Many leagues across the state have their own message board or Facebook page. Some are private. I am the state slow commissioner and get invited to many leagues sites or pages. And at the state's, I frequently have players come up and sit with me and offer suggestions on how to make the state program better. I laugh and say, I'd love to do that, we have enough trouble with our own league, lol. And probably 95 percent of the time, the guys will say yea I know, I read your board, you Norristown guys are crazy.
I have a national softball history page and know so many people and players across the country as well. Many read our board and get a kick out of me when I get mad .... Why, cuz I never get mad. It takes a lot. But some people on here really say things that make me nuts.
Every time this happens, I always say the guys here in Norristown are good people. They treat our league commissioner Heels like their own father and are always so nice to me .... In person. But some of you write stuff on here that really hurts. Not only me, but Heels. He says it doesn't bother him. But that man is like a father to me. I played for him for many years and have been extremely close friends for close to 40 years.
He has run this league since 1981 officially. That's when former commissioner Charlie Granese was appointed the first district commissioner for the newly formed District-14 (Montgomery County). This is Heels 40th year as league president. He does the best he can and gives more time and loses more sleep agonizing on what the best decisions to make for the betterment of this league. I am his deputy commissioner and when the sad day comes when Heels will retire, I will be the new Commissioner and same with the league. I have helped him over the years, much so more over the last 5 year or so to make his job easier. Classification of teams and players (and those that do go to states know I work with you and do everything in my power to help your teams play at the level they can compete). The managers know that and anybody else I have helped with their classifications.
Yes, this league is not perfect ... Or I wouldn't be writing this novel. The Managers are great. They always have great suggestions and are discussed. We have good people like Smitty, Will, Catania, Oshinsky, Carter, Judge, and others who engage in really good "arguments or discussions". And are voted on. If some guys like Phil Kelly and others that love this league want to come to the meeting, I think that is great. Ken Shemonski, Nick Bucha, Wayne Stem and others are there and always have great insight.
I guess what I am trying to say is that when all is said and done ... We are in this together. We all try and to have people come on here anonymously and post sarcastic stuff is disheartning.
Let's fix it next year, that one makes me crazy. I know I said that years ago when we already set the rules. And it keeps coming back to me. I know it didn't go over well. But damn, I don't need to be reminded every time these discussions come up. I'm sorry I ever said that.
Can we all move forward starting today in the same direction. Let's make Heels 40th year running this league a good, peaceful and friendly year. Maybe we can set rules and actually follow them until the last championship game is played. As Heels says, seems like shit always happens. This is the Norristown Mens Slow Pitch League ....not the Forest Gump Slow Pitch League.
We have the Southeast Area ASA meeting coming up in Feb. and then the ASA State meeting first weekend of March. Whatever rules the state makes usually doesn't affect us here. At least not negatively as we make sure of that. So having a league meeting after those may be wasting time. It may be best to have something earlier as our league comes first. We do have league bylaws. As a start, I can post them and everybody can download and read them. They are in extensive detail only because you guys are the masters of loopholes and we tried to cover everything. Maybe they are too extensive, maybe we need simple rules. I don't know. Just when I start to figure you all out, you throw me curveball and I can only just shake my head.
I don't know. Please get back to me and let me and Heels know what you managers and other dignitaries want to do to finally make this a peaceful year. If you ate sincere, sign your name. If you still want to be sarcastic, at least be respectful or funny. It's really hard to do this when you have 3 guys really write good stuff and then three others write dumb shit. Can we be serious for just once. Myself included as nobody clowns around like I do.
I am throwing out the olive branch here and seriously asking for honest opinions and sincerity from all/any of you.
Thanks for taking the time to read this thing. Steve Dimitry
Message Thread
« Back to index