This is Me, Mad

You know I am back home safe from camp. Fresh and clean now, plus full of good memories! But what has happened since...good question. Actually I can't remember. The problem lies in the small amount of sleep. After camp I was exhausted, but I had to go to a church meeting all afternoon on Sunday and work on Monday and so on, so I never caught up on my sleep. Basically, I worked a lot this week. And it was quiet a testing week. Cheerleading theme...need I say more? Lots of girls, who are actually harder to deal with than boys. Saturday I went contra dancing with Deanna (her 1st time). So that was lots of fun and at least got me up and moving.

But baseball comes into this. My brother, Mitchell, is on the Davidson County All-star team and they had a tournament this week. It was a double elimination tourney, and tonight we came into the finals with one loss. We were playing Anson County, who hadn't lost at all. Now, we beat them the first game, but because of the double elimination we had to play (and beat) them again to win the whole thing. We did that. We won, 8-7. But we lost, on a forced forfeit. Complicated?....exactly. Let me just say that, Anson County All-stars and umpires, if you realized that our pitcher (my brother) is over his "pitching limit" for the day you should notify us. ESPECIALLY UMPIRES.

Quick synopsis: at the beginning of the last (6th) inning, Anson County (AC) noticed that our pitcher (my brother) was on his 6 1/2 inning (1/2 inning over what he is allowed to pitch). AC notified the umps who did nothing. After we won, trophies where given out in a ceremony to both teams. About 15 minutes later AC's coaches questioned the pitching and ended up winning.


Open Letter to Anson County "All-stars,"

Let me begin by thanking you, Anson County "All-stars." You were all we could ever dream of for a final championship game. Your kids didn't sing stupid songs the entire game, they didn't even pout too much when they had an error. Anson County "All-stars," your fans weren't even obnoxious! It seemed almost like a dream.

Almost.

But let me continue thanking you...

Thank you for making my little brother cry because his excellent pitching not only helped lead his team to victory, but also lost the championship for the entire team. Way to make someone feel bad. Thank you for dashing the hopes of the kids that beat you twice (in one day) and played baseball for five or six hours. And I loved it when you insisted that the umpires were wrong! Also, thank you for making mean comments at my mother and I.

Oh, I almost forgot to thank you for one other thing. I would especially like thank you for being hypocrites. I kinda-sorta covered this one already...when I walked by your team to get to the car after the game (seeing as you were blocking the only way out), thank you for saying that our children "only wanted to win the big trophies." Anson County "All-stars," did you not want to win the "big trophies?" Because you could have saved us about five hours and a whole lot of tears.

Thank you, Anson County "All-stars," for taking away our trophies (you didn't want those "big trophies," did you?). And I mean this in the most literal sense. Sure, you knew that my brother was over on his allotted pitched innings (by a 1/3 an inning, might I add), but did you bring this to our attention? No, "All-stars," you did not. Did you even say anything right after the game ended? No, "All-stars," you did not. But did you wait 'till the ceremony was over, the pictures where taken, and the kids where packed? Yes!

Sure, you didn't need those big trophies. You just simply wanted to make sure we didn't have them. You didn't want to confuse us Davidson County-ers. Ha, to think we actually won. I'm sure that is why you insisted that the trophies actually be taken back from our kids during the meeting between the pushover umpires and all the coaches. Oh, the feeling of someone taking the trophies out of your hand. Sure, they brought us the 2nd place trophies you guys (earned) had. But seeing as we are a baseball team (therefore, we play to win games, not trophies), we did not accept them. We know that we beat you (twice).

I won't delve too deep into the fact that your coaches acted as the umpires a few times. I'm quite sure that my brother stepped onto the plate while batting...even though he got all the way on base and the runner on base made it home as well as into the dug out before the umpire called my brother, Mitchell, out and sent the runner back. I'm sure the umpire just has very slow reaction time. And by umpire, realized that I am referring to you, Anson County "All-star" coach. It's hard to have good reaction time when you are in the dugout. Must be really hard to see, but I am sure you have eagle-eyes and you must be correct. That is most certainly why you told the real umpire what happened so he could change his call. You are lucky your young charm worked. I know that in professional baseball (and any normal game, for that matter) the umpire must make a call quickly, and not change it, but Anson County "All-stars," rules do not apply to any games you are in. Sure, that run counted and my brother was on base, but you changed it to the "correct" call. Thank you, the umpires must have just been horrible tonight.

Don't worry Anson County "All-stars," you get to be in the 1st place bracket of the State Tournament. What does that hold for you? Your first game is against the only team that beat us (fairly, I might add). I hope you lose, Anson County "All-stars." While you are losing in the 1st place bracket, we will be playing all the 2nd place teams.

Anyone can win the State Tourney. And new umpires this time! Imagine that. They might be a little harder to push over then the area umpires.

Can't wait to see you leaving at States,

Emoney

PS- We didn't lick those 1st place trophies, and they certainly didn't go down any shirts or pants before they were given to the "rightful" whiners.