Maybe not, but if one ump is wearing the patent leather while another is not, don't be surprised if the coach notices "something" about the ump without the bright, shiny shoes. They may not be able to put their finger on it, but there will be something that doesn't "seem right." As such, they will look at that ump differently.

I wasn't directing my comments to your post, I was only saying that because I only call ASA. Just using myself as an example. :)

I have heard college coaches, needing to get the last word in any conversation, walk away with a stage whispered comment that they shouldn't have expected him to get the call right, he doesn't even know what belt to wear. At least at the D1 level, they notice EVERYTHING, anything to use against us. Why give them that ammunition?

You are telling ME that time -- any time -- is valuable? Now with what I have been through in the past year, THAT is funny. It's been a crappy year, but I appreciate the laugh.

As for taking you seriously, you obviously didn't get past the first sentence of my post. If I go over to work a baseball game and give "robot" outs and strikes, use my indicator on the bases and clean off bases and the pitching rubber, what are they going to say? Why won't THEY change with the times?

If I go over to the baseball board and tell them they need to start cleaning off bases because I carry a brush on the field, I'd be laughed out of the room (I can just imagine what HHH and JRut would say).

And you know what? I'd DESERVE to be laughed out of the room. There are things you don't do in baseball...and things you don't do in softball. Why is that so hard to comprehend?

As a former player and coach, I can say that you are mistaken. An umpire's appearance IS noticed. As a UIC, I can say that you are mistaken. I hear about umpire appearance routinely from players and coaches. Some good, some bad.

Read Steve's post which included the NCAA umpire manual paste. It is accurate.

You can do whatever you want, wherever you want when you are working for people/organizations/associations that don't care. When it comes to those who do care, you are lucky you live in this country, because you now have a choice. Either you can do it their way, or go home. I'm sure that the UIC or assigner do not want to see you go, but that's just the way it is. Everyone cares, but when it comes right down to it, only the individual can make that decision.

Let me ask you ... why do you wear it? (You mentioned earlier that you thought it showed style)... so ... by your own admission, it looks different (in your opinion better) than non-patent-leather.

Different = non-uniform. You could make the equally wrong argument in favor of Light Blue hats. You might think they look better - but they are different, and thus non-uniform. Truly, I'm surprised this is even a topic.

You would guess wrong.

Good post Mike.

Good luck with THAT once someone from the Staff comes to evaluate you and your patent leather.

Well one of our umpires got a regional 2 years ago and he wears patent leather - he was told not to bring them to the regionals! He said that the first day, they made everyone put all their equipment on the table and they went through it and tossed what he couldn't use. He got to keep his cup and chest protector! I'm not really worried about it - like I said, my supervisor allows it. To be honest, this past season I only wore them in a couple college games because we had so much rain and I wore my mudders.

Fair enough. However, if you have both, why not wear what is approved by the staff? You never know who is in the stands watching you work. Especially if you're on their "watch list".

Don't get me wrong, I wear non-western cut and pleated pants, work in the Gerry Davis, etc. when working youth and men's ball, but I do not in college. Why? Because the people who set the standards say not to. It is that simple to me.

Well then, it sounds as if your NCAA coordinator refuses to comply with the national standard as well as with the NCAA Umpire Improvement Program, and therefore is doing you, and all the NCAA umpires in your area, as well as the NCAA itself a grave disservice.

Take that a step further. We all buy new uniform items regularly. I will only buy that which is universally accepted. Yes, I have non-western pants; but I will not buy any more. And, they are the mudders; or worn when I work rec ball. They are the backups. I don't want to be seen by those I work with being anything but the example of what is correct.

OK, so because I wear patent leather shoes I do a disservice to the NCAA? Nice try! To be fair to my supervisor, I've never heard her say it's OK, she's seen me work and never mentioned anything. I know other guys in the same conferences that wear patent leather and one guy even wears a blue mask.

I go out on the field looking freshly pressed and neat every single game. I know guys that go out and never iron a pant or even put a brush to their shoes - but thank God they aren't patent leather. At least they are following protocol!

You complete missed the entire point of the post.

By "not saying anything" about the patent leather, your supervisor is failing to pass along to you the mandates made by the entities I mentioned in my previous post, therefore not doing as requested by them. Subsequently, the umpires in your area who are working NCAA ball are not getting the information that they should have, the not wearing of patent leather only being a small part of this information. This is exactly how these types of programs begin to break down. This is where the disservice I mention occurs.

To quote you, "nice try."

From the NCAA umpire manual quoted above in this thread:Seems to me the NCAA put patent leather in the same category as a wrinkled and dirty uniform, didn't they? That is, a uniform that is less than 100%.