A changed call at Texas

[Ump20]

Originally posted by John Klem
I have been a lurker for months but Mr Willson's doubletalk compels me to write. He tosses out words like prevaricate, prevarication, prevaricator, etc. ad nauseum and then gets upset when the targets of his arrows respond in kind. I had to look those words up in the dictionary and the bottom line definition of all of them is "lie or liar". Mr. Willson is the master of the innuendo, left handed compliment, and the subtle insult...

SNIP

I agree with Carl Childress that there is a major difference. It is somewhat akin to the umpire instructor who says you can say "Hey Joe that was a horsebleep {Note for bleep please sunstitute apporpriate English, Canadian, or Australian vernacular} call. If you say that I am horsebleep -- You are gone {ejected}

Warren responded in part...I don't WANT your pedestal, Mr Klem. I certainly didn't ASK for your pedestal. If my posts or articles have somehow caused you to judge me to be in that elevated position, it has more to do with YOU and YOUR PERCEPTIONS than it does with ME. I am not willing to be cast in the role of "educator", "expert" or "doyen" if that means a declared "open season" on me and my ideas while I am required to surrender the right to return fire! I also do NOT deserve to be criticised, Mr Klem, for how YOU have elected to perceive ME or my "attitudes" from my posts. That is altogether unreasonable.

Now indeed I do have to admit I looked up "doyen". Having seen Warren's photo I would definitely say that label fits. ...If it means "old guy"

Mr. Klem you described yourself as a "lurker" and began by seriously objecting to the character of one of the real doyens when it comes to use of the Internet. He responded in a measured way exhibiting wonderful skill with language. In all honesty when I began "surfing the web" in early 1997, to find out if there was anything I could learn about the craft of umpiring this Aussie's posts impressed me. The first post I saved as kind of a book on umpiring was one of Mr. Willson's. Just think of the untapped resources of this medium! An umpire several thousands of miles away can learn from us and we in kind, should we wish, can learn from him. This does not mean I think he is always right and cannot be challenged.

What I would like to see are more of the "lurkers" participate in this forum but not necessarily in this thread. Ask your questions. Share your experiences. Provide your opinions on what it takes to make us better umpires than we were on February 25, 2000. Jim Simms/NYC