...Sunset

Braves, words can't express the gratitude, love and respect that my family and the TBR family feels for you. Your objective, humorous and always insightful views and opinions have driven this baord. Back when my oldest was just beginning high school this board was a place to air parental complaints about coaches, players, schools etc. Your guidance, humility and true love of the game AND the kids (not just your own) have truly given this community a place to celebrate, congratulate, educate and help young men attain their goals. Being fortunate to have known you personally for over 10 years I sincerely and publically want to Thank You for being a "friend" to all of us. You know many of the people you have helped, influenced and furthered their playing careers or just helped give respectful insight. However, I can't imagine the many, many people you have no idea about, yet greatly influenced and impacted their lives in a positive way. The Baseball Hall of Fame is filled with legands and super stars. You truly are a Hall of Famer!!!

 

Thank you everyone for your kind words. It is very much appreciated. It’s hard to leave something that you created: So many great memories I carry with me from TBR. These are just a few I will always remember:

Brandon Hill- a pitcher at Olympic High School who was shot in the head during a drive by. Brandon had a 5% chance of survival and no chance of ever playing baseball again. Brandon beat all odds by not only surviving, but pitched again in his senior year and is currently serving as an assistant coach at Weddington. By the way, Brandon looks great!

South Caldwell HS team and fans- The best fans I have had a privilege to know. The games against Providence and Butler must go down as two of the best I’ve seen. I will never forget after a bitter disputed game against North Davidson, the players from both teams all joined hands on the field after the series and prayed. It was very moving and spontaneous.

The 2004 South Meck team was the best and most talented team I have ever seen in high school. They had 12 players that had committed to play at the next level 9unheard of back then.) There was no weakness on that team, but it goes to show that a one and done playoff format can create difficulties for even the best team.

In the last 10 years I have seen 100’s of baseball games, but the best high school shortstop? South Meck’s Kyle Shelton!!! Great hands, quick feet and a MLB arm. There were many great shortstops—Levi Michael is one---but no one equaled Kyle’s defense. He made the difficult plays look routine.

The classiest and best prepared player: Robert Woodard. Nobody outworked Woodie. His mantra is “what are you doing when no one is watching?” Well, I can tell you that Robert was outworking everybody else.

The best HS hitter I ever watched: Chad Flack. A man amongst boys; No one was more feared
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If I had an All Star baseball team who would I select first? Tyler Hanover- a natural born leader and an “original” dirtbag!

The 5 best HS players I have seen? In no particular order
1. Madison Bumgarner
2. Cameron Maybin
3. Brett Austin
4. David Mailman
5. Daniel Bard

My favorite off-season thread? Owl fishing!! (I had to throw that in there)

Wow, I could go on and on with “stuff.” There was a lot that happened in the last 10 years, but what I’m going to miss most is the friendly bantering I shared with all of my friends.

Stretchy- every time I think of Stretchy I will always remember Woodstock. We had a great time that day and I am honored to consider him a friend.

JM15- Well, all I can say is that I consider Jere as my son. I’ve known him since his HS days and have watched him become a man. I couldn’t be more proud of him.

Prepster- My best friend. We have been through a lot over the years, but our relationship has remained close. Now, if I could only get Prepster to move back to the tar heel state so we could go to games together.

Don Hutchins- The classiest man in amateur baseball…shoot the classiest man period!

Absent members I miss most: Coach Evans, Coach May, Coach Pope and SoutherNo1

I hate listing names because you always leave names out. However, there is one coach that I have met that I reserve tremendous respect for. He just does everything the right way. He’s a coach’s coach.

Dean Dease- Orange high school. I have never met RV, but if I could choose two coaches to play for, these two men would be an honor.

Dang, I could fill a book of stories to tell and players/parents and coaches to mention. I have funny stories, sad stories and inspirational ones, but I don’t want to bore anybody with them. Let’s just say the last 10 years on TBR has been a blast!!!!!

PS- How in the world did I forget about Diesel. Deez may have been my all time favorite poster. Funny, smart and knew how to stir a pot when needed!!!! He gave TBR a personality.

There are many more I should mention, but I had to put Deez on here.

 

TBR will never be the same without you. You have provided a means for all of us to keep up with players and coaches all over our great state. I do agree that there has been a definite change in posters in my my time from 2007 until today. I know what you were trying to accomplish here, and you did it perfectly. I am aware that no matter what you do it will be promoting our area youth somehow, hopefully through baseball. You have promoted some of the best "never heard of" talent in our area. Without you, their on and off field accomplishments would go unnoticed. I have never once heard an ill word spoken about you or your promotion of local talent. It is unbelievable to think that you have probably helped about as many players reach their goal as most of our local showcase and high school coaches, and never took a dime from anyone. Just a love of our youth and the greatest game ever invented, "America's Game." hope to see you around, and God Bless.

 

Braves

I don't post here very often these days but I check in quite often and enjoy reading. From the first time I ever talked to you I knew you were the real deal. A person that really cared about the young men that play this game, the parents and the coaches. I guess the best way I can say it is your a true baseball guy. That's pretty much the highest compliment I can pay you. You are a giver not a taker. In this game just in life there are two kinds of people. People who take and people who give. You have given so much to so many people and many have no idea what you have done for them. And that's the way you would have it. The world would be a much better place if more people were like you.

This site will constantly change because the posters will constantly change. Your the one thing that has always stayed the same. I am very thankful that I know you and humbled to call you my friend. I look forward to standing on the 3rd base line once again with you in the near future and watching a game or two. There is no one I would rather do that with. Take care.

 

Hanging 'em up........

Hello Braves.......

I wish you the very, very best going forward. You deserve the best.
Your posts over the years always had a tone of "the guy above the fray with no axe to grind". You tended to calm the waters for everybody regardless of their positions on the issue at hand.

We up here near the Lake hate to see you leaving. I do have one question.. Will you keep posting here from time to time?

And thanks for never joining the "Hate the Lady" group.

Good by and God love you.

BBL

 

Braves, you better not go nowhere.

 

Your insight was a hard, line shot, always!

Thank you for your direction, determination and quick wit to manage such a high number of personal threads day in & day out. As always, your approach was the high road but, respected everyone's opinion.

We all have a stake in our youth, and the direction in which we send them, spells out their character. Make good choices, respect the game your playing & things will work out. Thank you from the cheap seats.

Daddyslam

 

Braves,

i will put it simple (since that is how my brain is)
1. you did it right
2. you did it for the right reason

 

Was it something I said?