[azbigdawg]

Originally Posted by milkmandog

If ASA can approve shorts and shirts with hats, socks and belt, shoes, Why can't they be worn. How would that make you look unprofessional? I see more unprofessional looking umps in long pants then I ever look, Their pants are too small for the enormous girth around their waist. Or everything fits, but they still have that huge pot over their belt. That is unprofessional, yet the majority of my fellows in blue are too lazy to run or walk and too undisciplined to push away from the table. It also seems the vast majority of my fellow umpires spend less time reading the rule books then the coaches. I know I'm not speaking of most of us on this board.. But it seems I am working almost all my games alone even when I have a partner. The sad thing is when I work with these idiots and they make a bonehead call, and since I don't throw them under the bus, it makes me look as stupid as they are, so I tell them to make the obvious calls and I will make the close ones. If some 3rd world play occurs I have to work over time covering them. I work the majority of the games behind the plate as it seems they like to call strikes for pitches that sometimes bounce over the plate. when I try to correct their stances and giv ethem instruction on tracking pitches they say they could see it better when they hid behind the catcher and almost sat on the ground getting low., which is why they are calling shin level pitches strikes anyway, Waht really infuriates me is they get the same check I get when it is all said and done. Oh well rant over.

The real shame is, in our little corner of nort san antonio we have about 4qualified umpires to cover 16 fields anight, so we have to deal with the guys that just come out for a part time job, which is why this may be my last year to call baseball or softball.

How many others in your area wear that outfit? And do you ever give thought that your appearance and uniform might be one of the reasons they dont take your advice seriously? Uniform is only ONE part of being a good umpire, but uniform relfects attitude.

And San Antonio explains a few things....