Game Forfieted...

[UmpJM]

TussAgee11,

From the perspective of a coach who has been on the coaching side of this situation (in more or less all material respects) I would say:

1. No, you most certainly did not do anything wrong - either in properly declaring the forfeit (assuming the league dictates forfeits in the case of inability to field a team), nor in declining to officiate the following "scrimmage" which the two teams decided to engage in.

2. I don't see how you could "be in trouble" or have incurred any liability because the two teams decided to engage in a scrimmage which you declined to officiate. However, I am not an attorney, and I stayed at home last night. As my brother, who IS an attorney (BTW, anyone heard any good "lawyer jokes lately?) once reminded me: "...America is a great country. You can be sued for getting up in the morning. Or not getting up in the morning, for that matter. ..."

3. The coaches had no business being upset with YOU.

4. While I wouldn't argue that it was "easy money", the fact of the matter is that you fulfilled your end of the contract (I'm assuming you showed up on time and were prepared to umpire a game).

And that's all I have to say about that.

JM