Earrings and a ponytail.

[jwwashburn]

Originally Posted by Matt

I'm going to tell you a little story. It's little, so you can understand.

I just received word that I am going to be a 1SG (you want a translation, let me know) of a headquarters company (BTW, not to toot a horn, but I'm 29 years old.) I keep seven piercings and three visible tattoos. The tattoos are in reg. The piercings stay, due to my job, and I have an exception to policy (for you Catholics, a dispensation) to have them.

This is not an issue for my association. I have never had anyone involved in the game, besides an umpire or assignor, ask me about them. I have had, on exactly one occasion, had a manager say that he would not have recognized me but for the tatt on my right arm, and he didn't care.

I can guaran-damn-tee you that whatever needle has entered my skin has not affected my ability to umpire, and since Big Army has blessed off on them, I'm pretty sure it's not a detriment.

Matt,

1) Thank you for your service to our country.
2) What does the Army changing its policy on body piercing have to do with how an umpire should look?
3) I never said or thought that an umpire that comes to the field looking like a goof will umpire like a goof. Long hair(like I said, I used to have it 20+ years ago) and earrings make and umpire look like a goof. I certainly realize that some people will disagree with me. I think that one umpire wearing a red shirt and one wearing a navy one looks goofy-some people disagree and think that it looks ok. Obviously, somebody involved with the MLB thinks the smocks look good...I think they make the umpires look like goofs.

If you are confident that your look is a good one for an umpire then why would you care what I think?