2022 Challenge Cup

EAJuggalo

Addicted to Softballfans
Less than 4 weeks until Challenge Cup. Anyone going? As of right now I'll be there from Wednesday through Sunday, no idea what divisions I'll be working or what kind of schedule it will be. Last year they ran two shifts of umpires and kept the fields going 24 hours a day.
 

TWmccoy

3DX Connoisseur
CO is sending a bunch of teams, but I'm not on any of them this year.

I played in the Challenge Cup a couple years ago. The scheduling is atrocious, and you end up having LOOONNGGG breaks between games. Also, you may play in the middle of the night. January in Viera is cold.

It's one of those tournies that sounds really fun until you actually go there and play in it.
 

EAJuggalo

Addicted to Softballfans
Have fun. I'll be there for the second weekend. No idea how it's going to go, but I'm excited to find out. And you know, leaving Wisconsin for Florida in January is never a bad deal.
 

bigwignj

Addicted to Softballfans
We play 8am vs Rhode Island Saturday and 10:20 vs Colorado
See you on Red Rawlings @TWmccoy ?
NJ 35+
 
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bigwignj

Addicted to Softballfans
I broke my bat hitting bp in 30 degree weather like 12 hours before my flight to Florida! And I had 3 other bats stolen or misplaced when I was in Vegas last month so now I have zero bats for this weekend. Arrrgh. I think I’m wearing 87 this weekend, come say hi. Our team stinks. We are on like our 3rd or 4th round of picks ups from guys backing out.
 

bigwignj

Addicted to Softballfans
Cold, windy, and raining off and on…. So miserable. I wanted to say hi, figured he’d just be the big giant tall guy but their entire team is big giant tall guys. We only beat them the first game because there was some kind of rule where we get an automatic run for the first 5 innings because we all suck. Idk, there’s all sorts of weird rules here and I broke every one. I got yelled at for juking when I came in to pitch, I got called out running the bases for going to home plate instead of the commit line or something in our first game. They gave me a jersey with the incorrect number, so I have the same number as another guy on our team which is also illegal and was clearly stated in the rules you can’t have 2 of the same numbers but I just wore a hoodie all day and nobody questioned it. I’m sure I’ll break some more rules tomorrow.
 

EAJuggalo

Addicted to Softballfans
Cold, windy, and raining off and on…. So miserable. I wanted to say hi, figured he’d just be the big giant tall guy but their entire team is big giant tall guys. We only beat them the first game because there was some kind of rule where we get an automatic run for the first 5 innings because we all suck. Idk, there’s all sorts of weird rules here and I broke every one. I got yelled at for juking when I came in to pitch, I got called out running the bases for going to home plate instead of the commit line or something in our first game. They gave me a jersey with the incorrect number, so I have the same number as another guy on our team which is also illegal and was clearly stated in the rules you can’t have 2 of the same numbers but I just wore a hoodie all day and nobody questioned it. I’m sure I’ll break some more rules tomorrow.
Welcome to old man softball. The scoring line vs going to the plate is one of the hardest things to get used to. We use it around here for Co-ed as well. At least once a night somebody screws up.
 

UncleMosk

Well-Known Member
An adjustment for sure. Once literally danced around the plate, never touched it but was called out nonetheless. The rules keeps it competitive for sure. JERSEY STRONG!
 

bigwignj

Addicted to Softballfans
Colorado beat us in the loser bracket final. They were hitting some absolute bombs in the stadium and I almost had my hand ripped ripped off on a ball smoked back thru the box. Then I missed my flight home this morning so I’m stuck in Florida at the airport for another 12 hours cause there are only 2 flights a day to the small airport I fly back to into nj. Fun weekend besides it being absolutely freezing.
 

EAJuggalo

Addicted to Softballfans
Colorado beat us in the loser bracket final. They were hitting some absolute bombs in the stadium and I almost had my hand ripped ripped off on a ball smoked back thru the box. Then I missed my flight home this morning so I’m stuck in Florida at the airport for another 12 hours cause there are only 2 flights a day to the small airport I fly back to into nj. Fun weekend besides it being absolutely freezing.
It's going to be -6 at my house tonight. I'm supposed to leave at 10 am tomorrow to head down there. I'll take whatever it is there over that, if I make it down there.
 

ilyk2win

Addicted to Softballfans
Colorado beat us in the loser bracket final. They were hitting some absolute bombs in the stadium and I almost had my hand ripped ripped off on a ball smoked back thru the box. Then I missed my flight home this morning so I’m stuck in Florida at the airport for another 12 hours cause there are only 2 flights a day to the small airport I fly back to into nj. Fun weekend besides it being absolutely freezing.

