Do the umps want instant replay?

I'm not disputing that at all.

Maybe it should. Again, I'm not disputing that.

Good umpires have always been able to handle that stuff, at all levels. It's not that umpires have thinner skins now; in fact, just the opposite.

My point was that the abuse heaped on umpires at the lower levels is different than it was even 10-15 years ago. (And yes, I do know about that first-hand, so I'm not going to dignify your crack at my age with a response. :) I would think, since we've discussed the deterioration of decorum in youth sports quite often on this board, we can at least agree on that.

Anyway, point being, the umpires that are sticking around in youth/HS baseball deal with more abuse than they did. Obviously, as you move up in quality and experience, they're equipped to deal with it better (again, I'm not disputing that.) But when youth umpires have to have thicker and thicker skins at the lowest levels, I think something is lost in the enjoyment of the game. And I think that doesn't bode well as you move up through the HS, college and the professional ranks, because it takes a certain type of disposition to be able to deal with that well. And these days, I think too many umpires coming up have the same type of disposition -- very hardened, too often proactively confrontational, the so-called thick skin that is a fine line from being arrogant -- and you see it at all levels more than you used to.

I suspect in part it's because the stakes are higher. Like you said, the rewards are greater. Mistakes are magnified. ... But I think that's caused a change in the enjoyment of the umpiring itself, and the kinds of umpires who are successful and who stick with it. And I don't think that's necessarily a good thing.

Has nothing to do with "the life," which was always hard. Has nothing to do with "the path," which was always near-impossible. Or "incentives," which are clearly greater.

 

The tension between an umpire and the idiocracy is never going to be more personal and combustible than it is at levels 16-and-under.

Maybe only basketball at a lower level is a worse situation for an official.

 

I tend to agree.

I worked for an officials' association as my first real job before I turned 16. The abuse heaped on them - and me as a scorekeeper/clockkeeper - would astound some people. And these were military intramurals. Not exactly world titles and Monopoly-money salaries hanging in the balance ...

Some of it should be expected. But some of it was out of line - period. I officiated volleyball for college intramurals (would have loved to work basketball and soccer, but my knees are a mess). I took it and took it, largely because I didn't want anything to affect a match other than calls during action.

One day, a frat boy - not stereotyping ... the guy wanted us to know with the Greek T-shirt and all - climbed my case throughout the first game. We got done with the first game, I called the guy over and said "one more word and you're gone." It threw my roommate and close friend of mine for a loop, seeing how he hadn't taken me for that sort. The guy tried again in the second game and I shot him a glare that had him scurrying back to the bench.

It's sad that you almost have to intimidate to get your point across wearing the uniform and whistle. But I saw it happen with a relative for almost 20 years and experienced it for myself. Throw in some politics with the occasional incompetent assessor and some assignors of officials with agendas and it can turn U-G-L-Y ...

 

And that might be true. But we're to believe that's responsible for a shortage of capable officials at the professional level?

So with all the whining and sniping that parents do, we should also expect a shortage of professional coaches soon.

 

To get this thread back on track, regardless of how good or bad today's umps are, how can anyone debate the fact that they'd be better if they had the ability to see the same things I can see clear as day sitting on my couch via replay?

 

This isn't the California Penal League, Pern! We don't tank calls for personal reasons so cut the cry-baby shit!

 

I don't know, you'd have to talk to the umps. There's no glory in it. Plenty of abuse from ignorant people who don't understand the sport, and for one low rate. I haven't umpired a game in 17 years and I can see with my own eyes that it's more bullshit now, and it was bad enough then.

 

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/5809120.html

 

The phrase "kill the umpire" did not originate in 1997.

 

Never has it been so brutally capable. It's right on the horizon.

This isn't the same world as it was when that cheeky phrase was uttered, for laughs and slaps over cognac.

 

I'm guessing it's tougher to be a bus driver than it was 20 years ago, too.

 

Everything is. Bus driver, ice cream man, major league umpire.

And with that, we're not necessarily seeing better umpiring. Today's are less talented. And I say talent because it requires that to do the job right.