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Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.
Steve:
What is wrong with addressing the player as such in the OP. It was a girls' game. When I am officiating or umpiring a female game, I expect them to conduct themselves as ladies and if it is a male game I expect them to conduct themselves as gentlemen. There was nothing wrong with his response. It should respect and civility that is, sadly, disappearing from our society.
MTD, Sr.
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While I do use the terms "ma'am" and "sir" if I feel it appropriate, I can understand what Steve is saying. As you note, there are quite a few things disappearing from our world. Unfortunately, common sense is one of them. However, there seems to be a need to blame someone for anything that happens to anyone, including finding an excuse to be "offended". "Ma'am? Don't you dare call me ma'am. I'm not some nice old lady here to offer some cookies and milk!" Stupid? Yes, but some idiots...er, coaches only need a word they can hang their hat upon to give them cause to do what they can to make you, the umpire, look like an idiot even though you were acting the proper gentlemen.
There are quite a few headstrong coaches nowadays that will get ticked off and tell the umpires to NOT talk to there players for any reason. Forget the fact that whatever was said had the intent of preventive umpiring trying to keep a player or her teammate out of trouble.
Steve has a point that if you keep everything generic (number 9, catch, coach, etc.), there is little chance of giving anyone ammunition to pounce. Same as them saying, "ump", "blue", "Mr/Ms Umpire" is much better than "hey, Mark" or "Mr. DeNucci". That would infer familiarity and provide that coach's opponent ammunition to accuse you of being a "homer" and costing their team a game with all your biased calls.
As you can see simply by scanning any news page, whether on the computer or paper, something doesn't necessarily need to be true to be perceived as such.