So ya had a bad day...

DG · #1 (**permalink**) Sun Jul 16, 2006, 10:19pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by lmathews19

I was doing the championship game of a AA(double-A) USSSA world series today. One of the coaches was a real prick and saying crap all game (just smart-a$$ stuff that pisses you off). I had finally heard enough about the strike zone in the 4th inning (they were getting beat 10-0...I guess it was my fault), so I told him that enough and I didn't want to hear any more. He ignored me and I said it again. Then he made a hand gesture by putting his hand on his hear being a smart-a$$ and acting like he wasn't hearing me. I dumped him, the crowd went nuts. It was one of those fields were the dads of lil Johnny can get right behind the backstop and act like they are umpires. They were literally screaming at me (nothing derogatory) calling me "Hollywood" and stupid $hit. I just ignored them...team loses 10-2 after 4 innings...1 hr. 10 min. I take it to the house, while the dads of the losing team came up to me when I was walking out telling me how much I sucked and stuff. I ignored them. Now, I know the professional thing to do is ignore the fans at all costs, but I know many guys who at youth stuff like this will actually acknowledge the fans and dump them just like they were coaches. Did I do the right thing by ignoring them? My thinking is if I acknowledge them, it will just get worse.

I take great pride and pleasure from completely ignoring the fans. I also take great pride and pleasure in setting a dumb-a$$ coach straight early in the game, and if he doesn't get the clue dump him. I have never had a word to say to a dumb-a$$ fan after the game.

One mistake, you told him you did not want to hear any more, he ignored you and you warned again. There should be no such thing as two warnings, the first is a warning, the second is a dump, otherwise the first warning meant nothing.

lmathews19 · #2 (**permalink**) Sun Jul 16, 2006, 10:59pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by DG

I take great pride and pleasure from completely ignoring the fans. I also take great pride and pleasure in setting a dumb-a$$ coach straight early in the game, and if he doesn't get the clue dump him. I have never had a word to say to a dumb-a$$ fan after the game.

One mistake, you told him you did not want to hear any more, he ignored you and you warned again. There should be no such thing as two warnings, the first is a warning, the second is a dump, otherwise the first warning meant nothing.

I'm sorry, I typed it wrong. When I told the coach that it was enough and he ignored me, I meant that he didn't pay any attention to me when I said it so I repeated myself, and that's when he put his hand over his ear and I dumped him. I didn't mean he ignored me and kept saying crap about my strike zone. That's my fault, I should have made that more understandable.

TussAgee11 · #3 (**permalink**) Sun Jul 16, 2006, 11:55pm

Certainly, I believe their is a place and time to shut fans up. If you just stand there, sometimes other fans think that the offending fan's behavior is acceptable and will go unpunished. If the TD is there, I may give him a slight point in between innings if he is within sight of me. If he comes over, I'll tell him very nondiscretely (keeping my mask on).

If there is no TD, these fans, IMO, need to be shut up. I don't mind taking typical crap all game long, but sometimes when you just take the crap, it leads to worse things and actions from fans. I want to prevent that at all costs, for the sanctity of the game I am working.

GarthB · #4 (**permalink**) Mon Jul 17, 2006, 01:03am

Quote:

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

Certainly, I believe their is a place and time to shut fans up. If you just stand there, sometimes other fans think that the offending fan's behavior is acceptable and will go unpunished. If the TD is there, I may give him a slight point in between innings if he is within sight of me. If he comes over, I'll tell him very nondiscretely (keeping my mask on).

If there is no TD, these fans, IMO, need to be shut up. I don't mind taking typical crap all game long, but sometimes when you just take the crap, it leads to worse things and actions from fans. I want to prevent that at all costs, for the sanctity of the game I am working.

I realize my authority lies on the field side of the fence. I don't get involved with fans. I have never seen a situation made better by an umpire getting involved with fans.

archangel · #5 (**permalink**) Mon Jul 17, 2006, 01:12pm

Varsity HS game, big rivalry between the 2 teams, student fans of home team start yelling increasingly obnoxious things to visiting defense, then at visiting teams parents. Said parents complaining, and slightly yelling back. Things are starting to boil over, so between innings, Pu partner and I talk to home coach, describe the 3 main student troublemakers, ask him to settle things down--that we werent going to stand for this kind of fan display-- he sends a parent to sit in the same student area--calms things down.
2 innings later, it starts up again(where was parent??). We explain to home coach that unless he had those 3 leave the field/park immediately, that the game was delayed, maybe a "possible" forfeit- coach was very angry at us, as his was a playoff level team vs a losing record team, but those 3 were soon gone, home team wins, and parents from both teams thank us as we head to cars.
Normally I ignore "ump" comments, but in this case....

TussAgee11 · #6 (**permalink**) Mon Jul 17, 2006, 03:06pm

That is what I'm saying. Sometimes if you do nothing (or don't direct somebody like a TD or an AD to do something) it will just get worse and worse. To the point where you will have to do something. I would hate suspending play because of a couple of wackjobs in the bleachers.

If you can prevent it before it gets to that point (if you feel that it will continue to increse), why not do something? I'm not talking about your average chirping. I'm talking about blatant harrassment of any individual involved in the game.

GarthB · #7 (**permalink**) Mon Jul 17, 2006, 03:29pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

That is what I'm saying. Sometimes if you do nothing (or don't direct somebody like a TD or an AD to do something) it will just get worse and worse. To the point where you will have to do something. I would hate suspending play because of a couple of wackjobs in the bleachers.

If you can prevent it before it gets to that point (if you feel that it will continue to increse), why not do something? I'm not talking about your average chirping. I'm talking about blatant harrassment of any individual involved in the game.

Leave it to those who have the authority to deal with fans. You don't.

You remind me of the old story about the young bull and and the old bull. As they stand on hill looking down on a herd of cows, the young bull says "let's run down there and #@$% one of them cows." The old bull sighs and says, "No, let's WALK down there and #@$% all of them."

Calm down, young bull. Ace says you have talent. I'll take his word for it. But you will still learn from experience and time.