14U TOP 10 TEAM RANKING (Arizona) UPDATED–Feb 3, 2010

[ArizonaKid]

I'm reading these threads and as a kid it's pretty funny to read, but i'm pretty sure that Politico is not who you think it is.

[hamlet17]

<<<The Reality of 14U Fastpitch Arizona Softball Fall Season '09 from the Outside looking In is:

The Top Tier Teams:
Scottsdale Fever 95 (mostly all freshmen, the top team at the end of the Fall season)
95 Desert Wolves K.J. (mostly all freshmen, peaking now & playing well together)
AZ Stealth96 (all 96, with the #1 14U pitcher and the players accept it & thrive)
L'il Saints14U (60% freshmen, ASA 14U National team from last year, needs to re-learn what it takes to win together as a team again)

The 2nd Tier Teams:
96 Scottsdale Fever (all 96, a very good team better than the rest but cannot compete with the top tier teams consistently yet)

The 3rd Tier Teams:
Everyone else at this time, There are allot of 14U teams but they lack the Team talent to play with the above teams on a consistent basis at this time, but don't shy away from these teams or any of the teams on the TOP 10 because you only get better playing against or playing with the best talent or competition out there!!!!>>>

You have no credability. You are NOT on the outside, nice try.

First you list DT Blue in your top ten then you list high school freshman as being part of the best 14U teams.

That leads me to believe you are a dad on one of those teams and don't care that you played down all fall to trophy hunt.

Good luck with that.

BTW, did you hear about what the AZ Jaguars tried to pull this past weekend?

If you are truly in the know then I won't have to explain it to you.

[sftblljunkie]

The Winter Classic was a great way to end the season. Tucson teams didn't do all that bad. AZtecs and Cats evened out. AZtecs were missing a large part of their girls and played with only 9 girls and two of them were pick up players. I think they did very well. Did anyone see their catcher (99) put one over the fence when playing the Hotshots? Scorpions also did awesomely.... can't wait to see how they will do this next season as they rebuild somewhat.

It would be nice if PHX teams would travel a bit more to Tucson to play instead of always insisting that we come up there to play. I realize that all girls must get used to playing on the road.... but it would be nice if it was a little more evened out.

Jaguars have some interesting methods of playing. Their coach got ejected for cheating during a game with the AZtecs. Hmmmm..... not a very nice thing to instill in the girls.

[itsnotsoft]

I dont understand why everyone is so down on people that go out of their way to give AZ people something to talk about. I am convinced that many of these posts are by parents that have kids on the teams however I would expect any parent that did a posting to place their kids team on top unless it is rediculous to believe. I dont think Politico is too far off base and think the Lil saints are one of the top teams I just dont think it is easy to gauge if everyone keeps playing out of their age bracket.

I am still not even sure If I am posting to one person or not

JK.. I do feel a few people have created several logins to generate discussion and perhaps we should just look at it as a stimulus package One person trying to get others to talk like So Cal people do.

If that is the case, mission accomplished!

I wish we could get other age brackets involved in the discussions and perhaps get some bracket break downs from politico. They may be viewed in a better light since we are all convinced his daughter plays on 14U Lil Saints.

As far as AZ jaguars I am very suprised to hear them doing anything in terms of cheating. Not defending, do not even know them all that well, but I believe I do know what their team was originally started from (Church team), just curious what the problem was. I am sure their must be some/complete truth to it to be kicked out of the game just suprised it would be the head coach. Not saying anything bad about assistants just know they have had some changes over the last year and the constant is the head coach. I guess I am assuming it was the head coach.

Either way keep up the good work politico, and thanks to everyone else that replies it gives me something to read and keeps me out of trouble.

[Smiley]

Hey AZ"Kid" aka Politico aka Mad-dog aka Machine. Of course you are who I think you are. You are a parent ( #13) who thinks his child is "special" and "gifted" and the "best 97 pitcher in AZ." You are entitled to think that and even may be obligated to think that as a parent. You daughter is pretty good, but not as good as you think she is. Most of our kids are not as smart or talented or popular as we think they are. Trying to make it appear that you are objective and unbiased about her or her team is silly. Stuff like "I am on the outside looking in" and "I will not be in Las Cruces but will have spotters there" is a silly way to fake objectivity. Using multiple names to bolster yourself is a silly way to fake objectivity. Just come out and say "yes my daughter plays for Lil Saints, but I have seen most of these teams play, I am trying not to be biased, and here is my best shot at ranking them." We all can appreciate that. Or else just make your ranking without all the cloak and dagger stuff.

