Umpiring Politics

[UMP25]

Other sports are irrelevant, Jeff. The discussion here concerns only baseball. With all due respect, I've been at this a lot longer than you have and have been assigning longer than anyone in the Chicago metro area. I have had the privilege of befriending colleagues throughout this area and in many other parts of the country. What I can tell you is that there is more backstabbing, stepping on others' toes, lying, one upsmanship, and game-playing that goes on in this area than in any other area of the country based on what I am told by not just guys here, but also by many guys who work in other areas of the country.

It's rather surprising considering there is far less higher level ball here than in the southeast, south, or west coast. However, perhaps this is THE reason for all the political crap that goes on here--there are so fewer D1 and other such games available here than in other areas that many guys here feel as if they should sell their own mothers to get ahead of someone in the pecking order. That and more is quite prevalent here.