[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

I'll jump on here. Introduction, check line-up cards, recheck line-up cards w/coach, ground rules SPECIAL tournament rules, request for confirmation/questions concerning what was just covered, coin flip, play ball.

Once you deviate where do you stop? If you start covering this and that and miss a particular issue or part, now you may have just added to the confusion. Not only that, but as noted, you have already predetermined how situations should be handled. Well, by this point you have noticed, not all situations play out in the same manner. This can easily create a "not one more word" situation.

You talk about "defusing" a situation when there is no situation to defuse. Much like when you have umpires who spend 10-20 seconds WARNING teams about their pet peeve du jour whether profanity, collisions, getting out of the way if ODB, complaining about balls/strikes, throwing a bat, conferences, smack talk, whatever.

And when I talk to these umpires, they give me the same spiel, it's preventive umpiring. Well, no it is not, it is antagonizing and opening up a can of worms that need not be open the entire game, but you have already done so.

You sound like we're talking about having discussions on various rules... if that's what you thought I meant, I apologize. What I'm saying is adding a simple, "If you want to discuss a play, ask for time, wait for us to call time, and then approach the umpire that made the call. If that umpire feels we need to get together, we'll do so." That's not opening any doors or initiating any what-ifs. It's clear and concise, and A) makes us more approachable and less antagonistic and B) hopefully heads off the coach walking onto the field during live play and/or going to PU to ask for help on BU's call or vice versa. It also doesn't invite further conversation - we say that and move right into whatever's next.