CURING SLEEPLESSNESS MAY BE FVWBL.COM'S BEST QUALITY

February 1st, 2003

The FVWBL averages 10-12 visitors a day with searches ranging from "wiffle ball" to "wearing thong sandals around the house." Whether or not by plan, hundreds of people are stumbling across the online home of the Frank Viola Wiffle Ball League each month.

"When I'm bored, it's the first site I check out," said Cathy Mroszak of Roseville, whose daughter, Katie, is a member of the league. "The next one is generationcross.com," a site devoted to a cable television show hosted by religious guru by day, night club partyer by night, "Lino." Mroszak says that FVWBL.com offers something that the unlikely competitor cannot, however: a cure to insomnia.

"When I can't fall asleep I just turn on Adam's play-by-play," Mroszak said.

Suspiciously missing from one of FVWBL.com's most important features -- the discussion board -- are postings by such fans as Cathy Mroszak. The FVWBL encourages it's viewers and listeners to join in discussion with it's famed members.

"Judd tells me that the FVWBL website garners 'x' number of hits per day, but I have no way of knowing if he's being truthful," said Frank Viola, the Commissioner and CEO of the FVWBL. "He claims he has access to myriad of statistics ranging from search queries to the most accessed documents on the site, but where are the posts from such people as Cathy Mroszak? I want solid proof of the FVWBL's popularity, not obscure information like 'FVWBL.com is most accessed between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.' Who cares?"

Mroszak has acknowledged visiting FVWBL.com on a few occassions, but Viola is interested in having onlookers interact with league functions.

"It's the best game in the world," the commissioner said. "We need a fan-friendly product both on the field and in cyberspace."

Judd Berthiaume, who administers the FVWBL.com web site, contends that the FVWBL.com is happy to take Mroszak from her lighthouse collecting for as much time as they can, and no more.

"Mrs. Mroszak is a valuable part of the FVWBL family," he said. "There's nothing to buy here."

Berthiaume went on the say, "We can't even get all of our members to make a post on the discussion board. How can we expect Mrs. Mroszak and other fans to devote the necessary time and effort?"

"We hope that we are providing an enriching experience on and off the field," Berthiaume later added. "Someday maybe we can even theorize on the meaning of life."

Or, maybe more realistically, keep offering alternative sleep aid.

-Judd Berthiaume can be reached by clicking here