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Mon Sep 25, 2006, 12:04pm
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Are we having fun yet....
When I first posted on this board, I mentioned that my knees were the reason I had to get out of umpiring, but that was only a half-truth. I used my knees as the final excuse (they are in pretty bad shape).....but ultimately the real reason was that I simply was not having fun anymore. Now please believe me when I say it had nothing to do with the chirping, disagreements, or any other consequences of my calls -- that's an occupational hazard that I fully accepted, and relished. It came down to the fact that, almost without exception, the players (16-18 yrs old, summer ball) and coaches of virtually every team had very little, if any, respect for the game of baseball itself. Call me a purist, but I got tired of games where there were more errors than runs scored....more errors than hits....players laughing or yelling at each other over errors....players that could not have cared less if their team won or lost (it seemed like they didn't want to be there)....coaches that were basically babysitters, with no intention of teaching or coaching.....etc. And these occurances were the rule, not the exception.
It also didn't help that most of the umpires in the association that I was in were 'veterans' with 20+ years of experience, whose idea of a pre-game conference was to walk in the gate and, without breaking stride, walk onto the field while telling me "I've got both lines the whole way". And that pains me because I thoroughly enjoy umpiring, and I thoroughly enjoy doing it right (positioning, mechanics, appearance, etc). I just got to the point where I got tired of beating my head against the wall, and I didn't want to do it any more. I apologize for the length of this post, and for my rant.........the real reason I started this thread was just to ask..... Overall, do you have fun umpiring? Is the money you make an important factor? Based on some of the recent threads, some of you travel a long way to umpire......I was just curious what you get out of it. Thanks for any responses. 
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Mon Sep 25, 2006, 12:44pm
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Some days you eat the bear, some days the bear eats you.
Sometimes I can't wait to get to the ballpark. Somedays I can't wait to leave the ballpark. I love it when I get a 1:25 1-0 shutout w/lots of K3 called. I hate it when it's 3 hrs. + 26-14 w/lots of getting nailed by the ball. Sometimes I dread the hours before an assignment I'm not thrilled with. Sometimes I wonder why I'm even doing this. Sometimes I wonder what I would have ever done without it. I love umpiring baseball.
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Matthew 15:14, 1 Corinthians 1:23-25
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Mon Sep 25, 2006, 01:23pm
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Mon Sep 25, 2006, 02:54pm
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Fun Yet
I found this on a fooball forum but many of the thought apply here also
Every day I'm on the top side of the grass and get to hug my kids is a good day even if the game was bad Why am I a football official? It’s standing on the field listening to the National Anthem with your eyes closed and your hat over your heart, thanking God for your life and your country. It’s walking onto the field and seeing the relieved look on the face of a coach that knows he’s got a great crew tonight. It’s the long drive to the game reviewing every detail of rules and mechanics and yet having time for a joke or two. It’s walking around the school or stadium looking for your locker room because the AD forgot to have someone meet you. It’s every story that begins with, "remember when..." It’s the genuine look of concern on your crewmates faces when one of your brothers has fallen, and the round of laughter shortly thereafter when its obvious he’s alright. It’s officiating a game shortly before and after your father dies because he taught you what honor is and to always do your duty. It’s sitting silently at the an association meeting listening to others figure out a complicated ruling and then having them turn to you and ask, "is that right?" It’s leaving your family for a 3-day clinic, and your wife supporting you in that decision and your dream, because she understands that if "it’s not good for me, then it’s not good for us." It’s bringing an extra pair of socks along just in case somebody forgets theirs. It’s meeting someone and finding out he’s an official and immediately becoming good friends because of that fact. It’s working through the sore muscles, bad knees and the smell of "Ben-Gay." It’s lost job wages, small game fees, and that smile on your face when someone says, "you’re just doing this for the money." It’s the feel of your heart pounding before the coin toss as you reach into your pocket for the coin that isn’t there. It’s finishing a 3rd grade game and having a 9 year old run up to you and sincerely say, "Thank you Mr. Official" It’s hearing that a coach was putting you down behind your back, and that another official defended you by saying "he’s the best official in the state." It’s having to "buy the first round" because you’re the first one to get