To Be Mad Or Not To Be Mad?
 

Alright guys I am looking for everyone's opinion on something that happened to my partner and I over the weekend. We were working a travel ball tournament for an association for the first time and had games on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

On Friday evening we had a game with a team that had some rather obnoxious coaches. I was the field umpire and my partner was on plate. The game was rather close and Team A eventually won by 1. Team B complained about every call that went against them and I eventually ended up warning for their actions. With a runner on 3rd and 2 outs Team A hits a ball deep into the hole at short stop. F6 makes a good backhand play and throws to F3 to try and get the batter runner who is safe by a good 2 feet. I signal safe and Team B dugout erupts. 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. The game continued without incidence.

On Sunday this same team is playing in bracket play and we have their first game. Again I am the field umpire and my partner is on plate. Game starts off well until the third inning when they are in the field. Ball is hit to F3 who fields the ball and tosses to F1 who is running to cover. I am in C position as there was an R2. From my vantage point F1 never comes close to the bag and dances all around it so I signal safe. The dugout comes unglued and the next thing I know the manager is running out (my partner did grant time for him). He is adamant that his player touched the bag and began demanding that I appeal to the plate umpire. I did not really like his tone so I denied this request, stuck with my call, and told him the conversation was over and to return to the dugout. He does so but he and his coaches continue to mouth but never get out of line. 2 outs later the inning ends. After middle inning warm ups and as the bottom of the inning was getting ready to begin my partner calls time and begins to walk over to the offending teams dugout. I begin coming down the line to get an angle to see and hear. Apparently the manager continued mouthing about the call and my partner had heard enough. 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. The coach wanted to sit in the stands and did not want to leave. After some encouragement that if he did not his team could just forfeit, he left the field. The game continues with a few more issues but nothing major. This team won.

After returning to the locker rooms we are informed that this particular team has stated that they refuse to play their next scheduled game if we are umpiring. The site director says that as far as he is concerned they can just forfeit. The coach comes and begins a conversation with the site director outside. Upon the site director coming back inside he tells us that he has our backs and that they are acting ridiculous. About this time he gets a phone call from the tournament UIC who is at a different site in a different city who instructs him to switch us from that field onto the alternate field and to move those umpires onto our games. The site director tried to explain the situation to him and how he did not want to move us, but the UIC felt it would be best for us and the team if we just switched up the umpires. This was a semi-final game that was beginning and my partner and I were also scheduled for the championship. The UIC instructed the site coordinator if this particular team won their semi-final game to put the other umpires on the championship and that if they lost then to move us back to it. This team did end up losing their semi-final game. No incidences occurred as they had 10 runs scored on them in the first inning and the other umpires stated things were rather quiet the entire game as a result.

I felt kind of cheated in the deal as did my partner. The other umpires were kind of upset too as they felt as if we were getting a bum deal and that the UIC was not covering us but giving into the coaching staff. The site coordinator felt as if we were being wronged, but he answers to the state committee and this particular UIC is on it making him a boss. In contacting the UIC to place my complaints his response was that it was nothing against us but rather protecting us from a situation. His explanation was that by removing us from the game we then did not have to put up with this team.

What are everyone's thoughts?

Screw the UIC. The tourney director should have told the UIC to hit the bricks instead. I probably would have left right then and there than let the UIC bully my partner and myself.

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.

Perfect example of a combination of rabbit ears and the "my dick is bigger than your dick" school of umpiring.

Don't go "getting an angle" so you can pick up on comments from the mouthy coaches - you're looking for trouble. If the coach comes to you and starts the conversation with "You...", or something simiilar, sure, dump him. Otherwise, unless it's loud enough to be showing you up, laugh and walk away. Pissing and moaning in the dugout is part of the game. Coaches like this will generally end up ejecting themselves. No need to go looking for trouble. And "relishing" the opportunity to get back at a coach means that you are no long an unbiased and neutral arbiter - you now have an agenda and are looking for an excuse to eject. I wouldn't want you umpiring my game either.

