Updates for All-Alumni Weekend & your concerns

[dtrain34]

I believe Final Four weekend for the WCLL is May 2nd-4th, this obviously will be the dates of the All-Alumni Tournament (does anyone else have the exact date?).

Also, I recently received this email from a good friend of mine. Without putting him on blast, he is apparently having some issues; perhaps I was ignorant for assuming other alum were as excited as my alma mater. I would like to share with you his email to me, and my response, as I think it breaks it down for a lot of people:

"Train,

I think that you idea for an alumni tournament is a great idea. However,
I am encountering a significant amount of resistance on the $$$ issue. It will be difficult to get 26 players even without the $200. This is more than we pay for tournaments and lodging and shorts are not included. I am afraid that if the price is not lowered then ******** will not be able to field a team. Our alumni weekend ************* so any additional information that you can provide would be a great help. Thanks

*********"

This was my response:

"********,

We have to keep the price there in the advent that things start to change, we can still pull the tournament off.

Plus, did you explain what they are getting for 200 bucks (and is it really hard to find 26 players, are alumni is really having issues paring down the squad).

You play at least FOUR games (stop time by the way); the last four teams that qualify for the last day will play six games.

Shorts are not included, because you are getting a heavy-duty reversible (not some cheap bull*** penny) and an under-armour type shirt; both customized with the schools colors and info. We can get ride of the under-armour or get jerseys that aren't as good, then we could get shorts. This is going to be much better. People will have the reversibles for a long time; my hopes is that the guys that get them, will be able to wear them at all of their other lacrosse events for four years.

The winning team gets individual trophies, the tournament cup, and the MVP gets a trip to Vegas.

Plus, we are having a web-site for the tournament, including two tournament photographers.

And the insurance is already paid for.

And you get the two-day admission to the WCLL final Four.

Ohhhhh, and we've got a night club down town reserved for all those playing in the tournament.


ARE YOU KIDDING ME MY FRIEND? Tahoe and Vegas we pay about $180, that gets us 3 games (club games, not stop-time), and a reversible, plus standard shorts.

This is WAY better than any tournament that you and I have had the fun of playing in; plus its more games, much more included with the tournament, AND you get to represent for the school one last time.

THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME......ONCE EVERY FOUR YEARS! For real, this has to be done right. It has to be the biggest blow-out ever. It has to be deserving of the league and all of the great players that have participated. Tell me how that isn't worth $200 buck?

I appreciate you hitting me up my friend, I will call you to discuss further.

DTRAIN"

[sohotrightnow]

Well said. Kudos to you Train. This has the makings of an epic event.

[westcoastlax]

Can there be a discount for teams that have no intention of partying at some weak dowtown club?

[sohotrightnow]

Can there be a discount for teams that have no intention of partying at some weak dowtown club?

Must play for Sonoma...

[dtrain34]

"Weak downtown club"......as compared to standing next to the cash machine at the Saloon in Encinitas, hitting on divorced-chain smoking soccer moms, while drinking alternate versions of essentially wine coolers.

Sorry to get your crew out of Scum Bag Alley and downtown for once in your life. Don't worry the "weak," Gaslamp club will only be one night. You can go back to watching people Agree to except the $2.50 surcharge to take out cash or telling strangers "nice shot broseph" on the pool table the next night.

[BigheadTodd]

As it would be impossible for my team to be in all the photos, could I get 12.5 cents off per each picture taken without my team?

[BigheadTodd]

And where can I find the divorced chain smoking soccer moms? If they smoke.....

[westcoastlax]

"Weak downtown club"......as compared to standing next to the cash machine at the Saloon in Encinitas, hitting on divorced-chain smoking soccer moms, while drinking alternate versions of essentially wine coolers.

Sorry to get your crew out of Scum Bag Alley and downtown for once in your life. Don't worry the "weak," Gaslamp club will only be one night. You can go back to watching people Agree to except the $2.50 surcharge to take out cash or telling strangers "nice shot broseph" on the pool table the next night.

