Proper protocol for dugout props

Published 7:27 am Sunday, May 22, 2016

Maybe it’s just as well that LSU’s 11-game baseball winning streak, fueled almost exclusively by Rally ’Possum, finally came to an end late Saturday afternoon when No. 1-ranked Florida salvaged the final game of the three-game series with a 6-2 victory.

A sweep of the Gators might have made the ’possum business impossible to turn loose.

Even fans with few roots in the great outdoors were starting to buy into the marsupial silliness — not that there’s anything wrong with that.

One loss does not kill a ’possum. And it would not be out of character for the magic to just be playing ’possum (dead). But it’s not the worst thing if the Tigers embark on the postseason without a ’possum net, forced to rely on the old standards like pitching, hitting, defense and blind baseball luck unrelated to ugly, little skint critters.

Most of it was kind of harmless, but the back-and-forth dueling chant of “Raaah-lee … Paaaah-sum” in place of “Geaux … Tigers” had to be starting to feel silly, if not downright awkward, to even the most die-hard and bought-in of fans.

Besides, there was mounting evidence that the NCAA fun police was about call in the SWAT team anyway.

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At least they will if they follow softball’s example, which was on clear display just across LSU’s athletic complex where McNeese’s women were dueling in the NCAA softball tournament.

In particular for LSU baseball, having no live ’possum after the original perpetrator was released on his recognizance, the Tigers had taken to boarding a stuffed version in their dugout.

LSU may have needed a judicial review once postseason arrives.

Already softball, which has much more lax rules concerning “fun,” has come down with a stern fist.

Softball differs markedly from baseball, most notably in that it allows natural smiles from participants during games, even tight ones.

Also, dugout choreography — with some of the coordinated dance steps shipped straight from Broadway — has always been as critical to the game as taking two and hitting to right.

There’s not a team worth its color-coordinated pigtail-holders that doesn’t have a bench-long, tap-tap, stomp-stomp, two-step capable of dialing up a rally on a moment’s notice.

Not a lot the NCAA can do about that.

But the spoil sports in the tournament were still concerned that the sport was getting entirely too much fun.

There was a growing plague of so-called “props” creeping into dugout routines, some them quite creative, sparing no expense.

In fact, softball games were taking on the look of sorority talent-show skits, with huge wardrobe budgets.

Not that’s there’s anything wrong with that.

Or so you’d think.

Yet the NCAA made it a point before the tournament began that it would henceforth be enforcing Rule 3.12 in the softball rule book.

It states: “Coaches are responsible for ensuring that their players are legally equipped and properly attired to reflect a positive image of the game. Uniforms, accessories and equipment (including batting gloves that must be worn, carried in the hands or put out of sight in pockets) must be worn properly and as designed.”

Not sure about all the emphasis on the gloves. I don’t know, perhaps the young ladies had taken to wearing them on their ears.

Also not sure exactly how all of this accessorizing would be enforced.

Baseball/softball does not have the equivalent of a technical foul.

But it was the talk of Baton Rouge when McNeese arrived this past weekend, mainly that LSU’s women were having to play the tournament cold turkey.

McNeese, not so much.

The Cowgirls have always paid only token homage to this stuff.

McNeese plays it pretty straight, yet the Cowgirls still seemingly manage to smile as much as any team.

The Tigers, however, are considered among college softball’s worst prop-and-skit offenders.

A glance into the LSU dugout is likely to reveal a deadpan row of Dr. Seuss hats, “Stars Wars” masks, often a horse head pullover or creepy Burger Kings.

Apparently, that’s now a no-no; the costume department was not consulted before the NCAA regional.

LSU did appear to work around some other props — without penalty.

One of their standards was some routine with an old plug-in telephone.

I guess that would be a premeditated prop.

But presumably if you can fashion your own props from materials readily available at the ballpark, it passes muster. The LSU women managed to put together a passable phone using a popcorn box, two paper cuts and a little tape. It raised not an eyebrow from the umps, nor a protest from McNeese’s own dugout.

How much effect it had on LSU’s 4-1 victory will take much more study. Maybe a committee.

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Scooter Hobbs covers LSU

athletics. Email him at

shobbs@americanpress.com

 

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