Replacement Umpires, Being Successful, and Getting What You Deserve

[SRW]

I wrote this last night for our association newsletter... it's probably a little long for this forum, but what the hell. Be prepared - it's a little caustic... Enjoy. - SRW



I have been exposed recently to umpires who just aren’t very motivated. People who have no motivation or no inspiration drive me crazy. They have nothing to offer. They all want to umpire the best games they can by contributing as little as possible. They show up as late to the games as they can, leaving the tournaments as early as possible. They never study the rule differences, they don’t wear a proper uniform, and they don’t take the time to get educated. They don’t make themselves indispensable. These are the kinds of people who are always threatening to go on strike by not working games, or are threatening to go umpire for another softball association, or even threatening to play the race card when they don’t get the prime assignments – you know what I’m talking about.

For me I’m just fed up with it. Because being successful - even on a small scale, even if you’re running a lemonade stand or if you own a shoe shine stand - being successful is all about a state of mind. It is all about the desire to be the best at what you do that you can possibly be. Many of the people who complain that they don’t make the big game, or they don’t get the state tournament or a national championship assignment are exactly the people I’m talking about. These are the umpires that don’t contribute anything, either to the group as a whole or to themselves individually. These are the people who don’t have anything to offer. These are the people who are completely replaceable, and I wouldn’t shed a tear if they were replaced.

Let’s take those umpires for example. You know the ones I’m talking about. The ones who complain about everything from the pay they get to the level of games they want to umpire. The ones who are “too good” to do 12U. The ones who just go work game after game and never give a rat’s a$$ about getting better. The ones who don’t care that their jacket says ASA when they’re working an NFHS game. You know who you are. I’ll bet you’re reading this article right now.

You don’t care about yourself or the product you produce. You’re the one who gets into more trouble on the field because you’re out of position, or you don’t know the rule. You’re the one who screws up the illegal pitch rule because you don’t know the differences between an ASA pitch and an NFHS pitch. As a tournament umpire assignor, if I have enough umpires to cover a tournament, you’re the one I will cut first.

It’s frustrating. As someone who has had to take risks, as someone who has to be creative to make his way up the food chain, I just have to say that I understand that there are some people who don’t have any ability. There are some umpires who don’t have any talent, who don’t have anything to offer beyond taking up space or showing up to a game every day. There are people who just don’t care if they improve. I understand that; I get it.

Everybody out there - you, other umpires, me, everybody - is getting the salary, benefits, and the game assignments they deserve. Everybody. You get what you deserve. If you’re not getting what you think you should be getting, go get it. Go learn something new. Roll up your sleeves and study the rulebook and the umpire’s manual. Come up with some ideas.

One thing is for sure, if you want to make some money, it’s there. If you want opportunities to go to state tournaments or national championships, take it from someone who’s done it: the opportunities are here. If you just want to make district playoffs, the opportunities are here. You can get an education. You can learn the rules. You can learn the mechanics. You can study the weird plays. You can go to training camps. Opportunity is not a guarantee. Opportunity exists for those who make the most of it.

For those of you who count on the executive board to protect you, and you are incompetent and unwilling to show up at the board meetings, the general membership meetings, the training events, or unwilling to work hard, you’re probably getting more than you deserve.

I know I’m getting what I deserve, I’ll tell you that right now, I deserve everything I’m getting. I don’t deserve more and I don’t deserve less. This is what I deserve today. If I deserve more, I’ll have to produce more. I’ll have to make my product even better. I’ll have to work harder. I’ll have to go out and promote more. If I want to continue on this upward trajectory, I may have to go out and work even harder than I already do.

But I don’t feel sorry for people who don’t feel like they’re paid enough. I have to hear this at tournaments, at general membership meetings, at the banquet… people complaining about the crew chief, people complaining about their game fees – tough! Tough luck! You created this, you put yourself there, you did it. People don’t want to take responsibility for themselves. You did it! Why do you insist on blaming your lack of success on others?

You’re getting exactly what you deserve, pal. You do know that, don’t ya?

"Be not simply good; be good for something"
- Henry David Thoreau

[3afan]

good stuff .....

[BretMan]

Has the newsletter been published yet? The only reason I'm asking is because, if it hasn't, I would like to make one suggestion before it sees print.

I'm not one to be overly-sensitive about these things, but I would consider removing your line about "playing the race card".

"Race" can be such a hot issue that the very hint of a racial overtone- deserved or not- is likely to take your message down a road other than the one you intend. Some are likely to read that phrase- in the first paragraph, no less- and, BAM!, the red flags are raised, the alarms go off and the rest of your message is lost, no matter how valid.

Using that phrase is bound to obscure your message: We deserve what we get based on our work and effort. If one of your points is that race plays absolutely no role in the decisions, the best way to get that point across is no make no mention of race whatsoever.

Rather than uniting your audience, you have now divided them. Rather than addressing real, observable, measurable issues (uniforms, training, mechanics) you have pushed a hot-key button that is likely to move the discussion away from your main point.

That is my comment from an editorial, "how to win friends and influence people" standpoint. Otherwise, I wouldn't change a word.

[IRISHMAFIA]

While I can appreciate your views and stance, remember that this is not for general publication, but for an association news letter with a specific target audience. Sean just chose to share it with the board.

If it is an issue, and has been in many states to the point of lawsuits to get a slot in a state HS tournament for an official, ignoring it simply perpetuates the problem. If it takes over the conversation, then it was obviously an issue worth discussing.

