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Q. How long have you been involved in softball in the NKY/Cincy area?
A: 14 years
Q.
Give the readers an idea of whats new and who's who this year for the 2004 Hamiltons squad?
A:
What?s New:
Well here?s what I know! Jason Oliver is mainly an extra man on the roster this year, so we have picked a player by
the name of Todd Bond to replace him in the outfield. Andy Islses has been added to the squad with the departure of
Shane Caudill.
Who?s Who: The two players that have stuck out for this team over the years have been Randy
and Matty. This is what I even get from the others players of Hamiltons. So, this is not disrespecting any of
the other players because IT WILL take all the players for us to win.
Q. Roger you have played for
a couple real talented softball teams the last 3 years, with Ricks AC and J-Law Contracting. Give us a high and low
personally for yourself for both squads?
A:
Ricks AC - High: 3 years ago playing the Nasty Boys I would say
roughly 5 times and run ruling them 4 out of the 5. It was just one of those things, and I don?t think either team could
figure it out. I have played against Joe?s teams since the old Hitmen days and most of those games were wars.
His teams have always been highly competitive, and for us to be able to do that was incredible.
Ricks AC - Low:
Leaving the team, it was very hard. They are a great bunch of guys.
J-Law - High: Playing such a grueling schedule
and I feel doing very well.
J-Law - Low: Blowing my knee out a couple of months into the season.
Q.
In a perfect world J-Law should of been the team to beat in "C" last year. I believe they had the most talent but things
just didnt gel. Give me your best explanation of what went wrong for J-Law?
A: Wow, interesting question.
Here we go! When people begin to talking about the formation of another team, rumors begin and focus of the job at hand
is lost. In which there would be no way for a team to gel.
Q. I know you are new this
year with Hamiltons. But last year this squad played "C" and didnt make much of a bang. This year they are stepping
down to "D" and to me I dont understand just why? With the Bandits gone, J-Law defunct and the Nasty Boys playing "B",
why wouldnt this team stay in "C"? It seems with the roster they have they could be one of the best squads in NKY in
the class C division?
A: I would agree with that statement, but there is one catch. You said Northern Kentucky.
This team is looking at the big picture. THE WORLD! This is the problem with this area to me. When you step
out of a 100-200 mile radius things change, and they can really change a lot. This areas sanctioning is not on line
with the rest of world. For Example when you play ?C? World, you had better have what we around here would call a pretty
good ?B? team if you have any chance of winning a title. I feel that is the way it works all the way down and going
up.
Q. What is your opinion of the NKY Committee and do you think it is fair
what has happened to teams
like Hamiltons and Nasty/Blue?
A: Hmm! My opinion of the NKY Committee would be that it needs work.
I feel
there are people that have their own agendas and do not deal with each
individual issue as they should be handled.
As far as Hamiltons and
Nasty/Blue I can only speak for Hamiltons since I do not know what is going
on with the Nasties.
No, I do not think this is fair, due to the simple
fact we fell into a "Grey Mattered By-Law". This By-Law can be
seen so many
different ways and this should be something that is black and white. It all
comes down to the interpretation,
and that is ridiculous.
Q. Do you think there are any flaws in the system that the NKY Committee
uses?
And if so what would you do if you yourself were the committee?
A: Yes, the USSSA By-Laws alone have flaws
that I feel could have been made
very simple, but have had skirting put around them to leave you guessing.
That alone
leaves a weak base for the committee to work from. What I would
do is simplify the rules, just as Mark Linneman is going
to try to do. Once
this is handled, and a strong base is built, I would look at the personnel
on the committee.
Try to determine whether or not they are there for the
sake of softball or they are just looking out for their personal
agendas. I
would allow Team Representatives to come before the committee and plead
their cases.
I would also make sure that if any member of the committee
were to discuss issues with anyone other than another committee
member, they
would no longer be on the committee. The destination for a team of where a
team is going to be
classified should be reserved for the President or VP of
the committee only. Then there wouldn't be all the rumors,
or at least not
as many rumors running rampid. I could go on and on, but the bottom line is
there is no room
for "PERSONAL AGENDAS" in a committee.
Q. Roger, Hamiltons is taking a beating for not showing up the
Sunday of
the bash. I know you are aware of what I am talking about so I am going to
let you set the record straight.
What happened?
A: OK Ray, I had said to multiple people I was not going to address this on the
message board
but, I guess I'll lay it out for you. We were going to be
short players due too the fact Brian the 3rd baseman had
pulled a hamstring,
in the 3rd game and I got taken out in the 1st game in which my back didn't
take to that very
well along with the cold. So, we had 11 and were going to
have 9 going into the morning with some of the other guys
having some
problems that night also. We decided as a team to talk to the KSP rep. and
let them know we would
not be there on Sunday. We are looking for the long
haul and with 2 players down and possibly more, to play was
not the thing to
do. As far as if we were in the money bracket I still don't know that we
would have played.
We might have tried to find some people, but with most
people already playing and Pops not being there the whole weekend,
it would
have been pretty hard. I know that I would have been a spectator for sure
that day, and I'm sure I
would have had a couple of the other guys with me.
I know people were saying we were upset we lost a couple of games
but
actually we pulled some positives out of every game win or lose. And for
anyone thinking we didn't play
hard, all I can say is your sadly mistaken.
Q. What do you say to people who accuse Hamiltons
of ducking competition? Do you think this is a fair assessment?
A: Give me a break. They can all kiss my ***.
