Old Skool

If they are the 32 Degree brand, get em. I have had a pair for years. Wore them often when I was still a HS teacher/coach & they still look great. Last season was wearing as travel outfit to a college date. In locker room I got to noticing how much better they looked than my “wind sail” Smitty base pants. So I put them back on & have worn them every date on bases in college & HS since. Still look as good as day I bought them. No fading. Recently purchased Davis BFX Pro plate pants inn NCAA charcoal flat fronts & when side by side the 32 degree brand from Costco is an exact color match in flat front slender look.

I have been following the release of the GDS Pro pants w/every intention of acquiring a pair of plate pants as soon as they are available. Interestingly when Derek posted up pics of the now released base pants I was struck by how similar they look to a pair of 32degree (Costco) charcoal technical pant I wore this entire college season after rediscovering them in my closet. I wore them in my teaching & football coaching roles for years. Put them on to wear while traveling to a college date & once in locker room noticed how well they matched to all my partners stuff. They became my everyday base pants from then on. So much better than the wind-sail Smitty base pants. I’m sure the GDS Pro base pants would provide same look. I really liked the flat front slimmer look of my newfound discovery. Will likely be a candidate for the GDS Pro bases once I wear out my 32 Degree base pants. Anxiously awaiting the GDS Pro plates release.

I would secretly be rooting for a hit-by-pitch if that happened in one of my games. I’d prolly loose it & bust out in laughter when it did happen.

TN in my area plays the JV’s at 5 innings or 1:15 drop dead followed by V game to start 30 mins after. Only pays $30 for the JV time frame then $90 for the V. One school in my area plays 2hour JV games w/full $90 V rate. These guidelines set by TSSAA. I had a 65 minute 2-1 final in 5 yday with both P’s dealing. Hardly ever get those but this was actually 2nd one that quick this season.

Did 95 games (49 HS & 46 college) from 2/4 to 5/21 this season after retiring from my teaching career @ end of 2021-22 school year & despite moving to 2 new HS associations in TN & MS in my chosen new home area, My college ball affiliations did not change. I confirmed what my 1st assigner told me once before: "Sometimes your best ability is your availability". How true! I had swore off doing summer games anymore in my part of W.TN but when PG facility in our area started throwing around $110 for HS aged games I had to jump on a few. Have done 15 so far. Big 4-day, 10 game weekend coming up then it's time to call it a year & start enjoying the fruits of a very busy season

@The Man in Blue PM Sent

TN HS Varsity $85 & reportedly going up next year to $90 or $95. If JV plays before with a drop dead time of 1:15 & the Varsity game starts within 30 minutes it's an extra $30 so you make $115 for the evening. Most schools in my area of the state play the shorter JV games. A few school's around me play a full JV & a full V game & in that case it's $170 for the doubleheader. Next year it is my understanding the JV reduced rate for 1:15 games will go away. The new pay scales for HS baseball haven't been shared yet so just going off what our assigner has told us is coming. In nearby Mississippi it's $95 for the Varsity game with the JV set at $40 for the 1:15 JV contest so your making $135 for the doubleheader. In the Memphis area this summer it has been communicated to umpires that the Perfect Game tournaments at USA Stadium in Millington, TN will be paying $110 per game with 2 hour time limits on 14U - 18U. A competing organization called Diamond Dynasty Sports (2D Sports) from LA that hosts tournaments in the Memphis area every weekend all summer will either be paying $110 or $115 to compete with PG for what is becoming a dwindling # of umpires willing to endure the ridiculous summer heat & humidity. Not sure how the younger ages, 13U & down are paying but the huge Snowden Grove complex in Southaven, MS has switched from USSSA to a PG affiliation & has always paid umps pretty well. I remember the 13U & 14U ages paid what some of you have mentioned on here yo were getting for HS Varsity games.

Mississippi HS sent out notice yesterday that they would be switching to a program called Dragonfly. Anyone had any experience on that platform? Today officials are to receive a link to go in & register as an official. The excerpt below is from the email. "The National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) has partnered with DragonFly to create the Center for Official Services (COS); a digital officiating platform for registration, assessments, assignments and payments. MHSAA is also a part of this partnership. We look forward to this new technology for the betterment of our total program for officials."

So far Lentz & De Jesus. The next three already know but looks like maybe MLB releasing names one per day. Idk maybe so each gets their moment in the limelight as a new hire.

Another great transaction with @acpar72 with acquisition of an awesome Diamond w/Belgrade pads. Also had a few summer transactions w/Aaron that were smooth & I was very pleased with mask pad sets I bought.

I was once taught by my original assigner that giving an emphatic chainsaw or punch out on a swinging strike three that was caught was considered at some levels to be showing up a hitter thus a soft hammer indicating an out was all that was needed. Interestingly, years later my son was told the same comment at the PBUC school when he went.

Same guy. Word on ball fields in W. TN is that he has left Haywood County & has accepted a coaching position at Adamsville HS in McNairy County, TN. So Haywood gets 2 year postseason ban & the coach sits two games at his new school next season.

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