First, I think this umpire is closer than that.

Second, never snag one sentence out of a manual, grasping it, then run around with this one sentence as if you were monty python clacking two coconuts together pretending to be on a horse in search of the holy grail.

You must have the whole puzzle, including distance and angle to make a call. If you cant see the whole play, you are missing a puzzle piece. Since this was apparently tag play, and pretty obvious... luckily for the umpire was an easy no brainer call.

Speaking of having the "whole puzzle," I agree that at this point the umpire is probably closer than 6-8 feet in this pic. However, you can also tell it is a sell safe call, which makes me think she has taken a large step forward, which would mean that at the time she actually made the call she was at the perfect depth.

Maybe... I dont remember this play. It doesnt look to me to warrant some huge sell safe, but you very well could be right.

I see this as a tag play. By time this pic was snapped, the glove has come up; the player's legs have buckled and she has come to a stop; both heads have turned towards the umpire - who is only a couple steps away selling the call.

What nobody knows is where the umpire was at the time of the tag. That is the critical time (and spacing) - not at the end of the play! Depending on the number of steps, could very easily been 7' - 10' away.

If it is a tag play, then the critical view of the play is very small - 12" - 20" high. Don't need to be very far back to have the entire view without moving the head.

WMB

she had the angle you want to be on the action edge of the bag and 6 to 8 away to get the "4th demension" so that you can also see overtop of the play thats what the evaluators want and thats what the manual says and thats the best way I have been able to see the plays in my NCAA games this year as well as my other schedules. And just because you dont have the grail and I've already got one doesnt meant I should let you see it.

I've heard this before and am not totally sold on the "4th dimension" philosophy.

Well let me say this: I have never been hindered by it nor has it always helped but when it has helped i dont know if I could have made the calls without it.

I am right there with you on that !!!:)

Could you enligthen some of us on the "4th dimension" philosophy?

thanks

I side with Scott and WMB.

The only thing that would be constant is the angle the umpire had when the tag was made. If the umpire is calling a WCWS she has been trained to move toward the play and make the call; thus her distance from the play at the time of the play would have been within the limits discussed here.

It's an NCAA term for getting a vertical look down at a tag play -- or the aftermath of a tag play when you're trying to find the ball. At 6'4", I guess I live in the 4th dimension.:cool:

Thats dead on and it really works for us guys not so fortunate to be 6'4":D

However, those of us who are tall (I'm 6'5") need binoculars to see that far down to the ground. :D

Yeah, but when it's dinner time or Miller Time for short folks like me, it takes less time to get seated and dig in.

well when I ask you how the clouds look up there dont get mad at me!!:eek: