First AAU Follies of the Off-Season

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by tref

I hear you BNR. I'm a 4-6 nights a week, Jan-Dec kinda guy & I deal with much more BS in the off-season for less pay... so I do what I do.

Personally, I'm not discussing much with fans, winter/summer/spring/or fall. In fact folks must detect the a-hole in me b/c it's been about 7-8 years since I've had a fan come up to me after any type of game.

Conversations with fans are always better when they run into you at Applebee's or TGI Friday's

[tref]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

Personally, I'm not discussing much with fans, winter/summer/spring/or fall. In fact folks must detect the a-hole in me b/c it's been about 7-8 years since I've had a fan come up to me after any type of game.

Conversations with fans are always better when they run into you at Applebee's or TGI Friday's

I respect your discipline!

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by tref

I respect your discipline!

Learned long ago that fans really don't give a damn about our rationale/thought process/rules/etc. They just want to vent and/or blame. This lesson was taught to me by a co-worker/friend who is an avid HS sports fan. He'd have D1 officials working his games and I'd still hear how terrible they were.

[bainsey]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

Learned long ago that fans really don't give a damn about our rationale/thought process/rules/etc.

I re-learned that lesson yesterday, sitting amongst parents.

As I'm finishing my workout at my office's exercise room, I get a text from my kid (high school junior) that his friends' high school playoff baseball game is going into extra innings, 1-1. This is a little surprising, considering his school was the region's #8 seed playing the #1 seed and top rival. The game is mile away, so I make the quick drive to see the finish.

I sit alone among my town's contingency on the third base side, though surrounded by familiar faces. Maybe I should have taken a spot behind the plate, because it bordered on embarrassing being around some parents. I really don't know why I was surprised -- yelling at the plate ump on balls/strikes (never mind that our position to judge is lousy), yelling at base umpires to "ask for help" (like that ever works), or screaming that a center fielder dropped a ball (not even close!) when making a semi-diving catch. Oh, and yelling at the kid for making the catch! ("You should be ashamed of yourself!") I had to contain myself from pointing out what @$$es they were making of themselves.

Still, it didn't ruin a 3-2 eleventh inning victory, sparked by our star basketball center, er, first baseman, drilling one over the left field fence. I just hope I remember to sit amongst people who aren't motivated solely by their kids' victories.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by bainsey

Oh,and yelling at the kid for making the catch! ("You should be ashamed of yourself!")

All three of my children participated on various high school sports teams. When I attended their games and an opposing player would make a great play, I would politely clap. I was always the only one in the crowd who applauded. They would all look at me like I was from Mars.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

All three of my children participated on various high school sports teams. When I attended their games and an opposing player would make a great play, I would politely clap. I was always the only one in the crowd who applauded. They would all look at me like I was from Mars.

Full disclosure. I will admit that I did occasionally "moan" about a referee's, or umpire's, call. No yelling. No name calling. No disrespect. Just a simple, "Oh, c'mon ump."

[Adam]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Full disclosure. I will admit that I did occasionally "moan" about a referee's, or umpire's, call. No yelling. No name calling. No disrespect. Just a simple, "Oh, c'mon ump."

I wondered yesterday how many times I yelled "but he was moving!" after an offensive foul.

[Adam]

Had to tell a coach last night that if I'm close enough to hear his comments to his AC, then he's talking to me.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Had to tell a coach last night that if I'm close enough to hear his comments to his AC, then he's talking to me.

Rabbit ears.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Had to tell a coach last night that if I'm close enough to hear his comments to his AC, then he's talking to me.

Stop getting so close, then...

[Adam]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

Stop getting so close, then...

"So move."
"Know where you're supposed to be."

I ignored those, although the second one came from the AC (my back was turned, but I knew his voice), so I should have probably rang him up.

I was back at the division line for the first of 2 FTs, waiting to call in some subs. And he wasn't using his inside voice.

As I told an airman many years ago when she tried to get mad at me for listening to her conversation, "Don't have a private conversation in public if you don't want others to hear it."

[tref]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

As I told an airman many years ago when she tried to get mad at me for listening to her conversation, "Don't have a private conversation in public if you don't want others to hear it."

Bingo! I hate when they use the excuse of "not talking to you" while talking about you loud enough for you to hear.