I have no idea why you are quoting my post. I did not advocate going in to "get an angle" to pick up comments. I was mostly commenting on the actions of the assistant coach in the first game, where he first threw his hat and had a tantrum. That's where it should have been nipped in the bud. As far as the rabbit ears thing, he was already over there and overheard it, so at that point, if it's loud enough to be heard by everyone and is aimed at you, you eject the clown. They eject people from the dugout in the majors for talking crap, so what's the difference.

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 sure infer a lot and do a lot of assuming, I have noticed.

You must have read something totally different than I did. I don't think that the OP poster was trying to have rabbit ears, I think he wanted to hear the conversation, in case he had to later submit a wriiten report about what was said to his partner.

I'm glad I'll never have you as my partner! Pissing and moaning is part of the game? I have been looking that up all morning, is that under playing terms?

If I was the PU, I would have dumped the *** coach for you. Steve hit the nail on the head. I would have dumped the *** coach in the first game.

What, you can say dick but not a$$ :)

This is idiotic from the first letter to the last.

To the OP: That's bizarre. 90% of the time, both TD and UIC are going to back the umpire and not bow down to "We won't play if they umpire" tactics. However, the odd occurrence in my experience where someone wants to lick coaches' boots almost always comes from the TD's side, and not the UIC. What you experienced is completely backward. I've seen UIC-TD shouting matches where TD wants to appease teams and the UIC refuses (properly IMHO!). Never seen it the other way around though.

I'm pretty sure I'd never work for that UIC again.

My thoughts, too. Where in the world does an UIC have authority over a TD?

I guess that depends on who is doing the assigning for the game. I don't agree with the UIC not backing his umpires, and if I was this UIC I would be getting my butt to the field to assist my umpires.

As to the OP, you created your own misery here by letting the behavior get too far out of hand. I don't advocate 'rabbit ears' by any means, however, the minute that hat hit the ground he would have been gone. Once that was allowed, you lost control of your game. It has been my experience that the players and fans take their lead from the adults on the field, you are lucky your problem was only from them, it could have escalated to a much worse situation.

BSUmp, you surely fabricated a lot out of a post that wasn't there. Pissing and moaning from a bench might be part of your games but its certainly not part of mine. Ignored, that behavior always gets worse.

I've learned over the years that frequently a UIC is being paid for that role by the TD (or for HS/college a conference). I've had UICs tell me that they don't work for the umpires cause they don't want to risk derailing the gravy train.

I have learned over the years that a UIC who claims they don't work for the umpires is a putz.

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

I'm not arguing that. I'm just saying that it's better to know which kind of UIC you have before push comes to shove. And at times, it's meant I simply say, "No thanks" when asked to work.

Locally there's a place that does weekend tournaments. Many umpires go there and work multiple games. They decided that this year they would only pay umpires 1/2 fee if there's a forfeited game between two other games that are actually played. That's a deal-breaker for me -- if they expect me to sit around for 2 hours to work the next game, I expect to get paid for my time whether it's spent umpiring or sitting in a chair (it's too far to drive home and back). The UIC refuses to get involved.

They didn't budge, and neither did I. I suppose others need the money more than I do.

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.

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!

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

Then eject him AGAIN on Sunday!

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.


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.

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.

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

Sigh...

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

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?

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.

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

Wait, just checked again, I agree in total.

I agree here because I would never have any idea if a coach threw his hat in the dugout-nor would I care if he did it.

That's what I said - for which mbcrowder called me idiotic. Sounds like my take on the situation was correct after all.

No, your take contained a great deal of supposition and misrepresentation, which is the reason Mike said what he did. You totally put words in my keyboard by misstating what I said. If you got any of it right, it was totally by accident.

Why does a professed Christian such as yourself, always pass judgment on others? (take his balls out of his wife's purse/if you got any of it right, it was totally by accident...............please)

Praise be to Allah, I guess.

Only by luck, so don't get too cocky. Otherwise SDS (and others) are spot-on here. Where the AC threw his hat makes a big difference in this situation, and we didn't know that up front.

Always entertaining when the story changes post by post.... wonder what the next version will be? ;)

It's kind of like the rules of Calvinball I guess.

Welcome back, are you making your yearly sojourn? :D

No sh!t, Sherlock.

That's why it's incumbent on umpires to train these neophyte coaches (and players) in the ways of the baseball world.

