Idea for Article

[David Emerling]

Originally posted by GarthB

It is very hard for coaches, Rats, if you will, to leave behind that which makes them succesful in their primary world. (And "primary" has nothing to do with percentage of time of involvement.) You, yourself, on a private list have described numerous instances in which your coaching instincts have interfered with your umpiring duties. You even have the honor of a having a game management technique, of lack thereof, named for you. Additionally you have described how you have, when acting as a coach, berated and baited umpires. You have said you have done this because you "are an umpire" and knew whatever the situation was, better than the umpire on the field.

That's a very liberal and biased interpretation of those discussions, Garth. I've never characterized my instincts for either umpiring or coaching as "interfering" with the other. What I have said is that I use the knowledge I've gained from one to aid my understanding of the other. That's quite different than the way you've characterized it. But I can see how convenient that is for you.

Also, how convenient it is for you to characterize those threads in this manner to those who have no way of judging for themselves. That's kind of sleazy.

This urban legend that I have severe problems in my games because of my lack of game management skills is a conconction created by yourself and like-minded individuals based soley on the principle that anybody who has the extremely low ejection rate that I have must be doing something wrong. This criticism coming from those in a discussion group who count their ejections like a gunslinger puts notches in his belt. When they eject somebody, they can hardly get to their computer fast enough to tell all the other hatchet men about it. And then everybody extends him laurels for ejecting another "rat." What some call professionalism, I call childish and, at the same time, Machiavellian.

In many instances, the need to eject indicates a game that has already been allowed to get out of control, for whatever reason. Not always.

[snip]
Dave, you, Chad and Rich Ives are very good Rats. One could make a case that you have prgressed to Weasels. As Tee has alluded, you two not only get to lobby umpires at an umpire site, you have managed to get paid to lobby umpires at an umpire site. Amazing. This is one of the reasons I don't subscribe to the paid portion of this site. Why should I pay to be lobbied?

There are far too many gunmen on your grassy knoll, Garth.

You truly think we're trying to manipulate you, don't you? And other umpires? Lobbying? Pft! Get real. You're seeing things that aren't there, partner. It might be said that you truly have A BEAUTIFUL MIND.

Yes, we're sending coded messages to one another through the things we write. I'm sure you've been dissecting the articles looking for patterns.

This is for Rich: XKNO 4TG7 MODC 87Y3

I wouldn't expect you to understand, Garth. It's a secret code that only coaches know. [g]

David Emerling
Memphis, TN