Partners "stepping in" to your discussion...

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser

I will likely not be in this situation. We work with regular partners (I have 25 HS and college dates with one guy and 10 dates with another guy -- both close friends) and I don't aspire to be more than a better official at my current level.

But I do know where you're coming from, as I've moved about 5 times before settling in here in my current, snow-covered location. And I've had partners act like I've never umpired before even though I could tell in minutes that I'd be carrying them in rough moments even though they were the ones politically connected.

All you can do is let your umpiring speak for itself and not make life difficult for yourself while you're climbing the ladder. If a partner got in the middle during an argument at a level I didn't work often or was working towards, I'd likely let it go and figure out why he did it after the game.

I'll be honest, I know I did it myself once or twice last season -- I jumped in when an inexperienced partner was clearly overmatched. But I'm the assignor/UIC of the league, so I wasn't (at the time) interested in watching my partner suffer -- I needed the umpire to stay in the league and fill slots and learn without getting thrown to the wolves. I don't believe you necessarily learn how to swim best by getting thrown into a tank full of piranhas, either.

I appreciate your comments, and support.

I too have cut in on a inexperienced partner when a bully was on him, for the good of the game you know!

I think that there are times when you are dealing with somebody who probably will not go to the next level, but has the ear of a lot of people who are at that level. Like it or not, you have to go through some people who are not exactly the most effacing umpires who look for opportunities to be officious. I suppose that says a lot about why they didn't achieve that next level.

I can think of some D1 non-conference umpires who are technically a lot better than some conference umpires, but lack the same easy going way about them, and don't seem to show a lot of care to the guys that are trying to move up.

Personally, I really like working with and helping guys on the way up. They constantly remind me that I have to look for ways to improve every game! Some of my favorite people to work with who have achieved a level higher than I am doing are more than willing to let me make my own mistakes, as it should be! They wait to give feedback about what I did wrong for when I ask for it. Sometimes, they give me things I have never thought of.

It is guys that are doing the higher level who are officious that bug me the most. Gawd help me if I ever become officious!

I just posted all of this because not only have I experienced some D1 guys who "cut in" on stuff that they should stay out of, but have seen a lot of footage where it has happened. It is like these guys are looking to get into the middle of the conflict! A college coach actually stated displeasure about another umpire, BY NAME to me, who was calling a lot of attention to himself in various ways. It was interesting to hear about, and frankly, I agreed with him, but of course got out of that conversation as gracefully and quickly as I could! ("Hey coach, is that hot dog stand over there open? I sure am hungry! ).

Maybe "red a$$" is getting a little carried away at the D1 level?