[JRutledge]

Originally posted by WindyCityBlue


WOW!!! You have worked 20 years of baseball? ...When you started, there was no such thing as the internet (at least available to the larger public). So who cares what you were doing when you started or over your career.

So, because I started umpiring when the internet was in its infancy, I have no sense of baseball knoweldge. yeas, that computes.

I have officiated almost 10 years in 3 sports

According to Rut logic, you've beeen at it for 30 years?

No WCB. But I feel that working year round, working with people in different sports gives me a great deal of knowledge that someone just sticking to one sport will not get. I also think this is the very reason that most of the very good officials work multiple sports. Every different sport season I learn something new about officiating in general and I can apply to another sport. I am happy that you have worked 20 years, but you seemed to have done that in one part of the year. Unless you move to Florida or Louisiana in the Chicago winters, there is a lot of time of the year they are not playing baseball. Basketball I can officiate 12 months out of the year. When I am not doing baseball, I can work Football well into November, with or without snow on the ground.

Originally posted by WindyCityBlue
Really, who? BTW, experience is more than years. I have not encountered too many Minor League guys here.

Jurrasic Referee and Carl both called you out. They both said not so glowing things about your posts and your attitude. Jurrassic can tell you himself how many years he has officiated in multiple sports, but it was much more than 20 years. We all know Carl's resume to some extent. I have not always gotten along with both of them. But I have always respected their point of view on many issues. But even when I disagree, it is not personal with them or more than what the discussion is about. We can disagree without calling each other names and accusing folks of being terrible. Especially when we have never met in person.

Originally posted by WindyCityBlue
You can call me all kind of names here, but take that off this board and with people that have worked with me. Tell me how far you get with that? Several FVB members talked about you at the State series. Their comments filtered back through my FVB friend - WHO WAS THERE! They say that on the high school field you do a decent job. They are concerned with your off field shenanigans (right, Bob, FVB9 and DA?).

You can come here and tell the world about the way you see things. I do not have moniker with a location in my name. I only have my name and only represent myself. I really do not care what others think, especially from a baseball perspective. My umpiring experience is not wrapped up into one are of a state. I have umpired many areas outside of Chicago. I did well there, I will continue to do well. But also think of it this way. I have not worked a baseball game since June 3, 2004, which happen to be my Regional. With all due respect, if I never work another baseball game a day in my life, it will not be a major tragedy in my life. I went to the State Finals on Friday (because it was right down the street from my house), helped with the IACAO Booth for the second game (where Bob was working) and left for a Basketball Tournament in Peoria. I understand that they might have concerns, but who really cares. Because I like to work baseball do I can hit the basketball camp season in reasonable shape and work on many game management skills that apply to basketball and football. So you can throw out all the names you like, but until they start assigning all the area basketball conferences and do not hire me as a result, then I might, just might worry.

Originally posted by WindyCityBlue
They are embarassed that you have put the spotlight of the nation on Chicago umpiring. They may not like all of what I've said, but they find little fact that can be argued.

Let them be. Because everything we have talked about when it comes to your organization or any organization, is the very same thing I have said to people in person. So if you ever get in a conversation with me about different groups or specific topics, chances are that I have had the same conversation with those you mentioned and with other "no name" individuals. And considering the situations we are faced with in our area, I am really not sure that is their major focus. But again, you heard 3rd and 4th party conversations.

Originally posted by WindyCityBlue
I'm fairly certain that most everyone here is tired of our pissing contest, but you just can't help yourself.

I really do not care what they are tired of. I am tired of a lot of things that go on here, and I do not post them all the time.

Originally posted by WindyCityBlue
I post contructive answers and advice and you immediately jump on it.

You do not seem to like it very much, do you? If I remember, I have never met you (you claim we have, but it just goes to show how important in the Chicago seen you are to me). You claim to know about me as an umpire, but you have never seen me work. You wanted to see my schedule on the "other board" because you thought what I had to say was stupid and dumb. You said I would never get a playoff game, and I did. Even when I personally thought it would not happen and was not expecting it. You questioned my motives about posting a link to some pictures of a game I worked. You seemed to take all of this to heart, but now you want to cry foul when I do the exact same thing to you? I understand that baseball is important to you, and it should be. You have appartantly accomplished some great things. But to try to put down umpires that do not fit your point of view is insulting to all of us. Not everyone has a desire to work your level or is disappointed if they do not make it to pro ball. And you talk about how many years you have worked, but one of the varsity games I had this past year, the umpire I worked has worked about 30 years. The home coach got all over his behind for ejecting fans and having very thin skin on the field. But according to you, I should bow down to all that have worked more than 20 years. That very same coach said to me after I had worked 3 of his game, "you just cannot get a good partner." But I guess you are the person I should listen to.

Originally posted by WindyCityBlue
You call Peter names in a vain attempt to humiliate him. Do you think that people are laughing at him because of a lack of follicles or you at your lack of wit? It is simply amazing that you keep at this. Do you ever offer anything of use here?

Yes, when you are not posting or folks like Peter are not worried about what I say.

I have been on this board (Football, Basketball and Baseball) for years. I have had many folks approach me and tell me about posts and laugh at people like yourself. I have had many "discussions" with people over the years. Just like Peter and others that have been here for a long time. Many do not post on the McGriff board because of those "discussions" they had and I was never around. I have worked with several posters on all these sites and have had nothing but good experiences with all of them. I have never met people on the other boards like the folks on the Baseball side. Maybe that is because baseball umpires have a totally different approach to the game and tend to be much more confrontational than other sports. But for you to question my contributions, when folks like you jump all over guys that work LL, Pony, American Legion, Travel, Freshman or just a Regional for that matter (I did not realize we all started working the State Finals), you worry about what I have to contribute. I would never and never have jumped all over someone for that they work is below my current level and then call their baseball "not real." But guys like yourself do that here all the time. I have answered several questions more than just this season, and you have called all my imput as stupid. But you have about 50 posts to your name, but I do not know what I am doing or I have never posted anything of substance. Whatever man. I can see why people say the things about you in their personal contact dealings. And it is another reason why folks say the same about your organization.

Peace