Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy
Our final two games in the State Championship tournament are tonight here in AZ.
Starting in 2009, we made a big push on teaching obstruction, what it is, how to recognize it, how to administer it when it does occur, etc...
We have really made that a big part of our pre-season clinics and rules focus.
We made the decision to back off a bit this year and focus on some other areas. One of my fellow board members and myself have watched approx 20 games so far in the State tournament and we have seen at least 10 incidents where obstruction was not called when it should have been. When asked about the plays after the games, we are getting responses like "it was just incidental contact", or "she was about to receive the ball"...
Just curious if this is still a problem in other areas or if you all are seeing obstruction called more consistantly.
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The problem isn't the rule, but the umpires. I stress the same thing. I stress that there is no downside to making an OBS call. I here a million and one excuses, all lame. But they were up by 20 in the 1st inning... she wasn't going anyway...I didn't think it would have helped the defense...but there was no play...yada, yada, yada. Too many umpires are literally "afraid" to make the call as they are fearful it may affect the game. Huh!?!?
Drives me up a wall. If they tell me from their angle there was no impediment, no problem, that is why they are where they are. But for the sake of a good beer, don't tell me you just decided not to call what you saw for (enter reason here). And then they wonder why people walk around saying that they never see OBS called!