Okay - what do you think of MY stance (taken at the NY State School - the gentleman with the jacket and clipboard is Ed Whipple, a very senior SEC ump who comes up to help at our school):

http://www.nyssoump.org/images/Live%20Action.JPG

this was about three years ago, and I have lost about 50 lbs since :eek:

Who cares what I think.... the question is what did Ed think!!!!!;);)

He nitpicked a little, but otherwise I did well....

He does he greatest drunk I have ever seen!

Since you asked, I think you look pretty good with Heel Toe. I can't tell about your slot positioning due to the angle of the picture, but there are some clues (only opinion here). Being that your right shoulder looks lower than your left shoulder, that would indicate you are leaning into the strike zone. You may be too far in the slot (hence the lean). The reason I look for this is that is the adjustment I had to make a few years ago, because someone nitpicked me (and he happened to live in NY at the time :) ). My suggestion to you is to make sure your center your body on the batter's box line, that will put your ear on the plate. Again, I cannot tell from the angle, but there is a lean.

Congrats on the loss of 50 pounds. It seems the only way I could lose 50 pounds is to visit the horse track in England.

So - if your association/state dictates that both/all umps wear a jacket if one does; who gets to decide if you are wearing jackets?

Because if you work with me and it's my choice you are probably always going to be cold because I seldom wear a jacket.

I think it is a silly rule to require that all wear jackets if one does. Each individual has a different tolerance for cold/heat and each should be allowed to dress as needed as long as the clothing worn is proper for the sanctioning body. When I see only one ump in a jacket I just assume he's cold and the other person is not.

I totally agree with you, I don't think the comfort of one has to dictate the comfort (or discomfort) of your partner(s). The reason I said it was strange, usually you see the plate in sleeves (due to gear) and the BU(s) in jackets. I personally like the long sleeve jerseys, especially on the plate as opposed to a jacket.

When it the book NFHS / ASA book does it say just because your partner wears a jacket that you have too.?

It doesn't. I do.

IMO, nothing looks worse than a crew in different UNIFORMS. I see it in baseball all the time and, again IMO, it looks unprofessional.

And before you start with the, "but what does the color of my jacket have to do with my ability to make the right call" argument, it doesn't, but that isn't the point.

[Rant on uniforms]
Ever hear anyone state, "you only have one chance to make a first impression"? It is true and I can tell you as a player and coach and umpire, this is a true statement.

Ever get ready to play a game or watch your son/daughter play a game, take a look at the umpire approcahing the field and immediately you hear yourself say, "oh no, we've got to put up with him again"? It happens and often because of the dress.

I've seen umpires walk on the field with their shirt hanging out, hat on crooked, even wearing sailing gloves and I don't care if s/he is on their game, they will be a target for coaches and players simply because s/he doesn't look the part.
[Rant off]

That said, I understand circumstances where an umpire may need to remove a jacket or another one put it on. I know damn well that if I'm cold, I'm putting a jacket on. No one gets paid enough to get ill while working a game.

Thanks for the comments, I believe the lean was something Whipple 'nitpicked' on....

Just happens that the woman who teaches plate mechanics at the NYSSO school is in our group, and since then she has seen me work and says I am fine now.

That NYSSO school is something else - I have heard people who have been to various ASA schools say it is the best school they have ever been to. They mention that, unlike some schools, they treat you like adults! Also the teaching talent there is A-1, not only Whipple, my friends Bruce and Kathy, but the NYSSO Rules Interpreter is Jay Miner, so that school is pretty loaded.

Uniforms
 

I total agree with your Rant...

But you miss understood me / or you just wanted to scream and yell about uniforms. Which are my thoughts to the letter.

I have refused to take the field with slobs. Also I never have been dinged for my uniform in 30 years. My pride in my uniform comes from my time in the military.

I have refused to let umpires work because of their equipment.

As I was saying by my statement where does it say that I have to wear my jacket if my partner does?

Yet I keep hearing this old wives tale, if your partner wears their jacket you have too.

Time to put in in the book that it not required that you wear a jacket if your partner does. That you can wear anything that is proper uniform instead, shirt, sweater, or pullover.

Rant off.

What qabout this glove,Easton Natural Elite 12 inch Fastpitch Softball Glove

First time I tried posting a link, if it doesn't work its a Easton Natural Elite.

Thanks

Well, I don't want it in the book because I want that option as a tournament UIC and I don't need to get an argument about the "book".

And here is why. I have seen and had arguments about an umpire who will not wear a jacket, but will wear long-sleeve undershirt, sweater, sweat shirt, even a denim shirt under the uniform shirt. If it is that chilly you need that, you should be wearing a jacket, not looking like some college kid working an intramural game.

Whether you liked it or not, the old school NUS made sure that a crew on the field looked like a professional umpire.

And how timely this is. I received a call from a BASEBALL umpire complaining about how raggedy two umpires looked when they showed up to work a HS varsity game yesterday afternoon.

Yes, you heard me correctly. A baseball umpire working the HS baseball game called to inform me how unprofessional and disheveled both members of the softball crew appeared. Granted, this game was going to be a joke, but I don't care if the umpire is there for the money, game, vocation or just to piss away an afternoon, you should wear a proper and clean uniform which makes your fellow umpires proud to be associated with them.

Yeah, Yeah!

(add that to the list of annoying things - Umpires who dress to their perceived expectations of the quality of play)

You need to address the improper elements of the uniform with the person who is not dressed correctly. A blanket rule requiring all umps to wear a jacket if one does doesn't address the slobs - their shoes still won't be shined, their pants will probably not fit properly or be clean and un-wrinkled, and letting them put a jacket on to cover improper attire isn't the correct way to deal with this.

Making both umps wear a jacket when one does not need it for comfort is silly IMO. Making both umpires adhere to the proper dress code and to be professional in their appearance can be done without going to this extreme.

Don't know if you missed my point here, but it was that if it is cold enought to wear inappropriate attire, it is cold enough to wear the appropriate attire along with your partner.

As previously noted, I do not expect someone who is cold to go without just because his/her partner thinks it is manly to go without a jacket like those Cheeseheads (that's for you, Dave). OTOH, if it is that cold, I would rather have the umpires in matching uniforms. Again, I'm not asking an umpire to wear unnecessary apparel, just look professional in the appropriate uniform.