WEBVTT

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Okay, it is a new week, still a new year, and

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you're listening to the Dan Time Podcast. I am

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your host, Dan McArdle. DanTimePod at gmail .com,

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at Dan TimePod on the socials. Thanks for downloading

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and subscribing. Don't know how you found me,

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but I appreciate you jumping on for at least

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one ride here. If you haven't made... A clean

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break yet from all of your vices and your poor

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decisions and you haven't acted on one of those

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gym membership ads that you keep seeing. You

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still have time. You've got plenty of time. Slow

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things down. When you're on Dan time, I'm not

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telling you to procrastinate, but give yourself

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a break. Let your thoughts settle for a minute.

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Listen, my piece of advice, and I don't dish

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it out often, it's very simple. Give yourself

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a shot. Give yourself a shot. Other people will

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give you chances in life. They'll take a chance

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on you, but it all starts with you. Give yourself

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a shot. Believe in what you can do. And it doesn't

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even have to be on a grand scale. Okay. You know,

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when you watch a show or you listen to a podcast

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and the host says to the guest, come back anytime.

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You're always welcome here. And then that's the

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last time you ever see that person on the show.

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Well, I do my best on this podcast to stay true

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to my promises. And you hear me talk to people

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and say, Hey, let's do a second episode. So we're

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getting around to some of those. They won't just

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start piling up because there's a lot of new

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guests that I want to introduce you to. But last

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week's guest, Gerald Watkins, superb guest, chairman

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and executive director of the Friends of Rickwood.

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I won't recap everything because you can go back

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and listen to the episode, but he was referred

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to me by the very first Dan to appear on this

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podcast. That's right. The one and only Dan Weinrib.

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If you just got on board with this show, go all

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the way back and listen to episode number two.

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There's a reason why the first Dan wasn't the

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first actual guest. And it's there that you'll

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hear Dan Weinrib's compelling story as a public

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servant. Today, we're gonna explore Dan's love

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for the game of baseball. and his 20 plus years

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as a baseball umpire. If you love baseball, you're

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going to love this episode. If you're not really

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a big baseball or sports fan, I think you'll

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still enjoy this episode. That's because Dan

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Weinrib is the featured guest. As you'll find

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out, he's just such a decent and engaging guy.

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After listening to this show, you're going to

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understand the mind of the umpire. the ways of

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the umpire, the challenges that they face, the

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methods, the reasons why. I know what some of

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you may be thinking. Dan, it's January. It's

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freezing outside. It's the NFL playoffs. It's

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why are we talking all this baseball right now?

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The answer is quite simple. It's because when

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the calendar turns over to a new year, it's time.

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I don't wait for pitchers and catchers to report.

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to spring training. I don't wait until the end

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of the Superbowl, till the end of March Madness.

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I don't wait. Baseball to me is optimism. It's

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fun. And as they say, hope springs eternal. But

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just when you think the show is moving in one

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direction, it'll spin somewhere else. I've got

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an exciting musical guest next week. So you're

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always in for a surprise here on the Dan Time

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Podcast. Again, thanks for listening. Let's get

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to my conversation now. It is Dan Wine Rib Time.

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Dan, it is just great to have you back today.

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Well, thank you, Dan. Right back at you. It's

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an honor to be asked back for another podcast

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interview. And I see it as another opportunity

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for you and I just to catch up and... continue

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our friendship and share experiences. So thanks

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for having me. Well, when we reconnected a few

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months ago, this is the first time that we had

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spoken in over a decade. And it was so much fun.

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And we covered a lot about what you do day to

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day and the 2002 race for Jefferson County Tax

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Assessor. I mean, folks, if you haven't heard

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this episode, dial it back. You know put this

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one on pause and go back and listen to episode

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number two You'll really get a good a good introduction

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to Dan wine rib, but now we have more of an open

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-ended conversation where we promise to just

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talk some baseball because as this episode is

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being released We're right on the cusp of a new

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season pitchers and catchers reporting to spring

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training camps and Folks, Dan Weinreb has been

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involved in the game of baseball directly, indirectly

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for a long time, and specifically for almost

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25 years. I think this is coming up on season

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24 as a high school baseball umpire in the state

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of Alabama, uh, with the AHSAA. Dan, I don't

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even know where to start, but, um, do you enjoy

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it as much as you did season one? I'm sure you've

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learned a lot and tell me a little bit about

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being a baseball umpire. I'd love to. First of

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all, Dan, I love the game of baseball. And so,

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yes, I get as much thrill out of stepping onto

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a ball field in 2023 and now 2024 as I did back

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in 2000 when I first got started. And I mean,

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to be quite candid, baseball was the first Love

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of my wife. I basically came out my mama's belly

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wearing a Cincinnati Reds hat and I've always

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known Just you know from growing up in the family

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that grew up and that I loved the game of baseball

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But I must admit as a kid. I never thought of

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growing up to be an umpire But it was a decision

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that I reached In my late 20s right at the end

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of my 20s and I'm glad I did it because I went

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from being 29 years old to 30 years young once

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I started doing it and so yeah, it's it brings

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me great joy to Be involved with the game and

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to get a chance to call balls and strikes here

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in our area And I was able to obtain a copy.

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This is a few years ago 20 the 2016 -17 umpires

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manual but Casual fans even me included. I'm

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a huge baseball fan We're not really in touch

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with what's going on with the officiating crew

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Minute by minute second by second in the game

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of baseball what they're observing what they're

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tasked with observing controlling Dan this is

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a 72 page manual. I mean the situations that

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are covered here You know some are pretty straightforward

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that we see all the time, but here's one a a

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good ball boy helps past balls or wild pitches

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that go to the fence or backstop are a potential

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problem for the home plate umpire an Unretrieved

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ball is a safety hazard it could also cause confusion

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if a live ball goes into the same area a ton

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of minutiae here for the average fan, but then

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people probably don't realize how important every

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little detail is if you are a baseball umpire

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whether it's high school college minor leagues

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or major leagues you're right and on top of that

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you have variations in the rules of the game

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between high school versus college versus the

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pros and you know as a high school umpire i owe

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it to the teams and to the High School Association

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to stay updated on the rules book and to know

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how to apply the rules of the game onto the field

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and so. That is actually something that I've

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been doing since really last 10 days and it will

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continue into the season is just reading through

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for me the high school rules book and the appropriate

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cases to know how to and just make sure that.

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I stay on top of the rules of the game just like

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you want your doctor to stay Involved through

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continuing ed through, you know updates and modern

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medicine saying what's your lawyers your accountants

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and stuff like that and so yeah, there's a lot

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of minutiae that you have to stay on top of as

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an umpire just to be good at what you do and

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You're really in charge of handling The players

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the assistant coaches and there's kind of a fine

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line with how Much or how little or if if at

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all you should get involved with spectators you

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have to have a very solid grasp well, there's

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knowledge of the game then there's managing the

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game itself and managing the relationships and

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thankfully in high school we there are some protocols

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in place that Only the head coach and the team

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captain, if the team's designated team captain,

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do the communicating with the umpire behind the

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plate and on the bases. And so we try not to

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engage with the assistant coaches beyond, and

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maybe pregame chit chat before the plate meeting.

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And we definitely don't engage with the fans.

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We let, there's a school administrator, at least

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at the high school level, there's supposed to

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be a school administrator who's supposed to stay

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on the premises. And if there are any issues

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with fans that could affect the game, we get

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in touch with the head coach, head coach gets

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in touch with the administrator and the administrator

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deals with whatever the off the field problem

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is. But thankfully, in my association with our

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region those issues are few and far between.

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So we're lucky that where I officiate we have

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a lot of great teams a lot of good coaches and

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the coaches most of them understand the rule

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book as well as we do and so we don't get too

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much thankfully grief from them. Yeah I can I

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can see once you get up to a certain level you're

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going to have some some outlier Situations that

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you have to defuse but you're probably dealing

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with players and coaches Who've been doing this

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a long time players since they were little they

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they kind of know the rhythm of the game how

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they're supposed to conduct themselves same with

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the coaching staff and even the parents the spectator

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so You probably don't have a lot of explosive

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problems to deal with You're right, thankfully

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and thankfully that is the case. The kids are

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very respectful. They were very good about yes

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or no, sir, and they've been playing the game

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long enough to know that the coaches handle any

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potential issues or real issues that happen on

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the field. And even in the pregame meeting, we

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set the tone real early when we tell coaches,

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hey, look, if the if you have any questions you

00:12:17.210 --> 00:12:20.690
can approach us will be glad to answer the best

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we can. We just want to get it right and. When

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you do that, it goes a long way to building trust

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as well as well as an umpire hustling, being

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in good position to make your judgment calls

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that further builds up your credibility. So,

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you know, and in the big league game, we're starting

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to see even fans, even I've got a friend who

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would who would prefer to see robot umpires.

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Across the board and just do away with the human

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umpire. I am Completely and adamantly against

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it. I notice on page 22 of this manual to err

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is human umpires are human missed pitches or

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errors and judgment will happen umpires should

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do their best to have as few as possible when

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you boot a call or miss a pitch do not Resolve

00:13:15.700 --> 00:13:18.600
to even the call next time once called. That's

00:13:18.600 --> 00:13:22.379
it It's over and done such a resolve blows your

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objectivity. There's no way you can write the

00:13:24.539 --> 00:13:27.700
call a Missed pitch or a Buddha call is just

00:13:27.700 --> 00:13:30.899
that it's missed and gone forever. How do you

00:13:30.899 --> 00:13:35.259
react when? You call somebody safe or you call

00:13:35.259 --> 00:13:38.039
somebody out and then seconds later in your mind,

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you know Hmm, maybe maybe I missed that Not sure

00:13:43.340 --> 00:13:46.240
but maybe I did and you just how do you keep

00:13:46.240 --> 00:13:49.080
your composure? I mean you have to but what?

