24 JUN 07: MILEY'S LAST MILE?

Last Sunday we began by noting some people in Columbus take Little League baseball "very seriously." One week later and after being called an ugly slur, I'm wondering if I should revise that -- to "TOO seriously."

BLOG EXCLUSIVE: The most controversial coach in Pioneer Little League tells your blog he will NOT return next season, if Rick Chadwick remains league president. In the world of Columbus youth baseball, I think this is a news item on the order of Kobe Bryant demanding a trade....

In fact, Philip Miley tells me he may not return to Pioneer Little League next year under any circumstances. Miley says he has offers to coach with other Little League organizations in Columbus. He didn't name any names - but if anyone would like to serve as his agent, please contact him directly.

To hear Philip Miley tell it, he's not really controversial at all. In an extensive phone interview Friday night, Miley told me he's "the easiest guy to get along with." Miley seemed to prove it, by waiting on me several times to go to another room and stir dinner.

(Yes, Philip Miley called while I was making dinner - and since I don't have a cordless phone, I had to get up a few times to go to the kitchen and make sure nothing burned on the stove. Do the reporters at the Ledger-Enquirer ever have this problem?)

But anyway: Philip Miley indicated the tension at Pioneer Little League goes far beyond the 8 June Jack Cook tournament game involving his B-League Pirates. He noted during Pioneer's opening ceremonies in March, several 2006 all-star teams were mentioned -- but the team he coached was not. If this was softball and not baseball, I'd think something underhanded was going on.

Then there was the last round of Pioneer Little League T-ball games this past spring. Philip Miley came to the phone armed with a letter printed in the Ledger-Enquirer, from a couple upset that the date of the games was changed without their knowledge. It wasn't even posted at the Pioneer web site - but then, little has been posted there since opening night.

Philip Miley says there are "too many witnesses" from 8 June for anyone to say he blamed Little League officials for costing his Pirates the tournament game with the Peach Rams. Miley adds he didn't hear any parents cursing -- although you might notice "Ram" can sound a lot like a well-known swear word.

Philip Miley considers it "disrespectful" for District 8 Supervisor Bernard Ashley to say his team held "prayer meetings" between half-innings of the 8 June game. The coach says he leads his Pirates in a prayer before every game -- which makes me wonder why he hasn't lobbied to have his team nickname changed to Angels.

Asked about the perceived long breaks, the coach said there's a one-minute time limit for defenses to take the field. Philip Miley said a well-known local high school coach had backed up his approach. Miley did not name the coach - but they might be recruiting players at the All-Star tournaments next weekend, so you can ask them there.

Philip Miley admits he's "not a yes man," but says he still tries to treat Pioneer Little League officials with respect. Trouble is, he doesn't think President Rick Chadwick and a few board members offer respect in return. Maybe they all should try the Japanese example - such as players bowing to the umpires when they bat.

Philip Miley says he doubts he's the only coach who has issues with Pioneer's President. He told me several board members have warned him: "Don't step on Rick's toes." From my limited experience, I would recommend you don't even mention bathroom trips in his ear.

Two words kept coming up in Philip Miley's conversation with me. He says there's a communication problem in Pioneer Little League - as well as a lack of respect. If you don't do one, some people are bound to presume the other....

Philip Miley noted board member Tracy Wilson's husband coached a state-champion team last year. But he disputed Wilson's comments to us about the 8 June game, and said Wilson is part of a "clique" of four or five board members loyal to President Rick Chadwick. Increase the group to ten, and I suppose that would be a "double-clique."

While a nominating committee at Pioneer Little League keeps appointing him as a coach, Philip Miley says rumors persist that the President would rather see him go. Miley seems ready to oblige -- although he admits after 15 years with Pioneer, it's "like putting your baby up for adoption." If the Pirate players transfer wherever he moves, that could change....

Based on our conversation, Coach Philip Miley didn't come across as an evil "Pirate Master" at all. He didn't threaten any legal action against me -- and compared with others we've met in the last few days, he seemed more like Miley Cyrus.

By the way, Philip Miley says he understands the daughter of Pioneer President Rick Chadwick sticking up for her dad. He considers that only natural. Maybe he should go to Charlotte, and tell that to the Earnhardt family.

But Rick Chadwick's daughter is not happy with ME right now. She left a voice-mail message Friday, upset that we asked a question about how pitch counts at games are handled. "You have no clue what the h**l you're talking about," she said - declaring me "the most immature b*****d I've ever met." So no one misunderstands: that seven-letter word was NOT blogger.

