Arrogance and Being "Bigger than the Game"

[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.

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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.

[bob jenkins]

Possible ideas, but you really need to ask those who are making the comments:

1) "unexpected" calls

2) overly strict (for your area) enforcement of "non playing" rules (aka OOO)

[Rich Ives]

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

I work by butt off at not escalating situations myself, just answering back in the same tone of voice.

Perhaps you are creating an air of aloofness, seemingly not part of the game.

[MajorDave]

like body language. Hands on hips symbolizes an "air of authority" that some people resent. If you do that. The other may be your age. I gather from your address info that you are in college at Elon College or some other institution in Elon, NC. Younger folks always attract ire from someone for having and using their authority over those older than them. I would guess it was some coach or parent that made comments to you about your "arrogance".
Lastly, your stature (or in my case, lack thereof) may be a factor. If you are shorter than say 5'11/6' then some combined with your age and your body language may tend to put some people off that you think "you are bigger than the game".

I would also guess that you are very formal in how you speak to coaches and others. That again puts some people off.

I was a 19 year old Second Lieutenant in the Army once. (many moons ago)
I am short, 5'9" and have a southern/country accent. I met many people early in my military and law careers that thought because of my age, lack of stature and "countrified" accent that I was stupid and arrogant. I think most who know me now have changed their opinions. I really did not care then or now but I think it is important how you are perceived as effective communication is a real focus of mine.

I don't know you or anything about you except your posts so I could be very wrong and way off base here. But, since you asked I offered my two cents. YMMV.

D.C. Teater

[SanDiegoSteve]

Maybe people are there to see you officiate. I know that in some of my games, I was the best thing there. People say that they don't come to see the umpires, but they sure love to watch us punch out a batter on strikes with a flourish, don't they?

Hell yeah, I'm there to add excitement to what otherwise would be an extremely boring experience for all involved. Would these critics rather see us just give a lazy, routine strike three call, or does putting a little pizazz on it actually fire up the fans? I submit that the umpires can and do add excitement to the game by being demonstrative and a bit flashy on the really close plays. To me, there is nothing worse than seeing a really close play, and then the umpire does a Tim McClelland ho-hum-I'm-bored-when-is-this-horrible-game-going-to-end style of lazy looking mechanic. It sucks the intensity and fun out the play, IMO. I'd rather see a Ron Luciano/Frank Drebbin style outlandish mechanic than see an umpire call that looks like he doesn't care to be there.

So, I say for you to continue doing the same thing you are doing. Let the haters hate, because that's what they do best. Let it go like water off a duck's back and carry on.

[PeteBooth]

[QUOTE]

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.

My first question is

Who are these "several sources"? Are they your peers, assignor(s), coaches

IMO, that makes a big difference.

Also, IMO as officials we have to remember The game is not for us it's for the particpants.

In line with what Bob said.

At one time I was strictly umpiring Modified and JV HS baseball. In the summer I got to do my first CBL (Collegiate Wood bat League) game. I had the dish and I was simply awful.

Reason being is that I was calling a strike zone that was acceptable for Modified and JV level personnel not College athletes. In fact one player (in a nice way) said to me "Blue this is not JV"

In the future I adjusted and by my 3rd game behind the dish I felt more relaxed and started doing a good job. The strike zone is that which is accepted in the leagues we service. Therefore, perhaps you have a good strike zone but it's not the kind of zone they are used to in a particular league you service.

I think most of us know that we "make a living" doing the dish, however, IMO we cannot monopolize doing the dish either meaning we should give others a chance. Therefore, if you are almost always doing the dish perhaps others who umpire with you feel you are arrogant.

In summary we need to know who these "several sources" are to give an accurate response.

Pete Booth

[Emperor Ump]

Tuss,

There's a blurry subjective line between confidence and arrogance and which way they fall might be, like what others have said, who is making the call if it's coaches/players/parents I'd pretty much say that's a compliment. If its from peers/evaluators/or others in the know, then you might want to re-evaluate your on the field presence.

[JJ]

Pay attention to the people you NEED to pay attention to - supervisors and experienced peers being at the top of the list.

Coaches to a much lessor extent, but if they are reporting to your supervisor that you are "arrogant and unapproachable", ask your supervisor why they are saying that (don't ask them). It's his job to investigate and get back to you with tangible information and not "opinion".

Fans and reporters are just that. They have a vested interest in what's going on but their actual input is not valuable. They don't have the training that your supervisors do, and while they like to think they have influence over what's going on, they really don't. Take any criticism - and any compliment - from them with a grain of salt.

You can beat your head against a wall forever wondering who you should be impressing and who you should be siding with and who you should try to befriend, but it all boils down to "can you work". If the people you NEED to pay attention to say "yes" to that question, you're on the right track.

JJ

[Nigel Tufnel]

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.


