Our loyal Subscribers, who
have heard SO MANY times what we think about the appalling situation
that sees our cherished and famous Claxton Shield competition
anchored in the state of NSW, would probably have expected this
- and, while some will no doubt think that we "overdo"
this negative comment, we refuse to disappoint those who expect
us to tell the truth
This is a PERFECT opportunity to magnify just ONE of the many
reasons why this situation is totally unacceptable!!
And, while we have made this quite clear previously, we'll say
it again
Our frustration is in NO WAY directed at the NSW team, players
or management who are probably not in any way responsible for
the short-sighted decisions of others and they can only play under
the conditions that are set down for them
This is not about NSW, or any other state - we would be saying
the very same things if the Australian Provincials were playing
the Claxton Shield in Darwin EVERY YEAR with their parochial crowd
support fuelled by the sponsorship and free supply of Darwin Stubbies!!
Although it is an appealing thought!
We'll try to make this brief, because it should be all to obvious
to any genuine baseball/sports fan
Here we have the TOP level baseball competition in Australia -
it's flagship event - yet it provides a quite LUDICROUS advantage
to one of the competing teams for what will soon be SEVERAL YEARS
IN SUCCESSION!!
It all means that our National Champions are decided under circumstances
that are, without argument, an uneven playing field! - in what
other serious sport would such a circumstance be tolerated?
It puts an "asterisk" against everything that has been
achieved by the NSW team during an era when they have been strong
enough to have MAYBE achieved just as much anyway? - the major
problem is the MAYBE!?
It hasn't really been magnified quite as much in past seasons
when NSW have very easily qualified for the finals and deserved
top billing, even though they have enjoyed the considerable luxury
of player availability, a permanent home venue and the permanent
nightcap scheduling of their fixtures etc. etc. etc
This year, however, we have a magnification of this NONSENSE when
a peek at the semi-finals draw sees the third-placed NSW Patriots,
who have a LOSING RECORD in the tournament, playing in the feature
nightcap semi-final, once again, on their comfortably familiar
Blacktown Olympic Park venue
It is a VERY scant "reward" for the Victorian Aces who
managed to overcome the home-field advantage on opening night,
but they will need to make "lightning strike twice"
to advance to the final
The Aces will be delighted with the advantages they have earned
from finishing second and with a superior record in this 2006
Claxton Shield competition - I don't think! - it would be a pretty
good joke if only it wasn't so deadly serious!!
The outcome for NSW is essentially the same as if they'd finished
undefeated on top of the table! - you just don't need to be a
"rocket scientist" to know that there is something seriously
wrong with the situation that allows this to happen!
Oh, and we'll leave for another time any attempt at explaining
the always contentious separation of teams with equal records
by somehow assessing their "HEAD TO HEAD" performances
Spare a thought for the Australian Provincial team who finished
with an identical win-loss record as NSW and yet they actually
BEAT the NSW team "head to head"
They will be watching the NSW Patriots playing (possibly as favourites)
in what amounts to a HOME semi-final - go figure!!!!!!!!!??