Premier High School Division

[FENWAYS]

Invited Teams: Texas Impact Gold, Wichita Mustangs, NW Bullets, Cal Grapettes, Jersey INtensity, East Cobb Bullets, Team North Florida, Sorcerers, Minors Gold, Victory USA, Tulsa Eagles, So Cal Pumas, Georgia Elite, So Cal Breakers, California Cruisers, Irvine Sting, Gold Coast Hurricanes, Southern Force

Did all of these teams play PGF last year and if so where did they finish.

[softballmafia]

A major part of the invite teams finished on the bottom.....so what is the formula for the invites....being a board member on PGF qualifies you or we use your fields...you are in. I taught this year the tables where even and everyone had to battle to qualify....I guess not.

[softballmafia]

Place High School
1st So Cal A's
2nd Worth Firecrackers
3rd OC Batbusters
Beverly Bandits
5th Explosion
Strike Zone
7th Lady Magic
So Cal Choppers
9th Corona Angels Tyson
WA Ladyhawks
3D
Texas Glory
13th Wichita Mustangs
Texas Impact
Grapettes
NW Bullets
17th KG Hitters
KC Peppers
Texas Bombers
Texas Storm
Sorcerers
East Cobb Bullets
Déjà vu
Triple Crown Stars
25th Jersey Intensity
Pure Fastpitch
Minors Gold
Jets
Riviera Beach Spirit
Combat Panthers
Southern Force
Tulsa Eagles
33rd Pumas
Raiders
Texas Rapid Fire
Indiana Magic Gold
Georgia Elite
Texas Kaos
Cal Cruisers
Illinois Chill
Texas Magic
Victory USA
Mizuno Impulse
White Sox Training Academy
Lady Gators
NM Sundancers
Gold Coast Hurricanes
Chaos Gold
49th Corona Angels Howard
Hotshots Householder
Team Florida
Hotshots Gatti
Hotshots Creed
So Cal Diamonds
Killer Bees
SGV Velocity
NW Fireballs
Irvine Sting
CC Dirt Dogs
New Lenox Lightning
So Cal Breakers
Teamsmith
Inferno
Courage
65th Absolute Blast
Texas Eclipse
San Jose Sting

[AlwaysImprove]

A major part of the invite teams finished on the bottom.....so what is the formula for the invites....being a board member on PGF qualifies you or we use your fields...you are in. I taught this year the tables where even and everyone had to battle to qualify....I guess not.

You know ASA always had invites as well. Even when their tournament had 150 teams they were inviting ~30 teams. They also had a system of passing around berths. It was all done in the back room among ASA officials. It was a system set up for ASA guys to grease each other palms.

PGF has done a better job. They have used their invites to strengthen their field of teams. They have announced up front who is getting invited.

Bottom line, it comes down to if you trust the ASA system or the PGF system to produce the better field of teams and hold a better tournament. PGF guys definitely seem to know the teams that need to be at their tournament.

[superfan]

Why does it matter to you if a team earned an invite by how they placed at last year's PGF Championship or if they received one by hosting a qualifier or just because?!?

I have to admit there are a few teams on the list whose reputation is much better than their actual team...but, IT IS WHAT IS IS!!!

My DD team is not an invite and frankly I'm glad her team will earn their birth next year just like they did last year. Every game my DD pitches in a MUST WIN situation, the more valuable her experience. For us the qualifier is as much fun as the championship!

[cyberman]

I trust PGF, but I trust them more when they follow what they posted, which is what they said.

So without speculating, or saying that is what ASA does, or saying we would rather earn a berth,

can someone with authority from the PGF world, please say why there was a change in policy?

[anonlooker]

With all the invites, are those coming from the pool of (otherwise) available berths, thus shrinking the number of (earnable) berths available at qualifiers? Or are you expanding the field to accommodate the invited teams?

[dodgerblue]

With all the invites, are those coming from the pool of (otherwise) available berths, thus shrinking the number of (earnable) berths available at qualifiers? Or are you expanding the field to accommodate the invited teams?

They're hooking their buddies up with berths so they don't have to go out and earn one.

[anonlooker]

With all the invites, are those coming from the pool of (otherwise) available berths, thus shrinking the number of (earnable) berths available at qualifiers? Or are you expanding the field to accommodate the invited teams?

They're hooking their buddies up with berths so they don't have to go out and earn one.

Obviously, but does that mean the riff raff will have fewer berths to compete for? IOW, are they hooking up their buddies to the detriment of qualifiers?

And if so, why bother with berths at all... invite all your friends and have a tournament. Whoopie!

Oh wait, you need to pay for all this fun? Maybe make a little money too? Ah, okay, better let in some non-GOBs with checkbooks.

[superfan]

Cyberman...Seriously, why do you care? They added a few more invitees and posted the change. I notice that all of the invites either placed well in the past, are hosts for qualifiers, or have a history of D1 athletes. Why do you feel the need to get an explanation from the "almighty powers that be"? Do you have a personal rivalry with one of the invited or do you just want people to feel your indignation on the topic?

Anonlooker...the PGF website posted the available births for the qualifiers so it looks like invited are an addition to available births.

Dodgerblue...stir stir stir...let's just assume you are right...WHO CARES!!!