At least you still have both hands to keep you company on your delay.
 

bigwignj

Addicted to Softballfans
I ended up going bowling in between flights at an alley near the airport. Solid 357 series. Think I’ll stick to softball.
 

TWmccoy

3DX Connoisseur
Long weekend. Team started off like absolute ****. Wind blew in hard during pool play, and we lost both of those games. Lost the first bracket game (to NJ) and then rolled off a few victories to finish 2nd. We were getting beat by Georgia, but they had an illegal player, and we protested. Won the protest.

Once the wind stopped, we were able to hit much more effectively.

BTW, I was the guy playing RF the whole time. I hit the 2 bombs off the LC fence that literally both hit the same spot on the wall in the stadium..
The cold weather was a killer. My body hurt after that tourny.

I had a good time overall, but the rules were confusing. I didn't like the combination of run spotting, extra fielders and such. It seemed like every game there were arguments/questions regarding the rules. Half the time no one knew what was going on.
 

bigwignj

Addicted to Softballfans
Dude, I said to my guys we are lucky we played you guys on red Rawlings cause our games are completely different and it benefited us and they were all like, no we beat those guys every time. I tol them they were high as ****. If we played you guys on the other field where the wind was blowing out to left, that first game is a blowout and the second game is completely different cause everything you guys hit got knocked down by the wind.you guys were absolute bombers and the wind benefited us as we were more a a backside team that tried to hit gaps and run. Only reason we were even in those first and 3rd games was because of that equalizer bull****. It was a fun weekend though. Fun to finally play against another softball fans bro in person. You absolutely mash dude. Hopefully we run into each other again this year at C worlds in Florida or Vegas, my team plans on playing in both. Now i know who you are, ill really buy you a beer this time.
 

ilyk2win

Addicted to Softballfans
Dude, I said to my guys we are lucky we played you guys on red Rawlings cause our games are completely different and it benefited us and they were all like, no we beat those guys every time. I tol them they were high as ****. If we played you guys on the other field where the wind was blowing out to left, that first game is a blowout and the second game is completely different cause everything you guys hit got knocked down by the wind.you guys were absolute bombers and the wind benefited us as we were more a a backside team that tried to hit gaps and run. Only reason we were even in those first and 3rd games was because of that equalizer bull****. It was a fun weekend though. Fun to finally play against another softball fans bro in person. You absolutely mash dude. Hopefully we run into each other again this year at C worlds in Florida or Vegas, my team plans on playing in both. Now i know who you are, ill really buy you a beer this time.

GD, we literally played ON the same team and I still have yet to have a beer at your expense.
 

TWmccoy

3DX Connoisseur
Yeah, it was a good weekend. Wish the weather had been nicer. I was there all day Friday and it was perfect. By the time we played Saturday it was much cooler and very windy.
 

bigwignj

Addicted to Softballfans
John Kings is saying some guy on Georgia protested another player on his team because he wasn’t playing and got the team kicked out. I heard what terry said, Colorado protested them and won the protest. But everyone on the thread is saying that the guy protesting his own team really happened so I’m confused.
 

jbo911

Super Moderator
Staff member
Yeah, it was a good weekend. Wish the weather had been nicer. I was there all day Friday and it was perfect. By the time we played Saturday it was much cooler and very windy.
You were on the team that came in second? Did you skip the team picture? I know it's been a long time since the classic st, but I didn't see anyone I recognized.
 

TWmccoy

3DX Connoisseur
John Kings is saying some guy on Georgia protested another player on his team because he wasn’t playing and got the team kicked out. I heard what terry said, Colorado protested them and won the protest. But everyone on the thread is saying that the guy protesting his own team really happened so I’m confused.

