Top 4 Legion

[anysport24]

Nice post coach Aungst. As you stated you are just playing by the rules. Calm down there Crushergrad 98. You want to be critical of Claysburg of being able to draw from four school districts, but you think it is okay for your McCort school to be able to draw from different school districts. As coach Aungst stated he is just playing by the rules, he didn't make them. Just as McCort plays by "THESE" same rules set by the PIAA in high school althletics. This to me is like "THE POT CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK".

[deepcreek]

Good observation. Is kind of poetic to see a BM supporter complaining about an entity drawing from a larger pool gaining advantage over competition.

[say_oww]

Wow, you are some kinda critic there Say Oww, As Claysburgs coach the nice thing here is that we are not out to impress you or do we even care to impress you. First off every other league is not doing things the same... It states in the legion rule book that each league must finish there playoffs to completion yet Central Penn gets down to final 2 teams and then doesnt play champiomship game... They could play and throw young pitchers but if forced to play then they have to decide if they are gonna give up championship that they have worked all year for. Next we dont claim to be as good as any team in the region or even the league for that matter, all I ask of the kids is to step on the field each and every night and to give me there very best effort and if its good enough then so be it and if not then thats ok too. Next we never said a word about this being our year so get your facts straight before you come on here hiding behind a screen name and ridiculing kids and teams. If you were to ask Ryan who covers games for the Gazette My comment to him from day 1 was that we were a pitcher short and atleast a year away as we return 8 of our top 10 guys next year and most for 2 to 4 years yet. You also talk about zones and advantages well here is one for you... Do I think the legion rule is fair... absolutely not but we dont make the rules, just live by them... do we have an advantage over somerset in drawing area... absolutely... but what about the advantages that those teams have over us... Those kids know each other and practice together from February to July... We had 19 games in 16 days once we got the central guys back and have had 0 practices as a team in the last 2 years. It was the 9th game of the season when we got everyone back and we had kids introducing themselves to each other, we get to know each other on the fly and as coaches we get to know what kids can do during game situations and likewise with the kids learning the coaches. You are right about one thing.. this year was like every other year..we were able to put a quality group of kids on the field who give there very best for themselves, the team and they represent claysburg legion to the best of there abilities. As the coach for these young men i am very proud of there efforts for winning 3 straight titles and making it to regionals 3 years in a row and next year and coming years we will strive for the same and when/if we get back to regionals, we will go there and win or lose give our very best effort. Did we have tired pitching staff....yes but we still went out and battled and will not sit and make excuses for our losses but will accept them with our heads held high and move forward and see if we can improve our next time out. Coach Aungst Claysburg American Legion Baseball

I stand behind my words Coach, and since you couldn't stop the urge to respond, then you must be trying to impress someone. However, I do think your anger is a little misguided here. Maybe its your fans that should stop making excuses and starting these arguments. Its a no-win situation for them. After all, you made it to regionals three years running. Your fans brag how good the team is but then complain about playoff dates and such, welll win some games at regionals and then everyone will congtratulate you. Since you do have the recruiting advantage here, winning the league isn't all that big a deal. You mention that you only have had your guys together after the ninth game and they had to introduce themselves to each other - Tussey's three best players, four or five of the best from Central, one from Holidaysburg, and then fill in with Claysburg kids. If you don't think the legion rule is fair, and that it is so important for kids to "know each other" even if they have marginal talent, then give up Tussey Mountain and Central and run a team of Claysburg kids out there and live with the results. Eight or nine other teams did just that this year and played with nine or 10 kids all season and they also played 15 games in 15 days. Otherwise, live with the fact that you do have a big zone and are fortunate enough to get good players from different schools who put forth a great effort and that when you or your fans complain about rules and such you are going to hear about it from time to time. Maybe you should be happy the league permitted you to reschedule half the season while Central was in the playoffs. Other leagues don't do that - they either make you play those games or forfeit.

