If ' ya' had your druthers......

[varefump]

That's easy.

Since I have a thorough understanding of the rules, I'll take a partner with great mechanics any day.

A partner who is the correct position every time, makes strong, emphatic calls, and communicates well with players and coaches is a pleasure to work with.

If that umpire misapplies a game rule, I will be there to help correct the situation.

On the other hand, many umpires who can recite the rulebook don't know a thing about umpiring. They use poor signals (if at all), can't get even the wide-open calls right, and would melt if a coach got in his/her face.

Our association President is a good example of an outstanding umpire who needs a little help at times applying the correct rule to a situation. I would much rather umpire with him than some bookworm who keeps me in hot water all game.