Quote:
Originally posted by Carl Childress
Quote:
Originally posted by SMEngmann
Hey everyone, I'm a basketball referee who reads the basketball forum regularly and I'm also a HS baseball coach and I wanted to ask your opinion on the following: Yesterday, I was ejected from a game for the first time as a coach, and I felt that the ejection was unwarrented, here's the scenario:
I knew the BU from my days in HS where he worked in the athletic department and I played and sometimes he seemed like he had a chip on his shoulder toward me, other times he was fine. In the 3rd inning, I'm coaching 1st and the LHP makes a pickoff move without stepping toward 1st. I ask if his foot was on the rubber, and then ask for the rubber to be dusted off and I get I costic response effectively telling me to shut up which shocked me because I wasn't even questioning a call. Later on, with my team in the field, there is a play at 2nd in which the throw beats the runner by a good 10 feet and the tag is down, but my 2B lifts up the tag slightly to avoid being spiked and BU calls the runner safe. The other coach argued at the time, and between innings as BU was walking toward 1st, I let him know that I thought the call was horrible because of the injury risk to the 2nd baseman. BU brushed me off and effectively gave me the stop sign, and in doing so referred to me by my first name. I felt that I wasn't being treated with the respect to warrant being called by my first name and I felt that doing so BU created an atmosphere of excessive familiarity, so I asked him to refer to me as "coach" from now on rather than by my first name, and as soon as I said that, he threw me out of the game.
I wonder what, given my context, some baseball umpires think of this ejection. I used no profanity, nor did I ever make a personal comment toward him. If I was officiating basketball, I couldn't justify giving a T. I feel that it is within my right as a coach to demand a certain level of respect from umpires, and I also think that, especially within the context of a conflict, that both parties should avoid familiarity. What do you guys think? Sorry for the long post.
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Im posting this against my better judgment. I want it clearly understood from the outset that I will not respond to any posts growing out my message.
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So why did you post it, then, Carl?
For all your many gifts, the ability to see anything in any way other than your own little myopic way is not one of them.
Regardless of what you do in Texico, in all the places I've lived it is common knowledge that an assistant coach does not leave his position and argue calls, especially after the head man has already done so. I am happy to tell an assistant what I saw provided he asks nicely and in the proper context. While I'm in the A position? Certainly. Interrupting the game and leaving his box? Never. Only the head man has that privilege. This has served me well. Since my first baseball game as a 13-year-old umpire in 1983, I have ejected exactly one assistant coach.
As far as brushing the pitcher's mound, what's the point? If the pitcher looks like he is on the mound, then he's on the mound. I'm not going to let him get away with anything untoward, so what's the point in cleaning the mound off? The pitchers around here use their gloves to clean off the mound anyway. And if you're proactive and get the plate between batters, you don't get asked to clean it. I can't remember the last time I was asked. Again, a clean plate is practically useless -- the pitcher, umpire, catcher, and hitter all know where the plate is, right?
It's great knowing that I'm going to get the last word with you, Carl, since you've already promised not to respond.
--Rich
[Edited by Rich Fronheiser on Apr 10th, 2004 at 04:14 PM]