wolfe_man

A helmet tap is not secret... anymore. If it ever was a secret, it's out of the bag now. Now, as to what to do about it. I'm not sure you can do much officially here. If you mention something to F2 and he responds negatively, do you want an issue with him or the coach over it? My two cents, let it pass unless it's egregious or over-the-top.

I'm surprised there's not already people betting on who has best/worst challenge score for game/month/year/etc. You can bet on about anything anymore. Gambling is taking over the sport that was so hard on players who dared to gamble... even on themselvse to win! It sure feels like they're in bed together now. And definitely! You know those guys with their competitive spirit have a pool amongst themselves to see who is best or worst for the year.

So many good points here, well said. If we are going to point fingers, let's be fair and accountable to all. Otherwise, it's just political... and we all hate that stuff. And yes, the betting and gambling is having far more of an effect than any of us would truly care to know.

Anyone want to trade new black suede socks for mesh of any color? I have two sets of the suede and I prefer the mesh. I'll even trade for used ones if they're in good shape.

Ugh, hate it when that happens. I used to run an older pair of plates for JV games for that reason, but I've had Varsity F2's do it as well.

I'd love to know the reasoning why. The magnesium is so much better in appearance, it's such a strong appearance mask. The steel is lightweight and offers a similar appearance, but I'd take the mag over it any day. I agree with all of you that it must be the sight-line issue. Either they can't get comfortable with those thicker bars or they just feel like they're losing sight of something they need/want to see. I never had trouble with seeing pitches when I wore it, but to each their own and all that....

And I understand why it's appealing, plus I believe some gear is donated by large vendors/manufacturers also. I started with Champro too, but quickly found this site and realized I needed better gear than I had purchased initially. Many years later, I'm with the "buy once - cry once" crowd. Yes, it's expensive but you can perform better, and get better games as a result, when you're not worried about getting hit by pitches. The right gear helps you to calm down and see everything better.

It's all our jobs to help get the word out. Good umpire friends don't let umpire friends (acquaintances, neighbor, enemies, etc.) buy Champro. We should always encourage other umpires to buy the gear that is going to keep them safe and be a good investment for their health and safety. As the saying says, "buy once - cry once". Get the best stuff right upfront and use it all the way through your umpire lifespan instead of buying cheap, uncomfortable and unsafe gear and then constantly needing to upgrade it - and in the end spending far more than just getting the best the first time.

One place? Yes, but it's a little over a mile from end to the other in length. You'd need a golf cart to get around from field-to-field. It's huge! I can't imagine being the TD for something this big. It really is a neat place and the City of Columbus has done a good job making it nice. https://columbusrecparks.com/facilities/rentals/sports/berliner-2/

Imma gonna just stick with the mesh. 😁 While I loved how soft the AS MAG deerskin pads were, I found them too warm for me in anything warmer than 50, so for that reason I'm out.

I'd say that's a yes. It is definitely D3O foam padding and I think I can see where the Davis logo is covered up with something black (tape?) through the shirt opening at the neck. I had heard that an MLB guy was wearing the Enduro and others are wearing a DX variant of some sort, but didn't know who specifically... looks like it could be Mr Guccione in the Enduro! @DerekGDS it's gotta be a good feeling to see a product that you created worn by an MLB umpire on national TV! Congratulations!

That's one way to create repeat customers and increase your income, right? And mask pads make sense, I mean they couldn't say we need to definitely change our shoes every year because our feet are important! Change your pants every season? A new shirt every year? Although some could use this and get rid of that old, faded, purple rag that they're still calling a uniform shirt.

These were the deerskin ones, more orange in color. Super soft on the face, I mean supreme softness, almost too much luxury for a mask. The newer ones I don't think are deerskin, I'd guess cowhide leather. They're still nice, but not the same at all.

I think people were referring to the original, one-run stock of the deerskin pads. While these tan leather pads are nice, the deerskin pads were another level of comfort and a more orange color. The OG's were darker and softer and had a very limited run and you can't find them anymore. I do appreciate you sharing though. it's the thought that counts and all that...

I had better luck on davisofficials.com personally. I did find some new Mirage gear (frame, pads, etc) on the normal GDS site also - but had much easier shopping on the officials site for cores & socks, complete frame options, etc.

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I can fully endorse this reply as accurate also. I have just done a bit of shopping from both sites as I needed the latest & greatest and some other non-Davis items. It is a bit difficult to find some of the specialized gear (Kuta, cloud pads & socks, etc.) on the regular site, but super easy on the officials version.

Definitely the NFL caused it. I saw an article today stating how the NFL is now making profits from gambling. This is not to say that they're involved in illegal gambling, but they use the gambling to drive additional viewers and other things which creates more profit for them. When other sports see the NFL cash cow keep making billions, they only naturally want their piece too. This is also very true, it is seen on all levels now. I see it in religious circles as well. Wherever there is money, there are people willing to do whatever they can to collect it.

Ooo, let me get my popcorn, this is going to be good. War stories to follow in 3... 2... 1... In all seriousness, it can be somewhat hard to discern, but I think it is one of those where you'll know it when you see it/hear it.

And this is one of the reasons that I love baseball. I'm not saying that you wouldn't see it in other sports, but it just feels more at home with baseball. And why it is our national pastime - and as far as I'm concerned, it always will be.

Give it time! They're probably working on that as we speak. Bringing back the Polo Grounds with short porches to right and left, but super-deep alleys and cavernous center-fields to increase the triples! I wonder if we can place a bet on it online? I tend to lean more towards the traditional viewpoint as well. These constant rule changes, at all levels, is somewhat frustrating to me. You almost can't be a casual fan and understand the whole game with all of these rule changes and challenges. If you don't keep up with them, you'll fall behind fairly quickly. All of these sports have really turned to gambling also. It seems a little hypocritical to me. You can't hardly watch anything without being bombarded by the opportunity to spend nothing and win big! Did I mention I am getting old? 😇

Thanks for sharing and best of luck as you keep recovering! I'm learning that there is no stop recovery phase, it's keep moving and keep getting better every day or you stop getting better and lose the range of movement.

Wow, that’s awful. I can’t imagine how the hitter must feel, to say nothing of this young man's family. I often wonder if these new bats should be more regulated, since they keep getting designed to hit balls farther and faster. To be clear, I’m not blaming anyone, but it’s something I think about. I’m sure this tragedy will bring more attention to the issue.

Ouch. I'm worried about ASD (adjacent segment disease). The x-rays already mention that the disc above is starting to wear, although they note it can just be normal and not necessarily ASD. I'm 47, so I figure I've got a few more surgeries ahead of me, but really hoping not after this last one. The cervical one healed fast for me, but this lumbar one is rough and really taking all I can give it. I'm still rocking Sketcher's slip-on's because it hurts too much to try to bend over to tie my shoes. I'm finally starting to feel less pain and more freedom of movement at almost 12 months out (3/31 is a year). Fully agree on the moving too. The more I move the better I feel generally.

You got me switched about 6-7 years back and it's my go-to now as well. I get the big gallon one from Sam's and it lasts a very long time! I like the citrus smell too.