Say it isn't so...No NPF champion 2012

(Source)

NPF commissioner Cheri Kempf said the forecast for the rest of the night showed the rain would not let up; any break likely to be barely long enough to get the field ready to begin playing again. She also said there was no contingency plan in place, nothing in the bylaws, to govern playing out the remainder of the championship series on Monday. (source)

This has to be frustrating  to the women who have all agreed to give up their spots on the national teams and focus on playing in the NPF to strengthen it and make it a 'real' professional league. But as of last night the 2012 season ended not as the players had dreamed it would, but as an ugly nightmare that shows - while the players are doing everything they can to improve the league, it will be a second rate entity until the owners, commissioner, and media really get behind the women's pro-fastpitch softball league. In other words so many have dropped the ball on what could have been a real footing into creating a recognizable pro league.

Fingers are pointing from lots of locations, you can not blame mother nature here, the lack of real planning and to the fact that the Bandits were losing their ace pitcher (and five others) who are going back to Japan to continue her pro career for the rest of this season.

"I can say that the championship wasn't complete, and it wasn't complete because Chicago stated it had six players that could not finish," Kempf said. "So therefore, I don't feel like that the right thing to do is to award the championship on one game."

My thoughts are this: While the players should all be proud to make it to the championship. I can not believe a league who plays outdoors, would put such a tight schedule together for a play-off schedule being that they play outdoors, and have players who have other commitments lined up. I'm not sure the powers that be have a clue of whats going on. This could do some real damage to the ongoing and continued growth of the sport.

I wanted to see my favorite Megan Willis get her championship but good luck the rest of the year ladies and see you next season...hopefully!