Championship game behind the plate

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by WhatWuzThatBlue
You didn't answer the question, Jeff. It was simple and direct but you evaded it.

1) What college games were you assigned just because you were available?

While a couple of junior colleges might take a warm body, you get those assignments once unless you show merit. I know you don't work Northern Illinois, UIC or Northwestern. North Park is assigned by a group you don't belong to, so which college did you work simply because you were available?

I wasn't trying to be funny. I wished you a Merry Christmas before and you ignored it. When I questioned your comment you jumped on it. That seems ironic.

If Merry Christmas doesn't work, Happy Kwaanza!

I have answered this question a 100 times. I am not trying to be you. I have no desire to work D1 College of any kind at this point of my career. If you have not noticed the one thing I hate about the baseball season is I can schedule a game and half of them will not be played. So I am not going to knock myself out trying to work college baseball. I work enough college basketball and HS where I travel many more miles. I also have never joined the local college baseball umpires group that Fetch belongs to because the meetings are held in the middle of the basketball season. I would rather go work a good basketball game than try to go 3 hours to get a shot at one or two D1 college games. One of these days you will actually get that. If baseball is your passion that is great, it is not my passion. I love doing it when it is happening. I am just not going to make an extra effort to do it. So when I do college games the places are often very close to my house. If I do go any real distance from my house, I am working with someone I know or doing a favor. I have been to Milwaukee, South Bend, Galesburg, Davenport and Moline for college basketball games. I would never think to go further than DeKalb for any college baseball game. I make more for a 2 hour basketball game than I will a 2 and a half our baseball game. There are also more fans at those college basketball games and those basketball crowds are not very well attended compared to many HS games. I know Rich F and I had a similar conversation about working college basketball. Rich is much happier working college baseball and not trying to chance a college basketball dream. I have no baseball dreams beyond working a decent HS schedule and I like and prefer to stay very close to home. I have traveled a little, but I do not like to do that very often. I will be working a Christmas Tournament next week and that will be much more important to me than working any D1 baseball game.

Peace

[Mike Walsh]

Originally posted by WhatWuzThatBlue
Loved the last line, Garth.


I've only encountered two coaches that tried to blast me during the pre-game. One never got to see the inside of his dugout and the other walked away feeling pretty ridiculous. Coaches love to kiss the butt of the PU in the Championship game. I'm sure you did a fair job, and all words being equal - I'll take good any day.

This sounds like an interesting topic for a new thread. How about the details?

Mike

[BigUmp56]

Originally posted by JRutledge



So when I do college games the places are often very close to my house. If I do go any real distance from my house, I am working with someone I know or doing a favor. I have been to Milwaukee, South Bend.

Peace

Jeff:

First let me say that I'm not questioning the fact that you work college games in South Bend. I believe you when you say that you do. I'd just like to know where you've worked basketball games in South Bend other than the A.C.C. on the Notre Dame campus. From time to time my boys and I like to go to some of the smaller college games in the area.


I do know we'll be looking for Sal at Eck Field this Spring when he comes to Notre Dame. Maybe we can look for you next season on the hard wood in South Bend as well.



Merry Christmas!!

Tim.

[GarthB]

Sal,

How long have you worked the Frontier League?

I have a friend who worked it for a few years, but he "self-released" in 2003, I believe.

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by BigUmp56



Jeff:

First let me say that I'm not questioning the fact that you work college games in South Bend. I believe you when you say that you do. I'd just like to know where you've worked basketball games in South Bend other than the A.C.C. on the Notre Dame campus. From time to time my boys and I like to go to some of the smaller college games in the area.

When I say I have gone to South Bend, I was not talking about Notre Dame. There are other colleges in South Bend other than Notre Dame.

Originally posted by BigUmp56
I do know we'll be looking for Sal at Eck Field this Spring when he comes to Notre Dame. Maybe we can look for you next season on the hard wood in South Bend as well.

Ahhhh No. I will not be working at Notre Dame Basketball anytime soon. I would honestly think a Notre Dame Football game would be more likely in my future than a basketball game (just because of the conference affiliation around here). I also do not work for that assignor anymore that sent me to South Bend, so that is also not likely to be there for officiating purposes.

Originally posted by BigUmp56
Merry Christmas!!

Tim.

You have one too Tim. Be safe and have a great New Year's as well.

Peace

[FVB9]

Originally posted by JRutledge
I worked college baseball just because I was asked. I never had to prove I was worthy or good enough. All I had to do is accept the game and work the game. [/B]

Happy Holidays to all.

