There is a reason why Shelby North Carolina got the American Legion World Series to come to it's town. If there is such a thing as a hotbed for Legion baseball Cleveland County North Carolina is it. It is to Legion baseball what Tobacco Road is to college basketball. It is the center of the Legion Universe and spreads out from there.
Tuesday night Brooklawn New Jersey won their third World Series title beating Petaluma California 10-0 in seven innings. Brooklawn has twice finished second and has made it to the World Series 15 times in their history. The championship was won in front of 6,000 fans there to watch the game, it was standing room only for two teams as far as North Carolina is concerned should be from the moon. How in the world did the city of Shelby and the American Legion get so many to attend? Two local companies bought up all the tickets that were not sold and gave away to fans to attend the game.
When it comes to marketing Shelby hit a home run. Just think of the concession sales from 6,000 thirsty and hungry attendees. Yes the two companies not only did something for their commumity but think of the good will they now have in their home town. I think this was the 4th year that Shelby has been the host of the World Series and I think the average attendance for all 15 games played during the tournament was 3,000 or more. Shelby loves that Legion ball.
On that same thought you know that athletics in high schools cost a few dollars to fund all the sports that high schools provide their students. I have often wondered when a baseball game only has 200 people or basketball is played on a Tuesday night with only 400 in the house or about 1/3 full wouldn't it be better to charge students just $1 to get in and have a stands full of students who you know at the half are going out in the mezzanine and buy popcorn.
In order to make money you either have to have a winning product that everyone wants to follow or you have to make it cheap enough to want to go anyway. I can assure you I don't go to movies any more because of the high cost to get in and even then the higher cost to enjoy the stay.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
The Survival Of Football
The NFL has been for the past few years fining players for hits to the head. Somewhere in the array of rules that has occurred over the years football lost sight of a rule that was in place when I played high school football. If you lead with the helmet on a tackle it is called spearing and you were tossed out of the game.
Today's helmets as suppose to be safer and with a safer helmet has come the comfort zone that I can't get hurt because this helmet will keep me safe. That also applies to runners who lower their heads when they are about to be tackled.Sure seems to me that a helmet offers no protection if it can't stop someone hitting you in the helmet from hurting you. Where is the so called protection?
So far this NFL preseason the target area where players are hitting others has lowered as those doing the hitting and are trying to stay away from the head and in doing so several knee injuries related to helmet hits has happen. Sounds to me like the NFL needs to make the helmet less safe or even go back to the days of no helmets in order to reduce injuries. Would you rather have a broke nose or at age 50 not be able to add 2 plus 2.
I sure would love to see the injured list of all professionals sports from say up to 1970 and compare it today during the era of steroids. If human growth hormones are suppose to make you into a superman why is it then that players get as many injuries today as before all of these incredible hulks were created?
I like what I saw Tuesday night on WRAL on the project going on that is being sponsored in part by the NFL that they are teaching midget league players the proper way to tackle. That means as those players work their way up to become NFL players in 20 years there may be a generation of players that know how to play the game the right way. Seems they could cut the time down by teaching those already in the NFL how to tackle the right way.
Today's helmets as suppose to be safer and with a safer helmet has come the comfort zone that I can't get hurt because this helmet will keep me safe. That also applies to runners who lower their heads when they are about to be tackled.Sure seems to me that a helmet offers no protection if it can't stop someone hitting you in the helmet from hurting you. Where is the so called protection?
So far this NFL preseason the target area where players are hitting others has lowered as those doing the hitting and are trying to stay away from the head and in doing so several knee injuries related to helmet hits has happen. Sounds to me like the NFL needs to make the helmet less safe or even go back to the days of no helmets in order to reduce injuries. Would you rather have a broke nose or at age 50 not be able to add 2 plus 2.
I sure would love to see the injured list of all professionals sports from say up to 1970 and compare it today during the era of steroids. If human growth hormones are suppose to make you into a superman why is it then that players get as many injuries today as before all of these incredible hulks were created?
I like what I saw Tuesday night on WRAL on the project going on that is being sponsored in part by the NFL that they are teaching midget league players the proper way to tackle. That means as those players work their way up to become NFL players in 20 years there may be a generation of players that know how to play the game the right way. Seems they could cut the time down by teaching those already in the NFL how to tackle the right way.
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