Props to ASA on the new DVD

[Andy]

I also saw the DVD at the NUS in Phoenix this past weekend. Very impressed.
I thought that the balance was great with the animation being fairly lifelike without being too cartoonish.

Hopefully, this will get everybody on the same page as the message will be consistent from the NUS to the Region and State UICs down to the local umpires.

[Dholloway1962]

Originally Posted by Andy

Hopefully, this will get everybody on the same page as the message will be consistent from the NUS to the Region and State UICs down to the local umpires.

In your dreams

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by Dholloway1962

In your dreams

Its not such a far fetched dream. This could do it for the basics, then maybe, just maybe, ASA will stop catering to the lowest common denominator and some advanced umpire mechanics can be taught and allowed. As it is, NCAA has taken the base line teachings of ASA and improved upon them dramatically.. leaving ASA behind the times. This video is for the lowest common denominator - the bare bones basics - and is definitely a good corner stone building block.

[CajunNewBlue]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

As it is, NCAA has taken the base line teachings of ASA and improved upon them dramatically.. leaving ASA behind the times.

Im taking a screen shot of the above quote and putting it in my wallet

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by CajunNewBlue

Im taking a screen shot of the above quote and putting it in my wallet

Why bother? wade types that into some response at least weekly during the season...

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by CajunNewBlue

Im taking a screen shot of the above quote and putting it in my wallet

yep, you dont need to screen shot that one; stick around you'll see it again. I only write it because its true though and I would love to see ASA umpire training program continue to grow. The DVD is a good small step in the right direction.

[CajunNewBlue]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

yep, you dont need to screen shot that one; stick around you'll see it again. I only write it because its true though and I would love to see ASA umpire training program continue to grow. The DVD is a good small step in the right direction.

dang.. i thought he had nothing but disdain for the NCAA and the people who officiate their games ...if i was wrong.. my bad

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by CajunNewBlue

dang.. i thought he had nothing but disdain for the NCAA and the people who officiate their games ...if i was wrong.. my bad

Yeah, take wade's opinion of NCAA, ASA, CIF, etc. about as seriously as Harold Stassen and Pat Paulsen's runs for the White House.

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by CajunNewBlue

dang.. i thought he had nothing but disdain for the NCAA and the people who officiate their games ...if i was wrong.. my bad

There are good NCAA umps and there are bad ones. NCAA out here, Pac 10, etc - does a real good job at training their umpires and has really improved that past few years. Because my employment does not permit me to work NCAA, when I work with a good NCAA official I always like to get their input and pick their brains for how NCAA is teaching it. I usually find myself in agreement with the reasoning behind NCAA's methods.

A perfect example is going out in 3 man.. for simplicity, ASA sends you out on a can of corn; they dont trust their umpires to to think so the general rule is "go out on everything" and in fact that is enforced on national evals. NCAA teaches nuance and the thinking umpire on a play like that - they dont go out on everything. Plate stances and other things are all more examples.

Irishmike represents the stubborn "we can't change" old guard and ASA will improve as that old guard fades away and gets replaced with young blood and fresh ideas and a willingness to look to other places for ways to improve. There are many who wont even look at NCAA to see what they are doing. They still believe ASA trained these NCAA umpires, so there is nothing to learn from them. Mention a NCAA method at NUS (I did)... thats good for a laugh or two.

ASA is the foundation of fast pitch umpiring - NCAA built upon it significantly. Many, for their own insecurities, refuse to see how its being done elsewhere and how those ideas might improve our own umpiring.

Their excuse when they admit flaw: well we gotta train ___{insertnumberhere} umpires wah wah, and many are stupid, so we can't teach that.

Now comes the DVD... and they could if they wanted too, go deeper into the systems.

edit ..

oh wait, let me add

wouldnt want to forget that.