Weird stuff. Mid game, a guy on our team (who happens to be CO's state USSSA director) got a text from a random number saying that GA had an illegal player and to protest them. We protested, and it was upheld. I think GA knew they were busted. As soon as we said we were protesting, they pretty much bagged it and walked off the field.

GA was beating us pretty bad at the time.

I guess someone on GA ratted out their own guy and texted our state director and told him to protest. I don't even know how the GA guy got his phone number to text him.

I'm in the team picture. Back row, 3rd from the right.
 

EAJuggalo

Addicted to Softballfans
Got home at 3am this morning after 5 days down there. It was mostly a good time. D and E in the rain all day on Wednesday sucked. Everytime I came off the field it was hurry up and get some dry socks and shoes on and hope they were kind of dry by the time I had to go back out there again. Thursday was gorgeous, 70 and mostly sunny. Friday I started doing the Men's Major and it kind of misted on and off but nothing too bad. Saturday was cold, I had never seen my breath in Florida before that 9pm game. Sunday I worked all four games of the Major, it was mostly fun, but sometimes those major players really get on you and stay on you. All told I did 31 games between Wednesday and Sunday. I know some guys got more, 15 of those games were Major, without the time limit I don't think I would have had any sleep. Thankfully it was decided Saturday afternoon to implement time limits the rest of the way. There was supposed to be another park Thursday and Friday, but all of the rain Wednesday made it unplayable. Those 60 games had to be added into the schedule at Space Coast. I think I saw on the brackets a Women's D team that had a game scheduled at 1:20 Sunday morning, winner had to come back and play at 5am.
 

TWmccoy

3DX Connoisseur
Got home at 3am this morning after 5 days down there. It was mostly a good time. D and E in the rain all day on Wednesday sucked. Everytime I came off the field it was hurry up and get some dry socks and shoes on and hope they were kind of dry by the time I had to go back out there again. Thursday was gorgeous, 70 and mostly sunny. Friday I started doing the Men's Major and it kind of misted on and off but nothing too bad. Saturday was cold, I had never seen my breath in Florida before that 9pm game. Sunday I worked all four games of the Major, it was mostly fun, but sometimes those major players really get on you and stay on you. All told I did 31 games between Wednesday and Sunday. I know some guys got more, 15 of those games were Major, without the time limit I don't think I would have had any sleep. Thankfully it was decided Saturday afternoon to implement time limits the rest of the way. There was supposed to be another park Thursday and Friday, but all of the rain Wednesday made it unplayable. Those 60 games had to be added into the schedule at Space Coast. I think I saw on the brackets a Women's D team that had a game scheduled at 1:20 Sunday morning, winner had to come back and play at 5am.

That's insane. I was there the weekend before, and it was PLENTY cold. I'm from CO, so cold usually isn't really a thing, but Sunday night we finished at 1:30 AM and it felt bone chilling cold. You could see your breath for sure. The ball felt like a brick in those conditions.

It was windy most of the time I was there as well, sometimes gusty. Enough to greatly impact games.

The major games go so damn long because the guys call time and step out of the box after every pitch. That crap drives me nuts.
 

EAJuggalo

Addicted to Softballfans
Friday through Sunday I was in the Stadium using Stadium balls and it seemed like they did not change at all with the temp. When it was 70 and sunny Friday afternoon they flew the same as when it was 40 at midnight Saturday night.
I knew it would be different, but I didn't realize how big of a difference it would make to play on the Stadium field with no temp fence and the bases set at 75 feet.
 

TWmccoy

3DX Connoisseur
Friday through Sunday I was in the Stadium using Stadium balls and it seemed like they did not change at all with the temp. When it was 70 and sunny Friday afternoon they flew the same as when it was 40 at midnight Saturday night.
I knew it would be different, but I didn't realize how big of a difference it would make to play on the Stadium field with no temp fence and the bases set at 75 feet.

We hit Pro Ms in the stadium (with 300' temp fence). When it got cold, the ball flew well. I saw several balls go over the regular fence.

That said, there's still a difference between stadium and Pro M balls, even in the cold. Stadiums are simply springier, and stay in the air better than Pro Ms. The Pro M died out somewhat late in flight.

IMO, it wasn't ever hot enough during the challenge cup for the ball to mush up at all. The wind was a huge factor, but heat wasn't.
 
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