(So now I've been cursed out, the same way Pirate parents supposedly did it two weeks ago -- and with language no one's even used on me at a poker table yet.)

Earlier in the day, I had talked with Rick Chadwick's daughter by phone. She called the entire feud involving Pioneer Little League "childish," and said her father has decided NOT to reply to any more criticism here. That's his choice and his right - but I'm not sure that's how the Fantastic Four would respond to the Silver Surfer.

THE BIG BLOG QUESTION dares to ask if you agree with Rick Chadwick's daughter. Am I really an immature.... well, you know?! I can take the heat. After all, I'm only running my air conditioner on "low" this weekend.

E-MAIL UPDATE: As if the Pioneer prairie fire wasn't hot enough, more messages keep arriving about it. Now it's the turn of Philip Miley's family:

Of course Rick Chadwick's daughter is going to defend her father, and bash the Pirates and Coach Miley just like her father does. Coach Miley coaches kids because he enjoys being out there. He doesn't have a kid on the team and he has been coaching out there for 12+ years. Once again he's not upset about losing he's upset for his team not having the chance to win. Not once was there any kid cussing or adult cussing after the game. Coach Miley would never allow and cussing. Once again Rick Chadwick's daughter mentioned they announced it over the intercom, BUT YOU CAN'T HERE IT. They installed some new speakers before the tournament. Coach Miley isn't even involve in this blog. He has no glue about this until I told him about it the other day. We who are writing in this blog are parents, that have had enough with the lack of leadership at Pioneer. Yeah, it wasn't a Rick Chadwick Tournament, but he could have help out the Pioneer Pirates a little by letting them know there was a meeting, or gone a got Coach Miley to let him know about THE UNSCEDULED MEETING since the intercom didn't work. I tired of them giving Coach Miley no respect, and saying he causing problems. He doesn't casue any problems. He spends all of his free time coaching these kids to make them better. Most of his kids always move up to an A-Ball team the next year, because they learned a lot. Once again the reason he gets so much cr*p from Rick is that he's sticks up for his kids, but what good coach wouldn't. Miley has been one of the best things Pioneer Little League had to offer. Nobody remembers who runs these leagues when they get older, but they do rememeber there coaches who have inspired them. I can tell you Coach Miley has inspired more kids to continue playing baseball and have made them a better player. I promise you one thing its just not the Pirates the are upset there are a lot of other people as well. This is a Pirate City Game Topic thats why your only hearing from them.

As far as the petty bathroom thing goes. I could understand if this rule has always been enforced, but it hasn't. We were all shocked that they coaches got thrown out of a game. No other team got punished for using the bathroom with out permission. I never asked permission this year to go to the bathroom as well as my kids that I coached we never got thrown out.

If the coach asked the person counting pitches, the pitch count is that really, I mean really that big of a deal. Talking about petty. Every Coach this year was always asking the pitch count. Pitch count plays a heavy role in stragedy. So if the job of counting pitches and telling a coach the pitch count every now and then is so tough, just maybe its not the job for you!!!!!!!!

Last I would like to comment and say if you personally went down to Poineer during regular season and asked people about there Presient I promise you there will be plenty NON-PIRATE Parents that will have negative comments. Which is a horrible thing to say, but the truth hurts.Once again this isn't Coach Miley in this debate it's the parents and were not upset about LOSING were upset of the lack of leadership, and that are kids WEREN'T GIVEN THE CHANCE TO WIN. SO STOP SAYING WERE UPSET BECAUSE WE LOST, BEACUSE THATS NOT THE CASE.

Thank you Mr. Burkard for letting me write this letter. How would you fell if you kid got the shaft?

Starting with that question: I know what I would tell my child after a situation like this. And I hope you're holding on to your keyboard, because this could sound very sacrilegious -- "It's only a game."

These four little words seem to be what all the sides in this feud are forgetting. Perhaps it's because of what the Northern All-Stars accomplished last summer. Perhaps it's because scouts DO show up at youth league baseball games, even from the professional level. But isn't Little League primarily supposed to be about having fun, and getting some exercise? I mean, with something other than your mouth....

The last time I talked with Pioneer President Rick Chadwick, he told me a couple of other people had been barred from games this season for leaving the premises. He didn't say specifically if those people were taking bathroom breaks. Hopefully they weren't making last-minute moves in their fantasy league teams.

