1. Welcome to the Hot Seat Zulfikar Musliwala. Tell us a little about yourself off the field. What do you do for a living? What are your hobbies? Etc.
Accounting puts food on the table; outside of work, trying to figure out parenthood and making an occasional trip to the gym…
2. Who are your role models growing up and now? Why? What makes a good role model? What are the sports teams you are a die hard fan for?
Interestingly enough, not one specific person but I always root for the “underdog” – it’s not about the size of the dog in the fight…
A good role model is someone who leads by action, has humility and can earn respect – “When you are good at something, you will tell everyone. When you are great at something, they will tell you.”
I am a die hard Yankee fan – they epitomize what it is to be a New Yorker. Winning is secondary only to breathing.
3. You have also played for a few years in SAFL and you played Football for Bayside HS and Kean University. Talk to us about your football career and why you stopped playing. Do you miss it?
Thank you for referring to it as a “career” and allowing the gas to seep into my head. Sports were huge growing up in Flushing; we played anything and everything. Between football, basketball and softball, I was “best” at football and took that as far as I could playing in high school and then a year in college. I played QB because of my arm strength (maybe not so much accuracy) but the college coach ran an option offense so my arm was useless. The team and I both didn’t do well and I ended up transferring back to NY and starting to work full-time and going to school at night. Played in numerous rec leagues since, including SAFL, and what I miss most is the camaraderie about the sport. Football is the one sport where you simply cannot win on your individual talent(s). I cut back on football after tearing my ACL (thanks SA…FL) – the concern is putting my wife and kids in a position where I am helpless for a while isn’t worth it.
4. What sport do you enjoy more watching/playing? What are you better at? What about your daughters? Which sport are you signing them up for?
I am better at watching football, if that’s what you meant. My girls have both tried basketball and soccer so far. I will sign them up for whatever they take a liking to. Sports are the great equalizer and bring all types of different people together. We need more sports!
5. You got your start with SASL with The Pros back in 2011. How did you hear about SASL and what were the early years of Spartans like?
I heard about the SASL while playing in the Saturday league with the powerhouse Diamond Cuttaz (shout out to Anwar, Ronak, Pooh, Manju, Habib, Faraz, et al). That’s where I met Hashim (who I was told was Dominican and didn’t speak english). Long story short, he was on the Pros and was gracious enough to ask me to join. From there, met guys like Chuck and Pav and ended up on the Spartans. Those pre-rating teams were great not only because of the talent but because all the guys genuinely got along. That is evidenced by the numerous WhatsApp chats we all are in together…
6. After a few years of hiatus, you returned to SASL with the 2017 Savages. You won two championships in three years. Talk to us about those two championships.
-2017 vs Empire: Great year. Birth of the Savages. Echoing Charley, was able to make some great friendships on this team. Couldn’t have done it without Yasar…
-2019 vs HeavyHittaz: Best three game set in SASL history? Most satisfying championship because we were able to beat an equally talented team.
7. Your team Savages also lost against Mighty Ducks in 3 games in the famous 2018 Finals. Were you upset at Ducks counting down your pitchers balls thrown? How did your team react after?
Losing is always tough. Especially when it’s to a team that I know we were better than. That’s why you play the games I suppose. As far as being upset about Ducks quacking…nah…that’s what they are meant to do, right?
8. After Savages were ‘forced’ to split into basically 3 teams, why did you choose Shooter McGavins over The North or Dothrakis? How did you get the Captain position?
Basically boiled down to wanting to play with guys like Rich, Mike, Khurram and Aasheesh, who I’ve known for 15+ years. I got the captain position because Ronak wanted a break and nobody wants to listen to Aasheesh.
9. This is your 2nd or 3rd year being a captain. What is the toughest part of captaining a team in SASL? Why? If you had to re-do the start to this year, what would you do differently?
Juggling the “everyone paid so everyone should play” aspect. Yes, we all get together to have a good time but we also want to win. Tough to manage those relationships sometimes. I wouldn’t do anything differently if we were able to restart the year. Shout out to Anwar, Ammad and whoever else works behind the scenes to allow us all to enjoy our Sunday mornings together.
10. You had your best offensive season last year hitting over .500 last year with the Savages. This year you are back under .400. What can you point to for the step back?
It’s sad that my “best” year is hitting .500 BUT i’ll put the violin away for now. Long story short, I think too much at the plate. I did most of my damage playing modified softball. Arc gives me too much time to stand up there and think. A wise man once said, “remember—they’re throwing it underhand. Relax and only swing at the good ones”…I will continue to work on that!