Just kidding! Bottom line is this is a ?D? team, and I stress the word ?D? team. Any team that is going to attempt
to play at the World Level had better have this type of team. Teams like Dino?s and Nasties to name a couple have grasped
this concept. Could the 2 teams besides ourselves play ?C? in NKY and do very well, absolutely. But at the World
Level it?s a different ballgame.
Q. Give me your personal pre-season top 5 "D" teams this year. Put
them in the order you see fit.
A:
1 Dino?s - You have to de-thrown the champs first.
2 Hamiltons
3 Nasties
4-5
I really don?t know enough about any of the other teams to try to make a fair assessment.
Q.
Below are a list of positions. Like the prior question instead of using Hamiltons players, list players around the league
that best fits next to each position. This would be Roger Dunns 03/04 All star team. Remember no Hamiltons players.
A:
1B Brandon Lightner
2B Timmy Thompson
SS Chad Johnson
3B Butch Hayes
P Adam Maley
C Greg Butler
2
OF's Mike Hughes and Jimmy Romito
MInf. Bobby Shewmaker
AH Kenny Clark (Can play anywhere in the dirt)
Coach Chris
Foght
Q. Roger, who in your opinion is the most underrated player in the game today?
A: Timmy Thompson
Q.
Below are a list of names and things relevant to softball in this area. By each one list one word that best describes them
in your opinion?
A:
Roger Dunn - Confident
Ricks AC - Family
Donnie Hankinson - Scrappy
J-Law Contracting
- Talented
Nasty Boys Blue - Interesting
Hamiltons - Classy
Bill Chard - Organized
Huddy Park (KSP) - Lights
Shane
Caudill - Friend
Tina's Softball - Friendships
Q. What is the best and worst softball parks in the
area and why?
A: Township would be the worst due to they only have the 2 fields.
Expressway would be the best.
Q.
Do you think the new owners of Kentucky Sports Park (formerly Huddy Park) will make any significant changes to the park in
04, or do you think we will continually have to deal with all the problems that comes with that park?
A:
I think they really have no choice if they want to have one of the premiere parks once again. It would not be a very
good business move if they didn?t. I think all repairs to the park will eventually be made but I really don?t know the
new owners financial situation to address all the problems at once. The actual fields themselves are great, it?s the
things around it that I feel need the work.
Q. Roger, what is your most rewarding moment
throughout your career in competitive softball?
A: Having the chance to play with the likes of Dave Spare,
Harvey Wolfe, Timmy Barker, Danny Cahill, and Kenny Clark. These were and still are the guys I looked up to when I started
playing.
Q. On the flipside of the last question, what is your most embarrasing moment? Be
honest.
A: Actually beating out a play at first and losing total concentration and just going and sitting down
on the bench. I tried to sneak back onto the field but obviously the umpire caught me, even though the ordeal confused
him for a moment, and called me out.
Q. Who would you say will be Hamiltons biggest rival and why?
A:
With not knowing to many of these teams and players this year this is a very tough question. I would have to pick 2
teams, Dino?s and the Nasties. Why Dino?s, because of mutual friends, no matter what don?t like to lose to friends,
at least I don?t. Why the Nasties because they are going to talk and I love it.
Q. If there was
a magazine called " Hamiltons Softball" what one person off your team would be on the cover. This one person would represent
what the Hamiltons team is all about. Dont whimp out and say the old cliche " Our whole team would be on the cover.....etc."
We all know it takes a team to win but all players arent the same. Give me one player off your team that best fits what
the Hamiltons squad is all about?
A: I would say Randy. He comes across to me as a laid back person, business
as usual and the team seems to resemble that persona.
Q. Where are Hamiltons going to play
theyre leagues this year and why?
A: I know one of the nights will be Tuesday at Rivershore.
It will be the night that a lot of the other teams seem to be playing. We have not decided on the 2nd night or where
at this time.
Q. Now some personal funfact question that are going to be relevant to yourself. All you do
is simply answer them. Feel free to elaborate.
A:
What is currently in your CD player?
Disturbed
If
you had to have a one night stand with anyone in the world who would it be?
Shania Twain
Do you have a nickname?
If so what is it and how did you get it?
Big Cat, and I got it from Timmy Thompson.
If you could change one
thing about yourself what would it be?
That I didn?t chew tobacco.
What is your biggest accomplishment in life
so far?
Making it and being successful in the executive world
What is your biggest regret?
I wish
I would have kept playing baseball.
Q. Below are a list of topics. Next to each one put your favorite and
your least favorite. Again feel free to elaborate.
A:
Favorite
Least fav.
Movie Lost Boys
Athlete Chipper Jones Christian Latner
Color Blue Brown
Music
Rock Bluegrass
Food Chicken Beets
Hobby Puzzles
Sports team Atlanta Braves Duke
Q.
Now back to softball. If you wasnt playing for Hamiltons, what other team out there could you see yourself
playing with? What other team would Roger Dunn fit in best?
A: Dino?s, because of the friends
I have on that team, they are competitive, and they play hard no matter what the score. They never give up and they
finish were a lot of teams do not.
Q. Give me one thing that your team mates dont know about you,
but if they did, you wouldnt live it down? Everybody has one. Mine is I have all of Britney Spears records. Come
on Roger, have fun with this one and answer honest?
A: OK, just to let you know I was a musician at one
time so I learned to listen to many different styles of music. Here it goes, I will on occasion listen to Culture Club.
Q.
Which side of the river is better when it comes to softball KY or Ohio and why?
A: I would give this to Kentucky
for this reason. Players are more consolidated in Northern Kentucky than they are across the river. Ohio definitely
have some very good teams, I just don?t know if they have as many in their particular area.
Q.
And finally, what is Roger Dunns goal for 2004?
A: To do everything I can to help my team win a world title.
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