First off ... that's not what you said. What you said was, I did not say that YOU were idiotic. I said that what you said was idiotic. And it was. You said nothing about the hat. What you did say is still idiotic. Your "relishing" comment being the cherry on top, as the person you were talking to said nothing about getting back at a coach, having an agenda, or looking to eject.

+1

You two should have "burned" the dugouts on Friday and then ejected immediately on the next offense. 12U coaches need to learn their place because they are supposed to be examples to the "kiddies".

As far as your UIC, it already told you that he wouldn't do this to me more than once!

Had a moment after the wrapup of the 4U Coakalinski Classic All-Star Invitational....thought I'd peek in.

All looks about the same, I see. :D

Oh baloney - It was clear from SDS's entire post, in context, what it was he was "relishing" to do.

And it was clear from my post that I was referring to what goes on in the dugout - which is why I mentioned the fact that the OP had UIC walking over to the dugout to engage the coaches and U1 also walking over to "get an angle" on the conversation. I said that "pissing & moaning" frequently goes on in the dugout, which is why you don't need rabbit ears. The point of my post was you shouldn't go looking for trouble because when you find it you bear some of the responsibility.

This is what makes your post idiotic. You are trying to put words in my mouth, when I never meant any such thing. Most good umpires I know want to go back to work teams that think they call the shots, and only to show that they don't get intimidated by such tactics. I enjoy that. I never go looking for trouble. You don't know me, so stop trying to act like you do.

Yes, it was... and not what you imply.

Put me in SDS's camp. If a coach tells me he won't play if I put a certain umpire on his field, I'm putting that umpire on his field. Not because they will have an itchy trigger finger, but because the coach needs to know that he doesn't call the shots regarding who I put out there. If a league ball coach tells me he doesn't want Joe on his field anymore, he gets Joe as often as possible until that coach can handle himself with Joe on the field.

(Very likely, I'm going to find myself in the vicinity of this field a few times)

When I'm not in charge, I would expect the same of my UIC's.

It should be noted that if it turns out Joe behaves in the manner suggested by you (quick trigger finger, or your favorite unnecessarily profane metaphor), I'm having a long talk with Joe... but I respect my umpires and my colleagues enough to not expect them to carry over animosity from one game to another.

This has NOTHING to do with what you imply (or say outright).

You're spot on here. A good umpire wouldn't have all the controversy, thus "relishing" the opportunity to get back at a certain team or coach. Replace vindictive for relishing.

A good umpire would have nipped this in the bud on Friday.

If an encore performance by said team occurred on Sunday, then they have established the pattern of poor behaivor, not the umpire.

+1

The purpose of the OP was NOT about SDS's opinion, but what should have happened in the first place by tank. You are now putting blame on a post instead of the original poster. I just lost ALL respect for you! I know, you don't care, but I've always found you're posts entertaining and interesting, but now I just see them as vindictive.

The fact of the matter is, we not only officiate our games, but for those who come after us. We need to be on the same page so we are consistent with our approach. 12U coaches, especially, need to be held accountable for their actions, because those same 12 yr olds will soon become 18 yr olds. We have an obligation to not only call a good game, but have one as well.

Coaches at that level, who act like this, will never be a V coach. We have more knowledge than they will ever have. Don't let them think otherwise.

I will be damned if a coach at that level even throws his hat in the dugout about a call I just made. He would have my immediate attention. I am not saying I would show him up, but believe me, he would have a good talking to between innings.

We are all here for the kids, remember that!

And BSUmp16, let it go, you only have steven t on your side:eek:

I really hate this phrase. I'm there for many reasons -- the kids are probably on the list, but nowhere near the top.

My personal take on the thread was, drum roll please, that SDS and mbcrowder were ganging up on BSUmp16. An all too common occurrence from a few posters around here. Respectively, disagree. If you can't see eye to eye, say your little piece, and head to the showers. Umpiring with hindsight is easy. I would think that Mr. Tank would learn from his experience, and handle the situation different next time.

I think we've all had situations that if seen again, we will learn from our mistakes, and handle it much better the next time. There was no need to go off on one poster who disagreed with the verbiage of another post. It's not good for business.