00:13:49.039 --> 00:13:53.980
Have you had that happen very often? Well, we

00:13:53.980 --> 00:13:58.960
are human. I know that if I've ever erred on

00:13:58.960 --> 00:14:02.879
anything on the ball field, it's on the ball

00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:06.340
strike pitches. And if I've thought that a call

00:14:06.340 --> 00:14:10.019
was questionable, then what it tells me is that,

00:14:10.259 --> 00:14:14.179
well, maybe I was a little too quick to judge

00:14:14.179 --> 00:14:17.460
and I just need to slow things down. By and large,

00:14:17.559 --> 00:14:21.399
the safe and outs are usually more clear than

00:14:21.399 --> 00:14:23.419
the balls and strikes, at least I have found

00:14:23.419 --> 00:14:26.679
in my own experiences of looking back on my judgment

00:14:26.679 --> 00:14:31.159
calls. But yeah, you know, that's why we umpires

00:14:31.159 --> 00:14:35.139
have to go into the cages in the preseason and

00:14:35.139 --> 00:14:38.919
start looking at pitches early before the February

00:14:38.919 --> 00:14:41.480
15th opening day, just so that we can get used

00:14:41.480 --> 00:14:44.019
to squatting, getting our head in the right position,

00:14:44.360 --> 00:14:46.690
getting our feet in the right position. behind

00:14:46.690 --> 00:14:50.070
the catcher and make sure that we see the pitch

00:14:50.070 --> 00:14:54.610
all the way in to the catcher's glove before

00:14:54.610 --> 00:14:56.950
we make a call because you're supposed to pause

00:14:56.950 --> 00:15:01.730
read and react and if you do it the right way

00:15:01.730 --> 00:15:05.509
you see the pitch watch it go into the glove

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and then you pause for maybe a second or so confirming

00:15:11.990 --> 00:15:14.750
your mind that was a strike or that was a ball

00:15:14.750 --> 00:15:18.779
and then you Announce your call and in the case

00:15:18.779 --> 00:15:22.480
of a strike you do your hand motion He'll hand

00:15:22.480 --> 00:15:25.899
an arm motion, but that's why you have repetitions.

00:15:25.899 --> 00:15:29.000
That's why you that's why folks like me have

00:15:29.000 --> 00:15:34.200
to practice between now and February to get into

00:15:34.200 --> 00:15:36.740
get your mind into game shape as well as your

00:15:36.740 --> 00:15:42.940
body Dan do umpires have Just speaking for yourself

00:15:42.940 --> 00:15:44.759
when you get to the ball field and you smell

00:15:44.759 --> 00:15:50.279
the grass and it's a beautiful spring day Do

00:15:50.279 --> 00:15:54.440
you have time I? Imagine you do to take it in

00:15:54.440 --> 00:15:57.360
and have just that moment that fleeting moment

00:15:57.360 --> 00:16:01.320
where you look around and you think Wow, I can't

00:16:01.320 --> 00:16:03.720
believe I get to do this. This is great. Okay

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now down to business now Let me get my checklist

00:16:06.519 --> 00:16:10.029
going. Do you still have those moments? Oh, of

00:16:10.029 --> 00:16:11.990
course I do. I mean, when you love the game of

00:16:11.990 --> 00:16:15.169
baseball and you love what you do, yeah. I mean,

00:16:15.509 --> 00:16:18.610
it's truly a gift that umpires like us never

00:16:18.610 --> 00:16:21.529
want to take for granted. And you have that awe

00:16:21.529 --> 00:16:23.950
and wonder moment when you get to the ball field

00:16:23.950 --> 00:16:26.529
and you just want to take in the sights and sounds

00:16:26.529 --> 00:16:30.539
and certainly the beautiful weather. But then

00:16:30.539 --> 00:16:33.559
you realize, okay, we have a job to do. Let's

00:16:33.559 --> 00:16:35.720
get our mind right. Let's do it. Go through our

00:16:35.720 --> 00:16:38.620
pregame motions and get ready for first pitch.

00:16:38.720 --> 00:16:42.340
But yes, it's truly a gift. Just to tell you

00:16:42.340 --> 00:16:46.539
a story, Dan, this happened really early in my

00:16:46.539 --> 00:16:50.320
umpiring career. My association gets together

00:16:50.320 --> 00:16:54.299
during the season on every other Sunday just

00:16:54.299 --> 00:17:00.019
to get game assignments. They're raising my hand,

00:17:00.019 --> 00:17:02.600
trying to get games just like my colleagues were.

00:17:03.940 --> 00:17:07.279
And then the supervisor announced this. I want

00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:10.539
to say this is around, this had been 2001 or

00:17:10.539 --> 00:17:15.180
so, my second year in. It says, all right, Mountain

00:17:15.180 --> 00:17:19.480
Brook versus Woodlawn. This game's at Rickwood

00:17:19.480 --> 00:17:24.740
Field on this day and time. Who's available?

00:17:24.819 --> 00:17:28.880
And I quickly raised my hand and and I got the

00:17:28.880 --> 00:17:31.400
assignment along with whoever my partner was

00:17:31.400 --> 00:17:37.299
and I googled Rickwood field and I knew a little

00:17:37.299 --> 00:17:39.240
bit about the history but then after googling

00:17:39.240 --> 00:17:44.240
it I thought wow and normally I get to a game

00:17:44.240 --> 00:17:48.000
assignment to the field 30 minutes ahead of time

00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:53.910
to have my take it in moment. for Rick would

00:17:53.910 --> 00:17:56.670
field I got there an hour and 15 minutes ahead

00:17:56.670 --> 00:18:00.430
of time because I Had read so much about the

00:18:00.430 --> 00:18:02.869
history of it that I wanted to walk around and

00:18:02.869 --> 00:18:07.349
just take it all in before Getting to my game

00:18:07.349 --> 00:18:12.009
day focus on so yeah, it happens to us You can't

00:18:12.009 --> 00:18:14.910
help it. You're human And if you love the game

00:18:14.910 --> 00:18:17.329
of baseball like you or I do you would have done

00:18:17.329 --> 00:18:23.059
the same thing. Oh Man What an experience. And

00:18:23.059 --> 00:18:26.180
at the time, you just didn't, that was an introduction

00:18:26.180 --> 00:18:31.559
to the specter of Rickwood Field. Correct. That

00:18:31.559 --> 00:18:33.700
was my very first introduction to Rickwood, too.

00:18:34.059 --> 00:18:36.259
But yeah, when you're a fan of the game, you

00:18:36.259 --> 00:18:39.579
want to take in the moment and just know that,

00:18:39.740 --> 00:18:42.799
wow, I get to do this. This is a privilege. And

00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:45.619
I still have those feelings going into season

00:18:45.619 --> 00:18:49.220
24 as I did for seasons one and two. And speaking

00:18:49.220 --> 00:18:52.759
of Rickwood Field, I'm not, as we're recording

00:18:52.759 --> 00:18:55.740
this call, I'm not yet sure of the order, but

00:18:55.740 --> 00:18:59.319
I believe this episode will fall just after my

00:18:59.319 --> 00:19:02.299
conversation with your friend Gerald Watkins,

00:19:02.940 --> 00:19:05.079
the chairman and executive director of Friends

00:19:05.079 --> 00:19:07.859
of Rickwood. How much fun have you had being

00:19:07.859 --> 00:19:11.359
involved with that organization and what you

00:19:11.359 --> 00:19:15.000
get to do during the Rickwood Classic? It's awesome.

00:19:15.180 --> 00:19:20.240
Rickwood is a special place. I owe a former Jefferson

00:19:20.240 --> 00:19:23.500
County coworker of mine Charlie Wagner a debt

00:19:23.500 --> 00:19:26.079
of gratitude because he's the one who recruited

00:19:26.079 --> 00:19:29.140
me to volunteer and help Friends of Rickwood

00:19:29.140 --> 00:19:32.039
out and I'll always remember this. I started

00:19:32.039 --> 00:19:37.200
at Jefferson County in 2003 in my elected position

00:19:37.200 --> 00:19:40.539
and Charlie and I struck up a friendship and

00:19:40.539 --> 00:19:43.960
it got to be like May or June, I think it was

00:19:43.960 --> 00:19:48.079
June. And he said, Dan, I need your help on something

00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:50.200
that's baseball -related. And of course, that

00:19:50.200 --> 00:19:51.880
caught my attention. I said, well, what is it?

00:19:51.900 --> 00:19:55.240
And he told me, well, my son and I are supposed

00:19:55.240 --> 00:19:57.859
to run the scoreboard for the Rickwood Classic,

00:19:57.880 --> 00:19:59.700
because I'm involved with friends of Rickwood

00:19:59.700 --> 00:20:02.339
on their board of directors. And we could use

00:20:02.339 --> 00:20:06.380
some help. And I said, I'm here. Sign me up.

00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:09.559
And that's how I got involved with Rickwood.

00:20:09.559 --> 00:20:14.460
I did the my first scoreboard in 2003 for that

00:20:14.460 --> 00:20:18.079
classic, and then the subsequent year, and I

00:20:18.079 --> 00:20:21.480
did the same thing. And the end of 2004, start

00:20:21.480 --> 00:20:24.019
of 2005, I want to say that's about right. I

00:20:24.019 --> 00:20:25.839
was voted onto the board of directors because

00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:29.079
I'd shown the time, interest, and enthusiasm.

