The Game

[steveshane67]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

From the movie trailer thread:



I disagree as it refers to umpiring, at least, as far as ASA is concerned.

Had a discussion with a fellow umpire yesterday involving the childishness of the lower levels of play. He has worked the Men's A, C & D Nationals in SP and 18U in FP. He stated, and I agree, that he could combine all the whining, complaining and general negative comments made to him as an umpire at all of these tournaments and it would not come close to what we hear in a day at our SP state tournaments and I'm talking D & E, period!

Maybe it is the midatlantic area, but there are too many wannabe players. When it comes to competition, they go as low as they can find someone to accept them. But put them in a bar, on a message board or talking to a female, and you would think they are All-World Superstars about to sign a contract for a reality show with ESPN.

Out on the field, TDs are nothing, but thieves making thousands stealing their money and umpires are egotistical maniacs that make calls and allow teams to cheat just to piss off the players.

Yes, there are head cases everywhere, but those at the upper levels at least know the priorities when it comes to playing the game and take care of business on the field instead of trying to find someone to blame for their inadequacies (sp?).

From my limited experience of umping rec SP levels A-D, the lower level players definitely whine and exhibit poorer sportsmanship a whole lot more than the upper level players. IMO its too many players who think they are good, and when they cant make the above average difficulty play, they blame the ump(s).

ie, sinker liner to the OF, the OF catches the ball on the short hop, but complains that they caught it on the fly, or groundball to SS, who kicks it initially, but recovers to throw to 1st, but not in time to retire the runner, and complains the runner was out, and its like if you just fielded the ball cleanly you wouldnt even be in this situation.

in the upper levels, players tend to police themselves, ie runner on 1st, gb to 3B, throw barely beats the runner at 2nd, the runner, many times, will just walk off the field even before the ump makes their out call. or on a pitch middle in, no one hits it up the middle.

maybe its bc the upper level leagues are smaller and the players are more familiar with one another, maybe its bc they dont want to win cheaply, maybe its bc i cant stand umping 2 sh*tty teams, but I dred having to ump a D level SP game.