[tballump]

Are we sending messages because we are not being "backed up" by assignors or leagues for ejections (coaches and players) in the more controversial areas like being "shown up", rather than just being "backed up" on the can of corn ones like a verbal fyou, bumping, or running out to the plate screaming about balls and strikes that everyone in the stands can hear and see?

Are we getting our schedules "pulled" or "downgraded" because we eject or are we being "blackballed" because we eject for unsportsmanlike conduct that occurs in many forms, the obvious and the not so obvious, but never the less, unsportsmanlike conduct. Seems like this might be the root of all problems. Nobody has the intestinal fortitude to back their umpires to the hilt.

Don't all the Federation and other books have a sportsmanship area in the book, including an area where if there is a problem brewing, a coach, no less, should step to the front (rather than the umpire) and take charge of unsportsmanlike behavior of his team?

So, why is there such a problem with ejection for unsportsmanlike behavior, whether it is the can of corn variety, or the more subtle and sneaky and controversial (showing up) unsportsmanlike conduct? Seems like the root of the problem of sending messages, is assignors and league officials not backing their umpires on all instances of unsportsmanlike conduct, and those umpires that do penalize all areas of unsportsmanlike conduct, face retribution in the quantity and quality of their future assignments.