Anonymous Emails ...
I know this isn't reflective of the Glendora softball community, but there's a Tartan out there not very happy with us. I think he went overboard, and once again, this is probably one of those people who don't know there are 30 other softball teams, and 31 baseball teams that we cover too. Anyway, some of the info was good so I thought I'd share it.
This comes from longtime San Gabriel resident ...
I am writing to tell you that I was very dissapointed in your lack of coverage of the Glendora Tartan softball team. Why, because their "improbable" run was not that at all. It simply says you know nothing about the teams in the San Gabriel Valley you cover. That team had girls on it who had played together for many years in high level travel ball and more importantly they were long time friends. No one quit and no one gave up, they very much played for each other. The seniors are well respected and the others wanted them to go out winners, and that means more than you would ever learn.
To continue reading, click thread
Many of those girls are on well known, high level 18-Gold Jr Olympic Travel Ball teams and yes some are even signed or verballed to colleges throughout the nation. But no you would not know that because you wont ask. Somehow, if Northview had lost the CIF boys Baseball title you still would have written about them with good knowledge of each player.... And guess what when you dont write about your hometown players, they may not get the recognition they deserve. Good thing they dont' play for your paper's approval. But no I guess the Tribune would rather stay in the dark and perhaps not want to give Glendora and its players its due when they do something difficult and win in CIF in softball. In fact there were more articles in the "Californian" and "OC Register" after the softball games with Vista Murrieta and Pacific than in our girls "hometown" newspaper the Tribune, pathetic.
I am one of many who think Dana Waldusky, Natalie Hernandez and Kelly Nolan all deserve to garner every award you can have this year as they stayed focused and ran that team. And along with them, Talia Ferrari should be a part of your discussions as she carried that team for most of the year until Waldusky got her bearings. I am sure Tyler Garko at Charter Oak was deserving of his big article in your paper, but exactly what college is he going to pitch for did you say?
Yes, Glendora faltered in the end, but without their catcher, Kelly Nolan (who gets little press but who may be the most well known catcher in her age group around) you saw how losing her, caused issues. In fact that young lady should get the all world award for having surgery in the morning on her throwing hand, then coming to a softball game to call pitches for Dana Waldusky against Pacifica for their semi-final win. Why: because they said Waldusky wanted her to be there and call her pitches as she trusts her. So I guess that says a lot about those girls and what they know about the game and playing with each other.
You also apparently dont know that Talia Ferrari is going to pitch for Cal Lutheran, and Kelly Nolan, who is only a Jr. is so sought after, she has already verballed to the SEC (thats the Southeastern Conference) to play for Ole Miss in one of the hardest conferences in softball (with Florida, Tennessee, LSU, Georgia etc). Dana Waldusky will most certainly be getting a full ride as well to a college shortly for all she has shown she can do as well --- And Natalie Hernandez is at the top of the infielder's list for the 2010 grads being sought and will probably get 100 coaches at each of her games this summer when she plays for her 18-Gold team. So maybe you could ask about those things, if you were actually covering your teams.
It is important to cover your area teams no matter what they do, but whatever grudge you have against Glendora, you may need to get over it. Whether they win or lose next year in softball, Glendora played a great year this year and deserved more than some limited articles with no pictures, especially during CIF.
My response: We covered Glendora as much as any team in our area, including every round of the playoffs except one. And yes, we covered their semifinal playoff game, along with six other semifinal games that day. This person can go on and on about club players, but every good softball team has club players. The fact is, in 2007 they were 13-13 overall, 4-6 in the Sierra League, and missed the playoffs. This year they shocked everyone by winning the Sierra and going to the Div. II finals for the first time in school history. I guess everyone saw this coming but me, right? And lets be real, the Tartans finished 19-10 not 27-2, so don't get carried away. In a perfect world we could go more in depth with a lot of teams, and in normal years when there aren't seven teams playing for CIF championships, we would feature players leading up to the title games. But this was an unusual season, one in which we focused more on team accomplishments than individual ones, because so many programs had great years. For Glendora, it was a great season, and yes, an "improbable" season, as far as Glendora softball goes.
16 Comments
Leave a comment
Links
Tribune Prep Sports
Miguel Melendez's prep blog
In the Huddle
ESPN
OC Varsity
San Bernardino Sun Preps
LA times Varsity Blog
Daily Bulletin Preps
Whittier Daily News Preps
LA Daily News Preps
Long Beach Press Telegram Preps
Daily Breeze Preps
Dyestat Track and Cross Country
MaxPreps
Rivals.Com
College Level Athletes
Miguel Melendez's prep blog
In the Huddle
ESPN
OC Varsity
San Bernardino Sun Preps
LA times Varsity Blog
Daily Bulletin Preps
Whittier Daily News Preps
LA Daily News Preps
Long Beach Press Telegram Preps
Daily Breeze Preps
Dyestat Track and Cross Country
MaxPreps
Rivals.Com
College Level Athletes
This is why I think blogs are stupid. The people on them are stupid. All we are trying to say is that when you have a team that for the first time has made it this far, this is news. I grew up in a sports family, and seeing the same old news gets boring. If Covina has a team that for the first time in 20 yrs makes it to the playoffs, thats news. Just as it was with Glendora Softball this year. And for you rednecks who say "its just softball" go ahead and drink your Budweiser. But girls sport are way more exciting than the boys. At least the girls done whine.
