1. Welcome to the Hot Seat Jason Reis. Tell us a little about yourself off the field. What do you do for a living? What are your hobbies? Etc.
Thank you it is an honor to be chosen. Off the field I am an accountant and an investment adviser. When I am not working, I love playing sports. I am playing kickball or softball 4 days during the week. Once the fall begins, I will be bowling and playing volleyball. This will keep on going on until I am in a relationship and she drops the hammer lol I am a huge red sox fan and always liked watching highlights of Carl Yastrzemski. He is the reason why I am #8 in softball and baseball whenever I play. Prince knows if he does not save me a #8 jersey I will not play on his team. My role model in basketball was John Stockton. I was a huge Utah jazz fan growing up. I used to play in SABL and always would request #12 after John Stockton. That Jordan push off vs Bryon Russell in the NBA finals still haunts me to this day.
2. You are well known for your work as the SABowL commissioner for a few years. Talk to us about that. How did you start, how much work is it, why did you do it, etc. Will it ever return?
The South Asian Bowling League was a lot of fun. We were really the first revolutionary league of South Asian Sports that really took videos and stats to a new level. Ayaz would do all our post-game interviews which really set the mark for Who’s that guy in softball. We were also the first league to keep everyone’s stats from every year and have everyone’s career stats listed. The proudest moment was opening the league up to the first female south Asian sports player and opening the league so there are no limitations on who can join. We really changed sports forever and I hope all other South Asian sports follow. We also introduced an anti-tanking policy because people were bowling poorly on purpose. I also cannot forget when I was throwing out suspensions to people like they were water. Those were the good ole days. One time, Naeem got suspended for picking up a spare while sitting or standing on a chair. It was an impressive shot. Now that I look at it, I probably should have given him a cookie or a medal for doing it. Ayaz got suspended I think for just being Ayaz. I suspended myself one game to show how the rules apply to everyone in the league. A lot of commissioners in various SA Sports leagues think they are above the rules. In bowling we are all equal and even the commissioner can be suspended for a game. Hopefully after Covid-19 we can look and see who would be interested to join again.
3. You are known as a top 3 bowler in the SAS community. What’s your highest scores? And what would you say your average is? What are some tips for a beginner?
Ummmm… I am the #1 bowler in the SAS community. I have bowled two 300 games and my average is around a 217. My highest series ever was an 834 which I bowled a 267,300,267 in a 3 game series. The first tip for bowling is watching bowling on tv. When you watch professionals throw the ball you can really see what must be done to get good at the game. Bowling is an extremely easy game to play but it is a difficult sport to be good at. There are a lot of variables such as the oil patterns on the lanes that novice bowlers really do not know. As the game progresses you will have to adjust with the lane conditions. A perfect throw in frame 1 may be a complete miss in frame 5.
4. When did you start in SASL and how did you hear about SASL? Give us the backstory after all these years.
I think I started playing in SASL 9 years ago. Atif who I went to high school with asked Mui and I to join SASL with the Bombers. At first, I thought it was a joke because how am I allowed to join a South Asian League. Honestly, the Bombers were probably the most fun I’ve had in the league. There was absolutely zero pressure and it was a great group of guys. We were not good, but we always had fun. I can’t believe how much time flies and how long I’ve been playing in this league for. A quick backstory was the last game of the season we were playing The Ballers. Sony Singh and I were talking about politics and it really started to piss me off. I think in my first 5 at bats I hit 3 homeruns just because I was really heated. They were all inside the park homeruns, but I will take it. I made a lot of great friends in this league over the years which is why I am happy I joined SASL.
5. You have been part of Empire since their inception. How did you get recruited and onto that super team?
Honestly, I wish I never got recruited because that first year was so heartbreaking. JKJKJK. I still have no idea how we blew that lead in the Finals vs the Ballers. The merger happened when Atif, Chris and I got asked to merge with Faizal and others. I’m sure Faizal knows way more how it formed than I do. I believe we won the Fall season as the Fall Dogs, so expectations were high for us that year. The original Empire team may have been one the greatest teams ever assembled that is why it was so heartbreaking.
