Seventeen Games this weekend

[Steve M]

17 games - either there's a half-a$$ed effort or the games are so non-competitive that they don't really need an umpire.
Other then college ball, I'm usually doing a 1-on-1-off rotation. Though there is one time each year in Mike's area where I do more than 1 in a row.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Steve M

17 games - either there's a half-a$$ed effort or the games are so non-competitive that they don't really need an umpire.
Other then college ball, I'm usually doing a 1-on-1-off rotation. Though there is one time each year in Mike's area where I do more than 1 in a row.

Please note: May be my area, but not my assigning.

As for the other Mike, I'm confident that you are confident in your job. I have no doubt you will do your best every game, first to last. Been there, done that, will never even consider doing it again.

Now the flip side. As confident as you may feel and raring to go, it is too many games. Even with time limits, it is still a steady stream of play with minimal breaks. You believe you are fresh, but if you actually pay attention, I have found myself and others start to check up early on plays and not be even close to where I was on the same play in the earlier game.

JMO, but taken from years of experience. Good luck and take care of yourself first.

[Gulf Coast Blue]

Originally Posted by Steve M

17 games - either there's a half-a$$ed effort or the games are so non-competitive that they don't really need an umpire.
Other then college ball, I'm usually doing a 1-on-1-off rotation. Though there is one time each year in Mike's area where I do more than 1 in a row.

Most tournaments I have worked have been two on....one off.....but have had a few in the Tx summers where you worked without a break........it sucks.....but it happens.

Joel

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Gulf Coast Blue

but have had a few in the Tx summers where you worked without a break........it sucks.....but it happens.

Joel

Only if you let it.

[Gulf Coast Blue]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Only if you let it.

I know....I know......you can only have someone take advantage of you if you let them.........

I am older and wiser now........

Maybe....

Joel

[Skahtboi]

I agree that 17 is way too many games in a weekend for all of the reasons already stated. I have noticed, for me, that after about 4 games in a day, my umpiring begins to erode. Like Mike said, I find I am pulling up short on plays, not always in the best position, and have lost some of my hustle.

Assignors who engage in this practice need to learn that it is not fair to the teams nor the umpires.

[bigsig]

Here on LI our season ended 2 weeks ago. At 65 I try to limit myself to 2 FP games per day. I can do 3 or even 4 if on artificial turf but my hustle suffers along with my feet, knees, and back.

I do have some empathy for the assigner. In the fall we loose a lot of softball umpires to football; field hockey; soccer; volleyball; etc. So the pool of available qualified FP umpires for a weekend tourney has dwindled.

Luckily here fall ball is not as competitive as spring/summer so we can get rookie umpires teamed up with the more experienced umps so they can get some higher level experience without throwing them to the wolves.

[IRISHMAFIA]

And then there is the umpire who tells folks, "yeah, but I pace myself".

IOW, nobody gets 100% because you need to last longer than you should be out there.

Don't get me wrong. I am aware of special circumstances where it may be unavoidable. I must note that in my area when we have an umpire go down for any reason, the rest of the umpires step right up, often without being asked, and take on additional games with minimal breaks.

However, as a routine so an assignor doesn't have to deal with more people than necessary or because an umpire may be greedy or an association has overbooked their weekend just isn't right. None are an acceptable reason to place the umpires' integrity and health, or the association's reputation in jeopardy.