00:20:29.940 --> 00:20:33.960
And that's where my relationship with FOR got

00:20:33.960 --> 00:20:38.019
launched. here I am 20 years later and I'm still

00:20:38.019 --> 00:20:40.720
involved with the organization because it's a

00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:45.140
great cause and a great historical place. And

00:20:45.140 --> 00:20:49.400
I obviously haven't been able to lay eyes on

00:20:49.400 --> 00:20:52.420
the refurbished Rickwood field. Many people have

00:20:52.420 --> 00:20:56.500
not, I'm sure. I just cannot wait to see what

00:20:56.500 --> 00:20:59.059
this place is going to look like. I'll probably

00:20:59.059 --> 00:21:02.910
have to watch it on TV for the first ever Major

00:21:02.910 --> 00:21:05.049
League Baseball game in the state of Alabama,

00:21:05.650 --> 00:21:07.910
the tribute to the Negro Leagues game, which

00:21:07.910 --> 00:21:10.450
as I understand is, I didn't ask Gerald this

00:21:10.450 --> 00:21:13.029
directly, but I think an opportunity may have

00:21:13.029 --> 00:21:17.089
opened up with the Field of Dreams location in

00:21:17.089 --> 00:21:21.670
Iowa being kind of on hold as they were undergoing

00:21:21.670 --> 00:21:25.710
some new development on that site and created

00:21:25.710 --> 00:21:28.730
an opportunity perhaps. I mean, what an event

00:21:28.730 --> 00:21:32.849
that we've got coming in June. You're right.

00:21:33.029 --> 00:21:36.630
It's exciting. And with the teams, the Cardinals

00:21:36.630 --> 00:21:39.529
and the Giants to agree to give up, you know,

00:21:39.589 --> 00:21:41.490
one of those teams had to give up a home date

00:21:41.490 --> 00:21:45.890
to agree to come to Birmingham. So yeah, you're

00:21:45.890 --> 00:21:47.650
right. It is exciting. We've had Major League

00:21:47.650 --> 00:21:49.609
Baseball teams come through Rickwood, but they

00:21:49.609 --> 00:21:53.130
were always preseason exhibitions. But this is

00:21:53.130 --> 00:21:55.210
the first, you know, you're right, regular season

00:21:55.210 --> 00:21:59.569
game. Head to head, two MLB teams taking each

00:21:59.569 --> 00:22:02.380
other on. And it's not an exhibition game, is

00:22:02.380 --> 00:22:05.880
that right? This will count? Yes, it counts to

00:22:05.880 --> 00:22:09.180
the standings, absolutely. And the Negro League

00:22:09.180 --> 00:22:12.920
tie -in for our teams is that in the case of

00:22:12.920 --> 00:22:15.440
the St. Louis Cardinals, if I recall correctly,

00:22:15.599 --> 00:22:18.799
their very first Negro League or former Negro

00:22:18.799 --> 00:22:21.660
League player who played on the Cardinals was

00:22:21.660 --> 00:22:23.819
a relief pitcher by the name of Bill Griesen

00:22:23.819 --> 00:22:27.619
who made his name and reputation as a starting

00:22:27.619 --> 00:22:31.329
pitcher in the Negro Leagues. And Bill Greason

00:22:31.329 --> 00:22:34.509
is, I want to say, like a 98, 99 -year -old retired

00:22:34.509 --> 00:22:40.009
minister in Birmingham. And so this is a chance

00:22:40.009 --> 00:22:44.230
for him to have a nice opportunity in the limelight.

00:22:44.269 --> 00:22:47.329
And then you throw in on the Giants side, their

00:22:47.329 --> 00:22:50.430
greatest baseball player ever in their history

00:22:50.430 --> 00:22:56.079
was one Willie Mays from... uh nearby Westfield

00:22:56.079 --> 00:22:59.380
which is now no longer a community but it's near

00:22:59.380 --> 00:23:03.079
this next door neighbor's Fairfield and Rickwood

00:23:03.079 --> 00:23:08.079
Field was where 16 year old Willie Mays made

00:23:08.079 --> 00:23:10.980
his professional debut with the Birmingham Black

00:23:10.980 --> 00:23:15.140
Barons and this was back I want to say in 1948

00:23:15.140 --> 00:23:17.940
which was the year the Birmingham Black Barons

00:23:17.940 --> 00:23:23.279
won the pennant that year and uh and so now here

00:23:23.279 --> 00:23:27.670
we are What more than 75 years later something

00:23:27.670 --> 00:23:31.150
like that? We have a chance to feature Willie

00:23:31.150 --> 00:23:33.789
Mays and have an opportunity for him to return

00:23:33.789 --> 00:23:39.769
to his hometown for a major league baseball game

00:23:39.769 --> 00:23:44.990
involving his former team, so yeah, this is a

00:23:44.990 --> 00:23:47.450
Once -in -a -lifetime opportunity in more ways

00:23:47.450 --> 00:23:52.609
than one. It's just such a storybook I don't

00:23:52.609 --> 00:23:55.170
even know the right way to describe it, but it's

00:23:55.170 --> 00:23:58.690
for the city of Birmingham and friends of Rick

00:23:58.690 --> 00:24:02.150
would Fans like me who grew up in Birmingham,

00:24:02.190 --> 00:24:04.970
and you know we know about Rick would feel we

00:24:04.970 --> 00:24:09.089
know about the prestige Everybody knows it's

00:24:09.089 --> 00:24:13.329
the oldest ballpark in America perhaps the world

00:24:13.329 --> 00:24:17.069
He's still actively hosting games miles college

00:24:17.069 --> 00:24:20.869
high school baseball It's so exciting for it

00:24:20.869 --> 00:24:25.740
to be put on the global stage for the intrigue

00:24:25.740 --> 00:24:29.680
and the excitement for new fans to lay eyes on

00:24:29.680 --> 00:24:33.240
Birmingham, Alabama, and just get this awareness

00:24:33.240 --> 00:24:36.579
of Rick Woodfield, all the kids who, you know,

00:24:36.579 --> 00:24:39.720
like when I was 10, 12, 14 years old, living

00:24:39.720 --> 00:24:43.339
and breathing baseball, for them to be able to

00:24:43.339 --> 00:24:46.500
sink their teeth into Rick Woodfield, maybe wanting

00:24:46.500 --> 00:24:50.359
to grab a book about it. I just, I love everything

00:24:50.359 --> 00:24:54.359
about What's going on? I know then talking to

00:24:54.359 --> 00:24:57.519
Gerald Some concessions had to be made obviously

00:24:57.519 --> 00:25:01.859
getting this the field big league ready Particularly

00:25:01.859 --> 00:25:05.380
the dugouts having to take away those old dugouts,

00:25:05.380 --> 00:25:09.220
but it just Had to be done. I think it's just

00:25:09.220 --> 00:25:12.359
gonna look spectacular Agreed agreed. I mean

00:25:12.359 --> 00:25:16.500
look I mean everyone who is familiar with Rick

00:25:16.500 --> 00:25:20.539
would story It's an old ballpark, but the fact

00:25:20.539 --> 00:25:22.220
of the matter is, and I'm sure Gerald touched

00:25:22.220 --> 00:25:26.500
on it, is that if we wanted to have professional

00:25:26.500 --> 00:25:30.559
baseball back at Rickwood Field year in and year

00:25:30.559 --> 00:25:34.779
out, then these upgrades needed to be done. And

00:25:34.779 --> 00:25:37.539
this is not the first renovation of Rickwood

00:25:37.539 --> 00:25:39.500
Field. This is just the first renovation in a

00:25:39.500 --> 00:25:43.480
really long time. But what we're excited about

00:25:43.480 --> 00:25:46.539
are the opportunities that will come to the ballpark.

00:25:46.799 --> 00:25:49.680
in subsequent years. I mean, amateur baseball

00:25:49.680 --> 00:25:51.799
will continue to come to Rickwood Field, but

00:25:51.799 --> 00:25:54.920
the idea that we could have the Barron's back

00:25:54.920 --> 00:25:58.079
for future Rickwood classics, that in and of

00:25:58.079 --> 00:26:02.039
itself makes the renovation project all the more

00:26:02.039 --> 00:26:05.319
worthwhile. And the idea of having future major

00:26:05.319 --> 00:26:07.140
league games possibly come back to Birmingham

00:26:07.140 --> 00:26:11.019
is further icing on the cake. So, yeah, I mean,

00:26:11.140 --> 00:26:13.140
these renovations had to be done. I mean, you're

00:26:13.140 --> 00:26:16.740
talking about... a ballpark that opened in 1910,

00:26:16.900 --> 00:26:21.880
and here we are in 2024. Yeah, any building needs

00:26:21.880 --> 00:26:25.920
to be updated in order to remain relevant. I

00:26:25.920 --> 00:26:28.819
can remember some of the old Rickwood classic

00:26:28.819 --> 00:26:33.000
games. I think my first one was 2002, and I may

00:26:33.000 --> 00:26:35.000
have missed a couple, but I know I got a streak

00:26:35.000 --> 00:26:38.180
going somewhere around 0567, or I didn't miss

00:26:38.180 --> 00:26:42.279
one until I moved to Pensacola. But, you know,

00:26:42.579 --> 00:26:46.009
it usually fell on Wednesday at the end of May

00:26:46.009 --> 00:26:49.930
pretty hot pretty warm in Birmingham and I just

00:26:49.930 --> 00:26:52.950
remember the ball players for the Barons and

00:26:52.950 --> 00:26:55.809
the visiting teams sitting on top of those old

00:26:55.809 --> 00:27:00.230
dugouts because you can imagine how stuffy Was

00:27:00.230 --> 00:27:03.750
inside but it cramped to actually after the game,

00:27:03.769 --> 00:27:06.869
you know as a fan you can go out on the field

00:27:06.869 --> 00:27:09.769
I don't know if they'll resume that and play

00:27:09.769 --> 00:27:14.720
ball sit in the dugouts run the bases so Exciting

00:27:14.720 --> 00:27:17.759
stuff and you know like we're talking and I spoke

00:27:17.759 --> 00:27:20.859
with Gerald about this tribute to the Negro Leagues

00:27:20.859 --> 00:27:25.140
game all these Upgrades, I'm sure there's a plan

00:27:25.140 --> 00:27:30.900
for 2025 hosting a game 2026 and hopefully Each

00:27:30.900 --> 00:27:34.460
year going forward Dan. How excited would you

00:27:34.460 --> 00:27:39.859
be if? the Cincinnati Reds are Playing against

00:27:39.859 --> 00:27:41.960
you know the New York Mets or something next

00:27:41.960 --> 00:27:48.759
year Well, you got me speechless there. No, it

00:27:48.759 --> 00:27:52.140
would be really cool. And in case for my team,

00:27:52.259 --> 00:27:55.359
the Reds, the Reds actually had a relationship

00:27:55.359 --> 00:27:59.299
with the Birmingham Barons in the late 1930s

00:27:59.299 --> 00:28:03.099
through the mid 40s. And so there would be a

00:28:03.099 --> 00:28:05.460
nice historical tie -in if it were to happen.

