[WhatWuzThatBlue]

Pete,

Looking for 1,000 words? Sorry, but I only need to add a thought or two about what has already slid on by.

"It's been said that it is harder to make it to the BIGS as an umpire than a Player."

Please tell me that this was a slip.

How many roster spots are available to a MLB umpire candidate? Even if all MLB umpires perished in a freak accident, we need how many to work the season?

How many teams are there? How many players on each team?

I know you meant well, but this was one of the most obvious statements ever to leave your fingertips.

The good ol' boy network exists in anlmost every American activity. The corporate ladder, politics, buying a car, schooling, even finding the right contractor; it has always been who you know rather than what that drives the engine. It is sad but true. That is one of the largest factors of umpire attrition. We've witnessed a half dozen statements to affirm this. I read the posts pretty quickly, but a few alluded to luck and desire as factors. Luck can only get you through the door. Desire and ability keep you there. Good umpires realize that they need all three. Good umpires pass on their knowledge to the next generation of umpires. They stay a few minutes longer after the game or series and they listen. Good umpires know when to let a partner handle a situation and when to assist. They remember what it was like to be the new guy and help them climb the ladder. Good umpires are forgotten while on the field and immortalized around the bar.