Arrogance and Being "Bigger than the Game"

[Nigel Tufnel]

[QUOTE=Tim C;538865]As I have stated many times before the simple number of ejections an umpire has little to no bearing on his game management or ability.

If you had asked: "On your ejections during the last two season have any been deemed 'unnecessary' by your assigner or executive board?"

There are far more problem with umpires that fail to eject than umpires that do eject.

Tuss's major problem may lie in the fact that he is considered 'very' young to work at the level he has attained. It matters not if he is average, good or great it is the perception that young umpires are cocky.

I guess I'm too quick to the point...good elaboration Tim, especially on the ones who fail to eject (preventative umpiring for the rest of us).




Pssst..TUss...How many was there?

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Wow, talk about a real sensitive umpire.

I meant to say making the call too emphatic.

[gordon30307]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

I've now heard from several sources, none of which I particularly care about their opinion (nor should I) that as an official, I put off an image that I think everyone is there to see me officiate.

Now, let me go over the things that I do that I feel makes that not the case, and then I'll ask my question to the esteemed panel.

My appearance is sharp, but not flashy. I wear the uniform and nothing else, very rarely do I even go with sun glasses. No armbands, shiny belts (not saying shiny belts are wrong, just painting a picture), etc.

My demeanor is quite quiet - My plate conference is quick and efficient, and I don't talk to anyone that I don't need to during the game.

My mechanics are relaxed, but sharp. I'm not egregiously loud, vocally, in my calls, but not passive in them either. My mechanics are nothing that most other umpires don't do themselves (simple fist on strikes, a relaxed pull of the bow on strike 3).

I always try to hustle to where I need to be to see a play.

My game management skills are ever improving - I work by butt of at not escalating situations myself, just answering back in the same tone of voice. This part of my umpiring needs the most improvement, but is also the part I have come farthest along with. I don't bait people to ejections, always try to talk coaches and players out of them. That being said, I'm not afraid to take care of business either.

-----------

So, what other areas of my game could I possibly get this characterization of an attitude that says "everyone is here to watch me umpire"??? I want to think about things I haven't outlined above, as I've asked some other umpires about them and say that all those things listed above - I'm right on track with.

Could there be something else I'm missing? Or should I just let it roll of my shoulders.

You are being percieved as being arrogant or unapproachable (I'm sure you're not) you have to find that happy medium of not being overly friendly yet at the same time being approachable. Do you introduce yourself to each catcher and address them by their first name, do you address the Head Coach by their first name. Work on your game management. Game management is more than a thourgh knowledge of rules, mechanics etc. And the most important thing of all is knowing what to say and when to say it. This is something that noone can help you with since it only comes with experience.

[Dave Reed]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

I've heard ..... that I put off an image that I think everyone is there to see me officiate.

Most people here have focussed on a possible perception of arrogance, but even non-arrogant and quite competent umpires can appear to desire attention. Unnecessarily interrupting the flow of the game can lead to such an image.
For example,

1. After the batter and pitcher are nearly set, calling time to set right an open gate, or ask a bucket-sitting coach to stay in the dugout.
2. Bob Jenkins has already mentioned OOO activities, and interrupting the game to perform them (as opposed to between innings) makes it worse.
3. In the middle of an inning, calling a coach or your partner over to confer for no apparent reason.
4. An umpire who doesn't verbalize ball calls, and who also slows down the timing of his strike call when there is a potential ball 4.

Apparent youth may play a part in perceived arrogance (although I think competence trumps youth every time), but I doubt that youthfulness would foster the impression that an umpire desires to be a major attraction.

[socalblue1]

Dave has good points. I would add that in a young umpire some may perceive self-confidence as arrogance.

[ozzy6900]

Well, here we go..... the old fart is going to give his opinion to all this!

First of all, Tuss is in a neighboring HS board to mine. His HS board is as large as mine and has about as many old timers as mine does. Add to the fact that the HS board that Tuss belongs to deals with the more "affluent" areas of CT and the "customers" in this area are royal pains. I also know several of the members of Tuss' HS board and they are not the easiest to get along with.

That said, one of the hardest things that we have to deal with up here is exactly what Canada is complaining about. My board has aquired a large number of college age umpires over the last few years. They are all hard workers (both on and off the field), some are still in school and all have attended our clinics.

Their biggest complaints are that they are not taken seriously on the field. I have seen this first hand as I am either assigned with them or are out evaluating them to move up to Varsity level and beyond. I have had many coaches approach me during a game wanting me to either talk to my partner or correct his "attitude". To these requests, I have to remind the coaches that my partner is an official of equal rank and capability as myself. I remind them that the youth of my partner has no bearing on the fact that he is my equal and I stand by him and his decisions just as well as I would someone my own age. Finally I firmly request that they treat my partner with the same respect as they would myself or get the hell off the field! That usually gets the point across!

Yes, age is a very big factor in my part of the country and everyone is judged by it. It is something that we teach the "youngsters" they have to work hard at getting around this. Whining about it will not change a thing here in New England. These old "Yankees" have been looking at age for decades - hell, I do it myself sometimes!

