinions. Remember this is just MY OPINION.

Next tournament Aug. 17-19 the Class A Worlds at Disney.

I want to write a little about the USSSA Class A Worlds coming up at Disney’s Wide World of Sports in Orlando. I believe this will be the most competitive Class A Worlds in a long, long time. I believe there are about eight teams who have a good chance to win this great Class A Worlds. These eight teams have battled each other the whole season and they also have beat each other all year long. I know when I write about getting the game down to three elite players and the right player’s list the game will gain another eight teams to join the eight that are already here and make softball more competitive than it’s ever been in its history. That my friends is how bigtime softball should be. I can’t wait to see this year’s Class A Worlds. I know it’s going to be a terrific Class A Worlds playing at Disney’s Wide World of Sports, the classiest place in all of softball. I guarantee you it doesn’t get any better than this. Good luck to all the teams.

P.S. Travis Resmondo told me none of his players will play in the NSA AA Worlds.