Anybody even remember what the original post was about? PS~It had nothing to do with SDS reliving his glory days. My parents always told me, "If you're good, you don't have to tell anyone. Others will say it for you".

It shows!

I've been with this thread since the beginning, and Mr. Tank didn't seem to take his lumps. The story kept changing and we all got confused. You came in as soon as Mr. SDS voiced his opinion. Look, I'm not taking sides, but we have to stay focused on the matter at hand. I do understand your point as to umpiring with hindsight, but that's what this board offers. Obviously we are not all out there at the same time situations occur.

I just wish you and SDS would kiss and make up:cool::)

I'll still tune in to the morning show!

The story does not keep changing. It has been the same from the beginning. I never stated that the coaches kept running out on the field to argue calls or that the coach threw his hat onto the field of play. My words might have been misinterpreted the way I initially wrote the post and I have tried to clarify multiple times.

On Friday, all of the disgruntled complaints came within the dugout and were not directly said to me but more in a way so that I would hear. When the coach tossed his hat within the dugout and acted the way he did this got my attention to the point of issuing a team warning. It worked for the day as I did not hear anything else come out of their dugout.

I post here in order to try and get advice on how to become a better umpire and how to interpret unique plays that happen to me. Within my initial post, I was not asking anything about how to handle the situation with the coaches, but asking about what the UIC did.

??????
Maybe it's me ... but erupts and disgruntled complaints are two completely different things. You got reaction to "Erupts" and "Throws his hat on the ground". Surely you can understand how the latter was not taken as being in the dugout.

But when you got advice (albeit not regarding what you THOUGHT you were asking for, but rather the coaches situation ... how were we to know you only wanted advice on one and not the other, especially since in many of our opinions, they are related), you rejected it and argued with it.

What you may be missing is that the poor handling of the coaches situation on Friday is exactly what got you into trouble on Sunday. Had Friday been handled properly, if Sunday even happened, you'd have coaches that shows an obvious pattern of behavior and your UIC might have acted more appropriately.

That said (and back to what you were actually asking initially) - I don't think ANYONE here disagrees with you that the UIC's actions were completely and wholely wrong. To the point that many here have stated they wouldn't work for such a person if they had the choice. Most UIC's (obviously not Steve or BS) would make a point of refusing the coach's demands and putting you back on their field on purpose. Your UIC did the opposite.

Agreed ... I'm tired of refereeing you two ... about to be some ejections!! :D

You need to quit working games with a one man crew. ;)

And for the record, I neither responded to nor addressed him in a post.

Yes, it is you. Read post number two in this thread. I never stated I approved nor sided with Tankman's UIC. The point I am trying to make is that the both you and Steve started riding BSU16 when he stated that "relishing" getting back out with the same team, and his former assigner was all too happy to put him back out there even if he wasn't scheduled. If you are scheduled in that slot to work their next game, fine. But don't go saying you "relish" getting back out there with that team again. It makes it sound like you want try to induce controversy again. I understand how the system works. From past experiences, Tourney directors and UIC's bow to the masses because they want things to run as smooth as possible.

Personally, It gets old listening to SDS behave like a rooster with his chest puffed out in the barnyard. It also get old with Steve talking to posters in the same manner that he objects to. Tanker asked for advice on what he should have done at the time. Now that he has experienced the situation, with some advice from others, he should be able to it handle in a matter that is more appropriate. No need to berate Tank. Savvy?

But you did lay it down hard on BSU16. I'm not trying to argue with you. Just treat others in the same manner that you expect to treated. I've been saying that for years.

It's always do as I say, not as I do. Take the blinders off for once. The change would do you good.

... which is a chicken$hit way of saying it directly to you. If you eject or warn in this situation, of course their retort will be, "I wasn't even talking to you!!" The best response to that is, "I know who you were talking to." It's not argumentative and it almost sounds as if you're agreeing with him. It avoids you getting into a pi$$ing match with an upset coach. All it says is, "I know what you did and in my opinion you did something worthy of an ejection/warning."

"I wasn't talking to you" is an attempt to deflect responsibility and/or guilt.

Exactly. I'm not going to react to quiet-ish griping in the dugout -- I can handle that. When it becomes loud or prolonged, I'm stopping it. Your words are exactly the words I'll use, too.

