Quote:
Originally posted by Sal Giaco
Rut,
Do yourself a favor and go back to the basketball/football section of this forum because when it comes to baseball, you're about as clueless as most of the coaches out there.
Randy Christal would do a fine job working MiLB but there are very few umpires at the DI level that can work like him. As for your other ignorant comment about MiLB umpires skipping HS ball and going straight to the PRO game. You forgot to mention one thing, they are PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED and developed umpires - something that many college umpires don't have.
Face it, many NCAA umpires are either self taught or are "grey hairs" still hanging around the system because of "who they know" (mainly coaches). The fact is that college umpiring is getting younger and improving because of the training that is now available. Umpires' credentials are no longer based on how many years they've been umpiring but rather what experience and training they have had.
If you look at the NCAA umpires who work the big games (CWS and Super Regionals), many of them have previous PRO experience, usally at the AA & AAA levels. I'm done talking about this because I don't want to appear that I am bashing NCAA umpires, because I am one. I have a lot of respect of college umpires (for any umpires at any level for that fact), and we'll just leave it at that.
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Here is the thing; all of this is like talking about what would happen if USC played some of the great teams in college football history. ESPN did that all last week and it meant nothing in the bigger picture. Texas beat USC anyway. I am sorry you think your opinion is so valuable, but it is not any more important than what I have stated. This is all speculation and all egos in this conversation. Maybe there are many that could not make the transition, but there are many that could. Not because I say so, but because there are people in this world that take on challenges and constantly succeed. Many D1 officials have had to overcome a lot to get to where they are and you are going to tell me they could not jump this hurdle? OK, whatever you say. As I said umpiring baseball is a lot easier than working a basketball game or a football game any day. Not because I say so, because most people that are successful basketball and football officials that take up umpiring tend to be better than those that have done nothing but work baseball. Why, because the skills it takes are very easy to adjust to. Some of the fattest and most out of shape officials in history of officiating have worked the Major League level (cough, Eric Gregg).
You are right, maybe I should stick to football and basketball because this absurd conversation would almost never be something that folks that officiate those sports would talk about. They would not ever make it sound as if they are so good that they cannot make that transition. As a matter of fact I have an NFL official that is in the same association I belong to (1 of 3 NFL officials to be accurate) and he says all the time the only reason he is in the NFL over many other people is that he got a shot. He never talks as if no one could make the jump. I have even heard many D1 and high level basketball officials make it clear that they are only where they are because they took advantage of the right breaks. When I come here you would make it sound like someone's skill would have to jump Pacific Ocean like advancement to even handle a pro game. It is also not like we are talking about a JH umpire making the jump from the pros. You said that a D1 umpire that might range from the 20 year veteran to the rookie could not make the transition to the pro game because the coaches know more? I am sorry. I am not buying that at all. I am not saying I could make that jump from where I am right now, but it would not be impossible if I got the opportunity. I do not think it would be impossible for anyone that is a go-getter and has confidence in themselves and will do the things it takes to achieve.
Peace