I wish all the parties in this feud had been at church with me this weekend - because the sermon was about "The Danger of Jumping to Conclusions." Both sides seem to want ME to do that, and declare one of them a slam-dunk winner. Oops, sorry.... I shouldn't bring up basketball here....

But each interview and e-mail about Pioneer Little League adds new details, and the minister warned against trying to fill in gaps through our own assumptions. He also said God is tired of people "airing their dirty laundry" - so please don't send me any e-mails about Lindsay Lohan's parties.

The minister added we live in a "thin-skinned age" nowadays, and we all would do well to thicken our skin. Perhaps, maybe, as thick as horsehide on a baseball?!

Oh, by the way - where do I find "Pirate City?" Is it an area on Myspace? Is it near Buffet City? After all, that's close to the Pioneer fields on Airport Thruway....

Let's take a deep breath, and handle one more message about this topic....

Hey Richard, pass this on!!!

To all the parents that do not like playing at Pioneer I have found the solution by calling the Southern Region office.... [e-mail us if you'd like this number, and we'll pass it on privately]

Here are the steps:

1.) Write Rick a letter telling him you want to change. He will have to do a letter to District 8 guy Bernard Ashley for his review as to why he agrees or disagrees.

2.) Write or call the league you want to join and ask if they will accept you. You have to submit your reason in writing for wanting to change.

3.) Once you are accepted at the new league, they will forward their request to District 8 Bernard Ashley.

4.)Bernard Ashley will then submit this and Rick's letter to the Southern Region Office in St. Petersburg . They will them submit it to the Charter Committee for review.

5.) If anyone along those lines say NO you are stuck where you are or can ask another league to accept you.

6.) Then if you feel strongly in your convictions about what Pioneer is doing wrong you contact Jennifer Colvin at the Southern Region Office and have her handle the complaint if you can reach her.(good luck)

People need to do something about it when they feel wronged and not just talk about it on a blog. I have emailed this blog in the hopes that it will get the answers that people need. I had already emailed and called everyone to resolve this with no response. This blog is not your only voice people, although it is the only voice willing to listen. I care less about winning or losing, it is only a ball game. That comes and goes every season. I only care about the kids and whether they are treated fairly.

Thanks Mr. Richard, for listening to the people of Pioneer that have been writing in. By posting it you have done more for us than anyone in that league when it comes to the problems!!! People have said to you what they would never say or admit to us. We appreciate you!!!

Christina Shanafelt

I appreciate this helpful instruction sheet, since I didn't personally know how this worked. But I'm guessing the perturbed Pirate parents are pursuing this procedure presently - and if they repeat that sentence a few times, they might just lighten up a bit.

So is anything else happening in Columbus? Believe it or not, the answer is yes. Another reader asks about this item from Thursday:

+ Instant Message to WHAL "Viva 1460": Am I hearing this right - you've moved your studios to the Bradley Theatre? Did Clear Channel move you out of the building on 13th Avenue, to guard against immigration protesters?

What did they say on the radio that made you think that they moved their studios?

I waited until I heard the message again to be sure. It's a short ten-second item with morning host Gladiola talking about "estudios de Teatro Bradley." I don't think they're renting studio apartments in that building.

The Bradley Theatre has posted a notice on its marquee that it will close July 1, and reopen September 1. I'm not sure if this is due to a change of ownership, the recent theft of copper from the air conditioning system - or if Uptown Columbus is going to need the theatre for two months to audition all the street singers.

Thanks to all of you who write us -- and now let's write some Instant Messages....

+ To Peachtree Mall: I'm sorry, but your new free Wi-Fi Internet access is in the wrong place. It should NOT be at the Food Court. It should be outside Macy's and Penney's, so men can follow sports events while their wives are shopping.

+ To Atlanta baseball manager Bobby Cox: Congratulations - I guess. You tied the major league record for ejections Saturday. Have you ever been kicked out of a restaurant, to help break the tie?

+ To my next-door neighbor: Last weekend you said it would rain on Saturday. It didn't. This weekend you said Saturday's high would be 102 degrees F. The official high was 96. Either show me your AMS seal, or I'm sticking with Kurt Schmitz - who by the way, does NOT make predictions while holding a can of beer.

COMING THIS WEEK: New discoveries at the Columbus city web site.... and a stranger tries to sell me "books"....

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