I will be attending one of these two schools this spring and would like some opinions and feedback as to which school to go to. Which one has better training/trainers, technology, cost, ect? Thank you for your guys time.

Evans
 

Evans Academy all the way. He tells great stories in class, you will never be bored. Noone knows the rules better than Jim. You will get plenty of on the field experience too. The facilities are first rate. Besides, some of the best young umpires in the game today came from Evans.....DiMuro, Barrett, Dowdy......

Doesn't joe brinkman have an ump school as well. I'm sure they all teach the same thing....

Joe hasn't had one in a long, LOOOOOOONG time....I think it may have become the JEA.

Besides, some of the best young umpires in the game today came from Evans.....DiMuro, Barrett, Dowdy......


those are 3 of the best umps in the game today. Dowdy is great,keeps his cool,has a great strike zone,deffinetly ready for full time majors.

how can you say that after less than a full year of fill-in work? I happen to think he's a very very good but you can't say he should be full-time with guys like Lance Barksdale and Rob Drake working longer than him.

On that note, anyone know what happened to Mike Fichter?

Dowdy has worked in the MLB for 3+ years
 

He has worked up in the big leagues for the last 3 years. This is his 4th season filling in for vacationing umpires.

I watched Dowdy work in the FSL years ago and he was a standout then. I have caught games sporadically since then televised by satellite from the minors and saw Dowdy develop. I truly think that he is rock solid.

As for Fichter, not sure what happened. He has gotten fairly few games this year and not that many last year either.

I think Drake is good behind the plate but is sometimes somewhat weaker and sloppy on the bases.

Both camps are outstanding but as stated, Evans is a rule guru. Field work wise they are the same tons of reps. I know guys that have been to both recently. They all pretty much say the same. Cannot go wrong either way really.

....I've heard this tune before..wait, don't tell me.. :D

Hickox wore a helmet with a hat yesterday. He took the helmet off with two hands. He also called a guy out at the plate....

Couldn't resist, Lman...:)