BB: WIAC: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[BigPoppa]

By the way, the reason Cummings wasn't in the second game was because he was at the hospital getting his THIGH stitched up. Not due to a coaching decision, so your unbias on looker was off a little bit.
As for the rules, you cannot break up a double play. You must take a strait line into the bag, not travel over the bag, or do anything to impede or intentionally distract the defensive player. Both the runner and the batter should be called out. It is the plate umpires responsibility to make the call on the person sliding.

You are correct. The field umpire is expected to follow the ball as it is being thrown to first base. Most people blame the ump closest to the play and it is NEVER his call on the interference.

[biggio34]

From the picture you can see that the ball is still in the glove, thus no throw to first... if neither of the umps called anything, then I'd have to imagine they both fall into the toolshed category.

[BigPoppa]

Based on hand position, I'd say the second baseman was taking the out at second and not attempting to throw to first. if there is no attempt to throw, there cannot be interference, hence, no automatic double play. I am not saying it isn't a malicious slide, just that the defender does not appear to be in a throwing position.

[Dagger]

As for the rules, you cannot break up a double play. You must take a strait line into the bag, not travel over the bag, or do anything to impede or intentionally distract the defensive player. Both the runner and the batter should be called out. It is the plate umpires responsibility to make the call on the person sliding.

thanks for the rules update, just in case I didn't play the middle infield for four years....You're also not expected to not make contact with a player when he's standing on second base, and if you look at your picture there's no way he's going to make an athletic attempt to turn anything there.  It's as simple as this: if you stand on the bag in that scenario, you're going to get taken out by the runner!  rules or no rules, that's how the game is played.  And I have a very hard time believing that both umps would have missed such a vicious slide that sent a player to the hospital.  the students I spoke with from superior said he went in hard and all of that, I'm not and never have argued that point.  but your picture is also the end of that slide after spurney has hit cummings, and in that situation the legs are going to fly up.  I mean get serious right now, go try to slide in that position right now!  it's not possible to slide with cleats that high, not both of them anyway, as your picture portrays.  

It's not worth arguing on here about what happened, it's done and over with and I wasn't even there to see it so take all my credibility away if you so please, but there's much bigger and better things to be talking about right now!  Superior players and fans will always believe it was point's fault...and point will always see it the other way.  having not been there to witness it, I can only go off of what I hear and the facts of the game, and the fact that sam did not get called for an illegal slide only solidifies my obvious view that it was a very hard...LEGAL...slide and it's up to cummings to get out of the way!  This is the WIAC people not junior high school, guys are going to come in hard and make contact it's the nature of the sport...throwing a tantrum after that happens is completely unnecessary and embarrassing.  that's my peace on this topic, I've said more than I needed to on it so far.  

...I digress...

the conference has turned into what many of us had mentioned earlier this spring, a very very tight and interesting finish with no clear front runner.  although I did think UWO would have separated themselves from the rest by now, I also thought the rest would be a crap shoot.  As BP mentioned it makes for some really intense and great late season games.  I would agree that zielke will for sure see some substantial innings today.  Barry will most likely throw, and then who knows...

It seems that the WIAC always comes down to the last weekend to decide the top 1-3, but this has got to be right up there with one of the most exciting and best finishes the league has seen in years!  It's great to have lax and platteville and stout all competing at the same time, instead of only one of them each year as it has been in the past.  Love it, wish I was still playing this year!!!

[BigPoppa]

As for the rules, you cannot break up a double play. You must take a strait line into the bag, not travel over the bag, or do anything to impede or intentionally distract the defensive player. Both the runner and the batter should be called out. It is the plate umpires responsibility to make the call on the person sliding.

thanks for the rules update, just in case I didn't play the middle infield for four years....

I am sensing your sarcasm... thanks for bringing the discussion back to a fourth-grade level

[cubs]

I REALLY wish Point had the capability to do live stats like Oshkosh and Stout!!!!  It would be really nice to be able to follow the action today!!!

[BigPoppa]

I REALLY wish Point had the capability to do live stats like Oshkosh and Stout!!!!  It would be really nice to be able to follow the action today!!!

I know the feeling. I have no personal interest in the games other than as a fan, but would love to be able to keeep up. If anyone has updates, please post them.