00:28:05.839 --> 00:28:08.480
But, you know, it would be nice if it happened.

00:28:08.559 --> 00:28:11.220
I'm not counting on it. any major league game

00:28:11.220 --> 00:28:13.599
coming back to Rickwood. That way it'll be a

00:28:13.599 --> 00:28:16.359
pleasant surprise if it does. But what I'm excited

00:28:16.359 --> 00:28:19.720
about is, you know, the opportunity for, you

00:28:19.720 --> 00:28:22.380
know, right now the Barons to come back and resume

00:28:22.380 --> 00:28:24.980
the annual Rickwood Classic. That would be really

00:28:24.980 --> 00:28:28.779
cool. And on top of that, Rickwood will continue

00:28:28.779 --> 00:28:32.000
to host all kinds of travel ball and college

00:28:32.000 --> 00:28:35.880
ball and high school games and a new improved

00:28:35.880 --> 00:28:40.569
ball field. And that too is worth it. So now

00:28:40.569 --> 00:28:44.529
dan let's uh Let's uh jump off for a minute And

00:28:44.529 --> 00:28:48.109
I know you're a family man. You spend a lot of

00:28:48.109 --> 00:28:51.430
time with your son Is he a baseball fan like

00:28:51.430 --> 00:28:53.849
you are you guys on the same level or is there

00:28:53.849 --> 00:28:58.210
a gap there? Where dad's crazy about it? There's

00:28:58.210 --> 00:29:01.630
a there's a gap That's a pretty hard thing to

00:29:01.630 --> 00:29:05.930
measure up to your old man as far as uh, I want

00:29:05.930 --> 00:29:09.319
jack to develop his own interests and I would

00:29:09.319 --> 00:29:12.140
love it if he can, if he shows as much interest

00:29:12.140 --> 00:29:15.119
in baseball as I do. You know, so he'll follow

00:29:15.119 --> 00:29:18.579
the game casually. I'm raising him to be a fourth

00:29:18.579 --> 00:29:21.640
generation Reds fan. But you know, he also loves

00:29:21.640 --> 00:29:24.799
football and hey, good. I'm glad he's passionate

00:29:24.799 --> 00:29:30.240
about something. But you know, he also enjoys

00:29:30.240 --> 00:29:33.079
other things too. He's currently involved with

00:29:33.079 --> 00:29:35.940
Boy Scouts. He's involved with the high school

00:29:35.940 --> 00:29:39.500
band. here in Homewood. He's he does ultimate

00:29:39.500 --> 00:29:42.400
frisbee and so he has his own passions and I

00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:47.660
want him to follow his heart and do what truly

00:29:47.660 --> 00:29:52.480
stirs him and if baseball finds a way there in

00:29:52.480 --> 00:29:55.519
his adulthood then then that's awesome but if

00:29:55.519 --> 00:29:59.859
it doesn't well you know that's fine too but

00:29:59.859 --> 00:30:02.480
you know he'll certainly enjoy going to baseball

00:30:02.480 --> 00:30:06.650
games with me he always has and You know, he's,

00:30:06.650 --> 00:30:08.890
he's your typical teenager. He's 16 years old

00:30:08.890 --> 00:30:11.049
and there, I'm sure there are a lot of things

00:30:11.049 --> 00:30:13.230
that he associates with dad. They're just right

00:30:13.230 --> 00:30:18.170
now uncool. Maybe he'll come back around as an

00:30:18.170 --> 00:30:25.569
adult. I know he will. Yeah. And I do talk on

00:30:25.569 --> 00:30:29.789
this podcast about dads and their sons or daughters

00:30:29.789 --> 00:30:33.660
or moms and sons and daughters and Whatever you

00:30:33.660 --> 00:30:36.779
got the fire in the belly for it might not be

00:30:36.779 --> 00:30:39.339
the same thing for your child but like you said

00:30:39.339 --> 00:30:43.759
it's important to just be involved and Be in

00:30:43.759 --> 00:30:46.420
touch with what really interests them, you know,

00:30:46.559 --> 00:30:49.880
you might be a huge football fan but your child

00:30:49.880 --> 00:30:53.859
is into theater or something like that and hey

00:30:53.859 --> 00:30:57.259
find out everything you need to learn about theater

00:30:57.259 --> 00:31:01.259
or whatever sparks their interest and just Be

00:31:01.259 --> 00:31:05.200
around, hang out. Like you said, when my kids

00:31:05.200 --> 00:31:07.960
aren't, they're not teenagers yet. I'm sure I'll

00:31:07.960 --> 00:31:10.960
blink an eye and one of them will be, but they'll

00:31:10.960 --> 00:31:12.640
be in time where they don't want to hang out

00:31:12.640 --> 00:31:15.420
with you as much. But I'm sure a great thing

00:31:15.420 --> 00:31:18.000
about the game of baseball, you can go to the

00:31:18.000 --> 00:31:22.859
ballpark with a friend, with a coworker or with

00:31:22.859 --> 00:31:26.160
your son or daughter or your spouse. And they

00:31:26.160 --> 00:31:30.180
may not care about runners on first and third.

00:31:30.569 --> 00:31:33.490
whether they should bunt or steal. They just

00:31:33.490 --> 00:31:36.910
like that. Hey, we're sitting together. No one's

00:31:36.910 --> 00:31:39.250
in a rush. Nobody's got to be somewhere. We're

00:31:39.250 --> 00:31:42.069
just going to sit and enjoy and talk. And hey,

00:31:42.130 --> 00:31:44.150
I'm going to get a hot dog. What do you want?

00:31:44.329 --> 00:31:46.990
And just so many wonderful things about that

00:31:46.990 --> 00:31:51.029
experience. You can go to the ballpark and have

00:31:51.029 --> 00:31:53.309
a great time, even if you're not a huge fan.

00:31:54.569 --> 00:31:58.130
I agree. I cannot say that better myself. Well,

00:31:58.269 --> 00:32:00.490
in the offseason here, you know, I guess it's

00:32:00.430 --> 00:32:02.430
For some teams, it's been pretty eventful for

00:32:02.430 --> 00:32:05.809
others, pretty routine. But I know the Cincinnati

00:32:05.809 --> 00:32:09.470
Reds have strengthened their bullpen. Just saw

00:32:09.470 --> 00:32:11.809
Buck Farmer. Some of these guys, some of these

00:32:11.809 --> 00:32:14.710
middle relievers fly under the radar. They don't,

00:32:14.710 --> 00:32:17.309
you know, grab the headlines. But, you know,

00:32:17.309 --> 00:32:20.910
he was pretty steady presence there in the Reds

00:32:20.910 --> 00:32:25.490
bullpen. Buck Farmer, they re -signed. Yes. Emilio

00:32:25.490 --> 00:32:28.660
Pagan signed a two -year deal. That's that's

00:32:28.660 --> 00:32:31.779
big stuff, you know pitching usually It may not

00:32:31.779 --> 00:32:33.740
get you all the way to the title, but if you've

00:32:33.740 --> 00:32:38.460
got a staff ace and a strong bullpen You know,

00:32:38.460 --> 00:32:40.119
that's what you need everything I've been reading

00:32:40.119 --> 00:32:42.599
which has not been I haven't done a lot of well

00:32:42.599 --> 00:32:46.359
sure dense reading in the offseason up with the

00:32:46.359 --> 00:32:49.299
family responsibilities But what I do here is

00:32:49.299 --> 00:32:52.940
that the Reds are at least expected to be an

00:32:52.940 --> 00:32:57.319
80 plus win team Grab a wild card spot, compete

00:32:57.319 --> 00:33:00.000
for the division. Are you excited about 2024

00:33:00.000 --> 00:33:03.019
for your Cincinnati Reds? Of course. I mean,

00:33:03.259 --> 00:33:06.460
last year's team exceeded my expectations. We

00:33:06.460 --> 00:33:10.740
stunk up the joint so bad all 2022 that, you

00:33:10.740 --> 00:33:14.000
know, I personally set my expectations for the

00:33:14.000 --> 00:33:16.440
team as, you know, losing record, but, you know,

00:33:16.599 --> 00:33:20.240
only winning 72, 71, 72 games, and instead they

00:33:20.240 --> 00:33:23.630
won 82. And now they've... Gone out as you pointed

00:33:23.630 --> 00:33:26.670
out with Amelia Pagan and they just the other

00:33:26.670 --> 00:33:30.190
day signed Frankie Montas to a one year deal

00:33:30.190 --> 00:33:34.029
to be a starter. And so yeah, they're investing

00:33:34.029 --> 00:33:37.869
in pitching and because we have. We still had

00:33:37.869 --> 00:33:39.990
some pitching struggles. I think our starting

00:33:39.990 --> 00:33:43.470
rotation gave us like among the fewest innings

00:33:43.470 --> 00:33:46.009
in Major League Baseball. So we wrote our bullpen

00:33:46.009 --> 00:33:50.329
hard and wore them out. And so yeah, they've.

00:33:50.299 --> 00:33:54.019
I like the investments they've made and in some

00:33:54.019 --> 00:33:58.220
free agent signings. And it makes me optimistic

00:33:58.220 --> 00:34:01.119
that 2024 can be a better year for our team.

