Is this too much to discuss?

[BJ Moose]

Originally posted by cmcallm
Inexperienced officials see something "odd", don't know what they just saw, and CAN'T rule on it because they don't know what it was.

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NOW these words (above) say it all. Let me shout. "THAT is what I was trying to say!!"

Over the course of games 500-1000, your "typical relatively skilled amateur umpire" (that would be me)... still sees events that simply make you go... "UH." and freeze. Its like learning a foreign language... newbies need to translate everthing in their head first, experienced just knows. Same thing here. I go "uh" and don't make the call. Its not really that crucial, a player or coach will look at me.. "Mike,did you see that? Or even, what the hell was that". "Yeah, that was WEIRD", I'll say. And post game both partner and I will lament that we missed that one and resolve to catch it next time.

We can permit some simple axioms to tell us what's what in this goofy, lonely business. I adopt CM's above, because it is simply true. A good "learning" umpire will imbed that goofy play in his mind for the "next" time....(it might take a year or more).. and try to be better prepared to react naturally to it. It might take a couple more tries..but an umpire who is progressing will manage this.

One other thing. I am stressing the point of the umpire who is Progressing while gaining experience. Because of the subset of 10+years EXPERIENCED umpires... there are STILL some in that group that essentially suck. Everything is relative.