Quote:
Originally posted by AZBlue
Thanks, Chris!
I just wondered if anyone else had these sorts of experiences when they were starting out. Guess it's not all that common.
Thanks,
Jim
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Jim,
Regrettably it's all too common, especially in areas where coaches have input into the umpire selection and assigning process. Umpires recognize that they must have the coaches on their side. What the umpires that you witnessed did was to engage in low risk behavior in order to curry favor with the coaches.
Look at it from the umpires' perspective. They curry favor with the coaches at the expense of an out of town team that is not their client and cannot hurt them. Yet they did not have to alter any of their calls in the game. Bottom line, they crossed the ethical boundary just a little bit.
My opinion. For even raising the question, you probably have too high an ethical standard to be an umpire, at least in that association.
One thing that all umpires need to keep in mind, whether they be ethical or unethical. Coaches will not respect umpires that engage in that type of behavior. They will thank you profusely for your input, and even favor you for their games, but they will not respect you.
Even if the unethical umpires know the coaches attitudes, they will still engage in these shenanigans. Why? Because their behavior makes it more difficult for the ethical guy to move up. It makes it much more difficult for the new guy to move up. Not only does he have to master rules and mechanics, he must master a maze of smoke and mirrors. It's the good ole boy way of keeping the wannabes in their place.
Peter