"When that Aprille with his shoures sote..."
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posted by Women's Sports Blog An irreverent look at the news, issues, and personalities of women's sports from a feminist perspective. |
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The droghte of Marche hath perced to the rote,
And bathed every veyne in swich licour,
Of which vertu engendred is the flour;
'Tis once again time
to despaire of John Rittman
There is nothing like being in a stadium full of people cheering because a team's only power hitter has just bunted for a single. Yes, Alissa Haber has the green light to bunt. Think about that for a moment. Then, because conventional managing is about as predictable as the sun, the next player bunts her over, which means they've sacrificed an out to put her in the same place she'd probably be if she swung the bat. If she hadn't homered, which she might also have done. Then the next hitter pops a bunt for an out. PS, Stanford failed to score in the inning. PS, Stanford failed to score in the game. I am sympathetic to the idea that the team can't hit as a whole, really I am, but that's even more inducement to let the people who actually can hit do so while they have an opportunity.
For more ways that conventional coaching wisdom is foolish, look to yesterday's first national semifinal (BUTLER!!!!!!!). You have a choice between one scenario in which your opponents have to hit a difficult shot under pressure and the worst that can happen is overtime, and another scenario in which your opponents have to hit an undefended shot, then can potentially win if they get an offensive rebound. Why on earth would you take that risk? Why on earth does the commentating team think it's the only sensible thing to do?
View Original Post at ftlouie.typepad.com/womensports
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