It was well received at the rules clinic today. Its just a good video. I will show it at my clinic next week. My clinic is mostly rec ball younger umps and I think it will be invaluable. Its a great visual of how ASA wants it done.

Ha! I was wonderng if you were there. It occured to me that you might be at some point during the the day. I wish I would have thought of you a few days ago, I would liked to have met you.

Unfortunately, the ASA DVD was the highlight of the clinic IMO.

I agree. It's a very difficult process to "talk" someone through mechanics without showing them. Relying upon the book alone is a fatal mistake for an umpire. Clinics are a much better way to learn, but some clinics are better than others. Publishing a DVD with the exact mechanics straight from the horse's mouth is probably the closest we'll come to "the perfect way to deliver the message."

Doh! I was there! We shoulda posted because there are a few folks who could have been there on this board. Personally, I enjoyed the clinic and I already have the DVD :)

I didnt win anything though. Not a single thing at any raffle yet this year. That blows.

I just want to know when someone posts it in torrents... :D or any ISO images of it are always welcome. :rolleyes:

*cough*me, too*cough*

Although on one of the torrent sites that I go to, I found some amusing results when searching for "mechanics."

My favorite was "MILFs and Mechanics."

Maybe it's a DVD for how to call 10U games?

MILF's they do a body good... erm... sorry meant milk. ;)

Nothing in the raffle for me either. I already saw the DVD, at our HS meeting last week. Love it - I think every umpire should have a chance to see and learn from it.

I was disappionted with the clinic. For a "rules clinic", we spent precious little time on rules. The session on the "Line up Management" spent time explaining what starters and subs are...but there was only superficial mention of DP/FLEX - the most misunderstood thing about line up management. The IRS session, while informative, has nothing to do with rules and took a full hour. Plus, I'm not a big fan of having ppt. slides read to me. I can already read.

I can nit-pick more (you should have heard us on the way home) but you get the idea.

Wade - where were you sitting?

Finally got to see the video yesterday, at our first local ASA meeting. Thoroughly enjoyed it and found it to be a great training tool.

I agree that visual aids can be a tremendous help in teaching. Which brings me to something I noticed when our "Umpire Edition" rule books arrived last month...

While the updated umpire information is well-organized and presented, noticably absent are the usual field diagrams showing umpire positioning and movement. Yet in several places the text refers to "the following diagrams" and even includes a "key" explaining that in the (non-existent) diagrams "P" = "Plate Umpire", "B" = "Base Umpire", etc.

I always found the diagrams to be quite helpful. That they are referenced in the text numerous times leads me to believe that they were intended to still be there and that their omission was an editorial gaffe.

I also noticed a subtle addition to the umpire signals... Wiping off the IFF! It's now actually in the book (even though it's been around for YEARS).

MILF's and Mechanics. :D

No way I'm clicking that link at work! :eek:

Sadly, it's safe for work.

Do you really think Scott would be looking up porn at work? He's a teacher, for chrissakes!

No, but they could be having one of their 97 teacher (ahem) "work" days or make-up-an-excuse holiday they scatter throughout the year... ;) Antioch music teacher accused of child porn
Former Virginia Beach teacher sentenced in child porn case
Substitute teacher's porn conviction sparks tech debate
Teacher Quits After Porn Incident

Notice I carefully separated whether I think Scott would be... from whether I think his job means he wouldn't be...