I think it depends entirely on the individual umpire. If you're someone like myself or @Heave-Ho, then stuff like:
- City/League Championships
- HS Playoffs (one day...)
- Legitimate Travel Ball Tourneys
for us, at least, IS a big deal, especially when you consider that we're not far removed in age from the kids we call, as opposed to decades or generations in other umpires' cases.
Personally the game I am most proud of is my plate game for a travel tourney championship game this past summer that was a 7 inning pitcher's duel between two of the best teams in the age group in the NTX/DFW area. I think I rung up at least 15 kids, which was a total blast, especially since I had started ripping off Alan Porter's 3K call a few weeks prior.
So, yeah, it's absolutely true there's almost always something bigger to get to, but I think it's also important not to forget that we aren't all at the same place, headed to the same place, or have the same aspirations.
-BR