[heynow]

I certainly think AZ Shockwave from Mesa is a good team, that for whatever reason is being left out of the top 10. IMHO they are as good or better than 5 thru 10.
https://azshockwave.com/Home_Page.html

[ArizonaKid]

You know your talking to a 12 year old kid and you obvisouly know who I am. First of all why does it matter so much. Second my dad isn't who you think it is it's acutally my dads friend who has a daughter who is my best friend who is not on my team.

[DsrtScorpion]

Whether one person or ten are on this thread it is much more entertaining now...

Why would having freshman (1995) players be considered playing down I don't get it?
Wouldn't you be considered a certain age group with a "majority" of players of a certain year?
Certainly if you had impact players that were older it could be considered playing down like a dominant pitcher....

Bottom line if a team is not playing where you think they should be teach them a lesson on the field don't make excuses in the stand like saying "don't worry about it this team is packed with 94's" it may or not be true it just doesn't matter you can't change what the coaches do just enjoy this exceptionally fun ride of travel softball and keep posting it is amusing.

If you want to add credibility to your posts post your team name so we can pick on ya..

[THE MAD-DOG99]

Gotta hand it you folks , as the one poster said...a great way to get the juices flowing ..
Arizona was kind of boring before that so lets keep it up...please...

Then again..since I am every poster..I am just talking to myself...?
How about, lets set the record straight..Smiley..Fever..I give you the benefit of the doubt and your input is duly noted......
Is Politico probably a Saints parent..yup..BUT is his rankings biased..?

Once again, don't get you there considering once again he had Saints 1 and then moved them down as the tourneys played out..?

Is Machine a saints parent..? Probably so..and maybe even biased about his own kid, yet his only contribution to this post was to clarify that Fever 96 has never beaten Saints so all of a sudden his is just going on about his kid and he is biased...??
Fact is, his post was an accurate one...

Bottom line Politico has done a great job with the rankings and is "currently" right on the money...just like he did last year....!!

Of course the beauty of this, just like the Cali folks... is to give your input, so keep it up...
but to attack a parent or a kid....??
Then claim that the rankings are biased when the so called parents team is not ranked #1...?
I will continue to scratch my head on that one...

Thx Politico, truly..and keep it up...

I am neither of these people....but keep going on thinking that...if you like...once again...
I have given mad props to 96 Fever and think they are terrific... so " Fever" parents comments make no sense..but truly glad they joined the discusion...

The post about High School players and ...whatever...how this computes...?
And the AZ Jaquars...? WHO...1st..how would I know BUT second why would I care...?
This team has never done anything and good they got caught cheating...
Guess you have too when nobody knows who you are anyway...?

Phoenix teams have gone down to Tucson for the last 2 ASA tourneys...
so don't follow that one either ..sorry...

And lastely just to set the record straight...my DD is the finest 8 year old..in the state...
was recruited by the Cali teams..that's why I am on this forum...

They did insist on a tryout and on top of that fees and dues...so PASS..

She plays for a 12U team that shall remain nameless, of course...but I will tell you..we are playing this weekend in the Globe/Morenci/Apache Juction....18 Platinum Invitational..
(very surprised you haven't heard)...

Come check her out...(the field is right between the 2 trailer parks just off the highway, can't miss it)...

She also plays every position...so it will be good..with also some major coaches in attendance...(well actually former coaches that are now retired snowbirds, but I heard they spread the word)...???

I do have video...BUT...you know ..copy right..stuff..I know you understand...

But here is some video of what it will look like...!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apex5A4upko

[Smiley]

I don't really care who posts and under what names. I tend to think Politico's rankings (not so much the attached comments) are pretty good. I just am pointing out that repeatedly claiming to be "unbiased and objective" when you are really biased and not objective is silly and unnecessary.

We apparantly missed out on the fun by not playing this weekend. Why did the Jaguars coach get ejected?