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For the record, I didn't stereotype anyone either, I shared a story of an experience with a partner in a PONY LEAGUE game, where (around here at least) the umpiring is expected to be better.
Although, when I show up to a LL game in my high school blues, I'm held to a higher standard by the leagues, the coaches, and the parents. When one of these guys blows a call, they get the "hes doing his best" routine. When I ring up a batter on a great pitch on the corner, you would have thought I just sat there on home plate and killed a puppy. I'm the worst human being on the face of the earth at that particular moment. These guys are making the same amount of money that I am.
I tried to hold a mini clinic for the local little league umpire squad this year. Not the same town I umpire in, my son plays in the local league and I don't want that conflict of interest. Exactly 1 out of 10 showed up. They had 3 weeks notice. The coaches told me his umpiring improved 100 percent afterwards.
Volunteering ones time for the kids and showing up for a paycheck are 2 different things. The LL umpires that show up thinking they know everything, won't take criticism or instruction and missaply the rules on a regular basis are the ones we are talking about here.
We all have had plenty of good experiences in LL, a lot more than bad. The problem is they seem to run together, especially if you do a lot of games like most of us do. The bad stuff sticks in our minds because it usually drags out, where the good moments pass quickly.
[Edited by aevans410 on May 18th, 2005 at 07:43 AM]
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Allen
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