How did that name originate? "smitty "

Oops !!! Ya got that rear-end to. :)
I don't think attitude comes into play for them, unless they just don't care about their appearance on the field.

Guessing here, that one of the members was telling/relating a story about an umpire, without giving the actual name.
Smith, being a rather common name, was selected and to carry it a bit further, and to make that umpire more familiar, because he may be in Anyville, USA , "Smitty" evolved. :)

zebra2955,

I believe the term was originally coined by Carl Childress in an article he wrote for Referee magazine prior to the inception of Officiating.com. I believe Mick's hypothesis pretty well summarizes Carl's intent.

JM

Not bad attitudes necessarily, but many bad habits which they believe to be the proper way of doing something and refuse to listen to anyone who tries to correct them. Ozzy gave a good partial list of things that identify "Smitty."

Thanks for the info

I would differentiate between 1) a Smitty: One who thinks he knows all, but doesn't; One who tells all how to do it, but can't; One who thinks he's the great gift to officiating, but isn't; Is oblivious to his foolishness.

And 2) umpires, as Ozzy describes, who are just clueless. An official can plain ol' stink and be lousy, but it's when he starts spouting off, the Smitty label is attached.

I'll add:
-Upon meeting you for the first time, he recites his resume and "experience." Take a deep breath and enjoy the day's ride through Hell.:rolleyes:
-States he has a HUGE zone, only to be size of a tea cup.

My first game ever w/partner: 11-y.o. game. Partner gets out of his car, straps on his shin guards outside the pants. I walk over to say I'm here and already dressed for the plate. He then takes off his guards and proceeds to put them back on, under his pants.

I worked a summer league game (17-18 year old kids) today with a guy who didn't have a ball bag, wore a brown belt and even work khakis :eek:

I think I know that guy!!
Did he also wear a fishing hat?

I KNEW some of youse would jump all over me for wearing a watch. Why can't you cull through this to the actual point of the post?

Thois is my problem with the board--too many of you try to rip a post apart without getting to its crux.

When do YOU go to a game you are not working, and, during the game, walk up to an official and give him grief--for anything--much less something as minor as wearing a watch. BTW, he was not my assignor, an officer on the board... nuttin'.

Jeeze, Louise.

Ace

In my neck of the woods, we don't throw names like that around.

If anyone was a pantywaist, it was the veteran ref who couldn't own up to his own mistake, yet decided to subject his audience to a long diatribe, when he, in fact, was the erring ref. He deserved every bit of my treatment. That was the point of my post.

I'm done with you, CO. I can't brook such babbling.

Ace

So...would you like "youse" to be pronounced like "ewes". Or would you prefer that it rhyme with "louse"? :rolleyes:

No, he didn't.

Rita

Guys/Gals, when you are watching a game do you take the time to walk up and critique the officials working the game? I don't. The point is, this guy had no business even approaching Ace and saying anything, except perhaps, "Hi, how you doing Ace?"

I've met Mr. Smitty.

See: http://forum.officiating.com/showthread.php?t=32975