End of JEAPU?

[Publius]

Originally Posted by UMP25

I don't doubt it. What will happen, though, to all those MiLB Umpires who quit/are released and find themselves working post-season NCAA? After all, so many of them work the upper echelons of D1.

I envision the NCAA setting some year as a cutoff. After that, they don't care if you're Tony Thompson, Jim Schaly, Jon Bible or Perry Costello--do their training or you can't be considered for post-season play.

I'd be happier if they made the rules test closed-book, and assignors actually used the results as one indicator of who knows WTF they're doing. A vast majority of the people I partner with during the year (I don't work D1) get together and take it as a group. That probably helps explain why I have to bail out so many of them during the year when they screw up rulings.

[UMP25]

Well, if they're taking it as a group, it's not that easy, because each person has a different set of questions. What I don't like about the test is its inconsistency or contradictions with what's actually in the book at times. In addition, there are this year numerous typos and even some questions where the answers per the NCAA are completely incorrect.

And this is not coming from someone who has had problems with the exam. I've always passed it, oftentimes with superb scores.

[Publius]

Originally Posted by UMP25

Well, if they're taking it as a group, it's not that easy, because each person has a different set of questions. What I don't like about the test is its inconsistency or contradictions with what's actually in the book at times. In addition, there are this year numerous typos and even some questions where the answers per the NCAA are completely incorrect.

And this is not coming from someone who has had problems with the exam. I've always passed it, oftentimes with superb scores.

They all print out their questions, exit the exam, and get together to help each other. Then they re-enter and type in their answers after the group meeting. I've been asked to join the group several times, but always decline. Anyone who can't pass it on his own isn't very bright. 80 on an open-book test is a ridiculously low passing score.

And boy, are you right about the NCAA's inability to put out a test where all the "correct" answers are actually correct. While I've seen that in past years, I'm curious: How do you know it's true THIS year when the answers have't been released yet?

[UMP25]

Originally Posted by Publius

They all print out their questions, exit the exam, and get together to help each other. Then they re-enter and type in their answers after the group meeting. I've been asked to join the group several times, but always decline. Anyone who can't pass it on his own isn't very bright. 80 on an open-book test is a ridiculously low passing score.

And boy, are you right about the NCAA's inability to put out a test where all the "correct" answers are actually correct. While I've seen that in past years, I'm curious: How do you know it's true THIS year when the answers have't been released yet?

Let's just say one can tell if you read the answers carefully (among other ways one can "know"). Dummy me forgot to print my questions before I submitted the test this year, but there was one question where THE correct answer wasn't present, so I had to choose one of the 4 given, and I did so in mild disgust.

[Welpe]

Sounds to me like MiLB found a perfect excuse to cut ties with Evans, something they were probably already looking to do. Same as when a company uses layoffs in a bad economy to cut employees they've wanted to anyways.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by UMP25

Let's just say one can tell if you read the answers carefully (among other ways one can "know"). Dummy me forgot to print my questions before I submitted the test this year, but there was one question where THE correct answer wasn't present, so I had to choose one of the 4 given, and I did so in mild disgust.

I had 6 questions of 60 where the correct answer wasn't obvious. 3 of them were the video questions I got. I scored a 92% (5 incorrect), but I'm curious if I screwed up the questions I got wrong or it's the questions themselves. I'll find out eventually.

[UMP25]

I came across 6 questions where numerous typos/wrong runners were referred to, so much so that I had to keep rereading the question to make sure I understood to which runners the question was referring.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

I had 6 questions of 60 where the correct answer wasn't obvious. 3 of them were the video questions I got. I scored a 92% (5 incorrect), but I'm curious if I screwed up the questions I got wrong or it's the questions themselves. I'll find out eventually.

I also had 6 like that. I ended up with an 85%, so 9 incorrect. I know one I messed up on (I knew the rule, but when I went to confirm it, I couldn't find the damn thing but one that was contradictory, and, of course, someone coincidentally posted the clause I needed two hours after I submitted it.)

[johnnyg08]

Originally Posted by Matt

I also had 6 like that. I ended up with an 85%, so 9 incorrect. I know one I messed up on (I knew the rule, but when I went to confirm it, I couldn't find the damn thing but one that was contradictory, and, of course, someone coincidentally posted the clause I needed two hours after I submitted it.)

The question that ticked me off the most was the based loaded, home run, R2 misses 3B question, how many runs score? No mention of an appeal, yet later on, we were told to assume a legal appeal was made. How in the hell were we supposed to know that? They make it impossible to do the test individually and get 100. There is no way.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Matt

I also had 6 like that. I ended up with an 85%, so 9 incorrect. I know one I messed up on (I knew the rule, but when I went to confirm it, I couldn't find the damn thing but one that was contradictory, and, of course, someone coincidentally posted the clause I needed two hours after I submitted it.)

I took the NFHS Part I right after this and scored 100. Now, I think the NCAA test, in theory, could be better. The idea of having video plays is great, but the questions that go with the video must be clearer, IMO. And some of the questions are simply written poorly. There must be someone better equipped to write the questions.

I believe I got lucky in that fewer of the questions I got were completely unworkable. In the end I had 3 that I just guessed on and figured if I didn't score 80 I'd go back again.

[yawetag]

Originally Posted by Publius

I envision the NCAA setting some year as a cutoff. After that, they don't care if you're Tony Thompson, Jim Schaly, Jon Bible or Perry Costello--do their training or you can't be considered for post-season play.

I'd be happier if they made the rules test closed-book, and assignors actually used the results as one indicator of who knows WTF they're doing. A vast majority of the people I partner with during the year (I don't work D1) get together and take it as a group. That probably helps explain why I have to bail out so many of them during the year when they screw up rulings.

On the flip-side, I've seen numerous people in my profession that aced the entrance exam but sucked rocks in doing the job.

Book smart doesn't always equal street smart. To truly see how well they handle the situation, have them do it on the field. You don't have four choices in those situations.

[Publius]

Originally Posted by yawetag

On the flip-side, I've seen numerous people in my profession that aced the entrance exam but sucked rocks in doing the job.

Book smart doesn't always equal street smart. To truly see how well they handle the situation, have them do it on the field. You don't have four choices in those situations.

That's true, but it isn't really the flip side. How many people have you seen suck on the test--where it's multiple choice, open book, and unlimited time--then go out on the field and be really good at rules application? For me, the answer is zero.

Some, though, suck at rules but have great judgment, great people skills, great presence, and handle situations fabulously. Arguably, those are better umpires than those with superior rules knowledge but who lack those other characteristics. I'd rather have them as partners, because together, we make a better crew.