To Be Mad Or Not To Be Mad?

[tankmjg24]

I found the situation to be rather confusing myself. As most have said it seems that the site director usually tries to appease coaches and that the UIC backs the umpires. It was the complete opposite.

The UIC sits on the state committee alongside the state director and a few regional directors. The site director is in charge on the tournament field and reports to the regional director. The site director has power, but no where near the power that the state committee has.

In terms of umpiring, this UIC pretty much has a monopoly on the entire area. This particular team has multiple teams in multiple age groups and I honestly feel as if the UIC did not want to upset the coaches in fear that none of their teams would ever return to a tournament resulting in lost money for the group. One of the other umpires from the field actually said that the situation was bull and that if it happened to him he would have left the facility as he felt this was allowing the teams to show up the umpires. He said he would have called the UIC as he was walking out the gate telling him that if he did not want to back the umpires that he was going to have to drive down to the fields to umpire it himself as he and his partner were out. This ran through my mind for a break second, but I did not want to get black balled nor leave the kids without an umpire as it was not their fault.

I thought about ejecting the coaches a few times, but they never really got drastically out of hand until the incident on Sunday. I felt a warning to calm them down a bit was better for the situation. Their actions on Friday were honestly more entertaining than threatening.

In terms of having rabbit ears, this is no where near the case. I walked down to be within ear shot in order to be able to back my partner in case something happened and a report needed to be written. Standing in A position I would have been no assistance to him.

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by tankmjg24

...
I thought about ejecting the coaches a few times, but they never really got drastically out of hand until the incident on Sunday. Their actions on Friday were honestly more entertaining than threatening.

Entertaining?

• Coaches and players complaining about every call?
• AC throwing his hat to the ground while he is arguing with you?

This is not entertainment, this is poor game control.

1. Players and coaches do not argue calls. Dugouts don't erupt over a call. Manager gets to dispute the call (respectfully), AC's don't say a word about calls, players get no leash at all.
2. AC's don't argue calls so they don't get to throw their hats in an argument. AC's are supposed to tell players to run, stop, turn left or right, come back, go, etc. They do not argue or dispute calls nor do they approach you to get another opinion.

The problem here is you and your partner. By not getting control of the game early, you allowed all of this to go on. There are no warnings for crap like this, there is only ejection. Grow a pair and get jerks like this off the field. You'll be a better umpire for it in the long run.

As far as your useless UIC, he should be strung up by his ball sack for not standing behind you. Believe me, that would be the last time he did that to me!

[thumpferee]

Originally Posted by kylejt

Because there very few guys named A$$ Van Dyke.

Actually, I tried to abbreviate assistant with a$$. Shoulda used a .

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by tankmjg24

The assistant is mouthy and throws his hat onto the ground as he is complaining.

Originally Posted by tankmjg24

Their actions on Friday were honestly more entertaining than threatening.

You don't see the problem here?

IMHO, not ejecting on Friday CAUSED the problem on Sunday. Not ejecting in such a clear cut case only makes the jobs of his future umpires harder.

[Steven Tyler]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Also, where did you get the idea that I "relished" the idea of going back to the game to "get back at the coach?" I only want to show that his intimidation tactic didn't work, and that the assignor will put whoever he wants on the game. I have never gone into a game with a chip on my shoulder from a previous game. I always start fresh each game with a clean slate.

You hold a grunge. Never in a million years.............

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Steven Tyler

You hold a grunge. Never in a million years.............

Hold a grunge? Not my musical style. I prefer Classic Rock, Gospel, and Hip-Hop.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by ozzy6900

Entertaining?

• Coaches and players complaining about every call?
• AC throwing his hat to the ground while he is arguing with you?

This is not entertainment, this is poor game control.

1. Players and coaches do not argue calls. Dugouts don't erupt over a call. Manager gets to dispute the call (respectfully), AC's don't say a word about calls, players get no leash at all.
2. AC's don't argue calls so they don't get to throw their hats in an argument. AC's are supposed to tell players to run, stop, turn left or right, come back, go, etc. They do not argue or dispute calls nor do they approach you to get another opinion.

The problem here is you and your partner. By not getting control of the game early, you allowed all of this to go on. There are no warnings for crap like this, there is only ejection. Grow a pair and get jerks like this off the field. You'll be a better umpire for it in the long run.

As far as your useless UIC, he should be strung up by his ball sack for not standing behind you. Believe me, that would be the last time he did that to me!

Refreshing to read like-minded comments with the old-school approach. What ever would the modern progressives think of the likes of Bill Klem or George Majerkurth who put up with absolutely zero crap? They would be beside themselves with apoplexy.

[tankmjg24]

Maybe the wording argued every call should be changed to disagreed. In the game on Friday none of the coaches ever left the dugout to argue a call, they just mouthed and complained on every close play. The outburst after the safe call was when the assistant, within the dugout, tried to fly away by raising his arms then eventually spiking his hat. This is when I gave a warning for his actions along with the mouthing that had occurred up to that point. After I did this there were no more problems that day.

To be honest, with the attitude that this team's coaches portrayed I do not think that my partner nor I could have done anything different to avoid Sunday. If we would have ejected on Friday I still think they would have acted the way they did on Sunday.

In regards to the actions of the UIC, it seems to me as if everyone has agreed that he threw my partner and I under the bus and that we have a legit reason to be disgruntled.

[thumpferee]

Originally Posted by tankmjg24

To be honest, with the attitude that this team's coaches portrayed I do not think that my partner nor I could have done anything different to avoid Sunday. If we would have ejected on Friday I still think they would have acted the way they did on Sunday.

