Blue Collar Umpires; Where Are The White Collared Execs?
Our org is a reeeeally different ump org. We recruited white collar, ex-athletes who see umpiring as an enjoyable second occupation. This is far and away outside the box.
Not going into the history of how this org emerged but the salient point that we fought with is why is it that white collar, highly educated men and women are not seen with any even modest % in the umpiring ranks?
Here is why.
1) Good Ole Boys Clubs are run by blue collar guys. They have to put up w/ WC managers, damned if they want them in their off work worlds.
2) No WC guy is going to get assignments that BC guys really need to sustain reasonable incomes and lifestyles. Let Boss take his $100K, leave us our second incomes.
3) Ump orgs are not the least bit interested (e.g MLB) in putting the best out there. If they were, they would go after the WC guys. Not that the WC guys are inherently superior umpires, but the elimination of the WC guys cuts the competition severely and the numbers of umpires is lessened = less competition.
4) WC guys tend not to be 8-5ers.
Etc etc etc
Here's what we found.
1) WC guys have no idea how to become umpires; it's a world of BC guys and they see, feel and understand they are not ever going to be "In"
2) WC guys don't need the money so they have no reason to put up with all the BS, travel, parents, etc.
3) WC guys can be arrogant pricks who have been raised, or have chosen, to distance themselves from the BC sector.
What we found:
When you cut down the st00pid income barriers, and treat everyone the same, performance, training, continuing education...thesde being the foundations required by everyone, the umpiring field is leveled. Setting specific and rigourous standards including game control, rules for ejections, safety, pay on performance...WC and BC guys dig it.
Moral?
Kick the BC mentaility out of the ump orgs, challenge the WC guys to put up or shut up, remove the socio-economic crapola, demand respect for every umpire and demand the same from each, you get the best of the best.
Regardless of race, creed, Indian heritage, age of car, Scotch vs Budweiser.
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"Never try to teach a pig to eat reasonably. It wastes your time and the pig will argue that he is fat because of genetics. While drinking a 2.675 six packs a day." 
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