LLWS 2011 - Nothing like watching 12 year olds sob on national TV

[Hammer]

Eh, what the hell. Let's see where this goes.

3rd day of competition. Double elimination, but each team is guaranteed 3 games. After 2 losses, you are no longer in the running for the world championship.

Chinese Taipei vs. Aruba on ESPN right now. Elimination game. It's the bottom of the 1st and it's already 4-0 Taipei. This one is going to be an ***-beating. Aruba already lost to Japan 12-1.

Official results

 

[Hammer]

Re: LLWS 2011 - Nothing like watching 12 year olds sob on national TV

It's 20-0 in the 4th. This is rough to watch. I'm glad I took the time to take a shower in the middle of this.

 

[French Rage]

Re: LLWS 2011 - Nothing like watching 12 year olds sob on national TV

It's 20-0 in the 4th. This is rough to watch. I'm glad I took the time to take a shower in the middle of this.

Aruba's left-fielder still seems to be having a good time.

 

[Hammer]

Re: LLWS 2011 - Nothing like watching 12 year olds sob on national TV

Yeah, they spent quite a bit of time on him. Might as well.

Aruba's gotten smoked both games. It's nobody's fault, but I shudder when I think about how bad the bracket was that they had to come through.

Thank God for the 10-run rule.

 

[Hammer]

Re: LLWS 2011 - Nothing like watching 12 year olds sob on national TV

The last two games tomorrow might be really good ones. CA vs KY, followed by Japan-Mexico. California's been bombing people, in both their regional and the 1st round this week.

 

[Spartanforlife4]

Re: LLWS 2011 - Nothing like watching 12 year olds sob on national TV

A little background info on the MEA (Middle East, Africa) region, don't know if it was covered during the Saudi-Canada game or not.

I like to look through all the regional results before the tournament begins, just a fun little thing to do to see how a team got to Williamsport. My favorite is Europe because there's a lot of teams, and there's some wild scores from the difference in talent. Another interesting one is the MEA, because while Saudi Arabia dominates because it's basically a ninth American team, it's cool to see other places that play. There's generally South Africa, Kuwait and a couple wild cards every year.

Last year, a newcomer came in and nearly knocked the Saudis off of their pedestal. This was Uganda Little League. They got screwed over when they were misinformed by the league officials, not just a misunderstanding by the coaches, but of the actual heads of the little league that were running the tournament in Poland, of the run differential ratio tiebreaker. The result of this misunderstanding was that they were actually penalized for fighting back into a game and not getting mercied. There was a three way tie for first, and the first tiebreak was the ratio, which Saudi Arabia won. Then I believe the second tiebreak was head to head, and they had lost to South Africa, so they got pushed into the third place game. Had they gotten mercied, they would have had a better ratio and gone to the title game.

This year I went to the MEA regional results at Little League.com, but they were blank. I thought that was odd, so I was able to get a link to the results from the tournament from another site. Uganda had won the tournament, but I saw that Saudi Arabia was in the LLWS. So I typed in Uganda Little League in google and an ESPN article came up. Turns out the players were not given visas to the United States because of discrepancies in age on documents and then interviews of the parents. It sucks, but that's federal law, and who knows, maybe Uganda has some illegal players on the team too. What I'm upset about is the fact that Little League just covers it up like nothing happened. ESPN had the story on their website, but I don't know if they have said it on their broadcasts yet on why Saudi Arabia is at the tournament despite not winning their regional, or if they're just going to be mute about it now.

 

[Old Pio]

Re: LLWS 2011 - Nothing like watching 12 year olds sob on national TV

You know, I look forward to the LLWS every year. No: cars, agents, "family advisors," hookers, drugs (recreational or performance enhancing), tatoos, under the table money, falsified test scores or grades or abortions. None of that muck. Just some kids having a great time playing the American game (extremely well, by the way). Yeah, the talking heads ladle on the schmaltz too thick for my taste, but that's a small price to pay.

These kids have mastered all the little quirks and tics of major league players, which just adds to my enjoyment. And sportsmanship. Oh my, the sportsmanship. For every Danny Almonte there are at least a hundred stories that inspire or amuse. This event is a throwback to a more innocent time, when the ends didn't justify the means. A time before every college team became a "program." While there's no going back in the world of big time sports these days, it's nice to have one little event where the older values prevail.

