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Originally Posted by rei
I started umpiring 21 years ago. Certainly, I umpired a long time in the "old skool" way.
So now the NCAA has this "Get the call right" concept going on. Great!
Here is what I have found.
Most coaches don't abuse this at all. If I seek help from my partner and the call goes against the coach who asked, they usually accept it and often will thank me for asking.
I have found too that many coaches are a LOT more accepting of the calls that seem to be "obvious" the wrong way (like it seemed like an obvious tag, except the fielder did not actually put the tag on). Some coaches I have talked to about this say "It is a good learning experience for the players".
MANY coaches I have talked to like that I don't call the runner out on the "neighborhood play" , and admit that they like that I call what I see, even if it goes against them.
One thing I have noticed about umpires. If it is for a strike or an out, you guys that subscribe to the "call the obvious ones the way everybody else sees it" are all for it. But when it concerns a ball or safe, you typically use the "we are out here for outs", and some even go as far as to say silly stuff like "Yeah, I missed it, but I missed it for an out!" complete with the wink.
Horsecrap!!! All of it is horsecrap umpiring.
I have moved on up the levels just fine calling THE GAME THAT I SEE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. Coaches, players, evaluators NEVER question my integrity, and players are usually quick to agree with my RIGHT call even though it went against them. They KNOW it will go both ways.
I do not find it that hard to call a consistent game just calling what I see. Are there arguements? Sure! But I don't have any more of them than the next guy.
If you think the neighborhood call, or the "ball beat the runner" call is a good idea, I first thought is you have become a dinasour in umpiring. It may still be "working" for you, but, you are losing the respect from players and coaches. Maybe you don't care about that. This would suggest you are on the downhill side of your "career" in umpiring.
Any of you "newer" guys that care to move up, consider your integrity before you subscribe to some of this old school thinking about umpiring.
Myself, I am proud to call a fair game, and have been rewarded for my hard work and integrity.
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Much of what I see among the Old Hats who call games to keep themselves out of trouble ("Call what the fans/coaches want!") is this central theme that few (any of them?) admit. They are slaves to the money, They need the money. They HAVE to have the money.
Want to call games then don't make calls that look one way from a distance, take the easy route, call what you think will get you in the least trouble.
This would be a much more tolerable practice if the Old Hats would admit to their need for money.
They won't, they will perpetuate their financial lies and why not? Is it any different than the compromises they make in the officiating of the game the way they compromise their integrity?