Chris Murphy
02-22-2008, 03:05 PM
So now that spring training has started, how are the various NGPP teams looking leading up to the convention in Asheville, NC (September 17-20, 2008)? I took a look around the Junior (AL) and Senior circuits (NL), and here is what I found:
-The Northeast has been able to train, even if it has consisted mainly of hauling pails of paste and primer inside every night and back out in the morning to keep them from freezing. Home to the Chapter of the Year, Connecticut, not to mention the World Champion, Boston, The NE again looks strong, but- can I say it?- old. Sure, you gotcher Mark Whites, yer Barry Blanchards, yer Anthony Russos, yer Chuck Scotts- but who they got comin' up? Even if they make it to Asheville, they may need walkers after a day or two.
-The Metro Region always has to be contended with, mainly because you can't discount their tactics: "When they win, you can't shut 'em up, when they lose, you can't find 'em," has been their MO. Coming in behind CT had to hurt the outsize egos of Westchester, so they'll certainly be motivated come the Fall. But what can Vinny La Russo show us he hasn't already? Will a smaller Phil Reinhard have a smaller impact? Surely Alan Rada will come through in the clutch, but I just don't see him getting the support he needs this year to contend for MOTY. Tim Hampshire might be able to bring home the bacon now that Reinhard won't be eating it.
-Lower Great Lakes? I use that questioning introduction because, frankly, that's all the LGL has right now, questions: Sure, Gary Lucas was Member of the Year (MOTY) two years ago, but what's he done for us lately? Jack Heinrich is either retired or hiding; who'll replace The Red Jacket, Dick Wilson? Puh-leeze!! Ellen Comeau and Steve Terranova provide good technique up the middle, but who's gonna give their pitch? Wilson? Puh-leeze!!
-The Midwest was dethroned when Chicago- fresh from a White Sox run - was finally overtaken by the hated Yankees from Westchester. Steve Kaye is doing his best, but the days when the rest of the Guild feared the appearance of Carl Bergman, or especially of Glen Olsen getting up at the microphone are long past. Nate Bergman is fully capable of anything getting anything hit to right, but outside of the Curtis Twins- who had a fabulous '07 campaign- who they got? Tim Bodine won Member of the Year this past go 'round, but the big money has never been behind the fella, and a repeat is not expected. Lynnie Winter can always be counted on, though, and Pam Pettrone has shown an outsize ability to git 'er done, so maybe they will contend.
-I suppose we'll have to give the Mid-Atlantic Region credit for just showing up, since once again that appears to be all they're going to do. Heard anything out of Washington, Baltimore, Central PA or, gawd forbid, Northern Virginia? No, and you aren't likely to. Sure, Shelly Wilkins will be bringing the bus up, and Lou Schiavo can be counted on for GM skills for both Philly and Delaware County, but where's beef, er, ah, cheese steak? Joe Parker made a big impact for eight years, but since the steroid scandal, he hasn't said a word. Don't tell me that's coincidence. Buffy Groves better hit a lick if she wants to make a showing in the mountains, that's all I'll say. And she better look to Brenda Mehring and the hot-shot Pittsburgh crew to have a chance.
-The Deep South proved to be the most dynamic region last year, and their power-house leader, Cyndi Green, will not be denied. A new, strong chapter rose outta the muck in New Orleans, and Dennis Gauthier looks solidly in control, with valuable assistance coming from All Star Belinda Comboy. They lost Rusty Gauthier to a temporary condition (college financitis), but he may be back for the stretch run in September. Pam McCartney is back in shape already (if you saw those Mardi Gras pictures, Whoo-Yeah!), and this should be a come-back year for the retailer/paperhanger out of Texas. Still, this small group will have to scrap and fight to come through in Asheville.
