Patent Leather Belt

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Blu_IN

Rediculous. Patent leather doesn't make you stand out. If anything, it looks sharp and professional. Honestly, the beef with patent is because some old guard won't accept new styles. Umpiring evolves, people need to learn to change with it or retire. At the very least, keep an open mind.

So because a few who want to wear patent leather belts and shoes are simply "changing with the times", everyone else should follow suit or retire.

Great country, America!

[Blu_IN]

So, those that want to change with the times, should not because the old fear change? That road goes both ways Irish.

BBK, you won't take me seriously because I misspell a word. Sorry if my time is valuable enough not to spell check my posts. Its a forum, not an important work memo/document.

[tcblue13]

Originally Posted by Blu_IN

So, those that want to change with the times, should not because the old fear change? That road goes both ways Irish.

Just try changing the music or worship style in church. The phenomenon became known as the worship wars during the 1990's and early 2000's

[UMP 64]

If patent leather is what you have, just keep wearing it, it will evidentially loosen up and conform to your waist like any other HD belt. Yes, I wear patent leather belt & 3/4 plate shoes. If they are good enough for Gerry Davis in pro baseball, who worked the dish last night, Cincy over Atlanta game, they are good enough for me or any one else who wants to look professional. If you think patent leather has on place in "SOFTBALL", get over it. I work HS & college baseball & softball and see patent in both. If you don't like it, don't use it. Your shoes probably look like they have not been cleaned in weeks. The advantages of patent are many and they do hold up well. 5 & 6 years for 2 pairs. Thank you Gerry Davis for making what I think is the BEST plate shoe out there.
Work on your mechanics and do not worry what someone else wants to wear.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by UMP 64

If patent leather is what you have, just keep wearing it, it will evidentially loosen up and conform to your waist like any other HD belt. Yes, I wear patent leather belt & 3/4 plate shoes. If they are good enough for Gerry Davis in pro baseball, who worked the dish last night, Cincy over Atlanta game, they are good enough for me or any one else who wants to look professional. If you think patent leather has on place in "SOFTBALL", get over it. I work HS & college baseball & softball and see patent in both. If you don't like it, don't use it. Your shoes probably look like they have not been cleaned in weeks. The advantages of patent are many and they do hold up well. 5 & 6 years for 2 pairs. Thank you Gerry Davis for making what I think is the BEST plate shoe out there.
Work on your mechanics and do not worry what someone else wants to wear.

I guess you told us!

So, I guess you have no issue with leather ball bags, either.

In case you hadn't noticed, there are not too many MLB umpire groupies on this board.

Also in case you hadn't noticed, there are not too many here who give a rat's behind what MLB umpires wear. That seems to be an infatuation on the small ball board, I know. But, it is a big "yawn" here.

[tcblue13]

Originally Posted by Dakota

I guess you told us!

So, I guess you have no issue with leather ball bags, either.

In case you hadn't noticed, there are not too many MLB umpire groupies on this board.

Also in case you hadn't noticed, there are not too many here who give a rat's behind what MLB umpires wear. That seems to be an infatuation on the small ball board, I know. But, it is a big "yawn" here.

Great minds do think alike

[PtotheB]

Dakota asked: So, my question: Do you notice a difference in comfort between the two? Do the natural leather shoes flex more easily and breathe better?

Being in the Army for 20+ years has given me the opportunity to apply a bit of polish to leather. Needless to say I was happier than Michael Jackson at Boystown when we switched to suede boots. Our shoes that we wear with our dress and some service uniforms are made of a substance called Corfram mentioned earlier in this post. It is far more comfortable and breathable than old patent leather. I would assume that the shoes sold today as patent leather are actually Corfram and that would make them as good or better than some cheap cuts of leather. It would take a significant emtional event to get me to even consider "patent leather" shoes. I can and do apply a good old fashioned spit shine to my shoes before every game even during tournaments. It's a matter of pride.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by tcblue13

Great minds do think alike

Yeah. I do read the baseball board from time-to-time. Some of their flame wars are very entertaining.

[tcblue13]

Originally Posted by UMP 64

If patent leather is what you have, just keep wearing it, it will evidentially loosen up and conform to your waist like any other HD belt. Yes, I wear patent leather belt & 3/4 plate shoes. If they are good enough for Gerry Davis in pro baseball, who worked the dish last night, Cincy over Atlanta game, they are good enough for me or any one else who wants to look professional. If you think patent leather has on place in "SOFTBALL", get over it. I work HS & college baseball & softball and see patent in both. If you don't like it, don't use it. Your shoes probably look like they have not been cleaned in weeks. The advantages of patent are many and they do hold up well. 5 & 6 years for 2 pairs. Thank you Gerry Davis for making what I think is the BEST plate shoe out there.
Work on your mechanics and do not worry what someone else wants to wear.

