Quote:
Originally posted by wobster
On a related note, somewhat, one of the umpires I try not to work with had to eject someone wednesday, and he called me to take his assignment for the same coach next wednesday, because he thinks the coach will have it out for him. I told him he should do the game and dump him again....he is afraid of the guy. Any advice for him other than to grow gonads?
Thanks HHH.
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Wobster;
It is generally a poor idea to go back to a team where you have recently dumped somebody. If you have problems again, it looks like a personality problem instead of a coach with an attitude problem. That hurts your reputation.
It's better to go somewhere new and dump THAT guy, if and when he acts up. It's the reda$$ reputation that you are looking for, NOT a personal list of enemies. Give your umpire compatriot that advice.
Make sure, if at all reasonably possible, that you dump the same coach that the other umpire dumped when you do the game that you took from him. The umpire will be indebted to you. It will make the coach look like he has a problem with authority, rather than a problem with a specific umpire. Any league president worth a nickel, takes notice of a coach that gets dumped by two different umpires in a short period of time.
Start making a list of coaches and players that other umpires have dumped. You don't want to get into a habit of ejecting too many people that no one has ejected before. OTOH, if you eject people that others have had problems with, it looks like you are only doing your job. You get a reda$$ reputation with none of the bad side effects.
I recall a player that I started umpiring when he was 12 years old. He developed into a serious head case on the field. Before he was 15, he had put three players in the hospital by engaging in malicious contact. Umpires warned him and gave him all sorts of leeway but rarely ejected him. He waited for a warning as his first free shot.
Not me. I dumped him at every opportunity. He was free ejection. No matter how inconsequential his actions, it was assumed that I was right because of his fearsome reputation.
Two years ago as an Industrial League player, (adult league) this head case came after an umpire with a baseball bat. A real judge in robes finally put an end to his baseball career. The umpires, leagues, and coaches never had the stones to do it.
Peter