[WhatWuzThatBlue]

I also hear a lot of this "admit a mistake" stuff from you and others. How are you going to make a mistake on an opinion? I think opinions are the essence of this place.

Opinions are absolutely the essence of this place, well put. We don't require legal names to have one and only ask that the response be well thought and written, thus avoiding confusion.

However, opinions can be erroneous. If I opine that you are a transgender Martian who has never read a rule book, would I be mistaken? If my opinion that a pitcher doesn't have to engage the rubber to deliver a pitch am I correct? Opinions are the lifeblood of discussion boards and many are incorrect. We see time and again newbie umpires think that the hands are part of the bat. That is their opinion and they would be wrong. Some may think that amateur umpires are independent contractors while others will point out that this is a regional definition. What BU56 was getting at was that when you blunder, you have the intestinal fortitude to admit it. Sometimes it is a bitter pill to swallow, but if you want to be strong and act like a man, you may be forced to eat your written words.

I hate to admit it, but there was a point in my early career that seemed like I would never get the hang of our passion. I would assume calls, engage my mouth but contradict it with my physical call and argue with coaches. I realized that growing some thick skin, manipulating the system and slowing down were all part of the success equation. Sure, I blow calls every now and then - I've even been known to admit them to the right skipper. Over a beer or Jack Daniels, I've told stories of making the wrong call at the wrong time. Being able to realize your mistakes and capitalize on that awareness makes good umpires great.