6. After almost a decade as a team and finishing second a few times, how would you rate the franchise overall? Do you feel Empire never reached their full potential? Why did Empire finally breakup in 2020? Will we see a comeback?
I would say Empire is equivalent to the Utah Jazz. We made the finals a bunch of times but lost to the best franchises in SASL history. We should have at least 1 title which should have been our first year against the Ballers. The Ballers were missing two of their best players and we completely collapsed. I don’t want to say Empire was a failure because making 3 final appearances is still a great accomplishment. Faizal really put a great team together we just did not have what it took to get over the hump. Every year Faizal promises us an Atlantic City trip if we win to give us more motivation to come out of top. We are still waiting for the championship so we can all go gambling on Uncle Faizal’s dime lol It was not a true success since we never reached our true potential.
7. You have lost 3 Finals in the summer seasons with Empire. Take us thru those 3 Finals and why you lost.
2011 Empire loses to Softballers:
Without getting too deep into it, we lost because some players did not perform to their athletic capabilities. I don’t know if it was a bad day or nerves but some people on Empire completely laid an egg that day. The Ballers did what they do best. They make zero mistakes and are all clutch. The Empire killer Haseeb really came through especially when they were missing such key players.
2015 Empire loses to Spartans:
HA. Well when you are missing one of your best players in the outfield it changes a lot of things. Everyone had to adjust to different positions, and we could not get into a groove. Savages were a great team though. To beat them you really had to play your best and make zero mistakes. They won because they just outplayed us. If I remember correctly all the games were close. Spartans led by Hashim just had the experience and just played better than us.
2017 Empire loses to Savages:
Savages were absolutely the better team that year. Again, it didn’t help when we have a player who decides to miss another big game for us. The Savages/Spartans showed once again why they are one of the top franchises in SASL.
8. You have won 1 championship with Hit Squad in 2016 Fall Ball and was named the Finals MVP. Talk to us about that team. And is it any consolation to win the Fall championship in your eyes?
I’m sure if you ask Solymon that is definitely a championship in the record books lol. Our team wasn’t the best team, but we had a lot of team chemistry. Every player knew what their role was and played their role perfectly. The flying Najimi’s really put the perfect team together that year. I can really remember that season like it was yesterday because it was a lot of fun.
9. How was your 2020 offseason? Did you get offered positions at other teams? Would you seriously ever consider playing in other teams? What would it take for other teams to secure your services?
I think everyone knows how much I wanted to leave Empire every year. It really was no secret. After a while things got stagnant and it is time to move on. Prince made TSFE (whatever that even means) because Empire failed. I told Prince I would join and then see what happens the following year then make a new decision. What offers do I get? I get no offers from other teams lol. Even though every year I say I want to leave, I love the guys who I have been playing with. I have known Mui since high school so it’s great playing softball with him every year. It’s great to see Prince even when he is annoying me lol, We really are like one big family and it’s a great to see all the guys every week during the summer the past couple of years. What would make this complete would be finally winning a championship together.
10. What are your thoughts on the cap system in the SASL? Does it bring parity to the League? What needs to be tweaked to make it for fairer?
Oh boy, this really had to be asked. I could literally write a 5-page paper why this league is failing.
I’ll start out saying I think the cap system is a great idea. The “other league” has no cap and it makes you not want to show up to play. The problem is even though the system is great the people or person administrating the system are taking advantage of it. Every year it seems like one team or group of players somehow gets a favorable rating. The secret appeals committee makes a rating that only benefits one team. Last year another team got a favorable rating on a brand-new player. If you think congress is corrupt, then wait till you really know how the cap system operates.
This year there is a player on the North who was rated a 4 when he should be 8+. It’s always the same group of players who somehow get favorable ratings on players. Go figure. This will be and is the downfall of SASL. Every year we must adjust the season because people are annoyed how the league is operating. There may be a committee but it’s a farce. It is really one person stacking the committee so a team can benefit.
Last year a favorable rating was made from the secret appeals committee because a team threatened to quit unless someone’s rating was dropped. The committee was given a job to rate players which they did. A secret appeal committee comes in and changes a rating which throws everything off. Things like this are why the whole system is a joke.
