Leaving for TUS

[Stan W.]

Grits..............salt, pepper, butter...........mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm good......

[Majordave]

In South Cackalacka they have shrimp and grits. That's amazing eating. So are Cheddar cheese and bacon grits. Just sayin'...

[krwill96]

John,

Sounds like you're having a great time. It was one of the best times of my life. I'm sure it'll be for you too.

As for the stretching, take full advantage of the room. Stretching was a huge factor in not being sore from the long days and I went at 25. The foam roller and the stretching bands work great. I still use them after long days on the field or after a workout to try to keep the soreness to a minimum. When you're in the room, it's also a great way to meet people and talk about situations.

Best of luck.

[JonnyCat]

Not too much to report on the classroom and field stuff today, except for some guest speakers which I will get to in a minute. Class was the usual with rule and 2 man study. On the field we worked on double play mechanics and then some more situations with no runners on. Most everyone […]

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[JonnyCat]

@Majordave The guy that turned me on to grits said that exact same thing. He loves it with cheese or shrimp! I think I'll have some more tomorrow morning!

 

@Krwill96  I've been using the foam rollers, too. The training room has been helpful, that and lots of ice. My feet and legs are pretty tired.

[JaxRolo]

Good job!

[Jeff C.]

I look forward to reading this everyday.  This is as close as I will ever get to school.  Thank  you Jonny for this blog. 

[Ump29]

I am following with interest .

[kstrunk]

"Use the rules to solve a problem, don't use the rules to create a problem." - Wow! Profound, even in life off the diamond! 

[Majordave]

@kstrunk

@JonnyCat

 

Love that quote.

 

I made it my signature.    See below.  That is a great statement for my level.

 

I also loved "The pressure is a privilege" from 2014 Third Team but I don't really feel all that much pressure in the games I work.  Maybe if I was on TV and subject to the level of scrutiny they are I would.  

[Umpire in Chief]

Sidebar

2 somewhat funny grits stories...

First, a few years ago I was in a pretty nice restaurant in upstate NY. The waiter described one of their specials and said it was served over polenta (sp?). I asked what polenta was and he described it and I was thinking to my self 'sounds like grits.'

I get served my meal and then the waiter came back and asked how I liked my meal and asked if I liked the polenta. I told him everything was great, but started joking with him much to my wife's chagrin, that in NC we called polenta grits and that its crazy they give it a foreign name and now grits are high-end.

On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, the town I live in is small and relatively insignificant other than it is on the route to the Outer Banks (a major ocean tourist destination). One Sunday morning my wife go to a local restaurant named "Southland" that has a great breakfast buffet.

So were eating breakfast and a older couple sat not too far from us and the woman had the most annoying northern NJ accent ( sorry Larry & others) and spoke entire too loudly; the entire restaurant could hear every word she said and every complaint she had. Then she gets up to go to the buffet and starts YELLING to her husband as she's walking back. "Lets leave this place everything is just so unhealthy and awful looking. Everything damn thing is fried and greasy and they have 3 different types of grits. What the hell is up with that?"

It took every ounce of restraint in my body and some dirty looks from my wife for me not to tell her. "What the hell do you expect? You're in North Carolina and a restaurant called 'Southland.' Nothing here could lead anybody to think that they even pretend to be healthy." Grrr.

[Majordave]

Warren,

Kiss my grits!

Hahaha

[kstrunk]

Sidebar

2 somewhat funny grits stories...

First, a few years ago I was in a pretty nice restaurant in upstate NY. The waiter described one of their specials and said it was served over polenta (sp?). I asked what polenta was and he described it and I was thinking to my self 'sounds like grits.'

I get served my meal and then the waiter came back and asked how I liked my meal and asked if I liked the polenta. I told him everything was great, but started joking with him much to my wife's chagrin, that in NC we called polenta grits and that its crazy they give it a foreign name and now grits are high-end.

On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, the town I live in is small and relatively insignificant other than it is on the route to the Outer Banks (a major ocean tourist destination). One Sunday morning my wife go to a local restaurant named "Southland" that has a great breakfast buffet.

So were eating breakfast and a older couple sat not too far from us and the woman had the most annoying northern NJ accent ( sorry Larry & others) and spoke entire too loudly; the entire restaurant could hear every word she said and every complaint she had. Then she gets up to go to the buffet and starts YELLING to her husband as she's walking back. "Lets leave this place everything is just so unhealthy and awful looking. Everything damn thing is fried and greasy and they have 3 different types of grits. What the hell is up with that?"

It took every ounce of restraint in my body and some dirty looks from my wife for me not to tell her. "What the hell do you expect? You're in North Carolina and a restaurant called 'Southland.' Nothing here could lead anybody to think that they even pretend to be healthy." Grrr.

'Using the rules' to solve that problem would likely involve gently informing that poor lost woman (under the rules of decency and etiquette) that she had blatantly taken for granted all that the Good Lord had blessed her with, including the freedom to travel state to state (thank our Vets), enjoying different cultures, themes, and menus without having to cross a fence, wall, or armed border patrol; and that she had ought to spare the rest of the world  the consequences of her error. Can you eject a player as they're quitting? She'd be gone! 

[JonnyCat]

@Majordave. Isn't that an awesome quote? I just could not put it any better.

 

@ Warren, Being from Italian heritage, I've had polenta many times. I even said polenta is just like grits only with yellow corn meal and some marinara sauce.

[JonnyCat]

Today started in the classroom with test corrections, and yes, my name was up on the board again. 3 in a row! I think my streak is going to end tomorrow though, I may have overthought a question and answered it wrong. Well maybe not wrong, but not the best answer. It basically had to […]

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[JonnyCat]

Well my streak of 100% on my test scores ended today. I missed the question that I thought I would. Oh well, 3 in a row is not bad and I will just have to start another streak. Bill missed one on this test also, so I’m still ahead on points, not that I’m counting. […]

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[JaxRolo]

Great. Keep it coming

[Thunderheads]

John,

I couldn't agree with you more re: your commentary on base work!

[kstrunk]

For all I've learned in the past year (thanks in large part to U-E), it's the study of base mechanics that continues to humble me and help me realize how much I still don't know. One wonders if a complete knowledge is even possible. Like most things in life, it seems umpires must never stop learning. 

[Richvee]

it seems umpires must never stop learning. 

Never forget that

[th3]

really enjoyable - thanks

[JonnyCat]

We’re into double digits in our day count, with only 19 more days left. One more day of instruction before our first day off, and I can tell you on Sunday, I’m doing a whole lot of nothing! Today in class we continued to study obstruction and interference. No real POE’s to report, mostly standard rule book […]

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[JonnyCat]

This morning started off great. Grits with bacon! It’s true what they say, everything is better with bacon. We even got the kitchen staff to set out a little shredded cheese for my man from Georgia so he could enjoy cheese grits. I haven’t done those yet, but maybe before I leave here. Today in […]

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[JonnyCat]

Today is our first day off and it couldn’t come fast enough for these old and tired bones. I’m not sure what I’m going to do today, but I’m sure it will involve football and much needed rest. Since we don’t have a car, we can’t really explore Vero Beach. Last night Bill and I […]

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[JonnyCat]

Back to school today after a much needed day off. Started out with my name up on the board again with another 100% on Saturdays test. Made another dollar from Bill, too. Although I’ll have to give it back tomorrow because I know I missed a couple on today’s test. Just working too fast and […]

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