The Darkest of the Darkside

[Rich Ives]

Just curious. How many of you actually were a manager/head coach (assistant doesn't count)?

It's a whole different world.

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Just curious. How many of you actually were a manager/head coach (assistant doesn't count)?

It's a whole different world.

Manager of 3 teams.
LL Majors 1973
Babe Ruth 1976 - 1977
Senior Babe Ruth 1978
3 great teams, great kids, hard players.

[DG]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Just curious. How many of you actually were a manager/head coach (assistant doesn't count)?

It's a whole different world.

12 years, all head coach, ages 7-18 (as my kids aged up). Some years multiple teams, head on one team assistant on another (2 sons). Numerous post season tournament coaching opportunities. Only 1 losing season, and career winning percentage is likely in the 75% range.

I actually took up umpiring high school during this time, and always planned to continue umpiring when I hung up the clipboard.

I was also a League Commissioner 3 or 4 years and Babe Ruth District Commissioner for 3 or 4 years during this time.

[IowaMike]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Just curious. How many of you actually were a manager/head coach (assistant doesn't count)?

It's a whole different world.

Five years of little league with two differents sons, and also two years as a head freshman coach at the high school level. I loved coaching and prefer it to umpiring. However, the time committments at the high school level were just too much for me especially still having kids that play (used to have four, down to one now). Freshman doubleheaders around here are played at 10am so I didn't miss any of my kids games but it was tough to do that and get my hours in at work (I am not a teacher). I loved it though.

I had umpired for several years before I coached high school so I knew how to treat umpires, plus I had worked with some of the guys. I didn't let my kids give umpires any grief or disrespect; if they did they sat. I told them that the umpires would be at least as good at umpiring as they were at playing at this stage in their development so they had no room to complain. I also had a meeting with my parents before the season started and told them that I and the school expected them to treat the game officials with courtesy and respect as well, and if they didn't they would be asked to leave. Had one problem in two years, told the parent to be quiet or they would have to leave and they shut up. No matter how good or bad I thought the umps were at my games, win or lose, I always thanked them at the end of the day for coming out. It isn't easy to find guys willing to work freshman games.

Parent issues are the biggest problem as everyone thinks that their kid is the next Derek Jeter. In high school, I told parents that I would never discuss playing time with them and I didn't. Of course my philosophy was that everyone played in one game or the other of each doubleheader so that diffused a lot of problems, but I would have some kids play a partial game if I had more than 18 players on occasion. I would discuss it with the kid, never the parent. I miss coaching, and actually loved practice more than the games in some respects. I enjoyed teaching the game to the kids because I love it so much myself. Umpiring is a way for me to stay around the game I love while still being able to maintain as much free time as I want to have.

[jkumpire]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Just curious. How many of you actually were a manager/head coach (assistant doesn't count)?

It's a whole different world.

But it is the same game, and a manager is in the same position as an umpire, you are there to facilitate the players being able to play, learn, and enjoy the game. Therefore, Tee can do the job if he wants to do it the right way.

He can't be Bobby Cox, but you don't have to be Bobby Cox to win.

I am still confused Tee, why give up umpiring? I have not heard a good reason yet from you about it!

[johnnyg08]

No offense intended...but does he need to give us a reason?

[jkumpire]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

No offense intended...but does he need to give us a reason?

No Offense taken.

I'm unsuccessfully trying to pull Tee's chain a little bit, but I am sad anyone retires from officiating, unless they are physically unable to do it anymore. From what I remember, Tee is retiring for other reasons, which I hate to hear about.