Petition to State

[JSam21]

So I'm debating on sending a letter to petition the state of Missouri, MSHSAA, to change the approved umpire uniform to a black and sky blue shirts. If I were to do that should I suggest the current MLB shirt with the grey panel or the collegiate black? 

 

[Stk004]

What is it currently? I would assume more people already have the collegiate black. Plus, those are cheaper to come by.

[BT_Blue]

Agreed. I would lean towards the MLB 2010 (as MadMax would call it) shirts with the stripe down the sidd.

[JoHart10]

Before I sent anything in writing to the state, I would call and discuss the topic to see if the door is even open to the possibility. Just saying you could tick off the wrong people if they feel "surprised" by the uprising. Just a thought.

[JSam21]

17 hours ago, Stk004 said:

What is it currently? I would assume more people already have the collegiate black. Plus, those are cheaper to come by.

It is Navy and only Navy allowed by state rules

 

[JSam21]

6 hours ago, JoHart10 said:

Before I sent anything in writing to the state, I would call and discuss the topic to see if the door is even open to the possibility. Just saying you could tick off the wrong people if they feel "surprised" by the uprising. Just a thought.

The reason why I want to bring it up now to MSHSAA is that last year they allowed football to go to the 2.25" stripe college shirts. It seems like the iron could be hot for change

 

[JSam21]

17 hours ago, BT_Blue said:

Agreed. I would lean towards the MLB 2010 (as MadMax would call it) shirts with the stripe down the sidd.

I like this shirt but it seems that it is harder to find... Majestic and Smitty just came out with the 2016 shirts in both colors.

[Stk004]

3 hours ago, JSam21 said:

I like this shirt but it seems that it is harder to find... Majestic and Smitty just came out with the 2016 shirts in both colors.

Personally I like the 2016 MLB shirts better but they're more expensive than the 2010 or the two stripe shirts. 

[MadMax]

21 hours ago, JSam21 said:

So I'm debating on sending a letter to petition the state of Missouri, MSHSAA, to change the approved umpire uniform to a black and sky blue shirts. If I were to do that should I suggest the current MLB shirt with the grey panel or the collegiate black? 

 

There are three to consider (I'm not counting the '15 all-black "test" shirt): 1) the "Classic" or "College" black with twin white stripes on the collar and cuffs 2) the '10 "Vertical Stripe" that the MLB employed from 2010 thru 2016 (the '15 didn't get full employment), or 3) the '16 "Panel" shirt with the contrasting panel on the flank and a single accent border on the collar.

Argh... I'll answer more thoroughly later, I gotta go to work. :/

[JSam21]

1 hour ago, MadMax said:

There are three to consider (I'm not counting the '15 all-black "test" shirt): 1) the "Classic" or "College" black with twin white stripes on the collar and cuffs 2) the '10 "Vertical Stripe" that the MLB employed from 2010 thru 2016 (the '15 didn't get full employment), or 3) the '16 "Panel" shirt with the contrasting panel on the flank and a single accent border on the collar.

Argh... I'll answer more thoroughly later, I gotta go to work. :/

I personally would prefer the vertical stripe  shirt with the all black jacket and a black plate coat option.

[BT_Blue]

6 hours ago, JSam21 said:

I like this shirt but it seems that it is harder to find... Majestic and Smitty just came out with the 2016 shirts in both colors.

Davis did as well.

[Mudisfun]

Just get them to agree to something OTHER than Navy. This is your victory condition then you can start working on the new style. 

[BT_Blue]

3 hours ago, Mudisfun said:

Just get them to agree to something OTHER than Navy. This is your victory condition then you can start working on the new style. 

I hear Officials Choice has colors besides Navy.

[MadMax]

This is a minor conundrum for a gear-&-style geek like me.

I've been a longtime, avowed hater of the navy umpire shirt. Through my last few years of working, I've settled on it's not the color itself that annoys and displeases me, it's the "how" and "why" of it.

I mean, I now own and use this:

... and I think it looks very very sharp. In fact, I just used it a few days ago on the plate because my partner was cold and had a navy jacket with red & white shoulder stripes. I complemented him, and completed my attire with – and this is key to the discussion here in this context – navy ball bags, a navy hat, and my navy trimmed mask. For the record, this is a '10-style shirt by The Officials Choice.

Does The Officials Choice have exclusive rights to produce shirts in this style? Absolutely not. Do they have exclusive rights to produce them in any of a variety of colors (such as they are known to do)? Hell no! They just have the most amount of hutzpah, devil-may-care, boldness... dare I say... balls to do it!

And I champion that sort of boldness. Change and progression is good, people!

This aversion to change and progression is what drives me, and I'm sure it does you too, crazy. Then, in the case of some associations (*cough cough* Ohio *cough cough*), there's an added complexity of a mafia-esque cartel racket going on behind the scenes. The "traditional" (i.e. stale, old, boring, pathetic) navy shirt remains as the only option, but officials must buy the latest 201X "version" with the latest, updated state logo embroidered onto it??!!!??!?!?! W... T... F??!! For quite some time, the chief argument against updating styles or colors has been, "We don't want to impoverish or burden members with having to purchase additional / unapproved shirts." Well, when a state (Ohio! *COUGH!* Man, is something in my throat?!) pulls that crap adopts the stance I describe above, that argument goes out the window.

