To join or not to join (Verbose)

[LMSANS]

I'm always looking for more games to umpire, so I heard about an organization that a couple of guys I know belong to. Very interesting...

I went to their first meeting last year and sat through a couple of guys arguing with the "rules guy" about some new rules that he was communicating.

He's talking about LL rules and they start arguing Fed interpretations. This goes on for 4 or 5 minutes before the president stops it. They then start talking about the leagues they are doing. It's a mix of middle school, LL (big and little fields), slow pitch and fast pitch softball. And some kids independent leagues that make up their own rules (seriously, they follow no standard rule book). It's OBR, very modified.

Then they start talking about uniforms. Advising the membership which pants in walmart and sears to buy. Buy the shirts and hats from the org. The hats are the adjustable kind, some with mesh. The shirts are the lightweight T-shirt material collared polo shirts. They also sell patches if you have your own shirt. I buy a patch and the hat (before I realized it was adjustable). I don't have to lay out any cash, they take it out of your game fees. Low risk.

I wind up not working any games for them. The 2 times they called I had conflicts and they never called again. I figure that's OK.

Lo and behold, I get an email that this year they are using Arbiter. So I non-commitly respond and sign up. I get assigned a game which is 5pm. I have Arbiter blocked until 6pm because I work til 5, 65 miles away. My HS association has no problem with this. I explain to the assignor. 2 weeks later I get assigned another game @ 7pm, but again I have that blocked off because of another meeting. I send it back to the assignor.

The first meeting for this year was last night. I figure let me go because they have a new assignor and maybe things have gotten better.

I walk in and introduce myself to the assignor and he tells me he's working with Arbiter on the BLOCK problem. I then go to sit down and there is a friend of mine (on my preferred partner list, if I had one). Things are looking better.

Surprise, the "rules guy" starts his spiel and the arguments start again. With 3 guys talking...1 talking LL, 1 talking HS (for the MS) and the 3rd guy stumbling over himself trying to talk both.

Then a guy who is in my HS assoc. makes the comment that not only is a fake tag called obstruction, but it is an automatic eject in HS!! I knew about the obstruction, but for the life of me I can't find anything about the eject.

Then one guy starts verbally attacking the assignor because of a miscommunication by the assignor that had the guy show up 90 minutes early for a game. It took 5 minutes to get this guy to take it offline.

Then the uniform pitch starts. Now they no longer will sell patches cause they want us to wear these cheap T-shirt material shirts. With our Wal-mart pants and work boots. I've given these guys to shots, but I can't take it.

I am not joining!!!

:tantrum:

[mstaylor]

Sounds like a good choice. There is no need to associate yourself with guys the obviously don't have a clue.

On the fake tag question. It is obstruction but it's also considered unsportmanlike. The first time it happens declare the obstruction and award the base or bases. But you also go to that coach and give a team warning and the next time it happens eject the offender.