Well, I didn't mean to touch a nerve. :laugh:
I umped Legion Baseball for umpteen years. More so than not, the umpires I worked w/ did BB and FB. And I agree w/ you about older guys calling it a career, hence the drop in the number of officials.
But, IMHO, the reason for the drop in official numbers is because the "old" guys don't give a flying phuck about the younger guys coming in. The young guys do their JH and JV games and the older guys, for the most part, don't teach these guys or pay much attention to the young guys. I've seen it in baseball so I'm sure it happens in the other sports, as well.
Before I moved to Billings, I had worked a many tourneys and a Legion Regional. But once I got here, I lived at Pertz Field (the "A" field in Billings), never to see Cobb Field. The "older" guys worked every game there and I had to "put in my time" before I got to work there. I stayed w/ it because I loved the game. Eventually, I became assistant UIC (umpire in chief), and the UIC and I made it a point for the new guys coming in to get to work a game or two at Cobb. Albeit a non-conference game, but they got to work at Cobb. We also would go watch them work the "A" games and give them pointers after the game. They were willing to learn and take constructive critisism. Enough of me patting myself on my back. :laugh:
I was asked, for years, to join the FB pool here in Billings. About five years ago, I decided to do it. I went to the first meeting and walked out 1/2 way thru it. I wasn't going to go thru that again. Too much politics for me.
Sorry for the rants, back on topic!
I've only been to a handful of games around Billings. "AA" and "A" and the only time I've seen a 3-man crew is intra-city "AA" games. Just last year I went to a Senior-Central game and they had a 2 man crew. So maybe in your area there are more officials than Billings and they can put three on the court. You asked, "So I don't know what games you are watching". Let's just say, "Not many"! I'm friends w/ the BB scheduler for the Billings pool. He said it's a biotch w/ the shortage.
There are three pools in Billings (Billings, Huntley & Laurel). I know they go from Miles City to Reed Point and from Roundup to Northern WY (Sheridan, Powell & Cody). Also, the "big boys" do Frontier games, MSU-B games and Juco games, so yes, there probably is a shortage here!!!
Now, back to the 50 fouls a game...THATS ABSURD! LET THEM PLAY! It only hurts your district/division, IMO. I don't think the state tourneys are called that close, are they? Are the refs from the pool you draw from calling all the fouls? Do you go to a non-conference game that has officials from another pool that call less fouls? Is sounds like the refs in your pool, to me. Not to say they're bad officials, but they teach to call a tighter game.
Heck, I don't know. :drinking: :laugh:
50 fouls in a 32 minute game...ouch!
