It must have been one hell of a discussion.

[Rich]

I truly hate this UBB method of quoting. No big deal, I'll just play cut-and-paste like I do on Usenet.

Dave says ----> Rich goes on to say that the issue has been debated, with blood spilled, privately (presumably on UT) and in a great volume of posts, but the fact that there is only one single expression of disagreement with the party line by a UT member on a public discussion forum seems to reinforce Rex's point that it is indeed a party line, and if there are dissenters, they're awfully quiet in public.

Rich ----> Members of RightSports will read my 1000 word dissent with Carl, Jim, and Warren this week. I submitted it yesterday.

Let me simply reply with what I've already told others, perhaps not in public. My Internet time is limited - I've been traveling quite a bit in doing my day job. I choose to spend some of it writing my articles for RightSports and the rest of it writing messages within UmpireTalk. Not because I don't want to talk with people like Rex or the people on other message boards. Au contraire - I am on another listserv where Rex and Moose and I talk occasionally, and we all get along just fine.

MY blood doesn't get spilled on the messge boards for another reason:

I don't like bulletin boards in general. And truthfully, it is because I like knowing the identity and the background and the personality of the people sending messages in threads, which is why I prefer the private email community format much better.

As to your comments about putting off the customers: well, I can't really speak to that. I only speak for myself, and I'm certainly not going to change my ways because someone doesn't like when I disagree a little too strongly.

You know, coaches sometimes pay my game fees on the field, but I don't let THEM walk all over me, either.

Rich