00:34:01.420 --> 00:34:04.099
But you also know that, you know, the Cardinals

00:34:04.099 --> 00:34:06.579
are going to be competitive. The Cubs have a

00:34:06.579 --> 00:34:08.960
great young core of players. You know that they're

00:34:08.960 --> 00:34:12.380
going to be competitive, too. So, yeah, it's

00:34:12.380 --> 00:34:15.099
a fun time to be a baseball fan in the National

00:34:15.099 --> 00:34:17.960
League Central, whether you're a Reds fan or

00:34:17.960 --> 00:34:21.519
Cubs fan or Cardinals fan. You know, the Brewers

00:34:21.519 --> 00:34:24.079
are still trying to figure themselves out. They're

00:34:24.079 --> 00:34:27.099
in transition. And of course, the Pirates are

00:34:27.099 --> 00:34:31.440
certainly on yet another rebuild. But yeah, as

00:34:31.440 --> 00:34:33.800
a Reds fan, it's exciting to see what my team

00:34:33.800 --> 00:34:36.960
has done. And you just hope that it pays off

00:34:36.960 --> 00:34:41.880
with a playoff run in October. Yeah, that NL

00:34:41.880 --> 00:34:45.820
Central is usually, well, not always up for grabs,

00:34:45.840 --> 00:34:48.639
but it's very competitive division. a few small

00:34:48.639 --> 00:34:51.679
market teams there, the Reds, the Pirates, the

00:34:51.679 --> 00:34:55.360
Brewers. So if you are a small market team like

00:34:55.360 --> 00:34:59.420
the Reds, I think it makes sense to invest in

00:34:59.420 --> 00:35:01.780
pitching because you may not be able to go out

00:35:01.780 --> 00:35:03.980
and grab that big bat. You're not going to play

00:35:03.980 --> 00:35:09.079
for Shohei Otani. So why not try to get the arms

00:35:09.079 --> 00:35:13.199
that not only can shut down those big bats, but

00:35:13.199 --> 00:35:16.659
they're probably assessing guys who they think

00:35:16.840 --> 00:35:20.099
have a good chance of staying healthy in 2024.

00:35:20.500 --> 00:35:24.380
It's always hard to gauge. One thing that's for

00:35:24.380 --> 00:35:27.019
sure for a small market team, whether it's the

00:35:27.019 --> 00:35:29.880
Brewers or the Reds, is that you can't afford

00:35:29.880 --> 00:35:32.400
to give out the big contracts like the Dodgers

00:35:32.400 --> 00:35:35.280
have just done, or the Yankees typically do,

00:35:35.340 --> 00:35:40.139
or the Angels, or even the Cubs. And so you have

00:35:40.139 --> 00:35:44.429
to spend your money and hit it right. because

00:35:44.429 --> 00:35:48.869
you can maybe afford to eat one bad contract,

00:35:49.429 --> 00:35:52.349
but it really cripples you if you have to pay

00:35:52.349 --> 00:35:56.130
out more than one to a player who has been a

00:35:56.130 --> 00:35:58.849
bust for you for various and century reasons.

00:35:58.869 --> 00:36:04.150
So yeah, it's always a challenge for our teams.

00:36:04.550 --> 00:36:08.510
On the other hand, that's life that you don't

00:36:08.510 --> 00:36:11.230
have all the resources you want, but you have

00:36:11.230 --> 00:36:13.570
some resources and you try to make the the most

00:36:13.570 --> 00:36:16.530
and the best of it. So the way the Dodgers have

00:36:16.530 --> 00:36:20.090
been free spending it, I joke with other baseball

00:36:20.090 --> 00:36:22.829
friends of mine that the Dodgers have given me

00:36:22.829 --> 00:36:25.090
about another billion more reasons never to pull

00:36:25.090 --> 00:36:30.250
for them. But look, baseball is a great game.

00:36:30.650 --> 00:36:32.750
And you know, whether it's a fan or as I am as

00:36:32.750 --> 00:36:37.090
a baseball umpire, it's it's our passion. And

00:36:37.090 --> 00:36:39.570
it's definitely my passion. And just like it

00:36:39.570 --> 00:36:42.699
is for you, you follow the Cubs and That's what

00:36:42.699 --> 00:36:45.659
makes the game as great as it is. It gives us

00:36:45.659 --> 00:36:49.139
an opportunity to bond over yet another world

00:36:49.139 --> 00:36:53.280
of subjects. Well, one final point on working

00:36:53.280 --> 00:36:56.739
as an umpire. We could probably dedicate another

00:36:56.739 --> 00:37:00.239
episode to this topic, but you really have to

00:37:00.239 --> 00:37:03.500
trust the umpires around you. Uh, actually here

00:37:03.500 --> 00:37:07.559
I'm on page 61 and this is just under remember

00:37:07.559 --> 00:37:09.780
the following and there's like seven or eight

00:37:09.780 --> 00:37:13.900
or more. Trust your partner and work as a team.

00:37:14.579 --> 00:37:17.460
Maintain your composure at all times. It takes

00:37:17.460 --> 00:37:20.280
two people to have an argument and then underlined.

00:37:20.739 --> 00:37:24.940
Don't let your ego ruin the game. A lot of things

00:37:24.940 --> 00:37:27.539
that you have to adhere to umpires. Hopefully

00:37:27.539 --> 00:37:29.199
after listening to this episode, if you're a

00:37:29.199 --> 00:37:31.739
baseball fan, the next game you watch and you

00:37:31.739 --> 00:37:35.460
see an umpire standing in a particular spot on

00:37:35.460 --> 00:37:38.179
the field in between innings, it really might

00:37:38.179 --> 00:37:41.400
not be arbitrary. or the way that you're, that

00:37:41.400 --> 00:37:45.360
you are standing or your arms are falling, that

00:37:45.360 --> 00:37:47.320
sort of thing. But again, going back to just

00:37:47.320 --> 00:37:50.079
trust your partner and work as a team, do you

00:37:50.079 --> 00:37:52.719
have, you have to have a great relationship with

00:37:52.719 --> 00:37:56.440
the folks around you. Well, it's paramount. I

00:37:56.440 --> 00:37:59.599
mean, something that Owen Butts, my umpiring

00:37:59.599 --> 00:38:03.159
supervisor tells us every preseason and during

00:38:03.159 --> 00:38:06.099
the season is remember you and your partner are

00:38:06.099 --> 00:38:10.989
a team and You have no fans. You have plenty

00:38:10.989 --> 00:38:13.409
of critics out there, but the two of you have

00:38:13.409 --> 00:38:17.409
to get the job done. You're there to officiate

00:38:17.409 --> 00:38:19.889
the game. You're not there to determine winners

00:38:19.889 --> 00:38:21.809
and losers. You're there just to enforce the

00:38:21.809 --> 00:38:24.650
rules. And so you have to have each other's backs.

00:38:24.809 --> 00:38:28.469
And so, yes, there is a high level of trust you

00:38:28.469 --> 00:38:34.050
have to have between one another in order to

00:38:34.050 --> 00:38:36.690
get through each game assignment successfully.

00:38:38.110 --> 00:38:41.170
I'm happy to say that you know my chapter we

00:38:41.170 --> 00:38:46.250
were full of very good umpires who know the game

00:38:46.250 --> 00:38:51.070
know what their roles are and It makes it easier

00:38:51.070 --> 00:38:54.030
and the part about egos is absolutely right.

00:38:54.429 --> 00:38:56.650
You know, you can't let your ego get in the way

00:38:56.650 --> 00:39:00.969
of what you're there to do and that's a good

00:39:00.969 --> 00:39:04.730
lesson that can be applied to everyday work life

00:39:04.730 --> 00:39:08.820
and and other relationships as well. So, but

00:39:08.820 --> 00:39:11.739
yeah, those things are pretty critical in order

00:39:11.739 --> 00:39:16.099
to be a great umpire who people want to work

00:39:16.099 --> 00:39:19.360
with during the season and in the postseason.

