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Originally posted by WindyCityBlue
The last two words of your post epitomize our feelings about you, as well.
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I was brought up by my family to consider the source when something has been said. Ever since you started running your mouth about me on this board, I have been elected to two board positions, received a playoff, asked to join a IHSA committee and have a few people trying to get me to become an IHSA Clinician. I guess what you think does not care much weight around here.
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Originally posted by WindyCityBlue
When you grow up, maybe you'll see that those of us who have been at this a while, understand what is happening. At the professional level, owners expect more for the salaries they are paying. They demand perfection from their players and officials. The ownership drives the league.
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Who cares about the professional level? The pros are not the end all be all of umpiring or officiating in this country.
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Originally posted by WindyCityBlue
Now, focus here...they don't care about the feelings and pride of the officials that are employed by the league. They simply want the proper call made, according to the rules.
They don't really care about how long the game goes on either.
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Did you just say that? Since you are talking about the pros, you have to be talking about TV revenue and ratings. Yes, they do care how long the games take because that means people will turn off the games or not watch at all. Actually the NFL took many considerations to shorten games. As a matter of fact their timing rules are totally different than any other level to help keep game moving. That is apart of the situation.
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Originally posted by WindyCityBlue
They make even more money keeping the fans in the stadium. Think about it, the extra innings of the ALCS was a boom to the concessions and souvenier sellers in the stadiums. Fox made more money on the additional commercials. Now imagine what is coming..."G.E. bring this Instant Replay to life!" Don't believe me? Notice the big Motorola logos on the headsets or the athletic logos on every piece of apparel INCLUDING THE UMPIRES??? If they can make money on an aspect of the game, they will.
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I guess you need to read Forbes Magazine and watch the TV ratings of regular season games in the NFL as compared to the MLB or even the NBA. The most valuable franchises are not MLB teams. Commercials during the playoffs with some major markets involved is great, but what about the rest of the season? If New York, Boston and St. Louis were not in the playoffs, the ratings would be dreadful. But because you have some really traditional powers or successful teams, it helps the ratings. No one paid attention last year in the World Series after the Cubs and Red Sox were eliminated in the playoffs. The ratings were decent, but they were not record setters.
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Originally posted by WindyCityBlue
You are still hung up on whether a coach or player can ask us to check with our partners on a call.
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My statements are about when that is appropriate, not the fact that they question you or have a disagreement with your call. There is a protocol still and there is a procedure to handle that request. Not all calls are up for debate nor should they be.
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Originally posted by WindyCityBlue
I can only say this. You didn't believe me when I said that the method of officiating and making umpires more accountable was changing. Well, its here. Soon, you'll see why 99% of us are telling you why they don't object to conferencing. Our job is to get the call right. You still don't get that.
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I can tell you need a new PDA with bigger fonts and a clearer screen. There is never anything wrong with conferencing about a call. You just do not do it every single call that is in dispute. Tony LaRussa came out a couple of times last night about a call and there was no conference. As a matter of fact I did not see one conference when I was watching the NLCS. Not one. If there was a conference, it sure was not while I was watching. I had meetings most of this week and missed most of the first half of games, but the umpires were not talking to each other after they made some tough decisions. Even in the ALCS there is one game where there was a major conference. So out of 14 games, there was only one game that had some conferencing on some tough calls. All the other games I watched this year on disputed calls, coaches were ejected and no conference was taken by the umpires to so-called "get it right" as you suggest. You cannot pick and choose the situations to fit your philosophy.
I have yet to hear anyone close say that you have to conference on plays because the coach wants one. As a matter of fact it is very much discouraged. Not to say you are never allowed to conference, but not just because the coach wants one or because you have a disputed call. I guess we need to conference on a pitch we see as a strike and the coach feels differently? Yeah, that is great umpiring.
Peace