{"id":1522,"date":"2016-05-03T01:07:52","date_gmt":"2016-05-03T05:07:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sweatsoxbaseball.com\/blog\/?p=1522"},"modified":"2016-05-03T01:16:45","modified_gmt":"2016-05-03T05:16:45","slug":"a-secondhand-account-of-the-2016-ncbl-kick-off-meeting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sweatsoxbaseball.com\/blog\/2016\/05\/03\/a-secondhand-account-of-the-2016-ncbl-kick-off-meeting\/","title":{"rendered":"A Secondhand Account of the 2016 NCBL Kick-Off Meeting"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kick-Off meetings are generally considered the least stimulating of the 3 annual NCBL meetings.\u00a0 Teams show up, pay their fees, get their balls, and then enjoy the rest of their day.\u00a0 My insider sources are telling me that 2016 was the exception to that rule as several controversial topics were discussed and voted on, including: a new drop dead time for games, the 2nd base sliding rule, and the social media code of conduct.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m told NCBL Treasurer Craig Cornell showed up a minute or two after the scheduled start time, forcing the Commissioner to delay the call to order<\/em>.\u00a0 After several pre-meeting email chains where multiple\u00a0teams (including at least one second tier red birded team) complained about the increase in league fees, there was no way the NCBL Godfather was going to face the firing squad without his right hand man present.<\/p>\n

The first item on the agenda was the future of the Ottawa Orioles.\u00a0 As you may recall, during their pitch to stay in Tier 3 before last season the Orioles proposed delaying the move up for one season because that\u2019s when all the pieces to their puzzle were coming together.\u00a0 It turns out the opposite was true.\u00a0 After being unable to recruit Tier 1 players to their Tier 3 team, the Orioles opted to fold, but in an incredible gesture of generosity, the league granted them a 1-year leave of absence.\u00a0 I personally would\u2019ve let them fold and had them reapply next year.<\/p>\n

\"bird-620x360\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Next up was the Treasurer breaking down the 2015 financial statements and 2016 budget, which everyone pretended to understand.\u00a0 Despite some controversy about which financial statements were printed off and which were hidden in Craig\u2019s car, everything was unanimously approved.\u00a0 Another great job by your NCBL Treasurer!<\/p>\n

The future of the NCBL at the Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton Park was the next item on the docket.\u00a0 It turns out that the City of Ottawa\u2019s pattern of making things more and more difficult to play there continued this year, backing the league into a corner.\u00a0 Having games cancelled 24 hours in advance based on a weather forecast simply wasn\u2019t reasonable for the largest amateur baseball league in Canada.\u00a0 On top of that, rumor has it the City was going to provide a babysitter, there at all times, to make sure everyone was wearing their helmets & chinstraps.\u00a0 Thanks, but no thanks. \u00a0There will not be any games at the Stadium this year. \u00a0Peace out RCGT.<\/p>\n

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First stadium game of the year played last night, at the sportsplex. I guess it called for rain on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

— Winchestersox (@winchestersox) August 8, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n