00:39:19.980 --> 00:39:23.340
Well, Dan, I just want to take a minute here

00:39:23.340 --> 00:39:26.659
and thank you for your nearly quarter century

00:39:26.659 --> 00:39:30.300
of high school baseball umpiring and being a

00:39:30.300 --> 00:39:34.269
part of the game on that level. I've only skimmed

00:39:34.269 --> 00:39:37.070
through this document that you guys have to have

00:39:37.070 --> 00:39:41.550
mastered and Hopefully we keep all the field

00:39:41.550 --> 00:39:44.369
umpires at the big league level for a long long

00:39:44.369 --> 00:39:47.349
time I mean, I think every fan loves the animation

00:39:47.349 --> 00:39:51.309
of the umpire with his particular You know, I

00:39:51.309 --> 00:39:54.090
guess I didn't ask when you call somebody out

00:39:54.090 --> 00:39:57.469
play at the plate You throw the fist up. Do you

00:39:57.469 --> 00:40:01.530
have certain motions that are that you've? You've

00:40:01.530 --> 00:40:04.110
come up with then hey, this is my it's the way

00:40:04.110 --> 00:40:07.349
I'm gonna make the call You know like starting

00:40:07.349 --> 00:40:10.210
the lawnmower. What's I don't know how you guys

00:40:10.210 --> 00:40:17.110
what the lingo is but If you're talking about

00:40:17.110 --> 00:40:19.969
being behind the plate and you got a particular

00:40:19.969 --> 00:40:23.190
strike three call there's there is pulling the

00:40:23.190 --> 00:40:27.070
string I've heard the lawnmower expression and

00:40:28.139 --> 00:40:31.500
If the pitch is right on the corner, it hits

00:40:31.500 --> 00:40:33.739
the edge of the strike zone for strike three,

00:40:34.039 --> 00:40:36.659
particularly if it ends the bottom or top half

00:40:36.659 --> 00:40:40.559
of the ending. Yeah, I may sell it with an extra

00:40:40.559 --> 00:40:43.840
oomph, but if it's a routine pitch down the middle

00:40:43.840 --> 00:40:46.840
and everyone can see it's a strike, I don't have

00:40:46.840 --> 00:40:51.340
to sell it and so I give it a more calm strike

00:40:51.340 --> 00:40:55.500
three motion. On the bases, if we get a banger,

00:40:55.719 --> 00:40:58.460
A typical one is, you know, a close play at first

00:40:58.460 --> 00:41:03.119
base. Yeah, shortstop goes in the hole and has

00:41:03.119 --> 00:41:05.539
to throw it a long way, and the first baseman

00:41:05.539 --> 00:41:11.320
stretches, and it's a real banger. Yeah, I may

00:41:11.320 --> 00:41:16.659
sell the call with an extra loud, he's out. Or

00:41:16.659 --> 00:41:20.039
if there's a banger on the bases involving a

00:41:20.039 --> 00:41:23.260
runner trying to take an extra base. and he gets

00:41:23.260 --> 00:41:25.559
in there just ahead of the tag, I may sell the

00:41:25.559 --> 00:41:28.579
safe call just a little bit more than I would

00:41:28.579 --> 00:41:32.880
normally. But on the other hand, if it's an out

00:41:32.880 --> 00:41:37.099
and most everyone can see that player is out

00:41:37.099 --> 00:41:39.699
or if it's safe and it really wasn't that close,

00:41:39.760 --> 00:41:44.679
then I can just give a routine call with less

00:41:44.679 --> 00:41:48.219
volume in my voice and people understand, oh,

00:41:48.539 --> 00:41:54.320
he got it. He was on top of it. I agree. And

00:41:54.320 --> 00:41:56.239
real quick, this is probably something I could

00:41:56.239 --> 00:41:58.800
Google, but for people listening, driving, and

00:41:58.800 --> 00:42:01.900
just curious, do you know the significance behind

00:42:01.900 --> 00:42:07.679
the umpire calling a strike and turning his full

00:42:07.679 --> 00:42:09.880
body, I guess, to the right and then throwing

00:42:09.880 --> 00:42:14.199
out that index finger towards what I guess would

00:42:14.199 --> 00:42:18.019
be the home dugout? If I remember my baseball

00:42:18.019 --> 00:42:21.239
history correctly, there was a baseball player,

00:42:22.280 --> 00:42:27.519
his last name was Hoy, and he was deaf. And because

00:42:27.519 --> 00:42:31.119
he was deaf, if I remember the baseball history

00:42:31.119 --> 00:42:33.300
correctly, that's what started the beginning

00:42:33.300 --> 00:42:37.880
of hand signals for strike and out and things

00:42:37.880 --> 00:42:40.980
like that. But before then, it used to be the

00:42:40.980 --> 00:42:43.019
umpires just gave a verbal, but we're talking,

00:42:43.699 --> 00:42:47.639
geez. turn of the prior century that this development

00:42:47.639 --> 00:42:51.619
happened. And then of course you know if it's

00:42:51.619 --> 00:42:56.320
a ball I guess most umpires just say ball but

00:42:56.320 --> 00:42:58.099
there's no motion and the only people that would

00:42:58.099 --> 00:43:01.320
hear it would be the players and coaches on the

00:43:01.320 --> 00:43:04.460
field with the near shot. Well yeah we umpires

00:43:04.460 --> 00:43:06.320
are supposed to keep our heads still and just

00:43:06.320 --> 00:43:10.780
give the verbal ball because if we start moving

00:43:10.780 --> 00:43:14.340
and doing hand signals everybody expects the

00:43:14.340 --> 00:43:19.219
call to be a strike. And so if you move your

00:43:19.219 --> 00:43:21.639
body and yell ball, then it looks like you were

00:43:21.639 --> 00:43:25.760
indecisive. And that's what invites people to

00:43:25.760 --> 00:43:29.039
question your credibility. And so that's why

00:43:29.039 --> 00:43:31.760
at least we umpires are trained to keep extra

00:43:31.760 --> 00:43:36.099
still and just say ball before resetting yourself

00:43:36.099 --> 00:43:39.340
versus the strike you throw in your hand motion

00:43:39.340 --> 00:43:43.260
as well. Dan, I I'm a little uncomfortable asking,

00:43:43.519 --> 00:43:46.380
but I gotta ask. I'm sure it's happened in 24

00:43:46.380 --> 00:43:52.539
years. The foul tip coming off of a cutter or

00:43:52.539 --> 00:43:55.460
just a high fastball, the bat gets just under

00:43:55.460 --> 00:43:59.239
it and it misses the catcher's mitt and hits

00:43:59.239 --> 00:44:03.480
you right in the mask. Has that happened? Yes,

00:44:03.480 --> 00:44:07.940
it has. What is that like? It's not pleasant.

00:44:10.139 --> 00:44:14.239
You know, it's never good to get hit in the mask,

00:44:14.280 --> 00:44:19.340
but it sure beats getting hit in the cup. But

00:44:19.340 --> 00:44:22.539
you're supposed to position your head as the

00:44:22.539 --> 00:44:27.739
home plate umpire in the upper inside quadrant

00:44:27.739 --> 00:44:32.260
of the strike zone. And most of your body should

00:44:32.260 --> 00:44:34.900
be protected by the catcher. And there are times

00:44:34.900 --> 00:44:39.070
where the catcher misses the pitch or what's

00:44:39.070 --> 00:44:42.289
more likely as you reference is the batter swings

00:44:42.289 --> 00:44:45.510
and fouls it and just redirects the direction

00:44:45.510 --> 00:44:50.610
of the ball that it hits your mask and it's very

00:44:50.610 --> 00:44:55.230
jarring and and so what I Try to do I quickly

00:44:55.230 --> 00:44:57.630
call it foul and then I whip off the mask because

00:44:57.630 --> 00:45:01.989
the mask is reverberating and You just want to

00:45:01.989 --> 00:45:04.780
whip off the mask and walk away Of course, being

00:45:04.780 --> 00:45:07.880
a foul ball, the all play has stopped anyway.

00:45:08.619 --> 00:45:12.820
But yeah, it's not a good feeling, but it does

00:45:12.820 --> 00:45:17.119
happen. Maybe it happens to me now about once

00:45:17.119 --> 00:45:22.780
a year to every other season. That's not too

00:45:22.780 --> 00:45:28.280
bad. But hopefully those events are few and far

00:45:28.280 --> 00:45:32.639
between. You also will take. errant pitches or

00:45:32.639 --> 00:45:35.500
foul balls off of your chest protector or off

00:45:35.500 --> 00:45:39.400
your shin guards and Thankfully, those are some

00:45:39.400 --> 00:45:41.840
pretty hard equipment there that you barely feel

00:45:41.840 --> 00:45:46.099
anything And you know some of these particularly

00:45:46.099 --> 00:45:48.940
long games have you had some extra inning games

00:45:48.940 --> 00:45:52.500
in the just the summer the thick of the summer

00:45:52.500 --> 00:45:55.480
and You know, it's 14 innings now. We're going

00:45:55.480 --> 00:45:59.219
into the top of the 15th You're just sweating

00:45:59.219 --> 00:46:03.909
everywhere uh how are those experiences where

00:46:03.909 --> 00:46:07.829
you know everybody loves the game but wow uh

00:46:07.829 --> 00:46:10.130
have you had some particularly trying afternoons

00:46:10.130 --> 00:46:12.949
where it's just a hundred and something degrees

00:46:12.949 --> 00:46:19.909
and man can somebody get a a run across uh that's

00:46:19.909 --> 00:46:24.110
a great question i it has been a long time since

00:46:24.110 --> 00:46:28.360
i've been in a long game situation, summer or

00:46:28.360 --> 00:46:33.840
not summer. But thankfully, amateur ball, the

00:46:33.840 --> 00:46:36.960
rules have changed, particularly with travel

00:46:36.960 --> 00:46:39.539
ball, but now it's made its way to the high school

00:46:39.539 --> 00:46:41.920
association that there are now time limits on

00:46:41.920 --> 00:46:46.900
games. And so the likelihood of having an extra

00:46:46.900 --> 00:46:49.820
inning game go into the 10th, 11th, or as you

00:46:49.820 --> 00:46:53.500
referenced, the 14th inning is getting more and

00:46:53.500 --> 00:46:57.460
more unlikely. But the long games that are just

00:46:57.460 --> 00:47:01.780
absolutely dreadful is when you have one team

00:47:01.780 --> 00:47:05.780
in a talent mismatch against a weaker team, and

00:47:05.780 --> 00:47:10.920
it's already like a 15 run difference, and it's

00:47:10.920 --> 00:47:14.000
only the second inning. And you're just begging,

00:47:14.320 --> 00:47:16.980
like, come on, please, guys, swing the ball,

00:47:17.159 --> 00:47:19.079
make some outs, please, let's just move this

00:47:19.079 --> 00:47:23.860
game along. But yeah, those happen, and you just...

00:47:23.440 --> 00:47:26.380
learn to weather through it. But you have to,

00:47:26.380 --> 00:47:30.599
as an umpire, try to maintain your concentration

00:47:30.599 --> 00:47:37.300
and call every pitch consistently and show as

00:47:37.300 --> 00:47:41.960
much effort with each pitch of a lopsided game

00:47:41.960 --> 00:47:46.159
as you do for a close competitive game. And one

00:47:46.159 --> 00:47:47.659
other thing I was going to ask, just trying to

00:47:47.659 --> 00:47:50.460
think of some of these hot button questions that

00:47:50.460 --> 00:47:53.639
might be on people's minds. The average fan may

00:47:53.639 --> 00:47:57.559
think that With an ejection, you know, you just

00:47:57.559 --> 00:48:00.280
you guys get animated you're face to face That's

00:48:00.280 --> 00:48:03.280
enough and you throw the finger up to the sky

00:48:03.280 --> 00:48:06.099
and you and he's out of there and he's walking

00:48:06.099 --> 00:48:09.460
off People probably don't realize that you've

00:48:09.460 --> 00:48:12.099
still got to fill out some paperwork after the

00:48:12.099 --> 00:48:16.639
game and get this emailed or Written in a written

00:48:16.639 --> 00:48:20.420
report down. Is that true? You got to turn around

00:48:20.420 --> 00:48:25.150
quickly I'll let the college or professional

00:48:25.150 --> 00:48:29.590
guys, you know, share how they handle ejections.

