[greymule]

Maybe the hyperbole is the source of the communications problem. Dancing with the chicken does not make the umpire a fool or an idiot. Refraining from such dancing out of a personal belief that it's not appropriate does not make the umpire a wet blanket or some kind of personality cipher. It does not mean the umpire lacks an open mind. It does not mean he is psychologically insecure or has doubts about his masculinity. It does not mean he umpires because he enjoys exerting power and control over others.

I would not dance with the chicken. If they told me I could ump the LLWS as long as I danced with the chicken, I'd turn them down.

If I hit a home run, I would not blow kisses to the crowd as I ran around the bases. If I scored a touchdown, I would not do a dance. The culture I grew up in—social as well as athletic—frowned upon displaying emotion in public, making a spectacle of yourself, or showing anyone up. Those actions violate all three principles.

When my brother sacked the quarterback in an important high school game, he took a bow. The crowd loved it. Cheers, laughter, everybody loosened up and got rid of their hang-ups for a while, and 25 years later I STILL hear about it. His coach didn't love it, nor did I, nor did his father.

Other cultures are different.