Quote:
Originally posted by officialtony
HS Varsity game. I am PU. Hotly contested game which is close until 5th inning. Visiting team is now down by 4 runs and his best hitter comes to the plate. I call two close strikes on pitches not swung at. Coach calls time and meets his batter 10 feet from the plate. As he is walking away I hear " bu*****t calls ". I ignore but he is on my list. Bottom of same inning, home team attempts double steal - R1 and R2 moving together. F2 throw ( horrible I might add ) gets by F5 and F7 retrieves it. R1 on his way to the plate. I am set for the play and the throw from F7 comes in. F2 tags R1 on the shoulders as R1 has already hit the plate with his forward foot ( slid ). I call safe ( I am confident with my call and decision ),I look up and the Visitors coach is standing next to the ondeck batter 5 feet from the plate screaming about the call. He had to be in live ball territory as the play unfolded. I wasn't aware of his presence, following the ball and the resulting play. He tells his catcher to ask for time, which I grant after I make sure R2 is standing on 3rd and no other play can occur. He proceeds to tell me there is no way safe is correct. No vulgarity or abuse other than the call was wrong. I tell him I made the call, the runner beat the tag and he must return to the bench and I don't want to see him or hear from him the rest of the game - that I have heard enough. He mumbles something about three ring circus as he returned to the dugout. OK fire away and let me hear the responses. What would you have done and at what point?
BTW, in retrospect, I should have tossed him the minute I saw him standing over the concluded play during live ball situation. I know that now. Just looking for feedback.
[Edited by officialtony on May 5th, 2005 at 02:31 PM]
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Well Tony, you asked for a response and I know it is a little different, but that is good when one is trying to formulate approaches in dealing with officiating techniques.
I for one, DO NOT walk on that field with a "hollier than thou attitude". I encourage conversation at the pre-game but, I request that it be handled after a time out is called. When it is not, I still handle it professionally.
I am extremely relaxed and confident in my officiating and when a couple of nasty words happen to pass by my ear drums, I let them pass, if not directed to me or personalized. You said you ignored the " bu*****t calls " comments, but put him on your list. For what purpose? Retribution? Put yourself above that and forget about making lists and carrying grudges because it just might end up getting you scratched from other lists. Which you may or may not care about.
When the coach came out, and I agree it may have been uninvited, you had a couple of choices: 1. Throw him out right there. 2. Treat him like a child and remind him about your "don't come out here rule, without my permission", and then throw him out for not being benovolent to you and all your rules. 3. Acknowledge his presence and let him talk like you did, but then after there was no vulgarity or abuse, why didn't you ask him what he saw? After he was done talking , explain why you called the runner safe and then state, "thats how I saw it, and that is my call". Is there anything else? Thank you. What was the purpose of saying "you must return to the bench and I don't want to see or hear from you again the rest of the game? Did you feel that you had to let him know that you where in charge of a game that you were already in charge of?
It is a lot easier to find reasons to toss people than keeping them in the game. Giving commands, making up your own set of rules and showing off your power, to me, is a sure sign of "lacks maturity and confidence". Being calm, cool, collective, personable and having the abilty to send the message non-verbally, that "you will leave on my terms because I am truly in charge here", is a sure sign of "maturiy and ooozes with confidence".
Just MY opinion. Hope it helps.