00:48:29.670 --> 00:48:33.050
But in the high school level, it used to be that

00:48:33.050 --> 00:48:36.809
you had to get your report in by email within

00:48:36.809 --> 00:48:40.429
24 hours. Now with advances in technology, it's

00:48:40.429 --> 00:48:43.369
more like they wanted the high school association

00:48:43.369 --> 00:48:47.750
down Montgomery once it within 12. And so you

00:48:47.750 --> 00:48:52.829
have to make notes of who got ejected and for

00:48:52.829 --> 00:48:56.550
what reason is typically unsportsmanlike conduct,

00:48:56.829 --> 00:48:59.110
questioning judgment calls, which they're not

00:48:59.110 --> 00:49:02.389
supposed to do, or in the case of players and

00:49:02.389 --> 00:49:05.449
violent collision, maybe malicious contact, you

00:49:05.449 --> 00:49:07.909
know, some form of unsportsmanlike conduct like

00:49:07.909 --> 00:49:11.909
that. But the point is, is that we have to report

00:49:11.909 --> 00:49:16.190
it to our supervisor, typically in an email or

00:49:16.190 --> 00:49:20.320
text immediately after the game. and they pass

00:49:20.320 --> 00:49:23.159
my supervisor, then passes it up the food chain

00:49:23.159 --> 00:49:27.239
to the state to deal with. And there are consequences

00:49:27.239 --> 00:49:30.320
for getting ejected in baseball, at least at

00:49:30.320 --> 00:49:32.760
the high school level. If I remember correctly,

00:49:33.659 --> 00:49:36.980
the first ejection, you get a warning. The second

00:49:36.980 --> 00:49:40.559
ejection, you get a small suspension, like a

00:49:40.559 --> 00:49:44.869
one or two game suspension and a fine. If the

00:49:44.869 --> 00:49:48.050
coach is ejected or players ejected the third

00:49:48.050 --> 00:49:52.070
time, they are done for the season. And, you

00:49:52.070 --> 00:49:56.190
know, no coach wants to be ejected and be subject

00:49:56.190 --> 00:50:00.829
to punishment. And so, umpires really don't want

00:50:00.829 --> 00:50:04.570
to do paperwork. So, you know, we try to warn

00:50:04.570 --> 00:50:06.889
coaches, you know, give them a warning, give

00:50:06.889 --> 00:50:09.429
them a verbal. And then if we have to warn them

00:50:09.429 --> 00:50:12.070
again, make it a written warning and restrict

00:50:12.070 --> 00:50:14.789
them to the bench. And that way they can calm

00:50:14.789 --> 00:50:19.110
down and cool off and but they still remain in

00:50:19.110 --> 00:50:22.789
the game. The high school association is trying

00:50:22.789 --> 00:50:25.750
to encourage umpires to keep players and coaches

00:50:25.750 --> 00:50:29.809
in the game as long as possible and only eject

00:50:29.809 --> 00:50:33.289
if they have crossed the proverbial line that

00:50:33.289 --> 00:50:36.489
you know would get anyone ejected. So thankfully

00:50:36.489 --> 00:50:40.110
it's only been it's been at least three years

00:50:40.110 --> 00:50:42.190
probably longer since I've ever had to dump a

00:50:42.190 --> 00:50:45.860
coach. and hopefully I can keep that trend going

00:50:45.860 --> 00:50:50.900
if everybody just behaves themselves. So when

00:50:50.900 --> 00:50:54.179
it does happen at this level, it's particularly

00:50:54.179 --> 00:50:58.760
rare and the violator has probably really crossed

00:50:58.760 --> 00:51:01.880
the line and been, unless it was one play, it

00:51:01.880 --> 00:51:04.400
must be somebody that you just can't get through

00:51:04.400 --> 00:51:09.119
to between innings like, hey, let's keep it down.

00:51:09.929 --> 00:51:12.110
Yeah, I'll tell you a couple of quick stories

00:51:12.110 --> 00:51:15.309
of where I had to eject people and they absolutely

00:51:15.309 --> 00:51:19.130
deserved it. I had a kid, I was behind home plate.

00:51:19.570 --> 00:51:24.789
This kid was batting and a pitch came in fastball,

00:51:25.030 --> 00:51:28.150
low outside corner, knee high. They caught the

00:51:28.150 --> 00:51:30.909
plate and I said, strike two, you know, strike

00:51:30.909 --> 00:51:35.920
for strike two. And he gave me a what? And next

00:51:35.920 --> 00:51:39.099
pitch came in same pitch, same location. I rung

00:51:39.099 --> 00:51:42.280
him up for strike three. And as he was walking

00:51:42.280 --> 00:51:45.699
back to the dugout, he turned to me and yelled

00:51:45.699 --> 00:51:52.119
both and cussing on, uh, is an grounds for automatic

00:51:52.119 --> 00:51:55.019
ejection. And so I just whipped off my mask and

00:51:55.019 --> 00:51:58.500
said, kid, you're done. And I walked up to his

00:51:58.500 --> 00:52:00.940
coach and pointed out his number. I said, you're

00:52:00.940 --> 00:52:03.139
going to need a new third basement. You know,

00:52:03.159 --> 00:52:07.239
what'd he do? Well, the coach asked me, well,

00:52:07.239 --> 00:52:09.820
what did my kids say essentially? And I have

00:52:09.820 --> 00:52:12.619
to watch my own language or I could be subject

00:52:12.619 --> 00:52:16.320
to a punishment myself. And so I just said, he

00:52:16.320 --> 00:52:21.059
said the BS word. And, uh, and so it's like,

00:52:21.219 --> 00:52:24.320
okay, probably the most serious coaching ejection

00:52:24.320 --> 00:52:29.000
I ever did was, uh, over 10 years ago, I had

00:52:29.000 --> 00:52:32.440
a banger on the basis that went against the home

00:52:32.440 --> 00:52:37.760
team. And the coach came out to disagree with

00:52:37.760 --> 00:52:44.500
my call and he got so close to me, he actually

00:52:44.500 --> 00:52:48.099
belly bumped me and it's like, all right, you're

00:52:48.099 --> 00:52:52.699
done. And before his other coaches could come

00:52:52.699 --> 00:52:55.079
and restrain him, he started finger pointing

00:52:55.079 --> 00:52:59.980
at me and he actually poked with his index finger,

00:53:00.219 --> 00:53:07.469
my upper lip and scratched me. And so I sent

00:53:07.469 --> 00:53:11.409
the ejection report and I did something that

00:53:11.409 --> 00:53:14.989
I have never done before or since was I actually

00:53:14.989 --> 00:53:19.369
included a selfie of me to show the scratch.

00:53:20.170 --> 00:53:25.059
And I also made it a point not to shave. So I

00:53:25.059 --> 00:53:27.099
had a day's growth and you could still see the

00:53:27.099 --> 00:53:30.159
scratch. And so no one can say, oh, Dan cut himself

00:53:30.159 --> 00:53:32.920
and is making up a story about, you know, the

00:53:32.920 --> 00:53:36.460
coach poking him. No, it was still there. And

00:53:36.460 --> 00:53:39.679
the coach ended up getting suspended and fined

00:53:39.679 --> 00:53:43.320
by the state association. And he clearly deserved

00:53:43.320 --> 00:53:46.079
it. But, you know, those were probably the two

00:53:46.079 --> 00:53:48.059
most serious incidents I ever had to deal with

00:53:48.059 --> 00:53:51.579
involving an injection. But hey, it does happen.

00:53:51.699 --> 00:53:54.250
And if people... Don't behave themselves and

00:53:54.250 --> 00:53:56.190
they cross the line. Well, they deserve to get

00:53:56.190 --> 00:53:59.670
punished and that applies in real life as well

00:53:59.670 --> 00:54:04.550
I guess most of the time you can have you can

00:54:04.550 --> 00:54:07.150
have a coach disagree with you and maybe share

00:54:07.150 --> 00:54:10.210
his opinion and then after the game Do they not

00:54:10.210 --> 00:54:12.590
necessarily say hey, I apologize. I was little

00:54:12.590 --> 00:54:16.409
little hot about that, but they just try to shift

00:54:16.409 --> 00:54:20.269
gears and and be nice and say hey have a hope

00:54:20.269 --> 00:54:23.800
you have a great rest of the weekend or Does

00:54:23.800 --> 00:54:27.539
it kind of drift into niceties where it's just,

00:54:27.619 --> 00:54:31.019
oh, let's just forget that ever happened? Yeah,

00:54:31.219 --> 00:54:34.639
it happens more often than you realize. And yeah,

00:54:34.860 --> 00:54:38.039
you understand it's the passion. They're competing.

00:54:38.139 --> 00:54:40.980
They're trying to win every game. And at the

00:54:40.980 --> 00:54:43.760
end of the game, they recognize, we're just doing

00:54:43.760 --> 00:54:47.420
our job. And we quickly let bygones be bygones.

00:54:47.639 --> 00:54:50.800
And so that's why we have, we coaches and umpires.

