District tournament -- poll topic

[Dave Johnson]

As you know, only the top six teams make the district tournament in both the Peninsula and Bay Rivers. That leaves four teams out. 1 and 2 receive byes to the semis, and 3-6 and 5-4 play in the first round.

Today's question: Is that the best way to do it? Should they take the top eight teams and play three rounds? Is there anyway to get everybody involved? Does anybody care? Who invented liquid soap and why?

[snoclaf]

I do not think that anyone would want to see the 7 and 8 seeded teams have to play anymore games than they have to in the Peninsula District given the fact that when they play even the no 6 and up it is usually a mercy rule game.As far as the Bay Rivers goes the no 7 and 8 would be very competitive, case in point York lost to first place Poquoson this year 3-2 and York is currently in seventh place.Also Smithfield who is hanging on to sixth and Bruton in eighth have shown they can also play with and in some cases beat some of the teams in the top 6.
I could also understand leaving just six in because the top two really do deserve bye's.

[Flying Fish]

Well here's a definite answer to one of your questions... Liquid Soap was invented by Hendrik Willem Brouwer of Holland, working for Lever Brothers. He received patent number US4065398: Liquid soap
composition.

As for why - I can only guess that Lever Brothers saw the potential to increase sales and profits due to the convenience of a soap that could easily be dispensed in public places like public restrooms, as a better alternative than providing a community bar of soap (do you really want to wash your hands with a bar of soap covered with some stranger's dirt and germs?), and as a more comfortable alternative to providing powdered soap (I have used it in public restrooms in the past...feels like you are washing your hands with Ajax or Comet. Uncomfortable).

In fact, since the invention of liquid soap, there have been a whole lot of patents for equipment that dispenses liquid soap, so the market is obviously there!
:yo:

[longfellow]

you are very wrong flying fish,
The earliest known evidence of soap use are Babylonian clay cylinders dating from 2800 BC containing a soap-like substance. A formula for soap consisting of water, alkali (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alkali) and cassia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassia) oil was written on a Babylonian clay tablet around 2200 BC.
The Ebers papyrus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebers_papyrus) (Egypt, 1550 BC) indicates that ancient Egyptians (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egypt) bathed regularly and combined animal and vegetable oils with alkaline salts to create a soap-like substance. Egyptian documents mention that a soap-like substance was used in the preparation of wool (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wool) for weaving.

Therefore you should shut your mouth

[Dave Johnson]

Oh my ... sad state of affairs when liquid soap is more popular than PD softball!
(By the way, hasn't anybody seen "The Sure Thing?").

[Peninsula fan]

Personally like the 8 team format. Everyone should play. The first two teams getting a bye might not actually be that big of advantage. The number one seed goes to the regionals anyway so it is not a threat to them. For a number two seed to get an automatic bye is ridiculous. True that the number 7 and 8 seeds might be weak now, but it makes for more excitement for the kids who play to get some tournament experience. That extra game for the number one and two seeds is no big deal, and certainly isn't a big deal for playing one extra tournament game. Most coaches don't like a break in format during the regular season, they like to continue playing. So flip a coin. At least its not a stupid dissertation on soap!

[kevinh_04]

I don't think it matters until Stephanie Coates graduates, and maybe not even then. Gloucester will dominate unless they just have a bad night.

[The Clutch Hitter]

Well KevinH04 it looks like you may be from Gloucester and congratulations on Gloucester's success, but just a reminder "ANY TEAM CAN BE BEAT AT ANY GIVEN TIME!!!" Gloucester was beaten once this year by Bethel and Woodside had two close games against them, also Kecougtan and Menchville played them very tight as well! Dont be too cocky yet! I agree with you they are a very good team, but they are beatable! Good luck to ALL of the PD teams in the tournament!!!!:rolleyes:

[kevinh_04]

I am, in fact, living in Gloucester, but didn't go to Gloucester, don't know anyone on the team, and haven't seen them play.

I know the Coach a little and have seen the success level they've achieved year in and out. I've heard about Coates and hear she's pretty good.

Yes, on any given day, anyone can be beaten, it just makes it that much harder when you've got a team like that, with a pitcher like that.

[brd_viewer]

Keep the 6 team format. Make the regular season mean something. For instance, in the BRD if you went to an 8 team format you could pretty much put everyone in the playoffs other than Jamestown and Southampton every year. That would make the regular season almost pointless for most teams. Last year two good teams, York and Smithfield, didn't make it but every game mattered all season long because there were 5 teams playing for the last three spots and I think 2 games separated the 4th team from the 8th team. Keeping the 6 game format will give you playoff like games in the regular season and thats better than whole district coasting until they get to the playoffs. Again this year you have Smithfield, York and Bruton playing for the last playoff spot. And again two pretty good teams won't make the playoffs but that's how it should be. Earn your way in.

[drich]

I agree. Keep it at 6 teams. If you go to an 8 team format. #1 plays number #8 and #2 plays number #7. These are meaningless games for #1 and #2 as far as advancing to Regionals. It's not worth the expense and time to play this game when the teams have had 18 games to prove that they are deserving of going to the next round of play.

[Peninsula fan]

its official. The peninsula will go to the 8 team format in both baseball and softball. End of that debate.:lock1:

[Mike Gleason]

Yep, I know, I said I was not going to post. I just want to point out a player. No, I haven't run this by Danielle (asleep), but I know she would agree. Michaela Munday, a freshman for Tabb, currently playing catcher, has worked hard to be an accomplished player. An exceptional pitcher, she has been a dominating force at the catching position this season. This brings to mind her determination and "not giving up" attitude in the tag out at home to save a run in the Lafayette/Tabb game. After watching her for years I knew she would make that play, even though the player looked like a college player sliding in on a young girl. The pictue on hrvarsity.com shows her calling for the throw as the other player has arrived safe,.. Tough is the only way to describe her, and determined. Keep it up Michaela, I think you deserve a nod....:amen:

Mike

[justafan]

Just a thought...What if the regular season 1st place team who has automatically recieved a berth to Regional play not participate in the District tournament. They are declared District Champions anyway. It's really not a District Tournament to begin with...It's more of a Regional Qualifier Tournament if you want to get down to it.

1. Keep the same number of teams in the tournament as currently exists. (actually adds one more team for the opportunity to advance to Regionals)

2. 2nd place regular season team still gets automatic 1st round bye. 2nd team bye is draw of the hat. ( Still maintains integrity of regular season performance as it currently does but also adds an "unknown" to it all)

3. After "draw of the hat" for 1st round bye the remaining teams will play each other based on seeding as they currently do.

If you look at it objectively it becomes obvious the regular season District Champions do not have to worry about injuries during the District tournament and can concentrate on preparing for regionals. Secondly, "the draw of the hat" concept could put an interesting twist in the tournament and the potential for "anybody winning on any given day" could/would never be higher.

Just brainstorming.....anyone with thoughts?

[drich]

The way the schedule is now, the last regular season game is on a Tuesday. District tournament is Saturday, Tuesday, and Thursday of the next week. Regionals start the Monday of the following week. By this "proposed" plan, the District Champ would be off for almost 2 weeks. If I were in that position, I would not want my team to have that long a break from competition.

[justafan]

I'm sure I would not like that part either but sometimes there is a small price to pay for being on top.