Sports Pet Peeves

[Boston Red]

I'm fine with "we", but you get it for one team per sport for your lifetime. No changing except when you attend a college, your team moves or your relative starts playing for a different team.

Youth sports umpires. Yeah, the youth sports parents can be terrible, but the umpires really are almost universally bad. Getting judgement calls wrong: fair enough. But I am often explaining the rules to umpires who've been calling games for 20 years. The infield fly rule really isn't as difficult to learn as calculus. And it's 50/50 at best whether an umpire is aware the first base being occupied rule doesn't apply to dropped third strikes with two outs (unfortunately a situation that occurs all too often in youth baseball).

[bucksfan2]

If the team isn't signing your paycheck, you're not part of "we". Don't use it. I'll give half a pass if it's a college team and you're an alumnus of the school because there's a different connection there, but even then you're not really part of "we".

I don't use "we" because I am doing nothing to help the team win. I am not there putting in the work, going through practice, battling through injury. I am there, in the stands or watching on TV with a drink in my hand.

I used to say "we" in college at OSU. But the entire time I was there, I knew of one football or basketball player in my class. I had a couple of softball players in my class, but for the most part, "I went to school" but didn't go to school with these athletes.

[dubc47834]

if the team isn't signing your paycheck, you're not part of "we". Don't use it. I'll give half a pass if it's a college team and you're an alumnus of the school because there's a different connection there, but even then you're not really part of "we".

get off my lawn!!!!!

[westofyou]

If the team isn't signing your paycheck, you're not part of "we". Don't use it. I'll give half a pass if it's a college team and you're an alumnus of the school because there's a different connection there, but even then you're not really part of "we".

[RichRed]

I’ve always thought of “we” as just a shorthand term rather than a fan trying to act like part of the team, so it doesn’t bother me. The caveat being that for it to be ok, you must have been a fan of that team for at least 10 years and suffered at least one heart wrenching loss that had playoff implications, which is a rule I just made up.

[CySeymour]

I'm fine with "we", but you get it for one team per sport for your lifetime. No changing except when you attend a college, your team moves or your relative starts playing for a different team.

Youth sports umpires. Yeah, the youth sports parents can be terrible, but the umpires really are almost universally bad. Getting judgement calls wrong: fair enough. But I am often explaining the rules to umpires who've been calling games for 20 years. The infield fly rule really isn't as difficult to learn as calculus. And it's 50/50 at best whether an umpire is aware the first base being occupied rule doesn't apply to dropped third strikes with two outs (unfortunately a situation that occurs all too often in youth baseball).

What’s happened is it’s now hard to find umpires. Some leagues have had to fold because they couldn’t get umpires. No one wants to ump anymore because of the abuse they take.

[Kingspoint]

The wave. I hate the wave. The home team always screws up and does worse during the wave, but the fans don't care.

[Kingspoint]

What’s happened is it’s now hard to find umpires. Some leagues have had to fold because they couldn’t get umpires. No one wants to ump anymore because of the abuse they take.

Politicians killed it, not the abuse. Umpires dropped by 50% during COVID when politicians told people they couldn't go to work if they wanted to. That led to people getting used to staying at home all the time, and so volunteer things like umpiring (they don't get much when they do get paid) dropped dramatically along with games being played during COVID and they have not come back after the games did.

[Roy Tucker]

Politicians killed it, not the abuse. Umpires dropped by 50% during COVID when politicians told people they couldn't go to work if they wanted to. That led to people getting used to staying at home all the time, and so volunteer things like umpiring (they don't get much when they do get paid) dropped dramatically along with games being played during COVID and they have not come back after the games did.

It was dying off a long time before that. My kids reffed soccer 2000-2010. Got paid $25 per game. But the abuse that was heaped on them by both sideline parents and coaches was ridiculous. Did they get a few things wrong or miss calls? Yeah they did. But they were learning on the job and getting better. Just like the kids playing. And the refs sure knew the rules better than those yelling at them. Leagues were desperate to get refs then. I can’t imagine what it’s like now.

[Kingspoint]

It was dying off a long time before that. My kids reffed soccer 2000-2010. Got paid $25 per game. But the abuse that was heaped on them by both sideline parents and coaches was ridiculous. Did they get a few things wrong or miss calls? Yeah they did. But they were learning on the job and getting better. Just like the kids playing. And the refs sure knew the rules better than those yelling at them. Leagues were desperate to get refs then. I can’t imagine what it’s like now.

Around here, for example, it has been much tougher as you say for the last 20 years. But, this year is the first year that they won't have enough to do High School Football games. They are going to have to cancel games for the first time because of no refs if something doesn't happen in the next couple of weeks.

[Boston Red]

What’s happened is it’s now hard to find umpires. Some leagues have had to fold because they couldn’t get umpires. No one wants to ump anymore because of the abuse they take.

These are guys who've been calling games for two decades who still don't know the rules. It's partially their fault. It's more the fault of the leagues who don't even pretend to bother to train these guys.

[CySeymour]

These are guys who've been calling games for two decades who still don't know the rules. It's partially their fault. It's more the fault of the leagues who don't even pretend to bother to train these guys.

I know what you mean, but at this point they have to have someone to ump.

[MWM]

I loath dugout interviews during the game, LOATH

A thousand times this. Any interview with a coach or player during a competition is just painful to watch.

[OesterPoster]

A thousand times this. Any interview with a coach or player during a competition is just painful to watch.

YES. Also, whoever mentioned the sideline reporters. They are worthless. I learn way more about injuries or other sideline events from certain Twitter follows, than from some eye candy who thinks her information is important to announce 10-15 minutes after it happened. And to add onto that...the before-halftime interview of college football or college basketball coaches...so DUMB.

[Kingspoint]

Jack Norworth's 1908 version:


Katie Casey was base ball mad.
Had the fever and had it bad;
Just to root for the home town crew,
Ev'ry sou Katie blew.
On a Saturday, her young beau
Called to see if she'd like to go,
To see a show but Miss Kate said,
"No, I'll tell you what you can do."

"Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack,
I don't care if I never get back,
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game."

Katie Casey saw all the games,
Knew the players by their first names;
Told the umpire he was wrong,
All along good and strong.
When the score was just two to two,
Katie Casey knew what to do,
Just to cheer up the boys she knew,
She made the gang sing this song:

"Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack,
I don't care if I never get back,
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game."




Jack Norworth's 1927 version:


Nelly Kelly loved baseball games,
Knew the players, knew all their names,
You could see her there ev'ry day,
Shout "Hurray," when they'd play.
Her boy friend by the name of Joe
Said, "To Coney Isle, dear, let's go,"
Then Nelly started to fret and pout,
And to him I heard her shout.

"Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack,
I don't care if I never get back,
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game."

Nelly Kelly was sure some fan,
She would root just like any man,
Told the umpire he was wrong,
All along, good and strong.
When the score was just two to two,
Nelly Kelly knew what to do,
Just to cheer up the boys she knew,
She made the gang sing this song.

"Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack,
I don't care if I never get back,
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game."