This area IMO is probably where the critique is coming from...
Just curious, how many EJ's this year?..last year??

[Tim C]

"Just curious, how many EJ's this year?..last year??"

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.

Trust me: The Portland Baseball Umpires Association would welcome Tuss with open arms.

Regards,

[canadaump6]

From one young umpire to another, I would say not to listen to the morons who call you "arrogant". People do have issues with a younger person keeping control of things and ejecting if need be. I am in a similar situation to you. I had always thought my standards for behaviour on the ball diamond were strict but fair, until a veteran umpire told me I had developed a bad reputation as someone who likes to throw his weight around.

I recommend you keep your approach. If people don't like the way you handle things, then go to another association where age isn't an issue. People don't seem to realize that there is nothing in the rule book about age, but age appears to be the only possible cause for these people having issues with you.

It still would help to have more details. How many ejections have you had, and what levels of ball do you work?

[Adam]

Without getting specific "reasons" for their opinions, it's hard to say much. If possible, I'd ask the voluntary advisors, "What is it specifically that gives that impression?" Their answer could either give you something concrete to think about, or tell you their simply full of it.

Talk to your assigner, see if he or she has heard any similar criticisms of you. Just say it's something you heard from casual fans and you wanted to see if there was any truth to it.

As stated before, the impression could be caused by little things in your body language; how you stand, whether you're smiling, your tone of voice, whether it looks like you're enjoying yourself. If it doesn't look like you're having fun, it could seem as if you take yourself too seriously.

[UmpJM]

Tuss,

My impression from reading your posts on this forum is certainly not of someone who is arrogant or someone who would think of himself as "bigger than the game"; quite the contrary, you come across as someone who is genuinely interested in the quality of his officiating and continually improving it, and, from my perspective, one who is mature beyond his years.

Of course, this is just an internet board, and you might project an entirely different image on the field when officiating. But, I doubt it.

I have found that one of the hardest things in life is being truly objective about one's self. It's extremely difficult to have a thoroughly objective assessment of one's performance in doing something one cares about doing well, and in understanding how one's demeanor and actions are perceived by other people, without getting feedback from other people. (Video can be helpful as well.)

Your description of this feedback as coming from "several sources" suggests to me that there is most likely something to these comments; and the fact that you bothered to make this post belies your assertion that you don't particularly care. It also reinforces my impression of you as a conscientious official who cares about the quality of his umpiring.

I've never seen you work, so I really don't have a clue as to what might be creating this impression in some who have and whether or not it's something that ought to concern you or something you should address. Could be a "body language" thing, could be a "tone of voice" thing, could be the way you deal with controversial plays, could be that you're too "by the book" rather than "with the book". Or something else entirely.

I once saw an umpire work a game who had a "perpetual grin" on his face. I would guess he was unaware that that was how his facial expression was perceived. He hustled, got his calls right, & had decent mechanics. Yet, his facial expression created the impression that he wasn't taking the game and his role in it seriously. Could be something as simple as that.

I would concur with others who suggest yoiu try to uncover the specifics of what is creating this impression from those whom you respect and then decide whether or not it's something you feel is worth addressing.

JM

Arrogance is tricky.

I got an informal comment from two PAC-10 evaluators that was simply "You sometimes appear arrogant". I asked for specific examples, and neither could give any!

I talked to a PAC-10 non-conference umpire about this who worked with me on the same game, and he simply had NOTHING for me concerning that, and he is a guy who has busted my balls about persona and presence on the field for a few years now. If I would have been arrogant in ANY way, he would have let me know right away! But he had nothing.

I agree that it depends who it is coming from. I don't agree that it could be considered a compliment to be called arrogant by fans/players/coaches. If anything, these are the very people I don't want to appear arrogant to! There are guys around this area that fans/players/coaches think that about, and these umps always seem to be in the middle of controversy. They are NOT moving up either! So, while most of their peers don't see them that way, they are perceived that way by everybody else!

I have nothing for you. If I seen some video of you working, maybe I could see some stuff.

I would say this. Be careful about being pretentious when making calls. Sell the call as well as it "needs" to be sold. Over-selling calls is a quick way to be considered "above the game". I have seen guys who slightly over-sell everything, and it they DO come across as pretentious.

Quick motion can also be perceived badly. Like you are a little too highly charged. Guys out of the pro-schools suffer from this more than anybody else I see. Their movements appear to be a bit aggressive for the situation. It is little stuff like coming up with a quick and loud "FOUL!!!" when it is obviously a foul ball. Possibly empathizing ball calls too much. "Selling" ball and strike calls (this is old school, but seems to be a thing of the past now...thank god!).

So many little things that it could be, so little video of you working for me to see if I agree!

Tim, wouldn't just about ANY umpire be a welcome addition to the PBUA?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by rei

Possibly empathizing ball calls too much.

Wow, talk about a real sensitive umpire.