An experienced coach will knock it off immediately unless he wants to get run. Other coaches may need to be trained by getting ejected once or twice. That's OK, it seems to get quieter once those coaches leave anyway.

Steven Tyler said: But you did lay it down hard on BSU16. I'm not trying to argue with you. Just treat others in the same manner that you expect to treated. I've been saying that for years.

It's always do as I say, not as I do. Take the blinders off for once. The change would do you good.

My response to the OP. Nothing at all wrong with this post. Not disrespectful in the least. As has been stated by nearly everyone here, my comment about wanting to be sent back to work a game with bossy coaches was the way most umpires feel about such nonsense. I neither meant nor implied that I would be seeking any retribution, merely sending the message that our umpires were not going to be bullied. I do feel that the UIC was being a wuss not assigning the crew to the finals, and knuckling under to the pressure of the coaches. I know some assignors that are like that too, I just don't work for them. The ones I have worked for would send you right back there to those teams WITHOUT being asked to.

Here, he is quoting my post in response to the OP post. I questioned why he was quoting my post. This is where he became a mind reader and put words that I never meant or said in my mouth.

Again, here is my response. Absolutely nothing disrespectful in this response. I am not a rooster in a barnyard, or any other folksy homily you come up with to describe me. I was not even argumentative. I was extremely polite. I asked where he got his ideas about what I had posted, since he totally misinterpreted my words. Other people even commented the same thing.

Here is what I got for my trouble. Let's get this straight. I made a comment to you once about 6 years ago or more about you not doing your job if you don't ever eject a coach, since you at the time had never ejected anyone. Ever since then you have bent over backwards to be rude and insulting to me. That is holding a grudge. I am a very forgiving person, and do not hold grudges. I come on these forums to have fun, learn things, and teach some things when I can.

[QUOTE]Unfortunately the OP has gone "off trend" which seems to be the norm at this Forum lately and it really is a shame as this Forum at one time was one of the best around.

ok to your OP

IMO, we need some clarification to the following statement

1. Did another umpire association contact your association asking for coverage?

2. Are you a "free-lance" umpire who works for various associations?

You said Tournament UIC.

Who is that?

is the Tournament UIC the head of the umpire association whom you agreed to work for?

Also, which rule set were you using?

In NFHS rules the Asst coach does not approach the umpires and I agree with others who said "dump him when he threw a tantrum on Friday Night"

I would not get upset over being switched games but I would keep it in my "memory" banks and not work for this association again. Now we know why this particular teams coach acts the way they do

RE: They do not have to face the consequences. When the UIC sides "with the enemy" and it's travel ball to boot means stay away. Get your money and look for work elsewhere.

Pete Booth

I have no earthly idea why you keep saying this? Even if it were true, what does not doing your job have anything to with it anyway? Perhaps this person you refer to is doing their job better than you. They might have worked games where the partner did the ejection. And not because their partner had to do it for them either. They might have a real job, and not work 200 games a year. Did you ever think of that? Please get over yourself. Yesterday is gone, today is here, and tomorrow isn't promised.

FYI~the last time I dumped a coach(es) it was two for the price of one. One was for the snide little comment an assistant coach made as he walked behind me after the game was over. I got the head coach at the table where I was turning in the pitching card, and the baseballs. UIC backed me up. Anything else you want to know?

Pete, to answer your questions:

The UIC of the tournaments umpire association contacted the UIC of the association that I officiate for asking for assistance. On this particular weekend I think they said there were a total of 350 games played amongst all the fields throughout the state as this was their largest tournament of the year. My UIC contacted me along with probably 15 others within our association asking if we wished to umpire within the tournament and my partner and I agreed.

The tournament UIC was the UIC of the umpire association that regularly officiates the travel ball games. The way the tournament was set up there were multiple age divisions playing on multiple fields throughout the state and he was in charge of all of them. On this particular weekend, he was not umpiring but supervising from a location different from mine.

The rule set being used was USSSA rules (OBR based).

True ... I want to upgrade to a newer / different forum first ... working on it -- I think I found the one that I want to use and need to start playing around with it a bit. Of course, I'm running my regular business (BlueZebra Sports) at the same time ... so it's a little busy! :)