I can add that in NC USSSA has been creeping up and in some instances overtaking AAU baseball for the three day tourney format. At least in NC there have been issues with tournament arrangements and entry fees that have made the competition keener. AAU has been battling back and it's hard to say who is on top but USSSA is definitely a major player here.

Lawrence

Re: The hits just keep on coming . . .
 

That's pretty much my comment also, and I believe we are near opposite oceans. So USSSA baseball is definitely not everywhere.

hence the end of my post..."at least in the southeast"

I believe I clarified this and did not mean "everywhere", but at least in the southeast. Who cares anyways? This is a ridiculous topic to argue about. Didn't know everybody would get so offensive at this statement, I'll be sure to never bring USSSA up again

well this was entertaining... What was the original post about???

Tobacco use in NFHS is prohibited and most high schools also have this as a rule for players and coaches on school grounds. As an official, we must respect the rules that we use to enforce. However, I am sure you guys who dip do not enforce this rule.

That to me is poor judgement. However, I did use my judgement to eject a bench coach this year after the homeplate meeting that stated, no tobacco use. The HC wanted me to not eject, just to keep him in the dugout but I refused. Now, if he had been a base coach, I would have but this guy was a bench coach.

In my professional opinion, he had been chewing the entire time in the dugout, why keep him there. Anyway, the HC told me if I ejected him I would not do any games for him at his place which is a 10 min. drive for me. I did eject the bench coach but guess what?

The assigning secretary for me did take me off my last game to prevent any retaliation or BS in my opinion. This only prove to show that here, coaches are running the show. I did call our state association but no help there. They also told me it would be in my best interest not to do the game. I was amazed that as an official, enforcing the rules for NFHS and our state schools that I am the one who is punished. Oh yea, the bench coach sat out his game but as I watched that team play in the district, coaches were chewing/dipping.

That is the respect that they showed, and others by the way. The problem is tobacco. This stuff is provent to be bad on your health. If we as officials are not going to enforce it, no one is.

My situation is that what do I do the next time I see someone chewing or dipping, turn my head I guess. Then probably get turned into our state association for not enforcing this rule. Sorry for the long post, most of you guys seen it on the other site.

I had no idea that an inquiry into the use of sunflower seeds could have struck such a nerve.

It would appear that there are several officials that post here who received a check mark in the box next to " Does not get along well with others " on their last report card!!


Tim.(:>
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As umpires, we are the only ones in the world expected to be perfect on our first day on the job, and improve from there!

Was there a real rule against tobacco at this game, or did you state, "no tobacco" at the plate conference based on your personal aversion?

Hey Big Ump, is sunflower use in the nfhs book? This is a game management dilema. Now, if they tell me at the game site, I would not use the seeds but would mention at the pre-game. I am not going to enforce any rules of this nature, that is a coaching thing.

The tobacco use was just a run off of another members view.

You've clearly been to the WW school of prevarication. Actually, what you wrote comes pretty close to an outright lie.

News Editor's job? Passed over? I was offered that "position" and then the "company" decided not to have a news editor. I see that the "news" has been updated a lot recently, Carl.

The Editor's Notes were simply an attempt by you to have your greasy nose in the middle of everyone's articles. You still do it I see -- in your mind Carl Childress's opinion on any subject is more important than the author's opinion on a subject. Quite sad, actually.

You also remember that you promised to never include an "Editor's Note" in an article I wrote if I was willing to come back and write for you. Amazing how your stance changes over time. Next thing you'll be telling people is that I begged to come back and write for you and you refused to have me back, rather than the actual story.

Have fun with Rollie. May I suggest the AltaVista Klingon to English translator for his next article. And make sure you look at the signature. I mean it now more than ever.

I think I just figured out what his signature means...

irefky - too bad your assignors and the chain of command are so weak.

I had a league commissioner request that a certain umpire not do a certain team's games. I scheduled that umpire for the next 4 consecutive games for that team. The commish got the point.

I gotta agree on this. If the umpire is enforcing a rule properly, especially use of tobacco on the field and the coach wants him banned, I'll ignore it. You want to use tobacco on the field? Go coach something above D1/AAA ball (like that would happen with these hicks) or find a mens rec ball league to coach in.

A little put off...
 

I have been researching AAU baseball in my area for my son this morning and came upon this page and I have to be honest with you, what I am reading here scares me, do I really want my son associated with this type behavior??
I thought the officals of these events were to have the highest standards in morals, ethics, sportsmanship and always be willing to help a child understand the game a little better. This is NOT what I'm seeing here at all. Do you have anyone overseeing your positions and what are the chances they may be reading this, how do you think this may effect your reveiws?? Do you really care?
I'm not getting a warm fuzzy here, I thought it was only the pro players who were the bone heads.
I SURE HOPE I HAVE GOTTEN THE WRONG IMPRESSION.....

plugnickle
 

I do not teach or coach baseball. I don't umpire "for the kids."

I simply report what happens on the field.

You got a pretty clear understanding of this site by reading this thread.

We tell it like it is with no stone unturned. It is not a site to teach children about anything.

By posts are read by many umpires in my local association and by our assigner . . . they allow free thought, it appears that you do not.

Regards,

What we talk about here is between umpires and not meant for children. We needle each other, call each other out, and argue like crazy, but at the end of the day we are all still brother umpires.

When we step on a baseball field, we do it with professionalism. What we say on an online bulletin board has no bearing on our behavior or demeanor on the ball field. We are all entitled to speak freely on these forums, and on occasion step over the line, at which time the moderators step in a put a stop to it. We are self-governed, and do not appreciate outsiders trying to tell us how to behave.

No, apparently it extends to you as well.:mad: