HS Coach Strikes Umpire
 

See the two links below for the actual footage and background..


http://citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.d...090&source=rss

(Look at the Slideshow)

http://www.wlos.com/players/news/sports/video.shtml

(See Enka players react to Coach's Resignation)


Lawrence

Interesting. Guess that's another benefit of the HSM we haven't discussed.

Clearly the coach was out of line and that's why he got tossed. Then he was out of line again when he put his hands on the umps back and turned him around and jumped in his face. His hit/push in the face came after the ump thought about offering him a head-butt but stopped before he really got em good. What an ugly situation.

I wonder of those guys up there have had other trouble from this coach or is this just him jumping off the mountain. He does seem humble about it now but the damage is done.

I think the ump more than thought about the head-butt. After the coach got in the umpire's grill, the umpire gave a relatively good retaliation with his mask.

I don't think so. After viewing that particular sequence several times, I believe the umpire made move towards the coach with his full body, with the movement of head being a reation to, and part of, his body movement. When you view it, watch the umpire's shoulders and torso. His movement towards the coach while probably saying something to the effect of "Don't you EVER touch me again, Gilligan" is understandable.

It looks more agressive due to the presence of his helmet. Had he removed it as he should, the move would not have looked the same.

..and he would have been slapped in the face :D

L,

What would you do if someone hit you in the face with a HSM? The coach was wrong for putting his hands on the umpire in the first place, but as a man, if this Hall guy hit me in the face with his HSM, well ... let's just say that it is a felony to assault officials and if I was able o keep myself restrained, I think I would be calling Lawump to see what type of charges swung the other way when and umpire struck me as a coach.

He only got slapped as a reaction to being hit in the face.

Don't you think it's a natural reaction for a man to at least push someone off who's right in their face yelling at them. This has never happened to me on the diamond, and hopefully it never will. But my first instinct would have been to go right back at him.


Tim.

The film clip that I saw went like this
1. Coach was ejected and the PU turned away.
2. Coach followed, reached out and laid hands on the PU.
3. The PU turned around and the coach got in his face.
4. The PU got back in the coach's face, pushing forward in response to the coach's aggressive actions. (He shouldn't have but he's only human)
5. The coach hit the PU.

I have been in a few of these. I step back as I am warning the offender about ejection/additional suspension that comes with physical contact/spitting.

Your #4, the umpire looked like a bobble head when he pushed forward. And he probably only did that b/c he knew he had his mask on.

The umpire that was involved probably didn't sleep well before the HS asso. decided that he did not head butt the coach and no sactions were placed on him.

Before the coach RESIGNED and the NCHSAA *correctly* didn't sanction the umpire.

I was checking out the original news clip and apparently the visiting team won on a balk call - attempted hidden ball trick. The official ruling was that the pitcher was still in dirt area of the mound, thus a balk was called. I thought a pitcher had to be on or astride the pitching plate for this to be a balk? Am I off here?

The pitcher cannot be around 6 feet from the pitching rubber in FED rules. So you would be off on this issue.

The umpire should have taken off his helmet and beat the coach with it. At least it would have taken a lot for me not to do that. The coach was wrong and did not back off. I see nothing wrong with the umpire's actions.

Peace

I agree with all your observations only I would further characterize it this way ...

Although wrong, the coach approaching the umpire from behind and touching him could not be viewed as physically threatening.

Getting in each other's face was not physically threatening. That happens all the time.

The first physically threatening act was by the UMPIRE when he thrust his mask forward, hitting the coach squarely in the face - to which the coach reacted (understandably) by taking a girlie shove to the umpire - hardly an act that will cause any physical harm - unlike a mask in the face.

There is plenty of blame to go around here. But, in my opinion, the UMPIRE was the only one who engaged in any meaningful, harmful, physical activity.

David Emerling
Memphis, TN