| I.S.C. Graydon's Grumblings |
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The Farm: Champs In 1998?
And should we let Madison, Wis., being the only team left standing, to turn out the lights?
Rod Peterson doesn't think so.
"Our team has too many distractions playing at Kimberly," Peterson pointed out. "And there is a lot more pressure on our team playing there than other places. Kimberly is like playing at home for us. There are high expectations for us going into this tournament. That's a tough road."
Peterson is right.
In 1992, at Salt Lake City, Larry H. Miller Toyota felt the noose around its neck. Playing at home, there was so much pressure on them, the Salt Lake City team didn't even finish in the top ten. And that's been a sure thing since pitcher Peter Meredith's arrival in 1990.
With the pressure eased a bit, Miller Toyota cameback to Kimberly in 1993, and finished third.
But Peterson is like a wise old fox. He will have his house in order. He knows the game. And after all, it took his club 37 years to win its first ISC championship last year in Victoria, B. C. And Peterson likes the taste of success.
But there's no question that The Farm will be under spotlight glare. Everyone will be disecting their every move under a microscope.
And after all, Peterson added probably the best hitter in fastpitch softball, Colin Abbot, to his arsenial this year. The Farm Tavern will have been the favorites going into this ISC Tournament even without Abbot.
That's because of last year's championship showing at Victoria, and of course, two of last year's strongest competitors, Green Bay All-Car, and the Victoria Legends, from 1997, aren't even in the 1998 ISC. For the All-Car Roadrunners not to be here is a sad commentary of what is happening to the game. Of course, the Green Bay team folded.
The Farm Tavern went through the 1997 ISC field like Grant went through Richmond. Undefeated! And if you were to ask some of the players, although they won't admit, they don't have any doubts about this year's ISC. Go ahead and book it, success will follow success.
Still, for The Farm Tavern, there will be other interlopers, like the Tampa Bay Smokers, Miller Toyota, the Broken Bow Travelers, and the Decatur Pride.
And don't rule out the possible sleepers, if you can call them that, like Balleston (N.Y.) Heflin, D. C. Tire (Philly, P.A), and Owen Sound.
This might be Salt Lake City's Page Brake's year to make a move. Page Brake has improved. The Salt Lake team could possibly make a run at the top ten, with its 50-13 record.
If you were to ask most ISC followers, they would like Peter Porcelli to stuff that cigar on his Smokers' logo down his throat. Not me. Porcelli likes to win like anyone else. And he does attempt to promote the game. Sometimes, he just has a funny way of doing it.
But no one can count his team, with the pitching staff he has -- Darren Zack, Todd Martin, and Doug Sleep. If they should fall in their first round effort, no one can count them out until they're pushing up daises. Not with that pitching staff.
The Decatur Pride added one of the greatest all-time pitchers, Michael White, to its pitching staff. And White has been there and done that. Pride coach Denny Bruckert is one of the most respected men in the game. That's right. His respect doesn't just come from his coaching, but the way he goes about his game.
Bruckert burns to take his best shot. But he's respectful enough of the game that whatever that shot turns out to be, he'll live with it. And he'll be very proud of it. He doesn't whine or whimper. He brings the pride to the Pride.
Miller Toyota's Brad Burrup earned his stripes as one of the game's all-time great catchers. Now, he's doing the same as the coach of Miller Toyota. His teams have place second in 1995, and fifth last year after coming back in the loser's bracket. His team goes into the 1998 ISC Tournament, with a 70-13 record. Dwayne Dyck has posted a 44-6 mark, with six no-hitters this year, while Peter Meredith has a 24-5 record, with a 1.97 ERA.
Russ Snow's schedule and with his 13-year-old daughter's (Branda) death, has not allowed him to pitch much this season with Miller Toyota. But this savvy veteran is being counted on heavily for the ISC worlds, especially in relief.
Now, that the Broken Bow Travelers have added veteran Mark Sorenson to its roster for the ISC, they could make a run. Everyone knows what Sorenson, considered to be one of the best players ever, brings to a team. His leadership alone brings Broken Bow respect. The Nebraska's team best run came in the 1995 ISC at Sioux City, finishing fourth.
This is the calm before the storm. This day is all about anticipation and imagination. It's like strolling the floor of the Miami Dolphins' home (Pro Player Stadium) before the Super Bowl, or pacing behind the batting cage at Yankee Stadium on the Friday before the World Series.
It is quiet. You can almost hear the conversations on the patios of the houses in Appleton, and Kimberly.
This week is Kimberly's chance to showoff to the best fastpitch players in the world, and its supporters. Kimberly doesn't guard its privacy. The serious fastpitch players know about it. But the rest of the world hasn't had the chance to take an up-close look. They're missing a very special happening in their lives.
Kimberly could be an answer to dreams for some, a masochist's buffet of trouble for others.
But this is Kimberly's chance to dare the best fastpitch players to bring out the best to fulfill their dreams.
And this brings us to Friday and imagining it's August 22nd (Saturday night) and the winning team is looking up the hill, feeling the breeze, and searching for immortality.
Editor's Note:
DAN PATTISON has been a sports writer and columnist for over 30 years with The Deseret News, Salt Lake Tribune, Las Vegas Sun, The Sporting News, Basketball Times & USA Today. He is currently enjoying his association with men's major fastpitch and as an ISC Commissioner.