What is your opinion on using the 4 wheel indicator (your clicker)? Leather hip pouch? deerskin mask pads? gel pens? changing a coin from pocket to pocket to remember which team is at bat? throwing a yellow flag to signal obstruction? blowing a whistle at the end of a time limit? Hanging your water bottle on the inside of the fence right behind home plate? Wearing your hat backwards under your mask? Giving a red card to an ejected coach?

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by UMP 64

If patent leather is what you have, just keep wearing it, it will evidentially loosen up and conform to your waist like any other HD belt. Yes, I wear patent leather belt & 3/4 plate shoes. If they are good enough for Gerry Davis in pro baseball, who worked the dish last night, Cincy over Atlanta game, they are good enough for me or any one else who wants to look professional.

Who gives a damn about Gerry Davis? He's an umpire doing a job for money, pretty much like the rest of us, just at a more marketable level.

If you think patent leather has on place in "SOFTBALL", get over it. I work HS & college baseball & softball and see patent in both. If you don't like it, don't use it. Your shoes probably look like they have not been cleaned in weeks.

What an idiotic statement that is. You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. I know many an umpire who can bring a comparable shine (without Leather Lustre) to a shoe simply by shining them. Clean and polished is all the needs to be accomplished. And remember, the better the shoe looks walking onto the field, the worse it looks when it gets dirty or damaged.

The advantages of patent are many and they do hold up well. 5 & 6 years for 2 pairs.

I've worn the same pairs of New Balance for four year on and off the field on a regular basis. The treatment applied TO a piece of leather and shoe will never replace the treatment OF a piece of leather and shoe. The fact that they are made of patent leather has no bearing on the wear.

Thank you Gerry Davis for making what I think is the BEST plate shoe out there.

Yeah, he slaves all day, cobbling away.

Work on your mechanics and do not worry what someone else wants to wear.

You should be doing that anyway.

[Skahtboi]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Yeah, he slaves all day, cobbling away.

Thanks Mike. You just taught me a very valuable lesson. Don't read umpiring threads while sitting in the recliner with a laptop and eating. There is crud all over my screen, now, from where I spewed with laughter at this comment of yours.

[bkbjones]

Originally Posted by UMP 64

Yes, I wear patent leather belt & 3/4 plate shoes. If they are good enough for Gerry Davis in pro baseball,...

Dammit! I got ROBBED! My Gerry Davis plate shoes are REAL leather! And I could have gotten PATENT leather?

Now, lookie here Ump 64 and whoever else wants to put me and others down. I can make a pair of real leather shoes shine just like those fancy assed patent leather shoes. I can make my belt shine too. All it takes is a little work. It's that first impression thing...and I can guarandamnedtee you that every college coach around here (and most of the community college coaches) and top flight travel ball coaches know what umpires are supposed to wear (oh, hey, they know the rules, too).

If they see some clown come on the field with patent leather shoes and a patent leather belt, ya know what they think? It shows that umpires doesn't know what they are supposed to wear, and if they do, they're probably too lazy to shine up the real stuff. You might be the nicest guy in the world, but I have no room for laziness. Lazy people cheat ME and every other hard-working umpire -- and IMHO, patent leather = laziness.

[mike31]

Any time I see an umpire in patent leather at a softball game, I think he's a baseball official who's stooped to do an easy game for a change... a lesser game anyway.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by mike31

Any time I see an umpire in patent leather at a softball game, I think he's a baseball official who's stooped to do an easy game for a change... a lesser game anyway.

Another idiotic statement from someone who hasn't the slightest idea of the subject upon which they have chosen to comment.

[Julio Caliente]

Originally Posted by mike31

Any time I see an umpire in patent leather at a softball game, I think he's a baseball official who's stooped to do an easy game for a change... a lesser game anyway.

I have done a few years of BB and this year got my first introduction to FP SB and your post shows somebody who has no idea what they are talking about. In my opinion (what ever that is worth) baseball is easier to call than softball, but softball take less time. By that I mean that in BB you have much more time between the action to stretch, rest your legs, etc. In SB you are almost always "on the move" because the game is much more fast paced. Basically, you have to bust your *** a many more times in SB than in BB to be in the right place to make the best call you can.