I was asked this question by another umpire. What would you say?

A High School A.D. called a veteran umpire - not a very good one by umpiring standards, but a "buddy" of his - and said, "Here's my varsity schedule for next Spring - take what you want." The umpire TOOK THEM ALL. The A.D. either didn't care or was too timid to say "You can't have them all".

I asked if the coach had any input, and was told, "It's a new coach."

My reaction was 1) The A.D. should know better; 2)The umpire should know better, and 3)It will be a one-year problem that may have lasting fallout with the teams on the schedule AND with the new coach.

Do you think someone should confront the umpire? Should this be reported to the state association to let them put some pressure on the A.D.? If ever there was a case for the label "homer", this is it. And pity the poor umpire if he ticks off the new coach in the first or second game!

Thoughts?

Treading on thin ice- - - -
 

John, I'd say this Ump better hope he makes it through the season without any of the opponents coaches finding out about this relationship.

If he has any close calls, he'll fall under some intense scrutiny, and the friendly A. D. will have to leave him hang.

I can see him "cherry-picking" some dates out of the whole schedule, but to take all, or even most of them smacks of some "insider" situations. He should have allowed a few other folks a chance, and then if he does an acceptable job, there would be no room for doubt. The way it is, he better have perfect games each time his buddy's team plays, or there will be hell to pay.

Speechless in Spokane
 

Well, maybe not speechless, but certainly dumbfounded, shocked and surprised.

I was not aware that such practices were still allowed at the high school level. Nothing even approaching the semblance of that happens in my area.

AD's contact assignors of local associations with their schedules and that's the end of their involvement in selecting umpires.

Having an AD that chummy with a sports official is to invite suspicion and criticism. Having an umpire that chummy with an AD is to invite trouble. What are these people thinking?

I would suggest a course in Ethics 101 for all concerned.

and just who does this AD answer to.....
 

and, do you think they would approve?
Hint, Hint!!!!!.....

This is more common than you might think
 

You state that the umpire was a "buddy" of the AD. This method of selecting umpires was common in years past. It even took place at the college level.

I am too much of a cynic to believe that the AD did not know EXACTLY what he was doing. He expects a favor in return. That favor is that all close calls go in favor of his school. Before you castigate the AD, consider what he is up against. If he has to hire his umpires directly, so does every other school. What do you think that those ADs are doing. They are hiring homers, that's what.

Only when all the ADs get together and agree that this method of selecting umpires is not in the sports programs' best interest, will the system change. The person with the most at risk is the umpire. A favor was done for him. A favor is expected in return. He doesn't have to be a good umpire to be a homer. Once labeled a homer, no one will trust him in the future when the school district goes to centralized hiring, as is inevitable. That umpire's career will be history.

Peter

and over in the other corner we have.....
 

basketball coach Mike Jarvis (and the likes of)
from St. John's University, i.e.
Feb.'02 Referee magazine
page N10
Xs & Os
Get Game Ready
Addressing the "Homer" Question

and, who says that some coaches don't have more than one game going on at the same time.....

When I played at the high school level in Connecticut (1964-1966), we had the same plate ump for just about every game. Base umps varied quite a bit, though. Even in college in Maine (1968-1970), where we were competitive with anybody in the Northeast (there were no divisions in those days), I can remember only two plate umps for our home games, and one had starred at our college for our coach (who went on to U of Maine and several college world series). Funny though, again the base umps varied. When we played Boston University, we knew who the plate ump would be; same with B.C., Northeastern, Tufts, and some other schools. Nobody thought anything of it. Guess things have changed quite a bit.

In my FED association here in New Jersey, the assigner is very careful to spread the umps around: never two in a row at the same school, no more than three home games a season, never the same two teams, never at a school your kids attend (even if they don't play), and coaches cannot ask for certain guys or even say they don't want certain guys.

I guess I have to agree with Jim Mills about the umpire shortage, and the fact that if an AD can cover all his games quickly and conveniently, who can fault him for doing so? I know we've all heard the term "homer" and are familiar with all of it's ramifications. We've also all heard the term "warm body" - heck, we've all BEEN that warm body at some point in our career - and know what that's all about. Still, even if I could have the best umpire in my area for every game I'd still be hard pressed to take him. There's another term that comes to mind..."familiarity breeds..."

GBA

The AD might feel bad about what he did, if he cared!

But it brings up the good old discussion of wether the teams (coach or AD) should have the right to select the officials at their games? Even when an outside assignor is used. I think this practice still exists in many areas and good or bad, it is always ripe for discussion.