Post by rog on Dec 29, 2018 7:23:45 GMT -5
Let's say we're a manager. (Some of us have been.) Should we distrust umpires?
Our distrust begins because we believe they make too many mistakes, If we believe that, shouldn't we ask ourselves at least two questions:
. Do more of the missed calls go for our team or for the other team?
. Does it seem umpires miss more calls in games our team wins or in games we lose?
If the answer to those questions aren't for the other team and in games we lose, then why would we distrust the umpires? If the answer is that it's about the same, why would we distrust the umpires? If the answer IS for the other team and in games we lose, isn't it possible we're being biased? If the umpire is making too many mistakes, why wouldn't as many of those mistakes go FOR us as against us? After all, it is part of his job to be objective, to keep the game safe and FAIR.
Our job as managers isn't to keep the game fair. A big part (some would say most) of our job is to win games. And our job is to win games through almost any means that doesn't break the rules. (Some would say any means that doesn't get us CAUGHT breaking the rules. If you don't get caught, it ain't cheatin'.)
So if the other team is getting the breaks, does that just happen, or is it because the umpire is showing favoritism? If the other team is just getting the breaks this game, that's part of the game. If he's getting it because the umpire is showing favoritism, why is the umpire favoring the other team instead of ours?
Unless we bribe the umpire, are we breaking the rules to try to get him to favor our team instead of the other team -- or at least to try to get him not to favor either team? If we're not breaking the rules, then isn't the other manager doing a better job of "manipulating" the umpire than we are? Doesn't that make him the better manager in that category? Shouldn't we be working harder in that area to improve our game?
If we distrust the umpire, aren't we admitting a failure? Either we're biased, or we're not doing as good a job of manipulating the umpire as the other manager is. Distrusting the umpire may or may not say something accurate about the umpire -- but it says something about US.
Our distrust begins because we believe they make too many mistakes, If we believe that, shouldn't we ask ourselves at least two questions:
. Do more of the missed calls go for our team or for the other team?
. Does it seem umpires miss more calls in games our team wins or in games we lose?
If the answer to those questions aren't for the other team and in games we lose, then why would we distrust the umpires? If the answer is that it's about the same, why would we distrust the umpires? If the answer IS for the other team and in games we lose, isn't it possible we're being biased? If the umpire is making too many mistakes, why wouldn't as many of those mistakes go FOR us as against us? After all, it is part of his job to be objective, to keep the game safe and FAIR.
Our job as managers isn't to keep the game fair. A big part (some would say most) of our job is to win games. And our job is to win games through almost any means that doesn't break the rules. (Some would say any means that doesn't get us CAUGHT breaking the rules. If you don't get caught, it ain't cheatin'.)
So if the other team is getting the breaks, does that just happen, or is it because the umpire is showing favoritism? If the other team is just getting the breaks this game, that's part of the game. If he's getting it because the umpire is showing favoritism, why is the umpire favoring the other team instead of ours?
Unless we bribe the umpire, are we breaking the rules to try to get him to favor our team instead of the other team -- or at least to try to get him not to favor either team? If we're not breaking the rules, then isn't the other manager doing a better job of "manipulating" the umpire than we are? Doesn't that make him the better manager in that category? Shouldn't we be working harder in that area to improve our game?
If we distrust the umpire, aren't we admitting a failure? Either we're biased, or we're not doing as good a job of manipulating the umpire as the other manager is. Distrusting the umpire may or may not say something accurate about the umpire -- but it says something about US.