[Dagger]

yeah, I would think the wiac would be interested in maintaining availability of the stats to everyone.  maybe the conference could invest a couple dollars to catch up all the universities.  Edgewood had amazing live stats during the point game...it had all the guys pictures up and everything, pretty impressive stuff and really really nice for the out of town fans! 

[biggio34]

Dagger, sarcasm noted. Having no connection to either program is a card I hold in this little game of poker. NO WHERE would I not agree with you that the game should be played the right way which means break up the double play, run the catcher if he's in the way etc...it's the way it should be played! Having seen it, I will tell you the intent was NOT in breaking up 2. The flying jump kick has an entirely different meaning. Your loyalty to the program is good to see, but you can's disagree with the fact that Point is involved with this too often. As is all the WIAC and until Karner acts firmly, it will continue. Bloom is a great coach and needs to act on his own to remedy this problem internally, so this doesn't happen again.

[cubs]

Suspended Game
Whitewater 7
Platteville 5

FINAL

[Dagger]

I agree that it happens too much and it puts an unpleasant blemish on the WIAC as a conference, but this is only points second one, they just happened back to back!  UWO and WW have had just as many, so it's a conference wide problem.  I guess I will have to concede defeat on this one and accept the fact that he went in with something other than breaking up the double play on his mind.  I still think cummings should have gotten out of the way though

To be honest I think that the whole league brawl thing is fueled by the coaches in an indirect way.  Most of the coaches in the WIAC DO NOT like each other.  And that's too bad, because as you look to other conferences its not like it is here.  My brother coaches in another conference and all their teams coaches get along real well and provide information to each other come postseason on opponents they may have faced and always chat before and after games.  I don't think that would ever happen in the WIAC, too many egos to try and help out your own league.  Now with that said I think most of the coaches in the WIAC are awesome guys, and seperately I would love to play for each one of them, but for some reason they just don't get along with each other!  That hate is picked up on by the players, and in some instances isn't hard to pick up on, and it gets transferred to the field.  The trash talking that is allowed by all coaches is just embarrassing to be honest and that goes for the whole league (some teams are better than others).  I was never much of a talker period, but if you're gonna be loud and obnoxious, which I think you need guys to be like that sometimes, be respectful to the other team and the game itself.  It's like some of the guys that don't play need the attention from outside the dugout and that's how they get it.  People talking about how funny it was after the game doesn't help, and until coaches really lay down some rules it will never change.  You can have heated rivalries, but let's have them be heated for the right reasons!  No need to trash talk and degrade anyone, get fired up because you're both good teams fighting for the top spot. 

For the record book I hope Cummings heals quickly and has no other problems from the incident.

Cant wait for the results of todays action!

[cubs]

Point 3
UWO 0

Top 6th

Both coaches decide to bring back guys on short rest, as Williams and Kannenberg get the starting nods.

Point scores two runs in the 5th to gain a little breathing room.

[UWP SID]

I REALLY wish Point had the capability to do live stats like Oshkosh and Stout!!!!  It would be really nice to be able to follow the action today!!!

The issue isn't with the stats program, but with having wireless access out at the baseball fields. Not too many of our pressboxes have that right now, although we're getting there. UWP will have live stats this weekend, thanks to a Sprint wireless card. Hmm, I wonder if I mention Sprint on here, I can get a reduced rate.

[cubs]

I REALLY wish Point had the capability to do live stats like Oshkosh and Stout!!!!  It would be really nice to be able to follow the action today!!!

The issue isn't with the stats program, but with having wireless access out at the baseball fields. Not too many of our pressboxes have that right now, although we're getting there. UWP will have live stats this weekend, thanks to a Sprint wireless card. Hmm, I wonder if I mention Sprint on here, if I can get a reduced rate.

That's awesome!!!!  At least we'll be able to keep tabs on the Point-Platteville games which are sure to have Conference Tournament implications.  Too bad the Stout/LAX and UWO/SUP games weren't at Oshkosh and Menominee this weekend.   Those of us unable to attend would be able to catch all the games otherwise.

[UWBadgers]

Cubs, where are you getting your UWO/Point updates?