cheating
when i started coaching little league five years ago, metro dominated. then something happened. and now they're looking really vulnerable. i'm not so much of an egotist to think that it was my coaching that elevated our teams to their level. so it must be something else. let me give you a typical description of a game at metro. late in the game we're ahead by four runs or so. suddenly, the strike zone goes crazy. maybe it's just the heat. or fatigue or whatever. but balls bouncing off the plate are called strikes. balls so far outside the catcher can't catch them are called strikes. kids are crying. fortunately, it only lasts half an inning. the zone tightens up again when we take the field. catcher doesn't move his glove. ball. huh? must have been lining up outside. or something. anywho. it's all to make the game more competitive. and more fun. right? hrm. yeah. nobody's fooling anyone. everyone knows exactly what's going on. and the loser is their kids. cause their victories are hollow. our kids learn the scoreboard doesn't matter. what matters is playing good baseball. winning sometimes happens when you play good ball. and they are. and they are.