Sorry but I won't be able to afford $10 bucks a drink downtown after your rediculously expensive tourney fee. We didn't all have the training of the UC-system to get a big time job and learn how to overcharge people.

....insert DTrains witty response.

But seriously, I do believe the cost which may not seem high to some will be a problem for others, especially people up north who have travel costs as well. Not to mention all those playing for Barbary Coast and other so-cal club teams may have their own games, and this tourney is within only a few weeks of the Jam by the Sea and the Portland tounament.

[MandibleS4L]

"Insert Dtrain's witty response"????
Please, you're assuming way too much. At most you'll get a self promoting delusion of grandeur.... so let me enlighten your ill begotten ways. Re: this tourney the DTrain has got it all set, and makes a good point of doing this right the first time. For $200 you get two full days of games, the penny/reversible and the club night- which is sure to produce a moment or two of debauchery, and should form hold up and the stars align a sighting of both the Moorenado and it's oft forgot predecessor, the Hornado.
So while you're beefs have merit- it is early enough to correct them. Start saving for the cost, plan now for the travel and fret not about the absence of chain-smoking, de-fanged, cougars. For one night, pop the collar, hang with Chet and Vance, whisper sweet nothings to the future trophy wives they breed at USD (keep it monosyllabic, Torero's are a vacuous bunch) and pray that the lovely sweater meat displayed before you is less sweater and more meat. The league is worth it, so is the school you represent.
And for the record, over-charging is not taught at the UC's, though it is a major at U$C

[Albert Man]

The purpose of this All-Alumni tournament is to make the WCLL Final 4’s a lacrosse event again like it was in the pre-MCLA days. What better way to do that than to bring the best of the best all-time WCLL players together in a tournament of their own, with the all time bragging rights of the league at stake. With the 2008 Final 4’s back in San Diego, we have no doubt the stands will be packed with middle/high school lax fans and friends & family of the teams, but we also wanted to bring a bigger contingent of alumni to the stands too.

We know that it will be a lot of effort for non-local ex-players to make it. This is why we are giving everyone advance notice about the tournament, and also why we are making this an Olympiad event rather than an every year event. That said, our goal is to give the participants that do decide to make the effort to come as memorable an event on and off the field as possible. We wanted to differentiate this tournament from tournaments that happen every year: to have more games, longer games, quality jerseys and shirts, and a 1st class event that would bring everyone from all teams together.

We’ve gotten a flood of people truly excited about the event and we are committed to it. We have individuals that love the structure as it is now, and now a few individuals that say the money is an issue.

We are going to offer at an alternative structure, which eliminates some of the frills:

$140 per person, 24 person minimum roster per team
Teams must provide own uniform reversibles in school colors
Commemorative T-shirt still provided
3 full length 48 minute stop time games, guaranteed per team (games Friday night, games Saturday all day, championships on Sunday)
College rules
Admission to WCLL final 4’s still included
Stats and game recaps still posted on website
All tournament team announced at conclusion of the tournament
We will still hold an event Friday night. Location TBD
Same alumni player participation requirements

Eliminated- Cup, Trophies, MVP award, photographers, provided alumni team reversibles, Downtown club event.

Obviously we can’t please everyone, but the more WCLL alumni teams represented the better- with 16 teams participating being ideal. So, if money for the tournament is an issue affecting a team’s attendance, we will talk to teams’ alumni reps and see which format they prefer, current or alternative.

[CATLAX MAN]

The difference between the current format and the alternative is $60 per player. C'mon guys, this is one night out on the town bar tab for most of you. If this is really the issue, priorities should be examined.

[Ravaging Beast]

A small request: If there are going to be a good amount of alumni at the WCLL final four, I would recommend a separate set of bleachers for the alumni. We wouldn't want any families or fans being offended by some heckling or tortilla throwing. Maybe on the opposite side of the field.