What is the deal?

[Tim C]

So Rich Ives, do you really think I care what a rat thinks.

I respect well played, well umpires games. I even respect well coached teams.

I will never stop my way of criticzing weak kneed umpires on the internet.

My first game was a plate game at the varsity level.

This has nothing to do with Big Dogism.

It has to do with personal choice and perspective.

I have made my points . . . right or wrong they are MY POINTS.

Little League is corrupt and scares the he11 outa me.

"wadeintothem" has made one valid point:

Working a High School level game is certainly nothing to hang your hat on in the world of resumes.

It is a game . . . nothing more or nothing less.

I have a "nothing" game to go umpire.

[thumpferee]

Originally posted by His High Holiness
If I may add my 2 cents:

I make fun of Little League because of the hypocrisy of it all. It is suppose to be about kids, however, the season ends for 80% of the kids before they even get out of school. Instead of playing baseball all summer, 80%+ of them are sent home by the middle of June to make way for the All Stars. By July 4, 95%+ have been eliminated so that crazy coaches can live out their fantasy of going to the Little League World Series. The summer has barely begun and 95+% kids are not playing baseball.

If Little League was for kids, there would be a program all summer long for ALL kids to play in, not just the all stars. Instead, the regular season is packed into their school year when they have homework and 99 other things to do.

Little League is an adult fantasy program masquerading as a program for children. They are not satisfied that All Stars cannot practice until June. (I have been told that it is illegal for Little League All Stars to practice more than 2 weeks before the start of tournaments. If I am wrong, correct me.) Around here, they form a separate league in the previous fall for the top players who they think will be the All Stars the next year. The All Star teams play each other all fall, and beginning again in April thru June, to get a leg up on the teams that play by the rules. They also play regular LL to "qualify" for the All Stars. However, I cannot believe that the DC area is the only one involved in this organized "cheating" so I guess that no one is disadvantaged. (except the kids developing minds about what is right and wrong)

How do I know this? They hire my umpire association for $100 an umpire to umpire these games for kids as young as 10. They only want the best. Little League umpires will not do. The only 60 foot games that I have called in 10 years were in one of these programs. I might add that they play pretty good baseball. I wrote about it last fall right here.

Now you know why it is referred to as sleazeteamz. Little League is sleazy and eteamz is a bastion of Little Leaguers. Danny Almonte is not an aberation, he is the embodiment of what the program is all about. The only thing that he did wrong was get caught.

Years ago, Firestone sponsored an event called the soap box derby which was for kids. The soap box derby morphed into a event much like Little League today which was an event for adults. Cheating was rampant. Firestone recognized that the soap box derby was terminally flawed and canned the program rather than allowing the hyprocrisy to continue. Little League Baseball should do the same. But they will not. The millions of dollars of TV contracts for the World Series insures that it will be around for decades.

Peter

=1 cent. Donate it to the LL fund so thay can play throughout the summer.

[JRutledge]

What word did I use before?

Peace

[thumpferee]

oh what a terrible web we weave...

[Tim C]

. . . and I am certainly glad that I have a healthy one.

Let's start a thread about the WNBA Draft . . . that would be equal in interest to this one.

[cbfoulds]

Tim:
NOt relevent to this thread, but did you delete the HS decorum/ ejections thread, or have we been "moderated" again?

[Daryl H. Long]

Amen to His High Holiness. And I would venture that no one will reply negatively to him as he just stated facts and did not let ego get in the way.

Just where is all that money going?

Until LL can see the hypocrisy of their ways I will not support it in any way...paid or volunteer. I have tried in the past to get a financial report but to no avail. As a financial analyst I would like to see it so if anyone knows where I can get a copy let me know.

Locally, LL starts mid to late May and hope to end the season by July 4th. That means practices start in mid-April. The kids are still in school and getting dumber because no time to do their homework because practice and games are given priority. The early ending leaves 2 months for the kids with nothing to do. Most kids will opt to sitting in front of the TV, watching or playing video games learning how to kill, maim, sexually molest, etc. under the guise of good clean fun. Why don't they go out and play like we used to...pick up game at the park in the morning, break for lunch, pick up game at the park in the afternoon, the go play our LL that night. If we did not have a game or practice we would have another pickup game until darkness set in. Our pickup games were not always baseball. We also played football and basketball all summer too.

Parents and organizers of LL baseball...wake up!

[wadeintothem]

You guys could very well have points about the dirty politics of LL... not my deal. You call me, if I'm available and you got 25 bucks, I'll call your game. As long as its not slow pitch softball - I'll call it.

Tim was off in la la dream land talking about fanny packs and ball bags and parents.

That stuff makes about as much sense as he does.


I have figured out Tim in the year or so I've watch him - he likes to play the evil clown. But all he is is the clown who gets off downing other people with senseless BS.

Still waiting on that email tim, i need a good laugh. Send me pics of your Decoupage or modern art or other manly stuff you do when not being the evil clown tough guy on the BB board.

[bluezebra]

Tim C:

You don't need to apologize about the ball bags. Your critic can't read. This is what you wrote: "7) Little League umpires brush off the pitcher's plate, wear ball bags and fanny packs when umpiring the bases." You DISTINCTLY said BASES. If a FED, NCAA or pro ump came out with a ball bag to work the bases, he'd be laughed off the field.


I agree with most of what you wrote about LL 'umpiring'. I volunteered in my Grandsons' league for a few seasons, when I didn't have a HS or college assignment. The 'instructors' WR sent to run a clinic were clowns. They insisted that if a fielder trapped the ball between his arm and body, it was a catch. Even quoting the rule book definition didn't help. I saw one of WR's 'instructors' take a home run away from a player because his teammates came out of the dugout to congratulate him. Yeah, the ball cleared the fence. Interference on a dead ball.