Normally I refrain from responding to these, but I can't resist this one because Jeff gets his College BB from me.

Jeff, be careful about the above quote. You contacted us in the right year, when we had several new College opportunities. To say you didn't have to prove yourself is so not true Jeff, so be careful. You got a couple of very low-key JUCO games unseen, you did well, and you got more. To continue working College level ball (whether it be JUCO or D-III), we are reproving our commitment every year. There are too many new College umpires knocking at the door that it pushes all of us to work harder each year, each game.

And ohhh...you don't go past DeKalb for College games? Dude, I'm finishing up the schedule this week. Can you say Kishwaukee?!?!?

Merry Xmas to all....all we want for Xmas is Mark Prior to stay in our rotation!!

[briancurtin]

Originally posted by FVB9
all we want for Xmas is Mark Prior to stay in our rotation!!

and a bears victory!

just got my playoff tickets in the mail today

[Sal Giaco]

Originally posted by BigUmp56
I do know we'll be looking for Sal at Eck Field this Spring when he comes to Notre Dame.

Tim.

Tuesday, April 25, 2006 against Purdue. Email me if you plan on coming and I'll leave you tickets. If you bring your son, we'll have him come into the lockeroom before the game. Merry Christmas to you as well!

[Sal Giaco]

Originally posted by GarthB
Sal,

How long have you worked the Frontier League?

I have a friend who worked it for a few years, but he "self-released" in 2003, I believe.

Since 2001 - What's his name and where is he from?

[GarthB]

Originally posted by Sal Giaco

Since 2001 - What's his name and where is he from?

I sent you a private email.

[WhatWuzThatBlue]

As most of you know, I'm very careful when choosing my words. I asked Jeff to tell us which colleges he was assigned simply because he was available. He immediately changed the subject to basketball and football. Then FVB9 chimed in on the same thought I had. Jeff worked some Juco small ball and never saw the post season for any of them.

My bigger laugh was when he tried to throw South Bend in the mix. Rather than name the colleges, he implies that he gets assignments in big college towns. This is a trademark Rutism. He dismisses it by saying that he never meant to say Notre Dame, but how many people here think of St. Mary's when we think of South Bend? Classic Rut and a great way to finish the year strong. I have stayed away from Rut bashing because it is so easy and many of you do it better. Like FVB9, I couldn't resist no replying to this blunder.

Next we will here that he once worked college games in Tallahassee, Chicago, Baton Rouge, Madison and Columbus. Only they weren't Florida State, UIC, LSU, Wisconsin or Ohio State. ROTFLMAO


Ho, Ho, Ho He, He, He Merry Christmas, to all and to all a good night!

[BigUmp56]

In Jeff's defense I should point out that there are other Colleges here in South Bend. I guess that one could make an arguement that he in no way was implying that he worked Notre Dame games in South Bend because Notre Dame is not located in South Bend. The university is located in Notre Dame Indiana. They have their own post office, police department (not campus security), and are independent of local municipalities.

To be honest, I'm not sure if Holy Cross Junior college has a baseball team or not. I'm pretty sure they only have club sports anyway.

I do know that Bethel College, which is just across the South Bend line in Mishawaka, has an excellent baseball team. As you are able to see the Golden Dome from the college, one could easily think it's located in South Bend.

I.U.S.B also has a decent baseball program as well located right in the heart of South Bend.

The Vogue Beauty College team is full of sissy's, and no one want's to work their games!(chuckle)


It's entirely possible that he's worked games for one of these small colleges.


Tim.

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by FVB9


Happy Holidays to all.

Normally I refrain from responding to these, but I can't resist this one because Jeff gets his College BB from me.

Jeff, be careful about the above quote. You contacted us in the right year, when we had several new College opportunities. To say you didn't have to prove yourself is so not true Jeff, so be careful. You got a couple of very low-key JUCO games unseen, you did well, and you got more. To continue working College level ball (whether it be JUCO or D-III), we are reproving our commitment every year. There are too many new College umpires knocking at the door that it pushes all of us to work harder each year, each game.

And ohhh...you don't go past DeKalb for College games? Dude, I'm finishing up the schedule this week. Can you say Kishwaukee?!?!?

Merry Xmas to all....all we want for Xmas is Mark Prior to stay in our rotation!!

