Well, fortunately for us, our assignment secretary recognizes talent, and hair just isn't a big issue. One guy runs the show here in San Diego, as far as assigning umpires go, and that guy is Bob Merchant, who doesn't give a rat's patuty what they do anywhere else.

The guy with the hair and beard has been umpiring top-level games since way before I ever started umpiring, and that's a while now.

Well, for example, when he was bashing "internet umpires," he specifically excluded me. :)

back to the navy bags part.... Those are black bags. so what. The look is even better then that of navy. Navy reminds me too much of softball- only. Black is acceptable, and ive seen more black then navy.

End of rant.

Thanks to those of you posting sensible comments.

:)

Dan, too many of your responses to the criticism you've invited end in "so what." True, most of the comments are fairly cosmetic in nature, but that's all we really had to work with from the short video we were provided.

Do you look more professional than the stereotypical Little League Smitty? Yes. Could you look better by ditching the sweatbands and wearing the appropriate color ballbags (gray or navy with a navy shirt)? Yes, and that's what people are telling you. Quit arguing with them and say thanks for the feedback.

But it's not because they don't match your hat, as the fashionista suggests,
correct ? :p

#1 was "He feels that the only people that can teach umpiring are professional umpires. In fact at all his clinics, classes and schools he makes fun of local trainers and calls them "Charlies" . . . all his instructor use the term freely also."

I think it would be more accurate to say he feels trainers should be professionally trained umpires, not strictly professional umpires. As evidence of this, I would point to his substantial contributions over the years to the development of umpire training in Little League.

#2 was "On more than one occasion Evans has intoned that "internet umpires" are a bunch of guys that cannot umpire and are basically "keyboard" umpires that couldn't work real games."

Garth Benham has made the distinction before between "umpires who work Little League" and "Little League umpires." Similarly, Jim is aware of and acknowledges the distinction between umpires who are on the internet vs. "internet umpires." He does not blindly stereotype us.

#3 was "He feels that umpires not trained by professional umpires are hurting the game of baseball and the future of umpiring." I've not heard him say that so I cannot comment other than to say I assume there was more to what he said on the subject than that single sentence, and therefore I would speculate that a more complete description would provide meaningful context. As I previously noted, Evans has made significant contributions to the development of training programs for amateur umpires in the Little League organization, which does not strike me as compatible with an attitude that the vast majority of youth, scholastic and amateur umpires out there who do not receive formal training from professional umpires, are "hurting the game." In addition, the tone he takes in his Pitching Regulations and Balk Videos clearly acknowledges the need for local umpire groups to provide guidance for rule sets such as high school in which the rules vary from what he is teaching.

Evans clearly has concerns that "any idiot" can come onto the internet and spout BS opinions and specious rulings that contribute to the general MISunderstanding of the game. But the universally dismissive attiude that is suggested by your comments, unamplified, is simply not, in my opinion, an accurate portrait of what and how he teaches umpiring.

id never wear them unless they were for a commemorative reason. i see the harm in them, in that you'd probably get docked points by an evaluator. from below freezing, to over 100 degrees, ive never considered wearing wristbands while umpiring.

you mentioned black hats but didnt say anything other than some requiring them. would you ever wear a black hat with a navy or powder (with navy trim) shirt? i kind of hope not, but im guessing you just didnt follow that point up.

how does black bags with a navy shirt, look better than navy bags with a navy shirt?

With regards to the comments about Jim Evans.........I remember a situation about 7-8 years ago at a tournament I was working.

My crew along with three other crews were in a rain delay, and we had the opportunity and honor to talk and chit chat (all of us umpires) with another MLB umpire that was on one of his vacation stints.

A member of my crew made a comment about another MLB umpire and the one were talking with did not take kindly too my partner's remarks and my partner justly found out quickly that was not the right thing to do in front of another MLB umpire.

My point, I do not believe Jim Evans, a fellow brother umpire, with an impressive resume like he has, is going to make comments like those indicated in earlier responses of this thread.

With that being said, if we are going to question comments made by a MLB umpire, we had better first get a better clarification (if this is possible) of their comments we heard before we go speaking so critically of a MLB umpire of his statue.

Think about these thoughts. Sooner or later the negative opinionated statements that we make in our lives come back to haunt us and normally happen at the time(s) we do not expect them, nor need them.

I never said it does.

I said i like black over navy. I have worn both. what is the big deal. NO ONE will care weather you are using gray, navy, or black ball bags. It is a personal decision by the umpire.

Ok,

Thanks for the feedback to those who responded. but i will not change the ball bag part.

The same discussion about ball bags/hats etc., is simultaneously occurring on the other forum, and I got hollered at for not mentioning gray bags over there.

If the ball bags are black, the hat should be black too. It should match the darkest color of the uniform shirt being worn.

If the ball bags are navy, the hat should be navy too. It should match the darkest color of the uniform shirt being worn.

If the ball bags are gray, the hat should match the darkest color of the uniform shirt being worn.

If the ball bags are Honig's leather, the hat should be a Nazi Gestapo officer's hat, with matching a$sless chaps!:D

No one will care, other than the evaluator who can affect what level of ball you will be working in the future.

Dan, I'd have to disagree with this statement. If you've paid attention for
the length of time you've been here, you've probably seen someone intone that how one looks when they take the field says a lot. Coaches and players
size you up from the start, making a judgement about you based on how you are dressed. Dirty shoes ? You look lazy. Too lazy to clean and shine them.
Wrinkled shirt ? Same. Lazy. Hat or ballbags that do not match your choice
of shirt color ? Stupid. Too stupid to be able to match colors.
Please bear in mind, I'm not calling names, just giving you an idea of what
can go through people's minds. Of course, I'm sure you don't care what they think.