Most 'volunteers' are a joke. Usually Dads dragged kicking and screaming from the stands. I went to watch a friend's son's game the other evening. Two HS boys umping. Neither wore anything resembling an umpire's uniform. PU had a full-brim cap, worn backwards. Chest protector and leg guards worn OUTSIDE. BU wore his cap backwards. Both had horrible mechanics. My friend told me there was no pre-season training for the umps.

Some leagues hire an association, and their people are trained. To use non-trained umpires cheats the players. Every game, someone has their own idea (99.99% wrong) of the rules.

Bob

[bluezebra]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by wadeintothem
[B]You guys could very well have points about the dirty politics of LL... not my deal. You call me, if I'm available and you got 25 bucks, I'll call your game. As long as its not slow pitch softball - I'll call it.

Tim was off in la la dream land talking about fanny packs and ball bags and parents.

That stuff makes about as much sense as he does.


I have figured out Tim in the year or so I've watch him - he likes to play the evil clown. But all he is is the clown who gets off downing other people with senseless BS.

Still waiting on that email tim, i need a good laugh. Send me pics of your Decoupage or modern art or other manly stuff you do when not being the evil clown tough guy on the BB board.

If this is supposed to be a thinly-veiled slap at Tim's manhood, tell former NFL lineman Rosey Grier that he's a sissy because he crochets to relax.

Bob

[wadeintothem]

Are you comparing the BB evil clown to Rosey Grier?

Gimme a break. Spare me the hero worsip.. hes a HS umpire.

You and him dont like LL volunteers. Thats nice. Big whup. LL is not my big thing either.. And true tons of umps dont know what they are doing or know the rules.

I can present ample evidence that knowing or alleging to know some rules and having or alleging to have years of experience doesnt mean anything either... especially if you think tossing hundreds upon hundreds of people make you Mr Super Duper ump... (and)or if youre just a plain arrogant ***.

Most people involved in LL are at the low levels and make hot dogs or teach a kid to bat or cheer their kid and not involved in whatever political peepee comparisons you guys are pretending is important. But in order to feel super important some on this MB feel the need to name drop and talk nonsense.

If the sum and total of your self importance is bragging about yourself and posting your alleged resume on officiating.com.. thats pretty damn sad IMO.

Some obviously see through the joke that it truely is; some dont - but I most certainly do.

[Edited by wadeintothem on Apr 23rd, 2005 at 12:50 AM]

[GarthB]

Tee and Peter:

Amen.

[Rich]

Originally posted by wadeintothem
Are you comparing the BB evil clown to Rosey Grier?

Gimme a break. Spare me the hero worsip.. hes a HS umpire.

You and him dont like LL volunteers. Thats nice. Big whup. LL is not my big thing either.. And true tons of umps dont know what they are doing or know the rules.

I can present ample evidence that knowing or alleging to know some rules and having or alleging to have years of experience doesnt mean anything either... especially if you think tossing hundreds upon hundreds of people make you Mr Super Duper ump... (and)or if youre just a plain arrogant ***.

Most people involved in LL are at the low levels and make hot dogs or teach a kid to bat or cheer their kid and not involved in whatever political peepee comparisons you guys are pretending is important. But in order to feel super important some on this MB feel the need to name drop and talk nonsense.

If the sum and total of your self importance is bragging about yourself and posting your alleged resume on officiating.com.. thats pretty damn sad IMO.

Some obviously see through the joke that it truely is; some dont - but I most certainly do.

[Edited by wadeintothem on Apr 23rd, 2005 at 12:50 AM]

I'm on our district LL board and I work college and HS baseball. Someday I'd like to work college postseason, my HS state tourney, AND the LL WS. Those things and $2 will buy you a cup of Starbucks coffee.

Ego's part of the game. show me an umpire that has no ego and I'll show you a lousy umpire.

I do know that I'd rather read posts from Tee, Peter, and Garth than the crap you've spewed. Hey, I hear the softball board calling.

[Blue37]

Originally posted by His High Holiness

If I may add my 2 cents:

I make fun of Little League because of the hypocrisy of it all. It is suppose to be about kids, however, the season ends for 80% of the kids before they even get out of school. Instead of playing baseball all summer, 80%+ of them are sent home by the middle of June to make way for the All Stars. By July 4, 95%+ have been eliminated so that crazy coaches can live out their fantasy of going to the Little League World Series. The summer has barely begun and 95+% kids are not playing baseball.

If Little League was for kids, there would be a program all summer long for ALL kids to play in, not just the all stars. Instead, the regular season is packed into their school year when they have homework and 99 other things to do.

Peter

AMEN!!!

I work Dixie, and it is just as bad. One year, the regular season for the younger kids ended almost a week BEFORE school was out. We had some snow days and had to go one day in June to make up the last one. The last regular season game was on the Saturday before Memorial Day. They (league officials) claim they start and end the season so early so the games will not interfere with vacations, but that is a crock. They just want to get to working with the all-stars.

[ozzy6900]

I have to agree with Tee & Peter also. In my area, I find that LL is just a big joke. My son played when he was young and was one of the 2 feared pitchers in the league. When it came to All Star time, I was told, "your son is in and doesn't have to try out". I made him go anyway and never told him until he was out of LL. Sorry, but to me LL is just a place where parents can live out their fantacies through their kids.

Say what you want about paid & volunteer umpires, I've seen garbage calls from both sides. I just try to call a good game be it HS, Babe Ruth, or adult and yes there are weird-o parents at the HS & Babe Ruth games but no where as crazy as at the LL park!