00:54:51.150 --> 00:54:54.309
Tend to have an excellent relationship because

00:54:54.309 --> 00:54:55.969
we know each other we've seen each other over

00:54:55.969 --> 00:55:00.190
the years and we know each other's to be we know

00:55:00.190 --> 00:55:03.530
what our roles are and What you also find is

00:55:03.530 --> 00:55:07.530
the number of coaches have also umpired games

00:55:07.530 --> 00:55:10.949
and so they know what's like to Be behind the

00:55:10.949 --> 00:55:16.889
mask and having to do this job Well Dan I Wow

00:55:16.889 --> 00:55:20.420
if it's baseball related we could do it two,

00:55:20.440 --> 00:55:23.760
three hour episode, and that would be just fine

00:55:23.760 --> 00:55:27.440
with me, but do you have time for a few quick,

00:55:27.619 --> 00:55:32.019
little fun Dan time questions? Go for it. Okay.

00:55:32.019 --> 00:55:34.539
Lightning round. Go for it. I think, you know,

00:55:34.980 --> 00:55:37.420
and everybody listening, I don't know if people

00:55:37.420 --> 00:55:40.900
even like these questions. The real silly ones.

00:55:41.099 --> 00:55:44.099
I've gone a few weeks without popping them out

00:55:44.099 --> 00:55:47.380
there, so here we go, folks. Dan, and this is

00:55:47.380 --> 00:55:49.429
something that has happened to me. I'm embarrassed

00:55:49.429 --> 00:55:51.969
to say at least a couple times. Have you ever

00:55:51.969 --> 00:55:55.530
left a restaurant and you got the to -go box

00:55:55.530 --> 00:55:59.250
and you're walking out and you gotta get something

00:55:59.250 --> 00:56:01.590
in the car first so you put the box on top of

00:56:01.590 --> 00:56:05.269
the car and then you just forget that it's there

00:56:05.269 --> 00:56:09.650
and you start driving off and all you see in

00:56:09.650 --> 00:56:12.489
the side mirror or the rear view is that white

00:56:12.489 --> 00:56:18.070
styrofoam box of Tomorrow's lunch that you were

00:56:18.070 --> 00:56:25.429
hoping for just fly into the night I Have I have

00:56:25.429 --> 00:56:28.389
done that with a to -go cup. I have not done

00:56:28.389 --> 00:56:32.610
that with food And it's a it's a humbling moment

00:56:32.610 --> 00:56:34.849
that all you can do is just laugh at yourself

00:56:34.849 --> 00:56:40.269
I've on countless occasions Got in the box, but

00:56:40.269 --> 00:56:42.730
left the food at the restaurant on the table.

00:56:42.730 --> 00:56:44.969
That's I don't even know how many times that's

00:56:44.969 --> 00:56:53.989
happened I'm laughing with you because those

00:56:53.989 --> 00:56:57.610
are mistakes that I could easily make myself

00:56:57.610 --> 00:57:04.269
Dan have you ever Don't ask me where these questions

00:57:04.269 --> 00:57:06.510
come from I just some of them I screen and some

00:57:06.510 --> 00:57:09.809
of them I I moved to the top of the stack Have

00:57:09.809 --> 00:57:13.440
you ever had to stop on the road? and run and

00:57:13.440 --> 00:57:16.139
use the restroom, and you use the soap from the

00:57:16.139 --> 00:57:19.380
soap dispenser, and it's just got this, you know,

00:57:19.480 --> 00:57:22.400
it's just not that pleasant soft -soap, homey

00:57:22.400 --> 00:57:25.179
kind of fragrance. It's just that gas station

00:57:25.179 --> 00:57:28.559
soap fragrance that stays on your hands for the

00:57:28.559 --> 00:57:32.260
next half of the day. Does that bother you? It's

00:57:32.260 --> 00:57:35.139
a little bit of a problem for me, but I gotta

00:57:35.139 --> 00:57:41.179
ask. You know what I'm talking about. We've all

00:57:41.179 --> 00:57:43.420
been in those kinds of situations. Heck, I'm

00:57:43.420 --> 00:57:46.420
just glad to run into a restroom that actually

00:57:46.420 --> 00:57:53.260
has soap. But for that and for other reasons,

00:57:53.360 --> 00:57:56.619
I try to keep moist wipes, handy wipes also available

00:57:56.619 --> 00:58:00.400
in the car to give my hands a second cleaning

00:58:00.400 --> 00:58:09.190
just to be safe. and are you above stopping on

00:58:09.190 --> 00:58:11.170
the road because you just you can't wait for

00:58:11.170 --> 00:58:13.929
the next exit or two and you pull up and it's

00:58:13.929 --> 00:58:17.210
that gas station that they still have the key

00:58:17.210 --> 00:58:21.210
to the bathroom around back and you go in and

00:58:21.210 --> 00:58:24.630
there's it's just not desirable and you don't

00:58:24.630 --> 00:58:26.630
have to do much but you gotta you gotta take

00:58:26.630 --> 00:58:31.190
care of business are you above using those less

00:58:31.190 --> 00:58:39.880
than ideal bathrooms I bail out of there. All

00:58:39.880 --> 00:58:44.960
I ask for is a semi -decent clean bathroom, and

00:58:44.960 --> 00:58:48.820
if I can't get it, I'm taking my business literally

00:58:48.820 --> 00:58:54.139
elsewhere. Okay, let me clean up my act a little

00:58:54.139 --> 00:58:59.940
bit here. What about laughy taffy jokes? Maybe

00:58:59.940 --> 00:59:02.940
you don't eat the candy anymore, but we all remember

00:59:03.079 --> 00:59:07.840
the material on those wrappers. If your son,

00:59:07.940 --> 00:59:10.300
if Jack were to read one off to you, would you,

00:59:10.500 --> 00:59:12.260
do you think you'd laugh at most of these jokes?

00:59:13.639 --> 00:59:22.840
I would, I would guffaw. But I also know that

00:59:22.840 --> 00:59:26.699
a lot of those jokes are what I hear nowadays

00:59:26.699 --> 00:59:30.619
are called dad humor, and I'm definitely... One

00:59:30.619 --> 00:59:36.980
who spreads dad humor, so that's why My son my

00:59:36.980 --> 00:59:42.480
son hates my humor he hates the puns and so So

00:59:42.480 --> 00:59:45.719
that's why I get pause because he'll just face

00:59:45.719 --> 00:59:50.579
palm at the same time One thing I like about

00:59:50.579 --> 00:59:53.219
you Dan is I feel like we are in the same boat

00:59:53.219 --> 00:59:57.940
as far as embracing not just fatherhood being

00:59:57.940 --> 01:00:02.639
a dad but but being the caricature of the goofy

01:00:02.639 --> 01:00:07.139
dad the the corny dad at times and and not Having

01:00:07.139 --> 01:00:10.539
any problem with it. I know who I am I know that

01:00:10.539 --> 01:00:13.559
some of the music I listen to is not very current

01:00:13.559 --> 01:00:18.159
anymore and But as I mentioned I think on an

01:00:18.159 --> 01:00:21.780
episode I Did a bonus episode with my brother

01:00:21.780 --> 01:00:24.119
Rob and we were talking about planes trains and

01:00:24.119 --> 01:00:27.190
automobiles and when John Candy delivers, it's

01:00:27.190 --> 01:00:29.949
kind of an emotional scene, but he says, I like

01:00:29.949 --> 01:00:34.289
me. I'm fine with this. That's how I feel. I

01:00:34.289 --> 01:00:38.010
think that's how you must feel as well. Well,

01:00:38.170 --> 01:00:42.449
you and I are comfortable in our own skin. A

01:00:42.449 --> 01:00:44.869
quick couple of Laffy Taffy jokes, just since

01:00:44.869 --> 01:00:48.989
we brought it up. What's a parasite? The answer

01:00:48.989 --> 01:00:56.929
is a place you go in Paris. That's a tough one

01:00:56.929 --> 01:01:01.369
That's a good one How do you communicate with

01:01:01.369 --> 01:01:13.369
a fish you drop it a line? That's great Why this

01:01:13.369 --> 01:01:15.269
is alright this is gonna have to be the last

01:01:15.269 --> 01:01:18.750
the last joke why was the cat afraid of the tree

01:01:18.750 --> 01:01:21.949
I? Have no idea why was the cat afraid of the

01:01:21.949 --> 01:01:28.480
tree because of its bark Uh, but I will say,

01:01:28.760 --> 01:01:31.539
you know, because my kids are six and two and

01:01:31.539 --> 01:01:35.679
a half. Uh, they'd be rolling on the floor, laughing

01:01:35.679 --> 01:01:38.500
at these jokes. And when the time comes, we're

01:01:38.500 --> 01:01:41.559
going to dive into them because. Wow. How about

01:01:41.559 --> 01:01:45.320
one more? Why don't lobsters share? Hmm. You're

01:01:45.320 --> 01:01:47.980
going to love this one, Dan. Why? Why? I don't

01:01:47.980 --> 01:01:54.400
know. Why do lobsters not share? Because they

01:01:54.400 --> 01:02:05.809
are shellfish. That's those are awesome Those

01:02:05.809 --> 01:02:08.610
are great. Keep telling those jokes Dan. All

01:02:08.610 --> 01:02:10.829
right one more for for the fans here We're on

01:02:10.829 --> 01:02:14.369
our second or third encore Did you hear the joke?

01:02:14.409 --> 01:02:16.530
This is this is timely. Do you hear the joke

01:02:16.530 --> 01:02:21.449
about the toilet? Never mind. It's too dirty

01:02:21.449 --> 01:02:25.940
There we go Those are great. All right, Dan,

01:02:25.960 --> 01:02:28.539
thanks for your time. I enjoyed it. Look forward

01:02:28.539 --> 01:02:35.940
to catching up with you again. All right. If

01:02:35.940 --> 01:02:38.119
you love that episode, if you're enjoying the

01:02:38.119 --> 01:02:41.400
Dan Time podcast, be sure to download and subscribe

01:02:41.400 --> 01:02:44.300
so you never miss an episode. You can reach me

01:02:44.300 --> 01:02:48.320
at dantimepodatgmail .com. Hope you have a great

01:02:48.320 --> 01:02:49.840
week. I'll see you next Sunday.