Umps, teachers and congressmen

[ajaywill]

Skarp - the basic problem with your assertion is that you (Parents, coaches, players) are not my client base as an umpire. I'm not there to make you happy or win your approval.

My client is the game itself....my job is to make sure that each team has the opportunity to compete and win while adhering to the rules of the game.

Are there umpires that don't take this responsibility very seriously and don't put out their best effort - yep. I've seen plenty of 'em. And believe me, feedback is offered.

The only people on the field who do not have a stake in the outcome of the game are the umpires. Whether you want to admit it or not, your biased position in a softball game directly contributes to your view of my performance, therefore, your criticism means very little, if anything to me.

[Skarp]

Skarp - the basic problem with your assertion is that you (Parents, coaches, players) are not my client base as an umpire. I'm not there to make you happy or win your approval.

My client is the game itself....my job is to make sure that each team has the opportunity to compete and win while adhering to the rules of the game.

Are there umpires that don't take this responsibility very seriously and don't put out their best effort - yep. I've seen plenty of 'em. And believe me, feedback is offered.

The only people on the field who do not have a stake in the outcome of the game are the umpires. Whether you want to admit it or not, your biased position in a softball game directly contributes to your view of my performance, therefore, your criticism means very little, if anything to me.

Interesting points. Couple of comments:

You impliedly assume that parents/coaches/players are not similarly concerned with the integrity of the game when they offer up criticism, which is not necessarily true. (When reasonable people criticize umpires they are not saying "do it in a way more favorable to me." They are saying "do it right.") And you further assume that observers always have a stake in the outcomes of the games they observe, and are therefore biased--which is not necessarily true either.

Your "game is the client" comment is well-taken, but it is ultimately a distinction without a difference. The game is nothing without the parents/coaches/players, and they, being the parties directly impacted by the level of competence that an ump brings to his craft, are certainly entitled to judge his performance (at least if they do so thoughtfully and honestly). And of course parents/coaches/players are the ones who write the checks that you take home...generally a pretty good indicator of who the clients are.

[Joe]

and by the way.......you have just been Skarp'ed!!!

That's what Joe/Ted/BB/Janet was fishing for...

Joe/Ted/BBlover/Janet...we're all so bored with the crap that keeps flowing from your pen, that from a knucklehead that's never played the game. I've got 12 year olds that would run circles around your puny ass and here you pretend to be the keeper of the (Heybucket) gate! Puleeeeze!

Spaz...I visit now and again just to stay on your good side.

Uno, blocking Ted won't work. There'll be a Tom, Tim, Sam, Ken, and on and on. U see, wit startin the web page, comes da utta problems of da intanet...It so fun in da cornfield dese days!

[SSdad]

and by the way.......you have just been Skarp'ed!!!

That's what Joe/Ted/BB/Janet was fishing for...

Joe/Ted/BBlover/Janet...we're all so bored with the crap that keeps flowing from your pen, that from a knucklehead that's never played the game. I've got 12 year olds that would run circles around your puny ass and here you pretend to be the keeper of the (Heybucket) gate! Puleeeeze!

Look who is calling the kettle black.....

[Skarp]

and by the way.......you have just been Skarp'ed!!!

That's what Joe/Ted/BB/Janet was fishing for...

Joe/Ted/BBlover/Janet...we're all so bored with the crap that keeps flowing from your pen, that from a knucklehead that's never played the game. I've got 12 year olds that would run circles around your puny ass and here you pretend to be the keeper of the (Heybucket) gate! Puleeeeze!

Spaz...I visit now and again just to stay on your good side.

Uno, blocking Ted won't work. There'll be a Tom, Tim, Sam, Ken, and on and on. U see, wit startin the web page, comes da utta problems of da intanet...It so fun in da cornfield dese days!

Sounds like I really bother you.

Come on back any ol' time now, Timmy.

[Joe]

Ah yes my friend, I'll be back in due time...when the urge hits and there's nothing better to do.

Spaz...you so funny wit da corn ting! I'll bring da KY...kay?

[artomatic]

he should have went with a theme. Like Michael, Janet, Jermaine, La Toya, etc.

or Jason....part 13...

[Skarp]

Ah yes my friend, I'll be back in due time...when the urge hits and there's nothing better to do.

Spaz...you so funny wit da corn ting! I'll bring da KY...kay?

Whatever floats ya there, Timmy. You don't bother me in the slightest.

But honestly, a more pitiful soul it would be hard to find. I mean really, look at you...creating aliases so that you can trick people into reading your inane drivel for a post or two. Pathetic.

But hey--kudos for your efforts with Joe, Timmy. How long did you work on that one...since July 25? ("I wish nothing but the best for your daugher..." Nice touch.) Sorry you wasted another 3 weeks of your miserable life.

[Joe]

Greenandblue wrote:

At first, your website was great, there was always something interesting about softball being discussed. As time went on, the insulting comments increased, and now it seems to be expected. Any posts that aren't insulting or inflammatory have few responses. It seems like the readers of this website have come to expect the insults. I spread the word here in "the South" about your website, now those same people say it's just a place to read about ignorant people, not about softball.

I've wondered if the above mentioned posters really are insulting, nasty people or is it just their "internet personality"?

As for suggestions on how to make your website a better place..........well, if I told you, it would be as insulting as some of the comments from the above mentioned posters!!!

...good advice to you Skarp since many of us came on here recently and noted the tone of many conversations led by you and others. We're only trying to compete with the best...you!

Whether I bother you or not is not the question. Your repeated replies to BBlover, Joe and Ted does raise the issue of your truthfulness though.

Keep the insults coming...we're all eager to learn from the best.

Aliases? Skarp???

[Skarp]

...good advice to you Skarp since many of us came on here recently and noted the tone of many conversations led by you and others. We're only trying to compete with the best...you!

Whether I bother you or not is not the question. Your repeated replies to BBlover, Joe and Ted does raise the issue of your truthfulness though.

Keep the insults coming...we're all eager to learn from the best.

Aliases? Skarp???

Say again, Timmy? Not sure I followed that. Are you implying that I'm....you??

BTW--thanks for acknowledging that I'm the best. Perhaps you can put that little thing away now and stop what you thought was a pissing contest.

And you did omit one small detail--I only get personal after others get personal with me. A foreign concept, I know, but you really should try it sometime.