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Originally Posted by Justme
The film clip that I saw went like this
1. Coach was ejected and the PU turned away.
2. Coach followed, reached out and laid hands on the PU.
3. The PU turned around and the coach got in his face.
4. The PU got back in the coach's face, pushing forward in response to the coach's aggressive actions. (He shouldn't have but he's only human)
5. The coach hit the PU.
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I agree with all your observations only I would further characterize it this way ...
Although wrong, the coach approaching the umpire from behind and touching him could not be viewed as physically threatening.
Getting in each other's face was not physically threatening. That happens all the time.
The first physically threatening act was by the UMPIRE when he thrust his mask forward, hitting the coach squarely in the face - to which the coach reacted (understandably) by taking a girlie shove to the umpire - hardly an act that will cause any physical harm - unlike a mask in the face.
There is plenty of blame to go around here. But, in my opinion, the UMPIRE was the only one who engaged in any meaningful, harmful, physical activity.
David Emerling
Memphis, TN