[umpbrian]

Rich,
I agree wholeheartedly that in a lot of the bigger associations there is more politics and a$$ kissing then truly needs to be, but in our association we have assignment software that the coaches can submit online evaluations for each game with the officials and game info already input for them. One of the questions is did the officials arrive on time and introduce themselves to the game personel. Coaches and umpires alike take a lot of things for granted. One of the reasons why we have never had an issue over pay in our area is our great working relationship with the schools. Coaches like to know that their officials are taken care of and that they do not need to worry about how many they are going to have. I know that in a lot of places in the country travel times are much higher and umpires are not always as plentiful. Just simply stating that this is a minor thing that we try to work hard at to help improve the lines of communication and goodwill with our member schools. I appreciate your comments whether or not they match my own.