Actually, I would hope that this medium is just starting to take hold in its usefulness to officials.
While the number of interpretation resources are few, the number of different sets of baseball rules are many. Which I feel chases off many much needed new umpires.
In this vain, perhaps the window of opportunity is just opening for the use of the internet in the TRAINING of new umpires. Can you just imagine having an on-line training course in baseball rules, interpretations, mechanics, and game management techniques.
Some "power-point" style training presentations are just making their way onto the scene, and seem to be in favor by most who have them.
Hell, for that matter, a decent off-line course is great; but, a luxury that most umpire's either can't afford due to time or money constraints.
It seems to me that current training of officials too happenstance. Largely due to too little standardization among the amateur umpire. Not to mention leagues that want GREAT officials; but, expect them to just materialize out of thin air without putting one ounce of effort into their own training programs.
Maybe this is the moment for the internet to flourish -
hey, a guy can dream.....
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"Enjoy the moment....."
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