 

[RaceBoarder]

Re: LLWS 2011 - Nothing like watching 12 year olds sob on national TV

You know, I look forward to the LLWS every year. No: cars, agents, "family advisors," hookers, drugs (recreational or performance enhancing), tatoos, under the table money, falsified test scores or grades or abortions. None of that muck. Just some kids having a great time playing the American game (extremely well, by the way). Yeah, the talking heads ladle on the schmaltz too thick for my taste, but that's a small price to pay.

These kids have mastered all the little quirks and tics of major league players, which just adds to my enjoyment. And sportsmanship. Oh my, the sportsmanship. For every Danny Almonte there are at least a hundred stories that inspire or amuse. This event is a throwback to a more innocent time, when the ends didn't justify the means. A time before every college team became a "program." While there's no going back in the world of big time sports these days, it's nice to have one little event where the older values prevail.

Little League and Sportsmanship?

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! I hate to break it to ya, but these LL players and coaches are nowhere near as innocent as ESPN or LL project them to be... Spend some time umpiring youth baseball, and you will realize how "unclean" these teams really are...

 

[Old Pio]

Re: LLWS 2011 - Nothing like watching 12 year olds sob on national TV

Little League and Sportsmanship?

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! I hate to break it to ya, but these LL players and coaches are nowhere near as innocent as ESPN or LL project them to be... Spend some time umpiring youth baseball, and you will realize how "unclean" these teams really are...

I suppose it depends on your definition of unclean. In my post, I listed several well documented problems with big time college sports. None of these problems exists in LL baseball. And, frankly, I'm not comfortable with you smearing tens of thousands of kids based on your experience. I don't dispute the notion that there may be some real jerks coaching LL. Even so, you are painting with an extremely broad brush. Secondly, pulling stunts with line ups, substitutions, close calls, etc. is not quite the same as say, the murder that occurred at Baylor. If things are so terrible in kid baseball and you've become this cynical, perhaps you ought to consider some other activity. If things are as bad as you suggest, why continue?

 

[Slap Shot]

Re: LLWS 2011 - Nothing like watching 12 year olds sob on national TV

I think I am one of the least cynical people I know, but I feel as though even the LLWS has been bastardized. Of course most of that is due to ESPN, but I have hard time watching these games whereas they used to be, "can't miss" for me.

 

[Old Pio]

Re: LLWS 2011 - Nothing like watching 12 year olds sob on national TV

I think I am one of the least cynical people I know, but I feel as though even the LLWS has been bastardized. Of course most of that is due to ESPN, but I have hard time watching these games whereas they used to be, "can't miss" for me.

What do you mean by "bastardized?" Please be specific. If you're referring to ESPN's relentless hype, sure. But you can always mute those guys. But by comparison with, say, Miami, the LLWS is as pure as the driven snow. For a long time I ignored LL. It was during the period they legislated the Tiwanese kids out. "If we can't beat 'em, get 'em the h*ll out of here." But they long ago gave that up. Not saints by any means, but closer than almost anyone else.

 

[Slap Shot]

Re: LLWS 2011 - Nothing like watching 12 year olds sob on national TV

What do you mean by "bastardized?" Please be specific. If you're referring to ESPN's relentless hype, sure. But you can always mute those guys. But by comparison with, say, Miami, the LLWS is as pure as the driven snow. For a long time I ignored LL. It was during the period they legislated the Tiwanese kids out. "If we can't beat 'em, get 'em the h*ll out of here." But they long ago gave that up. Not saints by any means, but closer than almost anyone else.

Perhaps, "bastardized" was a bit over the top, but when I turn on ESPN and there's half-hour pre-game with a desk, "NOMAH!!!" and others dissecting the game it just gets hard to want to stay tuned in. Yes of course it's nowhere near what's happened to major Div I FB, BB and some of the pro sports, but it just feels less and less "amateurish" as I remember it to be. Maybe I need to give it another chance.

 

[Old Pio]

Re: LLWS 2011 - Nothing like watching 12 year olds sob on national TV

Perhaps, "bastardized" was a bit over the top, but when I turn on ESPN and there's half-hour pre-game with a desk, "NOMAH!!!" and others dissecting the game it just gets hard to want to stay tuned in. Yes of course it's nowhere near what's happened to major Div I FB, BB and some of the pro sports, but it just feels less and less "amateurish" as I remember it to be. Maybe I need to give it another chance.

