I agree. Very classy to come on and explain your position--and explain it well. I can certainly buy the first arguement (the financial one) and it is nice to find someone who is upfront about the fact that that is a consideration. The second arguement is much harder to swallow. Good competition is good competition. We have traveled all over the midwest and into the southeast and found the competition at CABA (regardless of the number of IL teams) to be excellent. I really don't care where the teams are from, as long as they are good--most coaches I talk to feel the same.
I will agree with bballdad that one of the most disappointing aspects of the tournament was not the quality of the competition, but rather the quality of the playing fields and facilities. Hopefully that will be addressed in the future--by both USSSA in Crystal Lake and CABA in Woodstock.