Tuss will be fine, he has a lot of good people on his HS board and Tuss has a good head on his shoulders. He will get around the "age barrier" of New England in no time.

Tim C., you are absolutely correct in your assumption that he would be an asset to your board. We too would welcome him if decided to umpire in our region.

[David B]

Originally Posted by ozzy6900

Well, here we go..... the old fart is going to give his opinion to all this!



Tim C., you are absolutely correct in your assumption that he would be an asset to your board. We too would welcome him if decided to umpire in our region.

I agree totally. We would welcome a young official who takes it seriously, wants to improve and move up the ladder.

The key is putting the "young" officials with veterans who have the ability to teach them the little things like dealing with coaches, handling problems etc.,

Too many times we put the younger officials with "veteran" officials who are on the last leg of their journey and the young official is not able to learn or glean anything from the experience.

Being young is not all bad, I was able to move up the ladder very quickly as a young college student while in TX, but it was because I had great teachers, and I was able to learn from my mistakes.

The biggest hindrance I see from young officials is the inability to manage the game "on the fly". IOW, what do you do when something unusual happens.

And finally, when you make a mistake, learn from it, study it, and don't ever make the same mistake again.

Good luck and keep working

thanks
David

[PeteBooth]

[QUOTE]

Originally Posted by ozzy6900

Well, here we go..... the old fart is going to give his opinion to all this!


Their biggest complaints are that they are not taken seriously on the field. I have seen this first hand as I am either assigned with them or are out evaluating them to move up to Varsity level and beyond. I have had many coaches approach me during a game wanting me to either talk to my partner or correct his "attitude". To these requests, I have to remind the coaches that my partner is an official of equal rank and capability as myself. I remind them that the youth of my partner has no bearing on the fact that he is my equal and I stand by him and his decisions just as well as I would someone my own age. Finally I firmly request that they treat my partner with the same respect as they would myself or get the hell off the field! That usually gets the point across!

Ozzy you hit the "nail on the head". Until the "old guard" fianlly calls it quits and the new corps of young umpires takes over this will be the perception.

I believe this type of scenario happened when we were young also. It takes time.

For the most part IMO the coaches have been "spoon fed" by the old vets

It starts right away during the equipment check. Many of the old vets do not even bother checking the equipment in the first place and then when a young rookie starts checking equipment and tossing out a few "bats and hats" "right away' the coach thinks that he is arrogant and he is simply doing his job.

Then there is this "bucket business" Many of the old vets (to appease the coaches and get good ratings in other words kiss their yoo know what) turned a blind eye and when a young umpire trys to tell a coach that he can sit on the bucket as long as he is DBT, again the coaches say that this umpire is arrogant.

In Summary: IMO, it's the "old guard" that caused this type of descrimination in the first place because they became complacent and did not want to upset "the apple cart" and when a new young umpire is simply doing their job they appear arrogant.

Pete Booth

[Rich]

[QUOTE=PeteBooth;539214]

Ozzy you hit the "nail on the head". Until the "old guard" fianlly calls it quits and the new corps of young umpires takes over this will be the perception.

I believe this type of scenario happened when we were young also. It takes time.

For the most part IMO the coaches have been "spoon fed" by the old vets

It starts right away during the equipment check. Many of the old vets do not even bother checking the equipment in the first place and then when a young rookie starts checking equipment and tossing out a few "bats and hats" "right away' the coach thinks that he is arrogant and he is simply doing his job.

Then there is this "bucket business" Many of the old vets (to appease the coaches and get good ratings in other words kiss their yoo know what) turned a blind eye and when a young umpire trys to tell a coach that he can sit on the bucket as long as he is DBT, again the coaches say that this umpire is arrogant.

In Summary: IMO, it's the "old guard" that caused this type of descrimination in the first place because they became complacent and did not want to upset "the apple cart" and when a new young umpire is simply doing their job they appear arrogant.

Pete Booth

The young guys become the old guard. I was once a young guy. I'm not anymore. The old guys still think I'm young and the new guys look like teenagers. (I look young for my age, but I'm in my 22nd school year of working high school sports.)

TCB and doing the right things has nothing to do with age. It has to do with your philosophy and with what's important to you as an umpire or as an association.

[Rita C]

Tell them you need specifics. Quite honestly, without specifics it means nothing.

Ask THEM to give you a postgame evaluation and point out what they think you are doing wrong.

I had someone tell me this year that I have a reputation for being hard on coaches and the kids, and having a quick trigger. Of course he got that idea from the one coach I ejected in the last two years, one it took five innings to get me to the point I had had enough.

Rita

[Arnold A.]

Originally Posted by Rita C

Tell them you need specifics. Quite honestly, without specifics it means nothing.

Ask THEM to give you a postgame evaluation and point out what they think you are doing wrong.

I had someone tell me this year that I have a reputation for being hard on coaches and the kids, and having a quick trigger. Of course he got that idea from the one coach I ejected in the last two years, one it took five innings to get me to the point I had had enough.

Rita

Tuss,

As Rita has said, just consider the source(s).

And, be brutally honest with yourself when you evaluate your performance. You can't really fool yourself.