[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

It already has, or haven't you been paying attention to the threads and clips on a few boards..

IMO, there has been no more confusion about INT than in the past and no more trouble with INT calls than in the past.

Say what? Even though the NCAA's official uniform is plain, do you see the umpires in their championships? What is wrong with an organization placing their name and/or logo on their uniform? Does a UPS, Fed/Ex, Aramark, Hooter's or thousands of other business concerns place their name and/or logo on their uniforms? I'm sorry, but this is just plain whining.

It was just whining, IMO, similar to the article - which presented no argument of worth to debate. The arguments are being made in this thread - they were not made in the article.

However, I've already been involved in league and player meetings where this has already been raised, FP & SP. Many players and coaches honestly believe the rule now gives the defense the right-of-way anytime throwing the ball and if that is not corrected from day one, it just may turn into dodgeball on some fields.

Good, you are doing your job then. That does not mean that on the field we are going to see "dodgeball".

Again, something that many seem to forget. Though the rules are for Championship Play, they are used throughout the country at all levels and there are many umpires that do not get the opportunity to attend good clinics and don't bother to work at getting the job done right. There are also some who do attend clinics, but believe THEIR way is better than whomever's and proceed to call all their games based on Joe Blow's Official Rules of Softball. This is where the problems are going to occur.

But it doesn't stop there. These same teams travel to other areas and when they run into good umpires who know how to call the game and properly apply the rules, they think they are being shafted by ASA when, in fact, it was the Joe Blow Umpire Assn. who set the teams up for failure.

I agree Mike, there will be idiot umps and more importantly idiot coaches who will mess this rule change up.

I was simply addressing the article, as he requested - which did nothing by way of addressing the issues with the rule change.

It's a rule change - I think the NUS is in "first year rule change mitigation mode" with presenting it verbally as "not a rule change" and then it will/has been expanded with written case plays showing this is most definately a rule change.

I dont mind the rule change because there are unintentionally (read: boneheaded/incorrect actions) things players can do to INT and this rule change holds them accountable. IMO, thats how it should be.