Then eject him AGAIN on Sunday!

[asdf]

Originally Posted by tankmjg24

Maybe the wording argued every call should be changed to disagreed.

Just admit the fact that you should have dumped the AC when the hat hit the ground. Changing the story doesn't justify your inaction, in fact it makes you look worse.

Originally Posted by tankmjg24

In the game on Friday none of the coaches ever left the dugout to argue a call, they just mouthed and complained on every close play.

Irrelevant....Mattingly got dumped the other night and didn't leave the dugout. The ditch isn't a safe haven for inappropriate activity or comments.

Originally Posted by tankmjg24

To be honest, with the attitude that this team's coaches portrayed I do not think that my partner nor I could have done anything different to avoid Sunday. If we would have ejected on Friday I still think they would have acted the way they did on Sunday.

If you dumped on Friday, and again on Sunday, your gutless UIC would have had even less of an opportunity to throw you under the bus. 2 ejections in a weekend is hard to justitfy.

Originally Posted by tankmjg24

In regards to the actions of the UIC, it seems to me as if everyone has agreed that he threw my partner and I under the bus and that we have a legit reason to be disgruntled.

I'd be just as upset with myself for not acting on Friday as I would with the UIC for wussing out.

[MD Longhorn]

Sigh...

Originally Posted by tankmjg24

What are everyone's thoughts?

... just don't give me any thoughts that I could have done anything better...

[zm1283]

Originally Posted by ozzy6900

Entertaining?

• Coaches and players complaining about every call?
• AC throwing his hat to the ground while he is arguing with you?

This is not entertainment, this is poor game control.

1. Players and coaches do not argue calls. Dugouts don't erupt over a call. Manager gets to dispute the call (respectfully), AC's don't say a word about calls, players get no leash at all.
2. AC's don't argue calls so they don't get to throw their hats in an argument. AC's are supposed to tell players to run, stop, turn left or right, come back, go, etc. They do not argue or dispute calls nor do they approach you to get another opinion.

The problem here is you and your partner. By not getting control of the game early, you allowed all of this to go on. There are no warnings for crap like this, there is only ejection. Grow a pair and get jerks like this off the field. You'll be a better umpire for it in the long run.

As far as your useless UIC, he should be strung up by his ball sack for not standing behind you. Believe me, that would be the last time he did that to me!

Ditto.

The more tank talks his way out of inaction, the worse it looks. tank, you asked what everyone thought of the situation and they told you.

What age group was this?

[tankmjg24]

There is no trying to talk my way out of any situation. From a few of the posts it seems as if some might have thought the coaches continually came out of the dugout and argued face to face with us. The thought of ejection crossed my mind on Friday yet I felt as if a warning was more warranted before ejecting and it worked for that day. Sunday the coach crossed the line and he was ejected for his actions. The initial question I was posing was how to handle the situation with the UIC. The information on the coaches was to try and paint the whole picture. The age group was 12U.

On a side note, I have done all levels of amateur baseball and it seems as if youth ball has the most trouble. Coaches seem to not know the rule book and think that they are always right and can say whatever they wish to without repercussion and then when something is said to them they look at you dumbfounded.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by tankmjg24

There is no trying to talk my way out of any situation. From a few of the posts it seems as if some might have thought the coaches continually came out of the dugout and argued face to face with us. The thought of ejection crossed my mind on Friday yet I felt as if a warning was more warranted before ejecting and it worked for that day. Sunday the coach crossed the line and he was ejected for his actions. The initial question I was posing was how to handle the situation with the UIC. The information on the coaches was to try and paint the whole picture. The age group was 12U.

On a side note, I have done all levels of amateur baseball and it seems as if youth ball has the most trouble. Coaches seem to not know the rule book and think that they are always right and can say whatever they wish to without repercussion and then when something is said to them they look at you dumbfounded.

You did not mention in the OP that the assistant coach was mouthy, complaining, and threw his hat in the dugout. You said he threw his hat on the "ground," which I think led us to believe he was on the field performing these antics. I really don't care much about what he throws in his dugout, as long as it doesn't come out on the field.

[waltjp]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

The assistant is mouthy and throws his hat onto the ground as he is complaining. This led me to grant a warning to the coaches.

This is where you dump the ASSistant coach. Then, he would probably know by the next game not to screw with you or face the same outcome.

As he was talking with the manager I can hear one of the assistant coaches mouthing. He is complaining that we sucked on Friday and that we still sucked on Sunday. We cost them the game on Friday and we were probably going to cost them the current game. Then he states that I am a lazy official and was out of position and that if I hustled over to 1st I probably would have seen the player touch first. I had heard enough so I ejected this coach.

As soon as you heard the boldfaced type above, he should have been ejected (again, as he should have been run the previous game as well). Assistant coaches are to be seen and not heard, like small children.

As far as your UIC is concerned, you may want to check his wife's purse to see if his balls are in it. The better assignors will send you right back into the fire when a team threatens something like "we won't play if so-and-so is umpiring," or "you'll never work our games again," as if they have some kind of say-so in the matter. It always amazes me how much power coaches think they have over the umpires. Unfortunately, your "boss" is more concerned with not upsetting the status quo, which IMO is tragic. I always relished the opportunity to work the very next game with the mouthy coach who thought he called the shots, and my assignor was always more than happy to pencil me in.

Steve, I think I agree with everything you just said.

Wait, just checked again, I agree in total.