11. A lot of people talk but what would you do to change things?
I was on the committee for 2 years. I really care about this league a lot and I really tried to make a difference. I think 4 years ago I warned everyone what will happen to the league. It’s all coming true even to this day. Last year I worked with committee members and 5 out of the 6 captains in the AL to bring in a correct and fair cap system. I wrote up a letter and submitted it with the captains backing. The current administration showed the letter to his team and then decided it wouldn’t work because it’s possible they cannot bring all of their players back. People think someone else wrote the letter but nope it was me.
I was also asked to run SASL in 2020 and submitted a proposal on how I would run things. That was denied by people higher up. All in all, people can complain all they want. If they really want change, they need to stop emptying their wallets and not come back until change is made.
12. 2017 and 2019 you were the team captain for Team Israel in the SASL World Cup. Talk to us about that experience. In the first World Cup you guys did well.
The World Cup was an amazing experience and I know all my guys had a lot of fun. We made the semifinals upsetting Pakistan but ran into a buzz saw in Team Ireland who destroyed us. It was a great idea South Asian sports did to bringdifferent teams together for a great cause. I was very shocked though from the backlash from some teams for bringing team Israel in. I know a team wanted to boycott because of that and I was just stunned. Especially when it came from people who I’ve known for a long time. I really hope the tournament happens again because I know everyone had a great time. Hopefully my team can do better next year.
14. This season you are on TSFE. So far you guys are just outside the elite teams at 5-5. Tell us about your team and how you think they will shake out. How far do they go? Who is your biggest competition?
I think on paper we are elite but, on the field, we play like we have no idea what we are doing. I’m not sure if its chemistry issues or if we just think we can beat anyone. We started out slow, but after 4 straight wins I think we are finally figuring it out. Prince has been making some moves to get us going and for the most part it is now working. The goal is obviously to win a championship and without that this season will be a bust. We still have time to work out the kinks and I think when it’s over we should be in the running to win it all. Our biggest competition honestly is every team. We started out 1-5 so there is no reason for us to take any team lightly. Every team that faces us thinks that can beat us because of our poor record. We have a bunch of great chemistry guys and I think will be finally figure this out.
15. You have been in the SASL for a long time. Give us your SASL Mt. Rushmore and why.
1) Hashim- He is a 5-tool player who is by far the best short stop in this league. Every year he is in the MVP running.
2) Charley- Best power hitter in the game. He is also a class act and a great guy.
3) Zeeshan- Captain of the best franchise in the SASL History.
4) Ali G- He is an amazing pitcher with a lot of championships.
5) Yasar (I’m going to get heat for this)- He won a finals MVP and known as one of the best pitchers in SASL.
16. Three words or less: Describe these players:
- Chris Mui: Cantiague D Monster
- Faizal Sherrif:- Promises us Vegas
- Prince Panicker- Scouting Report Machine
- Harvey Harding: Killer Speed and glove
- Burhan Gorgani: Ummm no comment
- Atif Tatari: Doubles Machine
- Ammad Sheikh: Future President
- Manny Singh: Slow but Fast?
- Razi Hussaini: The SKIPPER
- Dheeraj Ramchandani: No show Sally
- Jason Gregory: Great chemistry guy
- Travis Mahadeo- Five tool player
- Scooby Nankumar- Great pitcher
- Shaz Imamudin: Underrated power hitter
17. Rapid Fire Round:
- Best SASL memory: My 3 homeruns vs the ballers in my first season
- Worst SASL memory: Our right fielder dropping the ball in the outfield to lose a play in game vs the Mets or HeavyHittaz. 🙄
- Most Talented SASL team ever: Ballers
- SASL team you had the most fun with: Bombers
- Favorite teammate ever: Princent K Panicker
- Worst SASL jerseys ever: Any jersey Daddy Dar has
- Most overrated player in SASL: Chris Mui
- Most underrated player in SASL: Irfan
- Best ASA bat ever: The bat I use
- Favorite Nassau softball field: Eisenhower
- 3 words to describe you: Nice with roid rage
- Most swagy player: My boy Irfan
- Your favorite vacation you been to: Disney world
- Next vacation destination: Anywhere before Corona season is over
- Favorite TV Show: Bar Rescue
- Best beard in SASL: Sony