-Small ain't the problem out West, where Mike Zekich handed the reins in LA to Carol Greene. Greene- deceptively smart, she has been marked as DNP (do not play!) by the Poker Night Committee- has some tricks up her short sleeves after a respite in San Diego in '07. Jeff Evans found that working smarter, not harder was the way to go since finding the Guild on the internet two years ago, and has made major contributions in every area he has touched. Unfortunately, he's backing off predictions he made about what he'd do "to them back East," and is now claiming he didn't even make them! Bill Kraves, now retired, is trying to pass on what he knows, but who's listening? Will Gerri Beauvais ever find the time to- again- win it all? Is Ostler in the throes of Alzheimers', or is he just another BlackBerry addict? And will Walldude ever make it back? Jeff Knockaert may be hanging with Giants this year, but who cares? (About Knockaert or the Giants!)
-So now we come to the region That Has It All, the region That Should Win, the Best Region, Best Looking Region, etc., etc., etc., the Southeast. Pressure's on, and lord knows, KL Conner can't afford to lose anymore hair, pulling it out as the SE lets opportunity after opportunity slide through its hands. Can they handle it? has been the talk all spring. But what folks on the outside of the region don't seem to grasp is the well of talent KL has to call on: Danny Murdock, Alan Coopersmith, Dave Brownhill, Susan Williams, Paul Sullivan, Sabrina Wright, Joan Hobbs, Bev Holgate, Jim Peden, Frank Garrett- anyone startin' to see my point here? His bench is better than the others' starters!! And who are his starters?? Forgettin' Atlanta?!! , are you? Whoo-ee: Big John Little, Smooth Doug Berry, "Mr. Clean" Walter Green, Salt-n-Sherrie Culpepper, "Who Scares?" Steve Ayers, Rob "Hoss" Delbridge, The Mo's (Terry & Rhonda), "Full of " Joy Pelly, "Scat" Pat Collins, and newcomer "Hot Stuff" Guy Adams just are not likely to get beat by mere mortals, much less on their home turf. I'm just sayin'.
I'm tellin' ya, if you don't at least watch the show in Asheville, you will miss performances that will not be repeated this century! So if you're making more money than you can possibly stand, go ahead and stay home. But if you wanna see good, old time paperhanging, good new time techniques and everything in between, we'll see you in Asheville in September.
-The Northeast has been able to train, even if it has consisted mainly of hauling pails of paste and primer inside every night and back out in the morning to keep them from freezing. Home to the Chapter of the Year, Connecticut, not to mention the World Champion, Boston, The NE again looks strong, but- can I say it?- old. Sure, you gotcher Mark Whites, yer Barry Blanchards, yer Anthony Russos, yer Chuck Scotts- but who they got comin' up? Even if they make it to Asheville, they may need walkers after a day or two.
-The Metro Region always has to be contended with, mainly because you can't discount their tactics: "When they win, you can't shut 'em up, when they lose, you can't find 'em," has been their MO. Coming in behind CT had to hurt the outsize egos of Westchester, so they'll certainly be motivated come the Fall. But what can Vinny La Russo show us he hasn't already? Will a smaller Phil Reinhard have a smaller impact? Surely Alan Rada will come through in the clutch, but I just don't see him getting the support he needs this year to contend for MOTY. Tim Hampshire might be able to bring home the bacon now that Reinhard won't be eating it.
-Lower Great Lakes? I use that questioning introduction because, frankly, that's all the LGL has right now, questions: Sure, Gary Lucas was Member of the Year (MOTY) two years ago, but what's he done for us lately? Jack Heinrich is either retired or hiding; who'll replace The Red Jacket, Dick Wilson? Puh-leeze!! Ellen Comeau and Steve Terranova provide good technique up the middle, but who's gonna give their pitch? Wilson? Puh-leeze!!
-The Midwest was dethroned when Chicago- fresh from a White Sox run - was finally overtaken by the hated Yankees from Westchester. Steve Kaye is doing his best, but the days when the rest of the Guild feared the appearance of Carl Bergman, or especially of Glen Olsen getting up at the microphone are long past. Nate Bergman is fully capable of anything getting anything hit to right, but outside of the Curtis Twins- who had a fabulous '07 campaign- who they got? Tim Bodine won Member of the Year this past go 'round, but the big money has never been behind the fella, and a repeat is not expected. Lynnie Winter can always be counted on, though, and Pam Pettrone has shown an outsize ability to git 'er done, so maybe they will contend.
