[JRutledge]

I do not know if I am considered a Big Dog or a little dog and I really do not care. I know that I am usually put on games as the senior umpire. When I am dealing with a really young official, I have no problem stepping up and helping them deal with coaches and situations. But I never make calls for them. There is a reason they got assigned to the game. Unless an assignor has made it clear I need to take an official under my wing or help them out in a way outside of normal situations, only then might I do more than subscribed. But that is what pregames are for. You have a good pregame to judge your partner's ability and philosophy. I always address "help situations" so that I can know who I am dealing with. I just to not preoccupy myself with "who is the big dog" in the games I work. Like I have said, maybe this is a baseball phenomenon because in the other sports the so called "big dogs" do not treat you anything other than a partner on equal footing. At least as it relates to letting their partners call their game.

Peace