Canada v. USA

[SRW]

Originally Posted by NDblue

BTW, who was the PU?

Well, that's Traci. She's going to the Olympics.
And the 3BU... that's Lori. She is also going to the Olympics.

[NDblue]

Just because she's going to the Olympics doesn't mean that I have to like her positioning. I felt she was way to far inside on those left-handed batters with a lousy view of the outside corner of the plate. I personally couldn't see how she could see it from her angle.

[SRW]

Originally Posted by NDblue

Just because she's going to the Olympics doesn't mean that I have to like her positioning. I felt she was way to far inside on those left-handed batters with a lousy view of the outside corner of the plate. I personally couldn't see how she could see it from her angle.

That's probably why you're in ND and she isn't.

[NDblue]

Originally Posted by SRW

That's probably why you're in ND and she isn't.

Do I need to start talking sh!t about Washington? I guarantee I'll come up with more about WA than you will about ND.

[socalumps]

Originally Posted by NDblue

Do I need to start talking sh!t about Washington? I guarantee I'll come up with more about WA than you will about ND.

But maybe if you are talking about specific umpires...your opinion, while yours, is insignificant?

[SRW]

Originally Posted by NDblue

Do I need to start talking sh!t about Washington? I guarantee I'll come up with more about WA than you will about ND.

This wasn't about me. Or WA. Or IL. Or ND. You asked about Traci. I was merely pointing out the fact that she's the one on TV that you're watching, not the other way around. There's probably a reason why she's there, and you're not.

Think about it.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by NDblue

Just because she's going to the Olympics doesn't mean that I have to like her positioning. I felt she was way to far inside on those left-handed batters with a lousy view of the outside corner of the plate. I personally couldn't see how she could see it from her angle.

Which catcher? If you are talking about Nuevy, you would be a bit inside too, because you are not going to go up when she sets up inside.

[NDblue]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Which catcher? If you are talking about Nuevy, you would be a bit inside too, because you are not going to go up when she sets up inside.

Didn't matter which catcher and even if the catcher were setting up for one down the pipe or to the outside, the PU was set up waaaaaaaaaaaaay inside on every left-handed batter.

Apparently we're not allowed to voice our opinions about Olympic bound umpires on this site without getting slammed.

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by NDblue

Didn't matter which catcher and even if the catcher were setting up for one down the pipe or to the outside, the PU was set up waaaaaaaaaaaaay inside on every left-handed batter.

Apparently we're not allowed to voice our opinions about Olympic bound umpires on this site without getting slammed.

Tow the line or get slammed.

So what....?

I think ASA has robotics, not mechanics, absurd uniform policies, and goofy thoughts on positioning which are rigid and cause poor positioning on many plays.

I've been slammed a 500 times by the company men for saying so.

no biggie.

When I'm on the field though, ASA writes the check and I perform my robotics nearly perfectly, study hard, and do what I'm told. They are the boss.

When I'm here, I'll say what I want. When the company men slam it, I dont pout.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

Tow the line or get slammed.

So what....?

I think ASA has robotics, not mechanics, absurd uniform policies, and goofy thoughts on positioning which are rigid and cause poor positioning on many plays.

I think you are full of $hit, myself. I'm still looking for the robots and I have yet to end up out of position due to an ASA mechanic.

[wadeintothem]

See ND Blue?

Now I could pout about not being allowed to express my opinion about ASA Robotics..

But for what?

Its all for discussion and learning purposes.

Its thrashing the wheat from the chaff.

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

I think you are full of $hit, myself. I'm still looking for the robots and I have yet to end up out of position due to an ASA mechanic.

In 2 man,

WHen in B calling a DP, you should not be moving towards 1B while calling the out at 2B. Doing so can lead to missing dropped balls, out/safes quick calls, missing crash INT and other things.

You should be stationary and swiveling to 1B after the play completes at 2B.

Admit its a terrible mechanic.

If you've ever used that taught mechanic, you have been in wrong position for the call at 2B, because you should not be moving. That is absurd.

[kcg NC2Ablu]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

Tow the line or get slammed.

So what....?

I think ASA has robotics, not mechanics, absurd uniform policies, and goofy thoughts on positioning which are rigid and cause poor positioning on many plays.

