Softball 2019 Megathread

[hapapp]

The softball team went 4-12 during the “megathread” era. I blame their downturn on it, entirely.

Putting those former journalistic research skills to good use.

[AppinVA]

The softball team went 4-12 during the “megathread” era. I blame their downturn on it, entirely.

Putting those former journalistic research skills to good use.

With emphasis on “former”.

[APPdiesel]

So...now that the season is over how does everyone feel about the megathread concept?

I'm fine with it. For our high-content sports like FB and MBB I don't think it makes much sense, logistically or topically. For Olympic sports, it makes more sense. BB and SB have their moment where a "Megathread" can be cumbersome but for the others, and this isn't a knock on any specific sport, the megathread concept certainly works. I'm fine with it for BB & SB, especially given the current Cabin interest in both sports - should that level of discussion dramatically increase as both sports continue to ascend in the Belt (hopefully) then maybe we should break a sport away from the megathread, otherwise, for the regulars, it makes things pretty simple. If you're a newcomer and you just happen to "come aboard" during the middle of a season and are unaware of the way things are organized, then all bets are off...

Yeah, that was pretty much the point. Softball and baseball games don't get a lot of discussion so one continuously running thread seemed to work. For big events or big announcements stand alone threads are still the way to go.

[asu66]

I think our athletic teams deserve more than just a blurb or two or five in a "running megathread." Many, perhaps most, of the daily visitors to the MMB are ASU athletes, ASU students, family and friends of athletes and guests who are unfamiliar with the idiosyncrasies of the board. Our athletes (many of whom labor without scholarship aid for for the love of Appalachian, for the love of their chosen sport and for the love of competition) even in non-revenue sports "Olympic" sports deserve recognition for their dedication. It's my contention that they deserve to be able to come to this site to see what's being "said" about their team, their sport or about them. For many of these busy individuals, if they can't jump online, find a headline and read about a specific scheduled event--they'll leave and pretty much be unlikely to return.

FWIW, back in the day, Lowe's marketing had a rule of thumb and theme about "be-backs." The company's stores had developed a reputation for poor customer service. A customer might drop by a store on the way home from work and search for a specific product for 20 minutes or more without a single soul offering to help--only to leave frustrated and angry and swearing to shop elsewhere in the future. The Marketing Group decided to implement customer service/loyalty strategies designed to turn those frustrated customers into "be-backs"--to have customers leave the store knowing they'd "be back" the next time they had a need.

We pretty much know our regulars visit the board every chance they get and read everything. Our guest readers, however, likely visit looking for something specific. We should want them to become "be-backs." But maybe that's just me...

Volleyball is unquestionably one of App's two marquee/mainstream women's sports. Are we going to relegate that program to some non-descript "mega" thread? Our fast-improving Men's Soccer program? Women's Soccer? Our fast-on-the-rise Field Hockey program? Just where do we draw the line? How and by whom will decisions like this be made?

[APPdiesel]

66, you are absolutely right - every single one of our teams deserves a thread about each game loaded with discussion....but those sports don't necessarily generate enough interest to spark conversation.

I'd posit that a passer-by visitor to this site would think better of a 5 page mega-thread than sporadic threads with only 1 or 2 comments.

I tried to take the brunt of the work teasing upcoming games and starting game posts. I missed a few and a couple other users stepped up and handled it on their own. It took off a little better with baseball than softball. The truth in the media world is that more and more people are getting their info and discussion from social media and fan boards than official sites. I think if more MBB visitors knew they could consistently come here for game info and discussion they would, and knowing a thread is up all season may be the way to at least get that started.

[APPdiesel]

App vs Rutgers in Lynchburg...
Game is live on ESPN+

B4 0-0.

[DaphneUrquhart]

Girls drop a heart breaker 2-1.

[APPdiesel]

Ladies lost 1-2 to George Washington ending the season.

31-25 overall
13-13 in conference

Considering these ladies were picked to finish 10th (last) in conference in the pre-season coaches poll and finishing 5th overall this is was a very successful season.

[asu66]

Again, I salute junior Kensie Longanecker for her play all season and for being one to overcome adversity. This time against a 44 win GW team, she pitched a three-hitter and was edged by a single run. She surrendered two runs in the first, then gritted her teeth blanked GW the rest of the way. Not the first time she's been faced with the lack of run support.

Hopefully, next season she'll be an even better pitcher and will have more good hitters in the lineup to move runners around the bases.