Asking for Help

[billken]

Originally Posted by Tim C

I "owe" only that there be a level playing field for the game.

As it has been said many times before: "If players and coaches didn't lie and cheat you wouldn't need officials."

Few high school ages players have invested "more skin" than the guys I umpire with . . .

T

I agree with your first statement...we are saying the same thing.

I think that kids who work out daily, spend countless hours in the cage, travel to summer games, and are dedicated to being their best do have more skin than I do. I dedicate a fair amount of my time and energy, but not 4-5 hours a day to officiating. Obviously, a coach who's job depends on wins and losses has a fair amount at stake as well.

I'm not going to have a policy that assumes that I'm infallible. I'm going to be confident, do my best, and apply my knowledge of the game and the rules to my calls. But to say that my partner can't ever help me is, in my opinion, elevating me to some sort of God-like being. I can own my calls, but I can ask for help in certain circumstances and still be a very strong official.