A Little Much?

[JugglingReferee]

I think that both ways of looking at it are valid.

I understand where his heart was on the play, but I don't understand where his head was.

The umpire sees the impending danger with the kid in the way. His heart tells him that such contact is not welcomed. If possible, he should prevent the contact and he does so. His head did not step in and tell him the best method to use to get the kid out of place to somewhere else.

I think you have it backwards. His head (as in BIG) was in it, but his heart was not.

His head sees the impending contact and he decides to act quickly. His heart forgets to tell him that the kid needs to be displaced in a manner that also is not dangerous.

What would have been tres-cool, is that if the play was a bit closer, he two-hand yanks the kid out of the way, but still hanging onto him, and up into his arms. While the kid was airborne, the PU makes the safe/out call, then catches the kid into his arms.

I'm also glad that someone made it into an animated GIF!