Kishwaukee is about 7 miles from DeKalb. That would be like me saying I am not going to go to Macomb and I end up in Good Hope. They are right next to each other. Malta and DeKalb are closer to each other than I actually live from Chicago. I am not wasting a whole tank of gas to go from DeKalb to Malta.

Let me put it this way, I am not going to Kenosha, Wisconsin or Davenport for a college baseball game. I have gone to both for college basketball games in recent years. I would also not likely be able to go to those places very often for baseball games for job reasons. That is why I try to stay very close to my house as possible.

So I understand what you are saying, but I am not going to knock someone out over the head for a college baseball game. I also have not had to pay the money to work a college baseball game as I have to work a college basketball game. And I went to relatively cheap camps to get evaluated to get hired in college basketball. Now for those that want to go in the middle of the afternoon to get to South Bend (Notre Dame) or try to go 4 and 5 hours to Michigan to work a game, more power to you. That just is not going to be me right now. I would not go to Bloomington, Illinois for a college game at this point. Just not something I am thinking about doing. Sorry, it just is not. I was not very up for going to North Park this past year on a Sunday.

You and Windbag do nothing else but work baseball. For you baseball is a big part of your officiating life. For me the spring is a balance between all sports. I have the potential to go to Basketball and Football camps at this time of year. When the summer hits, the only thing I am really going to make a commitment to things like Basketball camps and summer HS Basketball leagues. Why, because I know they will not get rained out and I am trying to advance in my college career. I have already done a college game in the middle of this Midwest winter in Galesburg and Kewanee, Illinois and went to Davenport, Iowa to work college basketball games with the weather really sucking. Each trip was well over an hour (and some cases 2) just going one way. Now it helps that I have family less than in many cases close to those places, but I would not even pursue such a baseball opportunity.

Peace

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by WhatWuzThatBlue
As most of you know, I'm very careful when choosing my words. I asked Jeff to tell us which colleges he was assigned simply because he was available. He immediately changed the subject to basketball and football. Then FVB9 chimed in on the same thought I had. Jeff worked some Juco small ball and never saw the post season for any of them.

You do not even have the balls to list your name and you expect me to tell you something like that? When you start sharing with everyone here who you are so the rest of us can know exactly what you do, until then, it is none of your business where I work.

Originally posted by WhatWuzThatBlue
My bigger laugh was when he tried to throw South Bend in the mix. Rather than name the colleges, he implies that he gets assignments in big college towns. This is a trademark Rutism. He dismisses it by saying that he never meant to say Notre Dame, but how many people here think of St. Mary's when we think of South Bend? Classic Rut and a great way to finish the year strong. I have stayed away from Rut bashing because it is so easy and many of you do it better. Like FVB9, I couldn't resist no replying to this blunder.

Actually BigUmp was right. I did officiate a basketball game at the University of Indiana at South Bend about 4 or 5 years ago. If I told you that I worked at Purdue University, you would claim that I had only worked in Lafayette (That is where the game check came from). There is more than one Purdue University. If you knew anything about the college systems in this country, that would not be the only assumption you would make. Like if I said I have a relative that went to University of Wisconsin. There are about 5 different Universities of WisconsinÂ’s. That is why when I talk to people that know anything about education I would qualify my statement by saying she went to The University of Wisconsin at Madison. South Bend is a town, not a college, but you knew that right?

Originally posted by WhatWuzThatBlue
Next we will here that he once worked college games in Tallahassee, Chicago, Baton Rouge, Madison and Columbus. Only they weren't Florida State, UIC, LSU, Wisconsin or Ohio State. ROTFLMAO

That is really funny coming from you. You never tell anyone anything about you other than vague references and vague implications. You talk in code all the time telling people you work college ball, but never a conference is mentioned or the actual town. Then you say you work Minor League baseball, but you never mention the league. I not only mentioned the towns I have worked games in, I am using my real name to do it. You on the other hand say nothing. You say stuff like you were at a Super-Regional and I work Class AA ball Minor League ball, but not towns, dates or conferences you worked in. Now you are claiming you work for Fetch and you have said many times before that you did not work for Fetch and you did not want to belong to an association that Fetch is the member of because you got games from other sources.

Actually if I said I worked a game in Tallahassee, there is more than one college in Tallahassee. I would know I have a few close relatives that attended both major universities in Tallahassee. One played on the football team and one a National Championship. Guess which university that I am talking about now.

Peace

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally posted by BigUmp56

The Vogue Beauty College team is full of sissy's, and no one want's to work their games!(chuckle)

I'll work those biatches' games. Hey, it's college ball!