I'm tired of big, stupid linebackers...
 

...stepping on my feet. It's not enough that they just step on them, they have to turn and twist as well. AAAARGH!!!!!!!!

Have any other umpires out there tried a steel toed or plate shoe that worked? I'm open for suggesstions!

I guess humour is not allowed anymore?

On topic: I have never heard of an umpire wear anything other than normal cleats.

I have likewise had my feet stepped on, but it is usually by D-lineman, not backers. Once when it happened I was backing up to avoid being part of the play when my foot got pinned to the ground, causing me to fall backwards. I have not tried the plate or steel toe shoe yet.

Nope, Humor is fine. But all too often, once the jokes start, they don't stop, the thread goes off topic and you never get any substance. IOW, I need information, not jokes.

D-linemen or L-backers, it's still painful. And yes, the only time I've gone down is when my foot was pinned to the ground, as opposed to being run over.

I've been triying to find one with some cleat to it, as opposed to a smoother botton. My toes got stepped on twice last season, so I'm really more interested in a steel toe. I don't think the metatersal protector is needed as much. I'm looking for a new pair of shoes, so why not kill two birds...?

I seem to remember seeing an NFL umpire on the cover of Referee magazine a few years ago who was wearing some sort of plate shoes. They might have had steel toes as well. Looks like November 2002.

Otherwise I just stay away from the middle of the field.

Playing rugby I wore shoes called Vultures that had the area above the toes reinforced, stiff though not with metal, against being stepped on by cleats.

I must lead a charmed life (going into my 38th season of high school ball)
cannot remember being stepped on. I've been kicked a few times, got knocked on my can a couple times, and once was smacked in the face when I followed an excited player too closely when he suddenly swung his
arms out in jubilation.
Then again, maybe I'm good at what I do !
(-:

Maybe your feet are smaller than mine! ;)

I guess I should position myself 10 yards off the ball like others do. :(

Like I said, it doesn't happen often, two, three times a season. But the first one I got last year turned my big toenail blue and took 9 months to grow out. It was a constant reminder.

I guess I'll go to the Baseball board. Maybe those guys will know.

Steel toe.......
 

Problem is Ref, I don't think a plate umpires shoe would work real well. I can see it really cutting into your mobility and I don't think they have much of a cleated sole from what I can recall.

You might try a police supply like Gall's. Won't be cleated but might find something with an "agressive sole".

Hey check these out:
http://www.galls.com/style.html?asso...SP773&cat=2807

Maybe you should look at the New Balance 450 plate shoe.
 

I use them for baseball and can move around pretty good. I'd wager football umpire could move around easy enough in them. I use the regular version (350) of the same shoe for football. The tread pattern works well in slippery conditions.

Honigs has the shoe:

http://www.honigs.com/detail.asp?Cat=2&Sub=10&Item=1057

Gator, do you where the flap in football?

I tried working a 7th grade game at Umpire once. The heck with steel toe shoes. I needed full playing equipment. Busted elbow and scraped shin. That's the last time I worked Umpire and will never try that again.

No Snickers for you JasonTX!! :(

REPLY I once showed up at a college game expecting to be the BJ in a 7-man crew. Due to an emergency, only six showed up and yours truly was the only one 'experienced' (read 'stupid) enough to volunteer to go into the middle. When I saw the size and speed of those guys, I called my insurance agent to make sure my premiums were paid up.

I don't think there's an official in any other sport as close to the action as the U. If there is, I can't think who it is.

About 20 years ago, one of the shoe companies that makes both football and plate shoes was willing, for a $10 customization charge, to add the steel toe from their plate shoe to their football shoe for me. As I recall, the local sporting goods store had to put me in touch with the manufacturer's salesperson who was able to get me the customization.

I have used these shoes on and off for many years. I do not recall the brand and you can't see their name from inside the shoe anymore. I highly recommend this for umpires - I can't tell you the number of times it saved some bruises. Obviously, they are a bit heavier, but the U isn't running all that much anyway.

I'm a line judge so I just wear the regular NB shoes. I think you could easily wear the flap though. I can move around great in the NB plate shoe.

My bro who works the umpire position swears he's seen an NFL umpire with plate shoes. I actually think wearing them would be a pretty good idea. Umpires usually do not need to be super mobile anyway.

Mobile, yes. You have to keep moving. But it's not like you have to sprint between the hashes.

An Umpire (now retired) I've worked with wore steel toed shoes and in addition, soccer like shin guards under his socks. I started to wonder if at our next game together he was going to bring a flack jacket to wear under his strips. He never did!

I ended up purchasing the Tanel 360 plate shoes. I think they'll work.

I don't think I'll be needing that other equipment. ;)