If you've ( @JSam21) got Missouri's ear, I would agree with @Mudisfun and push persuade them to adopt and allow (this is key, instead of "replace"... which we'd like... but baby steps) black and sky blue. Then, work out the details of style later.

If they counter with "we already allow Powder" (which Wisconsin does), that's not good enough... Powder Blue w/ Navy trim is primarily a softball color. You want a step forward, not a step sideways.

In terms of style, what will definitely help you is to be open-minded, and keep the '10 "Vertical Stripe" style as your rally point. Why? Because having options – purchasing options – is good. Most guys already have it. Several companies make it. It can be purchased from any number of suppliers. And, once in place, can be expanded into any number of colors... which include navy. Besides that, most umpire gear – masks, ball bags, hats, socks, shoes, undershirts, jackets, etc. – are predominantly and primarily black anyways! 

Man, I'd think that Missouri, being the cesspool nest of wretched St. Louis Cardinals fans would be all over having Red be the primary color of umpire shirt. 

[BT_Blue]

I've seen this shirt in person and it is not bad. But it does look like crap if one guy is wearing this and the others are wearing normal navy. Mainly because there is only one person in my area that has them.

My (sarcastic) comment was more towards the poop brown, camouflage, tye dye, and flag shirts they sell.

[Stk004]

I've always felt that black is the most "professional" color and just looks the best. It looks sharp. That said I do own a variety of colored shirts, but given the choice I always go with black. Up here in WA we have to wear black for spring (High School) season anyway. 

[MadMax]

46 minutes ago, BT_Blue said:

I've seen this shirt in person and it is not bad. But it does look like crap if one guy is wearing this and the others are wearing normal navy. Mainly because there is only one person in my area that has them.

My (sarcastic) comment was more towards the poop brown, camouflage, tye dye, and flag shirts they sell.

Oh, I'm with you on that sentiment.

With the release (and my acquisition, huzzah!) of the '16 Panel shirts, I have set my mind to selling / gifting away alllllllll my Smitty and WCUA -brand "classic" shirts. All of them. I've been replacing them with TOC -brand '10-style shirts, color-for-color. I just exchanged out navy (I feel so much younger and trendy now,  ) and grey, and will soon do red, cream, and pink. I added Bermuda Blue (best color, hands down), and might go for Texas Orange or Maroon, if/when they come back in stock.

I gave my Smitty "Classic" black to my "sidekick" umpire-buddy (the kid rolled into Phoenix with only his CDP navy shirts!), so I'll replace it with a TOC Classic black when they get back in stock, but that's the only one I'll keep the ol' traditional style of. It's modern-age or bust, baby!

[BT_Blue]

@MadMax, have you had a chance to check out any differences  (if there are any) between the '16 Majestic/Smitty/TOC shirts? Besides price of course. 

[MidAmUmp]

On 1/8/2017 at 9:10 PM, JSam21 said:

So I'm debating on sending a letter to petition the state of Missouri, MSHSAA, to change the approved umpire uniform to a black and sky blue shirts. If I were to do that should I suggest the current MLB shirt with the grey panel or the collegiate black? 

 

Save your time and your stamp. They aren't going to make any changes. I've asked several times. They won't change. 

[JSam21]

53 minutes ago, MidAmUmp said:

Save your time and your stamp. They aren't going to make any changes. I've asked several times. They won't change. 

I'll save it for the check to your clinic this fall

[BT_Blue]

2 hours ago, Stk004 said:

I've always felt that black is the most "professional" color and just looks the best. It looks sharp. That said I do own a variety of colored shirts, but given the choice I always go with black. Up here in WA we have to wear black for spring (High School) season anyway. 

Up side... they are the '10 black and light blue.

Down side... they are sublimated with the WOA/WIAA patch and the flag. And that we have to order them from Gerry Davis.

[MadMax]

On 1/9/2017 at 8:35 PM, BT_Blue said:

Davis did as well.

Gerry Davis Sports stocks them, but they are Smitty -brand.

I'd love to see another manufacturer "man up" and step into the arena to produce shirts and attire that we actually _want_.

[Stk004]

55 minutes ago, MadMax said:

Gerry Davis Sports stocks them, but they are Smitty -brand.

I'd love to see another manufacturer "man up" and step into the arena to produce shirts and attire that we actually _want_.

*insert rally cry for better pants*

[JSam21]

9 hours ago, BT_Blue said:

Up side... they are the '10 black and light blue.

Down side... they are sublimated with the WOA/WIAA patch and the flag. And that we have to order them from Gerry Davis.

I would actually prefer if they did this for Missouri. They do it for football, basketball, and wrestling, but baseball, we have to order patches.

[JSam21]

@MadMax That is the other thing... The softball umpires wear navy as well here in Missouri. It is a fall sport here. I think that is the biggest part. Baseball umpires should look like baseball umpires and softball umpires should look like softball umpires.