Thursday, June 12, 2008

FIXED

A huge sports story going on nowadays is the NBA referee scandal.Former corrupt and crooked NBA referee Tom Donaghy(pictured here with NBA commissioner David Stern)



alleges that the 2002 Lakers-Kings Game 6 playoff game was fixed by the officials
- see story on http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3436401

Since I've been umpiring lately this got me to thinking about softball umpires and personalities that I know and whether or not they would "fix", ""throw", or "rig" games. hmmm let's explore

Top Ten Softball

10. Tie John Sheppard and Tom Murphy - West manager and star pitcher -NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!! - I repeat NEVER!!!!!!!! would throw a game.They would rather die or have a limb cut-off. Come from the old school.

9. Dio Jackson - I would say NEVER also. However, he would give you such a Denzel Washington type guilt speech that you would go to confession afterwards to atone.

8. Me - Honestly it would take some obscene amount of amount for me to be bribed - probably at least $5,000.Odds are that won't happen.I fear retribution for the softball gods to ever accept a bribe.
I also respect the players and love the game too much to ever do it in a competitive game.

7. Looch - Umpire Chelsea/Yorkville/Inwood - bribes aren't Looch's thing - eating pastels and selling clinchers are what he likes to do.

6. OJ - umpire in Central Park and avid reader of softballinsider.net - nice guy and active umpire. My gut says he falls into the RR school of bribes - wouldn't want to ruin his reputation, but if a ridiculous offer was made he would take it. It's normal.
5. Camacho Yorkville ump - probably, but would 1st ask the league for a raise union style, then if his demands were not met he would do what he has to do.
4. Issac "Gubi" Delgado - Not an umpire, excellent hitter.
Would throw a game as an umpire (not as a player) if someone paid his monthly car payment or paid a speeding ticket.
If they couldn't pay that, then he would accept a happy meal for his Daughter Evercy
3. Gilbert Gonzalez - not an umpire - stud player.
Gil has a lot of pride and wants to win.
He also wants to "get paid" or as he says "Me van a Mojar".
A bribe for him would represent a conflict.
My guess is that he would NEVER throw a game as a player - too much pride unless he either was blown away with an outrageous offer or really hated his teammates.
2. John Castillo - arguably one of the best softball players around ( not an umpire).
If they game was important and personal to him or his close friends NEVER!!!!!!!!
Otherwise no comment

and the Number One Umpires or Personalities I know and whether or not they would "tamper" with a game

1.Bronxstars.com umpires - they say a picture says a thousand words - you look at the pictures and decide


P.S. My boy Wimpie on the LHS in the picture above gets a pass.He respects the game and players. Bobby on the other hand hmmmm ....



Freddy Gonzalez - good guy runs the league and head ump - has improved his league



Rest of the crew - you decide

2 comments:

  1. Dude, what are you doing in the Bronx,especially Pelham. I will give my props for Freddy and his most of his crew, but not all. They are a good bunch of guys. They have the best Ump gig ever, 1-1 count to start every batter...sweet.
    Oj

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  2. Raul
    The league the Freddy runs is the best league in the Bronx. He is fair and honest and you don't have to worry about illegal player. He also runs a good crew of umpires. I glad to be able to play for a league that commits to its player. Let's just play ball.

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