dirt on your knickers during the game. It’s that "one play" that happened years ago that your crew keeps talking about. You all know the one. It’s the 8 x 8 foot dressing room they give you with a showerhead that barely works. It’s leading by the example of hard work, and sportsmanship, and hoping some of that will rub off on players, coaches, fans, and other officials. It’s knowing that no matter what happens during the game, you’ll get it right. It’s also knowing that the greatest sign of wisdom is realizing that you don’t know everything. It’s Snickers bars, beef jerky and sodas made from fermented grains. It’s rule books, discussion boards, countless e-mails and good friends whose faces you have yet to see. It’s striving to be both a scholar of the rules, and a philosopher of the spirit of the game. It’s being perfect the first day and working to improve everyday thereafter. It’s knowing that you’re a part of a tradition of honorable men, names of whom are mostly forgotten or weren’t really known to begin with. But who still did their thankless jobs for the love of the game, and because it was the right thing to do. It’s all these things, and many, many more I’m sure, that keep all of us coming back for more, year after year, and wondering why. But then you step on the field again, take a deep breath, and ask yourself, "Where would I rather be than right here right now?" by Curt Johnson---"Doc"
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Mon Sep 25, 2006, 10:53pm
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Mon Sep 25, 2006, 11:00pm
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__________________
Throwing people out of a game is like riding a bike- once you get the hang of it, it can be a lot of fun.- Ron Luciano
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Tue Sep 26, 2006, 01:10pm
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Coached my son from T-ball, coach pitch, LL, Junior High, to HS summerball before he decided to focus on football(good choice - full ride D-I). I loved the game so much and didnt want to leave the diamond, so I threw away my rat hat, and picked up the tools of ignorance. No regrets at all.....
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Tue Sep 26, 2006, 01:13pm
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Fun, fun, fun
The most fun I have is when I can stick it to a rat who is getting on my nerves and then send him to the port-a-potty when he doesn't like it. The only problem this causes is with the report I have to write. I have found a way to avoid this. I have saved a Word document on my computer that says: "Coach didn't like my obviously correct call, so I sent put him out of MY misery." The people at the state office don't always like it, but I don't really like them either.
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Tue Sep 26, 2006, 01:16pm
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Lance has nothing to worry about.
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GB
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Tue Sep 26, 2006, 01:20pm
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Tue Sep 26, 2006, 01:22pm
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He's gearing up for the Fall-Ball 10U World Series. Tim.
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Tue Sep 26, 2006, 01:38pm
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I too have experienced similar.
IMO, there is simply too much baseball. Baseball for me runs from the last week in March to the end of October , First week in November. here's what happens. A kid plays HS ball until the end of May, First week in June if his his team makes the sectionals. In my area, Legion ball starts June 2nd and goes to the end of July. Legion plays approx a 45-50 games season plus the state Tournaments. For those that do not make the legion teams there is still plenty of other leagues in which to join. IMO, these kids are simply Burnt out come the last 2 weeks of July. You are right, they really do not want to be there. During my era, we played all the sports not just focusing on one. Also, even if a kid wants to play the other sports etc. it becomes political for him making the HS team. In addition to coaching HS ball, some HS coaches also have a summer travel team and "Encourage' their HS players to join. In Summary: There is simply too much baseball and kids become burnt out. Also, as the "heat" rises so do the tempors. In addition, we live in a world in which the motto is "Blame it on the officials" no matter what sport. Let's take the OU Oregon fiasco. Yes both the on field and replay officials made a bad call but the bottom line was this: Where was the OU defense during the last 3-4 minutes of the game? Oregon scored "at will". If memory serves (before the on side kick) Oregon trailed by 13 points and proceeded to march right down the field in a short period of time. Did the officials let them do this or was it a bad job by the defense? We could go on and on. The point is eventually you do get tired of bad play, bad coaching, partners who don't give a rats you know what. Also, even though it comes with the territory eventually one gets tired of the whining etc. Pete Booth
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Peter M. Booth
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