-I suppose we'll have to give the Mid-Atlantic Region credit for just showing up, since once again that appears to be all they're going to do. Heard anything out of Washington, Baltimore, Central PA or, gawd forbid, Northern Virginia? No, and you aren't likely to. Sure, Shelly Wilkins will be bringing the bus up, and Lou Schiavo can be counted on for GM skills for both Philly and Delaware County, but where's beef, er, ah, cheese steak? Joe Parker made a big impact for eight years, but since the steroid scandal, he hasn't said a word. Don't tell me that's coincidence. Buffy Groves better hit a lick if she wants to make a showing in the mountains, that's all I'll say. And she better look to Brenda Mehring and the hot-shot Pittsburgh crew to have a chance.
-The Deep South proved to be the most dynamic region last year, and their power-house leader, Cyndi Green, will not be denied. A new, strong chapter rose outta the muck in New Orleans, and Dennis Gauthier looks solidly in control, with valuable assistance coming from All Star Belinda Comboy. They lost Rusty Gauthier to a temporary condition (college financitis), but he may be back for the stretch run in September. Pam McCartney is back in shape already (if you saw those Mardi Gras pictures, Whoo-Yeah!), and this should be a come-back year for the retailer/paperhanger out of Texas. Still, this small group will have to scrap and fight to come through in Asheville.
-Small ain't the problem out West, where Mike Zekich handed the reins in LA to Carol Greene. Greene- deceptively smart, she has been marked as DNP (do not play!) by the Poker Night Committee- has some tricks up her short sleeves after a respite in San Diego in '07. Jeff Evans found that working smarter, not harder was the way to go since finding the Guild on the internet two years ago, and has made major contributions in every area he has touched. Unfortunately, he's backing off predictions he made about what he'd do "to them back East," and is now claiming he didn't even make them! Bill Kraves, now retired, is trying to pass on what he knows, but who's listening? Will Gerri Beauvais ever find the time to- again- win it all? Is Ostler in the throes of Alzheimers', or is he just another BlackBerry addict? And will Walldude ever make it back? Jeff Knockaert may be hanging with Giants this year, but who cares? (About Knockaert or the Giants!)
-So now we come to the region That Has It All, the region That Should Win, the Best Region, Best Looking Region, etc., etc., etc., the Southeast. Pressure's on, and lord knows, KL Conner can't afford to lose anymore hair, pulling it out as the SE lets opportunity after opportunity slide through its hands. Can they handle it? has been the talk all spring. But what folks on the outside of the region don't seem to grasp is the well of talent KL has to call on: Danny Murdock, Alan Coopersmith, Dave Brownhill, Susan Williams, Paul Sullivan, Sabrina Wright, Joan Hobbs, Bev Holgate, Jim Peden, Frank Garrett- anyone startin' to see my point here? His bench is better than the others' starters!! And who are his starters?? Forgettin' Atlanta?!! , are you? Whoo-ee: Big John Little, Smooth Doug Berry, "Mr. Clean" Walter Green, Salt-n-Sherrie Culpepper, "Who Scares?" Steve Ayers, Rob "Hoss" Delbridge, The Mo's (Terry & Rhonda), "Full of " Joy Pelly, "Scat" Pat Collins, and newcomer "Hot Stuff" Guy Adams just are not likely to get beat by mere mortals, much less on their home turf. I'm just sayin'.
I'm tellin' ya, if you don't at least watch the show in Asheville, you will miss performances that will not be repeated this century! So if you're making more money than you can possibly stand, go ahead and stay home. But if you wanna see good, old time paperhanging, good new time techniques and everything in between, we'll see you in Asheville in September.