Quote:
Originally posted by Tim C
I was informed of the term "Rat" sometime between 1982 and 1986.
When I attended Brinkman in '82 the term was not used at the school.
When I came back in '86 (for only the last three weeks, so I could have missed references during the first three weeks) the term was in every day use.
HOWEVER, in 1983 or '84 the term was in full use in the NORPAC.
I actually believe that the term was coined in Texas.
That is my best memory of the situation.
It was probably used in Little League far before that (that was meant to be humorous).
Tee
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Despite your attempt to give us a history lesson on the origin of the word "rat", YOU are not using it in the context that you've explained, are you? So what's the point?
It's a word that is bantered about by umpires when referring to particularly odious coaches. It's more or less a tongue-in-cheek type of word. Coaches have similar words for dipsh*t umpires, of which there is no more a shortage than rat coaches, by the way.
But not for you! You are dead serious when you use this word. Your predisposition to classify all coaches as rats, until they prove otherwise (and I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt that a coach could prove to you that he is *not* a rat - although there is no indication that is possible.), reveals an irrational bias that certainly must manifest itself in some manner that makes you somewhat less of an umpire than you are capable of. And, my guess is that you're an outstanding umpire. So I can only imagine what heights you would achieve if you could possibly shirk this extreme prejudice.
Have you ever considered the possibility that your success as an umpire is DESPITE your attitude toward coaches, not BECAUSE of it?
David Emerling
Memphis, TN