profanity in fed games

[umpduck11]

This past season,I happened to ask a catcher ,(whom I
had called behind on three previous occasions),"Bill,what's
this reliever got?" His response to me simply was,"Not s$$$,
Blue".
My question for you is,would you have ejected him,or even
reprimanded him for his language,bearing in mind that he said it directly to me,and most likely nobody else heard him.I have a policy of not ejecting a good catcher if I can
at all avoid it.

[mick]

Originally posted by umpduck11
This past season,I happened to ask a catcher ,(whom I
had called behind on three previous occasions),"Bill,what's
this reliever got?" His response to me simply was,"Not s$$$,
Blue".
My question for you is,would you have ejected him,or even
reprimanded him for his language,bearing in mind that he said it directly to me,and most likely nobody else heard him.I have a policy of not ejecting a good catcher if I can
at all avoid it.

If anything, I probably would have *chuckled*.
mick

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by umpduck11
This past season,I happened to ask a catcher ,(whom I
had called behind on three previous occasions),"Bill,what's
this reliever got?" His response to me simply was,"Not s$$$,
Blue".
My question for you is,would you have ejected him,or even
reprimanded him for his language,bearing in mind that he said it directly to me,and most likely nobody else heard him.I have a policy of not ejecting a good catcher if I can
at all avoid it.

I would have just told him to watch his language. But you did ask for it.

But unless he was using his language so that everyone on the field could hear him, I would not go as far as an ejection. And if you eject him for that, you will do nothing but cause more problems with yourself. Because when the story comes out, they WILL BLAME YOU!!!

But that is just my opinion on the topic.

Peace

[MichaelVA2000]

If the response was just loud enough for me to hear, I would not do anything about it. If any fans could have heard it I would have cautioned the catcher about his choice of words.

Don't go looking for trouble.

Michael

[Edited by MichaelVA2000 on May 26th, 2004 at 11:54 PM]

[ronb21]

Wow...is this HS ball??? College???

I don't eject him for swearing with me in a conversation that I start...I only eject him for swearing at me in an argument or discussing "balls" and strikes.
Or questioning my heritage...

Ejections are serious in HS ball...especially late in the season when ejections close to tournament ball keep a kid or coach down for a couple of games...

I wouldn't eject him for that...I would have snickered at his response and just went with it...sounds like he is a good honest catcher!

[DG]

I am appalled. No one, so far in this post, would eject a player for a clear violation of rules that prohibit profanity, as long as it was done in such a way as the umpire is the only person to hear the profanity, ie the one person you don't want to hear profanity, if you are a player.

I contrast this to the recent big discussion on drawing a line in the sand, where nothing was said, but the vast majority of umpires take exception to the silent expression and eject immediately.

So what we are saying is we will happily eject a player who p*ss*s us off, but we will allow a player who has violated a rule to remain in the game, because we chose to ignore this particular rule. Say it ain't so, please.

Before this becomes a long drawn out post, be advised that I am funning you guys. I also ignore some comments from players. While the rules prohibit profanity, it is the umpire's judgement on what IS profanity. And, as we have already discovered in 8 pages of postings, many umpires would eject automatically for drawing a line in the sand, but some would not.

[Edited by DG on May 25th, 2004 at 11:56 PM]

[Rich]

Originally posted by DG
I am appalled. No one, so far in this post, would eject a player for a clear violation of rules that prohibit profanity, as long as it was done in such a way as the umpire is the only person to hear the profanity, ie the one person you don't want to hear profanity, if you are a player.

I contrast this to the recent big discussion on drawing a line in the sand, where nothing was said, but the vast majority of umpires take exception to the silent expression and eject immediately.

So what we are saying is we will happily eject a player who p*ss*s us off, but we will allow a player who has violated a rule to remain in the game, because we chose to ignore this particular rule. Say it ain't so, please.

Before this becomes a long drawn out post, be advised that I am funning you guys. I also ignore some comments from players. While the rules prohibit profanity, it is the umpire's judgement on what IS profanity. And, as we have already discovered in 8 pages of postings, many umpires would eject automatically for drawing a line in the sand, but some would not.

[Edited by DG on May 25th, 2004 at 11:56 PM]

Who actually considers the word sh1t "profanity?"

Jeez, you guys are prudes. Are youze looking for trouble?

--Rich

[jicecone]

Real simple here , if your virgin ears can't handle profanity, not personnally directed to you, then please do the rest of us a favor. DON'T OFFICIATE.

If you REALLY believe that YOU are going to change the sporting world to be as wholesome as you deem necessary, its time to resmell the coffee.

