FOUR STRIKES AND YOU'RE OUT?

February 4th, 2003

Frank Viola is bending the rules a little bit and Jake Flaherty is the benefactor. Despite citing three cases where Flaherty could have been disciplined, Viola has pardoned the long time FVWBL member.

Most recently, Flaherty came under fire when he pulled a team switcharoo at the beginning of a Griffey tournament. After selecting them and taking a look at the pathetic defense he decided that "this team reeks" and selected a new team.

Shortly after that debacle, Flaherty took liberties in selecting Atlanta's Fulton County Stadium instead of Metrodome or Skydome, the homes of the two teams participating in the winners' bracket semi-finals.

"Choosing a new team could defile the integrity of the tournament and the FVWBL," Viola said in a statement he released Tuesday morning. "The stadium also could have played a critical role. In both of these cases Jake was defeated and I find no reason to pour salt on the wound."

Later in the tournament Flaherty insisted on playing games three and four out of order, but Viola stated that in this case he didn't think it affected the outcome of the tournament and he wouldn't face league action.

"He lost the two games by a combined 46-4," Viola went on to say in the statement. "I think proper action was taken."

Flaherty faced his first FVWBL scrutiny back in November of 2002 when he called a timeout in the middle of his off-season ping-pong match. Viola was outspoken about Flaherty's delay, but didn't reprimand him.

"Flaherty is an intense competitor," said the FVWBL CEO. "He hates to lose. I see a lot of the same desire in Flaherty as I had as a baseball player."