Well, my wife and I just got back to Tidewater VA this morning at around 3AM. We were planning on leaving Marietta around 7 or 8 in the morning yesterday (Sunday), but I was totally surprised at Saturday nite's umpires party when I was selected as one of nine umpires to work on Sunday. I had the pleasure and honor of working the loser's bracket final.

As for our hosts, what can I say. Even though this is only my second nationals, I have never been treated as good as the Cobb County people treated us. They made sure we were very well fed, and taken care of, both on and off the fields. My hats off to not only Cobb County Parks and Recreation people, but to the local umpires who were on hand to help in taking care of us. Outstanding job!

I was also very excited in meeting other great umpires! I learned alot this past week. The great thing is the friendships that were built. Everybody there was more than happy to help everybody else.

Finally, it was truly a great pleasure to work with our Tournament UIC, Jim Craig and Assistant UIC, Carl Monroe. They are truly outstanding people. I sure would hate to have being in Jim's shoes, as he had to cut the list of umpires from 48 great umpires to 24 for Saturday, and then to 9 for the finals on Sunday.

Again, thank you guys in Cobb County, fellow tournament umpires, and you guys here on this board. There were some situations that came up that I remembered from this board, and boy did a smile come to my face when I said, "I've got this one."

Oh yeah, almost forgot. I did enjoy meeting fellow "online blues" there, like Elaine (LadyBlue), Scott, "bagman" and others.

OK Scott, your turn!
Serg