The issue isn't with the subject, but certain persons who are not capable of having a simple discussion based on fact and/or beliefs instead of negative emotion, whether real or perceived.

[SRW]

Originally Posted by BretMan

Has the newsletter been published yet? The only reason I'm asking is because, if it hasn't, I would like to make one suggestion before it sees print.

I'm not one to be overly-sensitive about these things, but I would consider removing your line about "playing the race card".

"Race" can be such a hot issue that the very hint of a racial overtone- deserved or not- is likely to take your message down a road other than the one you intend. Some are likely to read that phrase- in the first paragraph, no less- and, BAM!, the red flags are raised, the alarms go off and the rest of your message is lost, no matter how valid.

Using that phrase is bound to obscure your message: We deserve what we get based on our work and effort. If one of your points is that race plays absolutely no role in the decisions, the best way to get that point across is no make no mention of race whatsoever.

Rather than uniting your audience, you have now divided them. Rather than addressing real, observable, measurable issues (uniforms, training, mechanics) you have pushed a hot-key button that is likely to move the discussion away from your main point.

That is my comment from an editorial, "how to win friends and influence people" standpoint. Otherwise, I wouldn't change a word.

I 'hear' ya... and to a point I agree with you.

However, I think that people are too sensitive and too damned PC nowdays. People are too afraid of upsetting someone's feelings, or what others will think of them... tough. When I feel strong about a topic, I'm not going to mince words just to make someone feel warm and fuzzy.

Any time someone discusses a protected class, whether it's race, gender, religion, whatever - it's going to make people pay attention... because, "what if he says something that offends me? I'd better pay attention!" If I don't want you to lose interest in the message I'm trying to get across, I'd better enthrall you right from the beginning. This is just one method in doing that.

Instead of race, I could have said something similar about gender...something like, "umpires complaining about the women in their association moving up too fast just because they're women." Using the term "race card" like I did was intended purely for its shock value and attention-grabbing effect. Look, it worked on you! Your instinct said "that ain't right" - yet you continued to read the article (more than once I'd bet) then made a point to comment that you wouldn't change anything else in it.

Getting you to read it, understand it, and think about it... that's all I wanted. If it works on you, think what it'll do on the people in my target demographic!

[BretMan]

Shock value or not, I would have read the entire thing anyway, just as I would read any other post on this forum, and certainly would read it if presented in a newsletter from my local association. So, to say that the addition of this term "worked on me" isn't a valid assumption.

Of course I have absolutely no knowledge of the internal workings of your association, or any history they might have on racial issues. Perhaps this has come up before and been a point of contention. Maybe it really is something that needs to be addressed.

But my experience is that such issues are best dealt with by taking them up with the individual making the charge. By leading off your message with with a "shock value" term or phrase, you can tend to immediately polarize your audience, whether that is your intention or not.

Game assignments based on rule knowledge, mechanics, meeting attendance, attitude or availability are all valid points that cut across any racial or gender boundries and are at the core of your message. Why drag in a potentially distracting issue that, in reality, has absolutely nothing to do with getting your main points across?

Starting off your message by proclaiming (in effect), "We're not racists!", tends to put the focus on that one subject alone, which detracts from all of the other valid points throughout your message.

Political correctness and sensitivity aide, from a standpoint of effectively communicating a message you should cut any "static" that might get in the way of your core points.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by BretMan

Starting off your message by proclaiming (in effect), "We're not racists!", tends to put the focus on that one subject alone, which detracts from all of the other valid points throughout your message.

Political correctness and sensitivity aide, from a standpoint of effectively communicating a message you should cut any "static" that might get in the way of your core points.

Sorry, but you are taking a very over-reactionary view of this. If anything, I see your response to likely be more of an incendiary comment than anything even close to what Sean stated.

That is not the manner in which the editorial began. He raised the issue once in a very matter-of-fact manner and move on.

[THREE]

PC??? Please don't offend any particular group/sect. Just sweep it under the rug or ignore it and "maybe" it will go away. Yea...Sure it will !!!!

[tcblue13]

Does anyone know of any instances or alleged instances where race played a role in assignments?

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by tcblue13

Does anyone know of any instances or alleged instances where race played a role in assignments?

Local ref's lawsuit claims racism

[scottk_61]

I think this was a great letter for a local association and maybe even a national audience.
The worries over the use of "race card" are a bit overblown in my opinion.
I have been at a National when race was an issue, have definately seen it at NFHS State Tournaments and in regular season issues.
The events I have observered have been varied and over many states over a lot of years, so it is not a common problem but it does exist.

All in all, I think you wrote a great item that should generate some response at your local level.
Some will step up and make an effort, some will lay down and cry, others will be indifferent.
However, everyone will know that there is at least one person out there who is bold enough to step up and lead.

I have always thought that unless you confront a problem, the problem never gets cured.
Or to put it in terms of the sport, if you don't call the pitch a ball how will the pitcher know she needs to adjust her aim in order to get it right.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by tcblue13

Does anyone know of any instances or alleged instances where race played a role in assignments?

Whether it did or not, there was a claim in this area by a black basketball official last year. I know a fair amount of basketball officials in this area, mostly black and they have no idea what this guy was going.

I'm sure there are others, but this isn't something that routinely gets a fair amount of big-time publicity, at least not around here.