Interference or Not???

[UmpJM]

LilLeaguer,

FWIW, when I first read your "follow-up" query to Doug, I was ROTFLMAO - just struck me as kind of funny.

However, I really wasn't looking to pick a fight with him (nor am I now), or anyone else for that matter, so I just left it alone.

My use of boldface type in other posts on this thread was merely an (apparently spectacularly unsuccessful) attempt to emphasize certain aspects of my comments, which I believed and intended to be in full agreement with the umpires' advice to the coach to not bring a rulebook onto the field.

I honestly couldn't figure out what Doug found to be condescending in tone, or why S.D. Steve had such a negative reaction to my comments.

Having reread my posts, I would say that the only thing that I wrote that could be fairly considered even mildly condescending was my post addressed to Xtopher_66 - and my intent was not be mean-spirited in any way, but mildly humorous (again, apparently without success).

I did have a point I was trying to make with the umpires. Having been in Xtopher_66's shoes in the past, I can assure you that it is not necessarily a coach's intent to show disrespect to the umpire by bringing a rulebook onto the field.

When I first realized that "rulebook" was not a metaphor and that it might actually be a good idea for me to learn the (real) rules of the game I was theoretically teaching to children, it did not occur to me that bringing a rulebook onto the field would be considered offensive to an umpire. Really.

Once a helpful umpire explained it to me, it made perfect sense. So, I would encourage you as umpires, especially if you do "lower level" games, to not automatically eject a coach for bringing out a rulebook - at least not if he is otherwise behaving as a gentleman. Simply tell him to put it away and inform him that really isn't done. Now if he's acting like a jerk or does it again, by all means toss him. Some people can't learn to modify their behavior unless there are consequences.

JMO.

JM