I've been slammed a 500 times by the company men for saying so.

no biggie.

When I'm on the field though, ASA writes the check and I perform my robotics nearly perfectly, study hard, and do what I'm told. They are the boss.

When I'm here, I'll say what I want. When the company men slam it, I dont pout.

I agree that asa has a robotic type set of how you can and cannot do things.... but none of those umpires were using an ASA mechanic in any of their out calls if anything they were closer to NCAA.

On another note... the plate umpire may have been further in the slot then most yet she is the one going to the olympics and has obviously proved her self recently enough to obtain ISF and be selected to go to bejing so she had a bad game.. and she was on TV ... which sucks for her bc were all here ripping her... I bet if half you people ripping her worked that game you would have been just as (fill in the blank with whatever bad you were going to say here)

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by kcg NC2Ablu

I agree that asa has a robotic type set of how you can and cannot do things.... but none of those umpires were using an ASA mechanic in any of their out calls if anything they were closer to NCAA.

On another note... the plate umpire may have been further in the slot then most yet she is the one going to the olympics and has obviously proved her self recently enough to obtain ISF and be selected to go to bejing so she had a bad game.. and she was on TV ... which sucks for her bc were all here ripping her... I bet if half you people ripping her worked that game you would have been just as (fill in the blank with whatever bad you were going to say here)

Not me!

I would have done much worse.

[scottk_61]

Originally Posted by NDblue

Didn't matter which catcher and even if the catcher were setting up for one down the pipe or to the outside, the PU was set up waaaaaaaaaaaaay inside on every left-handed batter.

Apparently we're not allowed to voice our opinions about Olympic bound umpires on this site without getting slammed.

I have kept quiet on this one, mainly because I didn't see enough of the game to really know what you guys were talking about. However,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, what I did see of the PU looked ok to me. Sure it wasn't enough of a view to see if their positioning really agreed with the best expert I know, ME .

Those who want to whine about ASA and their mechanics are not always wrong, Lord knows I have done enough of it over the years.
The difference with whining and working with it is that only the whiner feels better about it.
If you have an idea that things can improve, work with your UIC to get it to you Regional UIC and then the NUS.
I can say that I don't like some ASA mechanic techniques because I use them.
I can say that I don't like some ISF mechanics because I am an ISF umpire (number 119 on the US roster of ISF umpires), but I use them.

Some aspects of our umpire mechanics are indeed way to robotic for my personal taste but I have used them, WHY?
Well, I use them because I want to work Nationals, (37 in Modified, Slow and Fast) I use them because I wanted to become an ISF umpire, (accomplished in 2004).
If you have no goal, then work outside the system and you will get where you are.
If you are using the mechanics as an excuse for why you don't get a National assignment, well then that shows the real reason you whine.

As I have said, I have whined and I have bit**ed about some things, then I took the time to work with the NUS and others who had the ability to change things. I was heard on some things and changed my mind on some others and was disregarded on even other issues.

The point is I kept working at it.
Talk to Irish in privite and he will tell you he has heard from me in email and in person, gripes I have had.
The point is, the mechanics have been worked out with deliberate reason to fit a deliberate need for the general population of umpires. Some variation has always been allowed when legitimate need has been noted.

I personally could not spread as wide as the NUS wanted me to. I use a modified scissors stance to get low enough into the zones that as a 6'5" umpire is not always easy to do. When Merle worked with me, he asked why I did what I did, I told him and was able to show by game performance that my modification worked for me. I never heard him complain not one bit after that time. I had the same type of conversation with every UIC I had at Nationals, again with no beef at all.
Most of the old NUS and plenty of the present NUS have had the same converstion, with the same results.
Work with them and it will work out.
More than once, Henry used me as an example of a necessay modification of mechanics at national schools with no penalty to me or others.

I think your whining (and it is just that) is just a poor attempt to cover up your feelings of jealousy of inadequacy on your part.

So, put up or shut up I say.
Prove with diligent work that your ideas are correct with teamwork or be a stay at home umpire that won't go anywhere.

(BTW, that last paragraph is an exact quote that was given to me by Bernie when I was bit**ing at a national one time years ago.)