Oh, and one more thing muchacho, as a coach you should stay off message boards because all you do by responding is to open the door for more criticism.

[deepcreek]

I for one, enjoyed reading his post. When you call someone out and they reply, you should shouldn't shout them down for using a forum that you yourself used as a loudspeaker. You obviously have an axe to grind.

[say_oww]

No axe to grind here.... However, you may include me as one of the many who feel that it is ridiculous that Bedford and Claysburg get four school districts apiece to put their team together. Aside from that, all I am doing is saying what I feel based upon the rules as they are set up.

But check the beginning of this thread and you'll see that what I said right away was that the league champions would be Claysburg, Somerset, or Bedford because of the advantages they have over everyone else and that unless someone makes some noise at regionals I will not be impressed. I only added more comments after the season when the excuses came out (pitchers were tired, playoffs too close to regionals, etc). Just imagine if Cernic's or Nanty Glo fans would post disingeneous things like - if Claysburg would have played us on June 3rd we would have won but no we had to wait to play them on June 27th when all of our players went to the beach and we had three kids that we just picked up off of the street - how would you respond???

You may not like what I am saying, but you can't say its not true.

[deepcreek]

To each their own, I don;t follow any of the teams mentioned. Please don't discourage adults from posting on the board though. I get my fill of teenagers posting, it is always nice to get real information from a primary party. Enjoy your posts as well. Take care

[thebigeasy]

Here is the problem and a possible solution to the "unfairness" of legion baseball...
1) The state controls the zone areas. Not Claysburg, Bedford or Somerset. New Zones come out soon so see if there are any chances then, until then... Can't do much
2) The teams that "struggle" typically do not have a full roster, the 3 mentioned above seem to always have a full roster. Yea they draw from a bigger area but maybe the coaches should try to convince more ball players to come out for the team. This is why they can play everyday and have pitchers and players.
3) Combine "smaller market teams" Find away to do it. If a high school player can play for another school if a team doesn't field that sport they can go a neighboring school to play that sport. It CAN BE done in legion baseball to.
4) Maybe it's time to get the Turnpike league back up in action, with the right person in charge it won't fall apart like it did when Bedford played Somerset and the other teams forfiet every game.
... The League could be Bedford, Somerset, Claysburg, Myersdale, Stoystown, Windber/Richland, Portage...add in 1 more. Maybe see if Altoona would want to join?

[Manfred]

Yeah. Throw the BIGGEST metropolitan area in the Cambria/ Somerset/ Bedford/ Blair area into the league. What are you smoking? Altoona already has an EXCELLENT multi-league setup, with the Kelley Federation, and AAABA/ Greater Altoona league, and younger leagues in place. Read the Mirror, you'll see what I mean. Some of these same kids from Blair play for teams like Red Bull, if I'm not mistaken. If I am, I apologize. I appreciate someone who "plays within the rules". Did you ever speak against those rules, Coach Aungst? Were you in the majority in favor, or the minority against? Is it even possible to assume a NEUTRAL position in your case, just to see how UNFAIR an advantage your club has against the Nanty-Glo's, the Meyersdale's, the Richland's , and yes, the St. Michaels. Can you in all honesty put yourself in the position of these teams' coaches, and STILL say it's a fair system. Swear to GOD and then answer that question honestly.

[thebigeasy]

I was not suggesting bringing Altoona in to "The League" I was saying to these teams break off from the Cambria County league and Form the Old Turnpike league that was there in the late 90's. Rumor has it Bedford has lost to Mifflin Co. so let the bashing start on Bedford and how bad they were and cry because they got the automatic bid because of hosting the tourney.

Or a better idea have the "blair county all-stars play the bedford county all-stars" every other night. Throw Somerset in there just because they will all the time too, even though they only draw from the somerset area but they are good and legion teams should not be good in the cambria county league.

[Manfred]

You named teams, then said add 1 more "maybe Altoona would join." If that wasn't putting them into your proposed league, then what was it.