This is why I don't blog. You people are morons. The coverage sucked for the girls softball in the San Gabriel Valley. Not just for Glendora, but for all. And for those of you who think that Softball is boring, you are truly stupid. The girls play their hearts out. Unlike the boys who whine that they have a hang nail or something so "Gee Coach, I can't play" I am not biased, I watch the Little League World Seried and cry with the losing team. But, considering the fact that this was the first time Glendora ever made it this far, should have warrented more coverage. But like all newspapers, which is why I dont read them, the guys writing have no creativity.
Are you guys crazy? There was NO coverage of the Glendora Softball team! I know. My niece plays for them and living in Northern California I have to rely on my father (her grandfather) and the internet for coverage. What I found were stupid little blips about the team. The coverage was pathetic from a paper that I grew up on in the San Gabrial Valley. Of course, its pretty ironic when I looked at the SGVT and the LA times, the coverage was the same. That explains why I dont read the paper anymore. Too biased for me.
whitey
the tribune and most people dont know squat about softball because ITS A BORING SPORT. go back to umpiring and leave the blog comments to us professionals
Glendora Fan there is nothing wrong with boasting to the Fred or the Tribune about your players. But because you e-mailed anonymously Fred takes it upon himself to throw you and your team under the BLOG BUS. I agree that the Tribune cannot cover all schools and every sport. But if you were to put a few controls on this blog (registration) you could better control all the drive by flame throwers that seem to dominate this blog. If better controls were in place maybe those that want more coverage for their teams would post without the worry of being blasted and having to defend themselves. Have you and/or the Editors asked yourselves the question: why did this person e-mail anonymously?
Fred do you feel better now that others have come to your defense?
I'm a long time ASA umpire and a CIF umpire too, and to compare the 2 is night and day, however having siad that, the reporters for the trib, have no clue about softball, at all, zero,zip,nada!! thankfully, the girls and their parents know what is going on, hats off to the Tartans on a great year, btw my kid was a Regent!
Fred, don't sweat that ridiculous e mail. No matter how much you do they want more and more. They're lucky you covered them at all. After all it's softball! They should be thanking you for any coverage they received. Since they didn't like what you did ask them what other paper covered them? Right none! They need to stop crying and be thankful for what they got!
Fred,
Please do something...anything, to keep these 'MANIFESTO like' entries off the BLOG.
Maybe we should limit BLOG entries to 100 words max.
~Football Jones
Mr. Robledo,
We should seriously consider you for National Sports Columnist of the Year.
Fred ,
As a Glendora resident & fan I think you guys ALWAYS include the Tartans in MOST of the Prep sports stories of the day .Do not let this person get under your skin , as I am sure he did not . But honestly what Glendora did in softball the last few months is nothing short of a miracle . Congrats to them & who knows maybe next year they will WIN a CIF Championshop .
Fight On
TM
SHEBANG SHEBANG, Don im still crackin-up after your post.
don you are a riot. To me you are the best poster on this blog. Keep'em coming.
Is there nothing worse than a parent whining about the lack of coverage for their school. I have a suggestion to the parents out there. Go cover the event yourself for the paper and email fred the story. This might stop all the whining.
YEAH! Why didnt you cover Bassett badminton this year! we are the best, just like apollo creed told rocky "rythym and power".
That was good Don
Shameful Fred, truly shameful; once again you have failed to properly publicize the exploits of a group of local residents that clearly has a constituency clamoring for more information. I sure hope that you have a back up plan for bringing this group of fans back into the fold. Careers have hinged upon less.
Personally, I think the Trib should be considering a special edition, or maybe a special Sunday insert. You know, four pages, four color, with full bios and some family background; pets, love-lives, favorite movie star, favorites on American Idol, really the whole shebang. As a matter of fact, it probably wouldn't hurt circulation to just copy the email above and run it on page three of the sports section for a couple of weeks. We are, after all, talking club ball players here.
Remember, disappointing long time residents of the San Gabriel Valley is no way to enhance your image as a journalist, especially when you seem to be in the dark on matters relative to local sports.
Geez, I had a bunch more but I was giggling so hard that I tipped over my Big Gulp.
YES Fred - YOU should be there for EVERY SCHOOL, EVERY SPORT AND heck lets throw in EVERY ATHLETE and it should be for EVERY MOMENT of their HS career. Please note the sarcasm! While it is sad that the local schools cannot get more coverage than they do, it seems it is NOT Fred's fault. Thank God for these blogs are people would really be screaming about the lack of coverage. The blogs are a double-edge sword to say the least, so much garbage is writen and it is out of control at times BUT ket me be honest and say THE BLOGS have exposed little old me to many athletes outside of my little area and for that I am greatful. As is with life, YOU will not make everyone happy and as is with the blogger above -- YOU will REALLY UPSET SOME MORE THAN OTHERS.