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An oldie, currently the only video on the channel. Getting prepaired for the Quick Tips Launch.

Never bought this as a good reason for the silly FED mechanic. If U1 can't get to 3B in time ahead of a BR, how on earth is he going to get to HP in time? Exactly...the land where the state association refuses to stray one iota from the FED umpire manual....Is it any wonder navy is still their preferred color?

Thanks for the email. We looked into getting these, but the MLB guys did not know they were getting these jackets until the beginning of the season. I kept asking and showing pictures & my resources said they "did not know" anything about these jackets. Therefore, we did not order these. Also, I polled my resources at the collegiate and high school levels - "is this a jacket you would let your guys wear?" and the unanimous answer was "No." At that price point, Business 101 told us to hold off and NOT make the investment in this jacket.

Why navy blue? We know why navy blue! Ask Dalco and Cliff Keen! Navy blue was the shirt color (and, more importantly, the plate coat color back in the 80's and 90's)!! Look at the carapace design / planform @mbkcoach... where have you seen that before? Yup... Wilson Golds, Champros, Champions, Riddell Powers, heck even Schutts... they all use a similar planform. In fact, if you didn't have the All-American stickers on it, I'd tell you that was a Champion CP. Wilson's dependence on open-cell sofa cushion foam and nylon has to do with cost vs. durability. Memory foam is expensive. Sofa cushion foam is cheap and readily plentiful, especially when you source it from an upholstery company, and don't tell them it's headed for use in sporting goods (which drives the cost up, because the sports industry is perceived to have lots of money to throw around). Oh sure, memory foam has become / is becoming less expensive and more plentiful due to the increased competition in the mattress industry. All-American was, at one time, one of the Big Names in football equipment, specifically helmets and shoulder pads. Helmets started to use memory foams, while shoulder pads followed soon after once players demanded a lower-profile silhouette, and one that retained less heat and promoted breathability. Each year, though, there is a fresh crop of youngsters who need new (or refurbished / reconditioned) shoulder pads and helmets. Thus, there is a dependable, captive purchasing market (often in the form of HS and College AD purchasing agents). How often do baseball umpires buy new gear? This is why we're in the odd predicament we're in. We need football's more progressive technological advancements and much greater capital resources to drive our own gear development, but we need a company that actually caters to us primarily – not as an afterthought, token, or line-item on a corporate financial report – to actually design it.

Geezers having control over their children. Some guys want you to wear navy, 'til they die. Why? Because they fear change, and perhaps can't afford another shirt themselves. First, I live in San Diego, so jackets on the plate are pretty rare. As to why some folks think it's wrong, or taboo, it's because their heroes on TV don't do it. The same goes for wearing a long sleeved jersey on the bases, which I do all the time. Some fellows, for the same reason, wet themselves over this. "It's just not done!". Shut up.