Funny, I just had this discussion with my partner last night after a men's league game. He stated "that he was a born-again christian and personnaly didn't approve of the profanity" but, he also understood that he wasn't going to be the one to save the world from it's iniquitious. And, those officials with rabbit ears need not apply.

In your case, you ask the kid a question. Deal with answer because it was not direct a personal comment.

[bob jenkins]

Originally posted by DG
I am appalled. No one, so far in this post, would eject a player for a clear violation of rules that prohibit profanity, as long as it was done in such a way as the umpire is the only person to hear the profanity, ie the one person you don't want to hear profanity, if you are a player.
[Edited by DG on May 25th, 2004 at 11:56 PM]

The rule allows a warning if the offense is judged to be of a minor nature.

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by DG
I am appalled. No one, so far in this post, would eject a player for a clear violation of rules that prohibit profanity, as long as it was done in such a way as the umpire is the only person to hear the profanity, ie the one person you don't want to hear profanity, if you are a player.

I would love to see you or any umpire eject a player for a conversation that you the umpire completely started. The player was not arguing. The player was not disputing anything and did not chastise you. He simply responded to your silly question that you did not need to ask.

I would love to hear your explaination to a coach or an assignor/evaluator for this one. That should be a fun conversation.

Peace

[mcrowder]

While I agree with everyone else here that in this particular case the most you should do is say "Watch that language", I do take issue to the assumption that you shouldn't eject a player just because YOU started the conversation and his comment was a response to your question.

For example, after a couple of semi-audible groans from a particular coach on a couple of outside pitches(perhaps one you know almost never does this), you ask the catcher (no - I don't normally do this, but I've heard and read that some umpires do):

PU: "Catcher, am I missing those outside strikes?"
F2: "Yeah, those calls were bulls---".

You initiated the conversation - he crossed the line (and if that particular line doesn't cross YOUR line, insert one that does for purposes of this example - perhaps "Yeah, you must be F---ing blind"). He's gone.

[wadeintothem]

I wouldnt toss him - thats like entrapment or something

Like the others - if it is derogatory or made out of anger; something like that, gone.

Anyway - I heard sh$$ on the simpsons the other night VERY clearly. Context is everything IMO.

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by mcrowder


While I agree with everyone else here that in this particular case the most you should do is say "Watch that language", I do take issue to the assumption that you shouldn't eject a player just because YOU started the conversation and his comment was a response to your question.

It is not just about the who started the conversation, it is in the context of what that conversation is about. You asked a question, he gave it. He was not talking about an umpire or an opponent, he was commenting on a teammate because the UMPIRE asked him. And you think ejecting someone based on that makes sense?

Originally posted by mcrowder
For example, after a couple of semi-audible groans from a particular coach on a couple of outside pitches(perhaps one you know almost never does this), you ask the catcher (no - I don't normally do this, but I've heard and read that some umpires do):

PU: "Catcher, am I missing those outside strikes?"
F2: "Yeah, those calls were bulls---".

Even in this example, I still feel the same way. That is why I do not ask questions like that. You might not like the answer or the response.

Originally posted by mcrowder
You initiated the conversation - he crossed the line (and if that particular line doesn't cross YOUR line, insert one that does for purposes of this example - perhaps "Yeah, you must be F---ing blind"). He's gone.

Well it does not cross my line, because I would have not put myself in that situation to begin with. So there really is not an example to give you. I just feel that when you engage players and coaches in "friendly" conversations like that, you cannot get upset when they might use language that involves profanity, especially when they are not directing it at you or your partner.

Now the original post asked for opinions. We all do not have to agree on how to handle this. But I would have never put myself in that position and then ejected the player for him being honest. Just tell the player to watch their language and move on.

Peace

[Daryl H. Long]

The "Preacher" will now reply.

Listen to Rut.

I have not survived 25 years officiating 4 sports by ejecting everyone who swore on the field (especially football). I can guarantee you there ane many words that offend me and they are not all "swear" words. Rich, the word you wrote I do consider profanity but I am neither a prude nor do I go looking for trouble. (Obviously the rules of the forum prohibit profanity otherwise the words would have been written rather than inserting some cute character in the word).

Those times I did eject for profanity everyone knew why and no explanation was necessary.

When profanity happens around me I will give a subtle reminder to clean up language and move on. My purpose is not because of my "preaching" background but on contrary as a preventative nature. I don't want the game to digress by escalating the emotional aspect of the individuals participating beyond the exhilaration of the competition itself. That includes unnecessary comments/questions many umpires make.

Rut said it best. Don't put ourselves in the situation to begin with.

[Baseball_North]

Are you serious that you would consider ejecting someone for this?

He was just having a conversation with you.....

I don't even know how to respond to that.