21 Questions

Rapper 50 Cent had a hit song a few years ago called 21 Questions.

Well in reviewing an umpire, I have the following 21 questions

21 Good strike zone? This is crucial.

20 Does he run out on the field to make calls to get a closer look? Hustle is important.

19 Does he know the league rules? Knowledge is Power

18. Does he care about doing a good job or just want to take the money and run?

This Shows if he has heart or is just plain Ghetto

17. Does he know general/baseball softball rules? Again Knowledge is Power

16. Does he explain his point of view to managers clearly and concisely? Leadership

15. Does he take control of game?

When heckling, arguing, and problems occur does he nip it in the bud immediately or let it get out of control

14. Is he sober?

Being high is unacceptable for an umpire during a game, players on the other hand well ..

13. Can he see? Mister Magoo glasses can get foggy

12. Is he NON-confrontational?

Umpires should be confident and definitive, not confrontational

11. Does he know the inning, score, count, and put a new ball in play on time?

This is a key part of the job function

10. Is he reliable and on time? Punctuality counts

9. Does he power/ego trip or is he flexible when need be?

When he makes a mistake, all umpires make mistakes they are after all only human,

Does he quickly correct himself or ask for help to make sure he got the call right?

8. Is he dressed in Blue so that he knows people are asking him a question why they ask "Yo Blue what's the inning What's the score?" like 1,000 times during a game.

7. Does he clearly explain the ground rules before the game?

Prevention is the best medicine

6. Does he collect lineup cards before the game and note/announce all player changes during the game. This is important b/c it shows he is on top of things.

5. Does he measure the bases and pitching distance properly?

Crooked umps cheat in this area all the time. bad umps don't want bang bang plays so they make the bases longer to make the game move quicker. So foul

4. Does he keep the game moving? He must take command

3. Is he fair and consistent. A must

2. Does he respect the game?

If he had all the right answers above then he does, otherwise he is flawed

1. Is he respected? Respect is Earned not given away

Those are the traits that make a good umpire.

If an umpire can do all the above, then the players will decide the game and that's the way it should be.

What do you think?