11. At 10-10, you guys are in the middle of the pack this year after coming into preseason with high expectations. Why did you guys start 0-6 and how did you turn it around?
12-10 now, but yes we didn’t start the way we wanted. We needed some bs (beer and speakers). Going 12-4 since is a better representation of who we are as a team. Stay loose, have fun, keep the energy going.
12. How would you rate your season thus far and where can you make the improvements? Could you also address the rating controversy of Tom Kahl? Should anyone be rated above 10?
Personally, shitty. There’s no way that ANYONE should hit below .400 in rec league softball. I can make a ton of improvements – just need to dedicate the time. As far as TK is concerned, what didn’t make sense to me is how similar arguments were made during Operation Steve and were successful but TK’s appeal wasn’t. What is the point of a scale if it will ultimately be bypassed? Ever hear of a category 6 hurricane or an 11 on the Richter scale? TK is one of the best players in the league and deserves to be rated as such – but that shouldn’t exceed 10!
13. Playing all these years in SASL, what team/year stands out the most and why? What made that team special? Conversely what was the most trying year and why?
The various iterations of the Spartans/Savages. Again, the camaraderie is what made those teams unique/special. The most difficult year was probably 2018 for reasons I stated previously. We beat ourselves.
14. What makes SASL different that any other league you played in or play for? Do you actively go and meet players from other teams?
The behind the scenes efforts is what makes this league different. Thank you for all the hard work. The fact that the committees have committees and those individuals dedicate so much time and effort is really amazing.
I cannot say I actively go around to meet other players but if you are able to make it to 1B, i’d love to chat.
15. The ‘cap system’ is a very controversial topic every year in SASL. Is the cap system effective in creating parity in a league? What are your thoughts on having a cap forcing some teams to cut players which especially affected your teams past couple of years.
I’d say the proof is in the pudding. Whether you like it or not, it seems to have been effective in eliminating “juggernaut” teams. I play mainly to spend time with my boys. It just so happens that my boys are also talented ballplayers…not sure why we should be penalized for that. It taints relationships that have no need being tainted. Instead of whining about players being 12s or 13s, if it matters to you that much, do what you can to get better!
16. You have been in the SASL for a long time intermittently. Who is in your SASL Mt. Rushmore?
Again, I am biased (I don’t know everyone well enough) but it would have to start with Chuck, Hashim and Pav. Excluding injuries, these guys have consistent year in and year out.
17. What would be one change you would make if you could in the SASL and why?
Reduce the drama. We are all grown men, right? The league’s intent is to bring people together – not create rifts.
18. How have you kept busy during the quarantine? What did you miss most not being able to do?
I work for an “essential” business so my work schedule has been unaffected. Outside of that, I think we all have had our challenges in trying to navigate schedules and everything else that made up a “normal” day. The most difficult aspect of this has been having to think before being able to see my friends and/or family and having to think twice about hugs, handshakes, etc.
19. Three words or less: Describe these players:
- Irfan Musliwala: My hero
- Hashim Naveed: Immensely talented
- Pavy Badwal: Sponsored by Jameson
- Yasar Bokhari: Tainted Finals MVP
- Aasheesh Shravah: Loves BDN
- Rich Yun: Sponsored by Padron
- Khurram Syed: Ladies Love Chris
- Mike Velez: Quiet Storm
- Ali Musliwala: The real Prince
- Charley Robinson: SASL royalty
- Jojo Rodriguez: Typical Met fan
- VJ Samaroo: Cigarette magician
- Manju Shanmugam: Needs a segment
20. Rapid Fire Round:
- Best SASL memory: 2019 championship
- Worst SASL memory:2018 championship
- Best SASL content: Manju’s pending segment (Hot Seat for now)
- Funnest team you been on: Diamond Cuttaz
- Funniest SASL teammate: can’t pick just one
- Favorite teammate ever: all of them
- Worst SASL jerseys ever: Ducks
- Most overrated player: Dex Ortiz
- Most underrated player: Steve Galante
- Best ASA bat ever: the one I can’t seem to find
- Favorite Nassau softball field: the one with no foul territory
- 3 words to describe you: Built Ford Tough
- Most swaggy player: Hashim Naveed
- Your favorite vacation you been to: tie between Costa Rica and Aruba
- Next vacation destination: Cuba
- Favorite TV Show: Martin
- Best beard in SASL: Rich Yun