I think you're right. But the blame belongs with the talking heads, who insist on reporting this event as though it was the College World Series and LL, which doubtless encourages them, not with the kids. I mean, age has a lot to do with it, of course. But isn't it nice to watch an event where the announcers don't have to speculate on sexual abuse charges, or drug charges, or "extra" benefits and all the rest? Just some kids playing games that are very important to them but not in the broader scheme of things.

Almost all of the problems in youth sports can be attributed to parents. Remember the youth hockey coach who got beaten to death by a father a few years ago? Beaten to death. As a result of something that happened in a youth hockey game? That's insane. That one got made into an episode of "Law and Order.' We've all seen the You Tube videos of brawls involving moms and dads at youth football games. Disgusting. Repulsive. How proud a boy must be of his mom, watching her out there knocking the snot out of another parent. Kids leagues all around the country have put rules and pledges in effect designed to keep troublesome parents in line or 86 them out of the games. Put the blame where it belongs, on the adults.

There's no question LL is very image and brand conscious. And there's no doubt they do everything they can to perpetuate that image. And the coverage (announcers and the extraordinary camera shots) seem to diminish the "amateur" nature of the event. Still, to me, there's something kind of sweet and innocent about the LLWS. I wouldn't want a steady diet of that. But once a year, just before football season starts, seems right to me. Maybe I should change my name to Old Pollyana.

 

[Spartanforlife4]

Re: LLWS 2011 - Nothing like watching 12 year olds sob on national TV

Anybody favor one bracket over another? I usually only find myself watching the US games if it's close or when it gets to the semis, but I'll watch an international game start to finish even if it's a blowout.

 

[Slap Shot]

Re: LLWS 2011 - Nothing like watching 12 year olds sob on national TV

I think you're right. But the blame belongs with the talking heads, who insist on reporting this event as though it was the College World Series and LL, which doubtless encourages them, not with the kids. I mean, age has a lot to do with it, of course. But isn't it nice to watch an event where the announcers don't have to speculate on sexual abuse charges, or drug charges, or "extra" benefits and all the rest? Just some kids playing games that are very important to them but not in the broader scheme of things.

Almost all of the problems in youth sports can be attributed to parents. Remember the youth hockey coach who got beaten to death by a father a few years ago? Beaten to death. As a result of something that happened in a youth hockey game? That's insane. That one got made into an episode of "Law and Order.' We've all seen the You Tube videos of brawls involving moms and dads at youth football games. Disgusting. Repulsive. How proud a boy must be of his mom, watching her out there knocking the snot out of another parent. Kids leagues all around the country have put rules and pledges in effect designed to keep troublesome parents in line or 86 them out of the games. Put the blame where it belongs, on the adults.

There's no question LL is very image and brand conscious. And there's no doubt they do everything they can to perpetuate that image. And the coverage (announcers and the extraordinary camera shots) seem to diminish the "amateur" nature of the event. Still, to me, there's something kind of sweet and innocent about the LLWS. I wouldn't want a steady diet of that. But once a year, just before football season starts, seems right to me. Maybe I should change my name to Old Pollyana.

You make some strong points and perhaps I need to work past the coverage and just watch and appreciate the kids.

 

[Hammer]

Re: LLWS 2011 - Nothing like watching 12 year olds sob on national TV

And the California kids are at it again. 8-0, bottom 4. They can't possibly pound everyone all tournament...................can they?

 

[PrezdeJohnson09]

And the California kids are at it again. 8-0, bottom 4. They can't possibly pound everyone all tournament...................can they?

Huntington beach is looking like a juggernaut right now. I don't think any of the us squads can match them but Japan and Mexico would make for a great matchup with them.

I'm looking forward to tonight's showdown between Japan and Mexico.

 

[Hammer]

Re: LLWS 2011 - Nothing like watching 12 year olds sob on national TV

That's the other game I was talking about yesterday. I wonder what's going to happen if/when this California team runs into some of the international pitching from Japan, Mexico, or Taipei.

 

[Old Pio]

Re: LLWS 2011 - Nothing like watching 12 year olds sob on national TV

That's the other game I was talking about yesterday. I wonder what's going to happen if/when this California team runs into some of the international pitching from Japan, Mexico, or Taipei.

The Japanese kids always seem so disciplined and fundamentally sound. I'm also a little biased because of the time I spent there.

 

[Hammer]

Re: LLWS 2011 - Nothing like watching 12 year olds sob on national TV

Okay, this Mexican kid just threw the first three pitches 75-78-78. What are the California kids going to do with that? That's the $64,000 question of this tournament. What are they going to do when they face a kid that throws fire from 46 feet?