[Bandit]

I have played the game. I have been lucky to officiate the game. At many levels. I am lucky to have a daughter that loves to play the game. And be good at it (this is a "A" level travel team she is playing on, not your local rec team) I am lucky enough to have coached the game. Be damned the dark side. The light side. Or whatever side. It's still fun being involved in the game so many love. But why do some umpires make details that have NOTHING to do with the game a part of it?

Daughter playing in fall tournament. I am doing score book for team. Dugouts totally inclosed with fence. Door to dugout faces away from plate area. And towards the outfield. Cement floor for dugout. Third coach while team is on offense is standing in the doorway of dugout making sure proper batter is at bat, proper batter is in ondeck circle, bats from previous batter is gotten out of the field of play. TIME !!!! calls the home plate umpire in the middle of the at bat....COACH !!!! BOTH FEET ON THE CEMENT OR YOU VISIT THE PARKING LOT !!! Huh ?!?!??! We all look around???? We finally figure out what he is talking about and simply cannot believe it ? Now this is the same umpire that has no idea what a "leap" is but doggone it the coach will sure keep both feet on the cement now !!!!! After the inning is over and a kind apolgy was given (not wanting to get on the bad side of the umpire, for some stupid thing he obviouly worries far too much about) He makes the claim that we're lucky (we were so blessed to have this umpire we figured out at this point) he doesn't make us close the gate to the dugout between each batter because it's in the rules....still can't find that one in the book.

And we wonder why some umpire simply cannot get the respect they believe they should have ????????