A Little Bit of Catching Up Four Days Later

I have been home from the LLWS for four days now and lots of people continue to call, text, and email me with congratulations and questions.  It's been quite humbling to have all these folks recognize me in one way or another.  I need to write on this blog those memories I have before they fade away, but time is still fleeting.  I now have other things I need to do as well - like work.   Needless to say, however, my productivity this week has not been too great.

I've been keeping up with many of my Blue Crew friends.  All of us are having trouble comprehending what we just accomplished.  There is still a great deal of emotion rolling around.  However, I can honestly say that all of these guys and their wives, girlfriends, and fiancés are very special to me and we will be friends forever.

Four things have happened to me since the end of the LLWS championship that bear some recognition.  First, I received a telephone call from the Youngstown paper, the Vindicator, to get my take on the championship game.  Some of that interview was published and I will post it later with a corresponding link.  Second, I was asked to speak before the Curbstone Coaches group in Youngstown on September 17th.  This is quite an honor for me.  The Curbstone Coaches is a local group that invites sports-related individuals, many of them professional athletes or coaches, to talk about their experiences.  Third, next Friday, September 7th, a local TV station wants to do a short interview during a live segment during their newscast.  And finally, today a good friend, Ed Strauss, called me and asked to meet me.  He gave me a near complete set of DVD recordings of this year's LLWS games.  It was a huge surprise to me and I was quite touched by his kindness.  Ed is a great person and an ardent supporter of YSU athletics.  For him to do this for me is awfully special.  It really made my day.

One Hour to Go

An hour before the championship game and most of the laughter in the locker room had faded into near solemn silence. Very strange atmosphere today. Some guys appear happy, but not enthused, others are sad, some seemed irritated or angry. I think finality has sunk in for some of us. Some guys might be miffed that they aren't working this last game. Me, I'm just humbled to be a member of the championship game crew. This is the fulfillment of my Little League umpire dream.

Championship Day Begins

I arrived at the park around 9:45 AM and the place is a beehive of activity. The first game's umpires are getting ready and there's a subdued atmosphere in the locker room. Mostly, I believe this is due to the fact that we now realize that this magical ride is coming to a close. Everything we do now is for the last time as a LLWS umpire. I hope that this melancholy is just a fleeting moment.

I'm looking forward to my game assignment. Not everyone made the championship game crew and I feel guilty in some respect. There are 15 other guys who also deserve this honor. I hope those not on the field realize that a part of them will be with me. None of us worked this series as individuals. We are more than a team. We are a true Band of Brothers.

Championship Game

I have been selected to work 3rd base in tomorrow's championship game between Japan and Tennessee. The game will be televised on ABC at 3:00 PM.

Today's Thoughts and Saturday's Games

Today, Friday, is an off day for all of us umpires.  We're tired, but still pumped up about our time here the LLWS.  Many of us will be touring and resting today, getting ready for the remaining games this weekend.  As for Karen and I, we will be touring around this morning with her parents who have been here the last two days.  I have a luncheon to attend, then Karen and I will tour the Pennsylvania College of Technology prior to the arrival of our daughter, Heather.  I'm looking forward to seeing her - we haven't had one of our father-daughter snit spats in nearly two weeks!  I miss them and her witty comebacks.  Tonight, after the parents leave, the three of us will go to a street fair here in Williamsport and have some family time together.  I already anticipate that Karen and Heather will be chatting up a storm with me not in the conversation.  That's ok with me - they are more than mother and daughter; they are best friends.  And that's the way it should be.

As for tomorrow, the game assignments were made this morning.  I was not assigned to any games, so I will be sitting somewhere in the stands rooting for my brothers in light blue (or black, as it may be) work the International and United States Championship games.

There will be two games on Sunday - a third place game between the losers of today's game and the world championship between the two winners from Saturday's games.  The assignments for those games will be made late Saturday and I will post my role, if any, as soon as I know.  I suspect that I will get an assignment, but I don't know which game or which position.  It really doesn't matter.  I've done more here already than I set out to accomplish.  I am satisfied.

One last note about assignments.  I believe I mentioned this before, but it bares repeating.  Making umpire assignments at this level is so complex due to numerous variables and the need to have simultaneous balance and quality.  This has been no easy task, I'm sure.   I would not want the responsibility.  I cannot tell you how much respect I have for the three guys making the decisions about which umpire does what, where, and when.  Yet, Mike, Doc, and Frank have been absolutely marvelous in this regard as well as with their encouragement and advice.  As Frank might say, they have been "Huge, huger than hugie!" (I'll explain this Frankism in a later post).  These guys have had difficult choices to make and hopefully, from my perspective, our collective lack of egos (or at least smaller than usual egos) have made their job easier.  My hats off to them all.

Awards Breakfast - Quick Note

All of the LLWS umpires returned from the Little League Volunteer Awards breakfast about an hour ago.  It was a very special event which I will go into some detail at a later time.  However, I wanted to briefly note one of the highlight moments during that event.

Cameron and Judy Watts
(Photograph taken from web
page cited in this posting)

This year's Mom of the Year Award was given to Mrs. Judy Watts.  What a story!  See the following link for more details: www.littleleague.org/Page58960.aspx.  During her introduction, I and quite a few other umpires had tears in our eyes.  (Yeah, through my own watering eyes, I saw you weepy boys!  You don't have to hide your inner feelings off the field!)  What a great son she has in Cameron, too!  Before the introduction was over, we all decided to give her a standing ovation since she is also a LL umpire.  Turns out, we weren't alone.  Everyone stood and applauded.

After the breakfast, I went over to introduce myself to Mrs. Watts. I wanted to congratulate her and thank her for her dedication and service to LL.  Surprisingly, she remarked  that she knew who I was and that she was following my games.  Moreover, she was reading this blog.  How cool is that! 

So, thanks for reading my inane diatribe, Judy, and once again, congratulations and thank you for all that you have done, are doing, and will do for Little League.  You are awesome!  And so is Cameron!

Thursday's Game

I will umpire tomorrow night (8/23) at 1st base in the Texas-California elimination game, which is being televised at 8:00 PM on ESPN2.