Am I too thin skinned?
 

Varsity game, I'm on the bases in the C. Play at the plate and my partner rules out. There is some disagreement with his call and after some complaining the first base coach chimes in with "Get a clue!" to my partner. I tell him "that's enough" and watch to check for understanding. He takes a step in my direction (I'm still in C) and crosses his arms at me as if to say what are you gonna do about it. I restrict him to the bench.

Was I too thin skinned? I felt, and still do, that I did the right thing. I wouldn't let my child do that to me without consequence so why woud I let an adult? If it were basketball I would have T him up.

If that's all that happened then I wouldn't have restricted.

Unless the first base coach is also the HC, I don't have a huge problem with what you did there. Would I have restricted him? Based on your description, possibly not, but I wasn't there and don't know if there were other issues that led up to this. That level of disrespect from an AC probably needs to be dealt with. You have him baseball's equivalent of a "T". The answer to your question can often be answered by a different question, "Did the game get better after the restriction?" If it did, then it was probably the right move. If things got worse, then perhaps you should've tried a different approach.

I have nothing. There's nothing to address here and I certainly wouldn't give a technical in basketball for this offense either.

The reaction of "get a clue" is simply an excited utterance out of frustration, it really is not directed at any one person.

First of all, this is not Basketball. I don't officiate it so can't do any comparison.

He openly challanged your authority after you gave him a warning and that was justification enough to restrict him to the bench. Some times you just have to umpire. Good work.

Honestly, on "get a clue", I likely do nothing assuming there's not more preamble to this story.

On the "what are you going to do about it" stance ... I think you did exactly right.

You guys "got nothing", seriously? I would have definitely sent him packin. For an AC to imply that I am clueless with an explicit "Get a clue" then he gets a free pass to the dugout. Comment on the action involved in the call, fine but don't come with some BS comment that is personal. You want respect, then earn it....I know I do.

To each his own, but I do want to ask ... the OP said "that's enough" when AC said "get a clue" to HIS PARTNER.

Would you eject, warn, or do nothing had you been in his shoes and that was said to your partner?

He was the assistant.

Had the complaint been only about the call, I would have done/said nothing. When he implied that my partner was clueless, that was what I had a problem with. My partner was dealing with happenings around the plate and was focused there so was not aware of the AC. I was in the C, probably between the C and B to be exact, so I heard it. I felt he was trying to show me up when he assumed the stance. I wouldn't accept that behavior from my 5 year old daughter, so I figured that I shouldn't accept it from an adult.

I have nothing but an excited utterance. Are you going restrict every coach who yells come on blue, call it both ways?

Stuff like this hasn't bothered me in years, why make a scene out of nothing. The umpire who does anything with this looks like the aggressor.

Smile and play ball and don't take everything so seriously.

Put the rabbit ears away and don't expect the behavior of adults and juveniles to be comparable or handled in the same way.

In this scenario ignore the coach, let him vent and move on. "Get a clue" means Mr. Umpire, you did something I didn't like and don't understand and I don't know how to process it so I'm going to insult you.

Chances are the only one who is still thinking about this call and this scenario is you.

I didn't restrict for the comment. Just told him it was enough, after he complained long enough about a play that was over.

Another incorrect use of the term "rabbit ears." Congratulations.

If I can hear a coach from my position, then he's going to have to deal with the consequences. Too many officials, these days, would rather ignore than deal with unsportsmanlike behavior.

Great Response

The assistant coach has no business opening his mouth, to start with. the comment "Get a clue" needs to be addressed and you did that. I wouldn't make too much of a forceful thing about it, I would just make sure that he hears me.

As far as his stance with his arms folded, it means nothing to me and I would let it go. Mind you, he's probably going to go later in the game but for now, the folded arms don't bother me.

I agree with you 100%. I'm probably telling him to knock it off and not even looking at him after that.

The NFHS has made it quite clear what they expect from assistant coaches, too. I just don't get why we would, based on all that, let them run over us. And then accuse an umpire of having "rabbit ears" when he addresses the behavior.

right, the OP referenced his partner....I would have gone with the same warning to the AC being that his comment was directed to my partner though audible by me.

Venting about the "call" is acceptable (to an extent) as an excited utterance and I can agree with you on ignoring or, at most, telling him "enough" if he continues to rant...at which point he will write his own ticket if we can't play ball and move on.

Generally, unsporting behavior is not so gray and should be dealt with more than just a smile. If that makes me the aggressor, then so be it, I'll chalk it up to doing so for the next crew that has to deal with this knucklehead and in support of my state association, my assigner, and my governing body's emphasis on enforcing sporting behavior.

+1 on both.

I agree with a lot of what you said ... but calling this rabbit ears is actually rather irritating. Coach is on the field for the express purpose of complaining to the umpire... he then utters something to the umpire. That's NOT rabbit ears. You might choose to ignore this sort of utterance ... and honestly I would too if it was the thing he just HAD to say before walking away. But reacting to something spoken directly to you by a coach that shouldn't be out there anyway is the opposite of "rabbit ears".

Personally, I expect coaches and players to have outbursts of excitement and frustration during a game. These can be at themselves or at the umpires or just at the play in general. In the original post, the assistant coach yelled "get a clue" presumably at the plate umpire. As the base umpire, moving from C to B or back to A, if I heard that, I would probably watch the coach closely and see where he was going with the rant. If he continued with more utterances, then definitely that would get him a "that's enough". If the coach is moving toward you and saying 'get a clue' then that is an ejection, pure and simple, but if he is staying in his box and not directing the statement to anyone in particular, then I would let him rant unless it became a tantrum.

I feel that restricting for crossing his arms and 'glaring' at you is taking it a bit far. Besides, I would never restrict an assistant anyway, that's reserved for the head coach. Assistants simply get the door.

To me it's listening to things that don't require being listened to. I see it as reacting to something that does not require my attention.

I guess I should have said don't insert yourself in the situation, let them vent and get the heck out of there.

I may have misunderstood the original location of the coach in question. I took it to be in the vicinity of the coaching box doing his coaching duties. I took the umpire to be in C or 100' or so away. From that distance I have the umpire listening to things that don't need to be listened to.

If the distance is a lot closer than that, yes, they are probably will hear the dissenting of the coach a lot clearer and not inserting themselves in a place they don't need to be.

I guess I've said far too much and should have stopped at just leave it alone and move on.

Perfect! 10+

That is all I needed to hear. He needs to go. ;)

Peace

In basketball, an AC saying this will result in at least a quick warning to the HC. Continued idiocy would be an easy T. Most likely, though, I'm skipping the warning.

That's basketball, though.

".... but if he is staying in his box and not directing the statement to anyone in particular..."
This comment was clearly directed at the umpiring crew, and would need to be addressed on every level I've ever worked (currently working D1). Might not have to be an ejection, but the comment would be acknowledged and the commentator shut down. Small fires lead to big flare-ups.

JJ

umpiring crew

Translation: I got your back and you got mine.

This is what I was thinking when I addressed it.

"Get a Clue" = See ya
 

To answer you're original question about being "thin skinned" - I actually think your skin is a little too thick ;)

First of all, this is the ASSISTANT coach who just popped off. When he says "Get a Clue" - I would say "Get on the bus". There is noooooo way I am letting an ASSISTANT coach talk to me and/or my partner like that. In fact, if a Head Coach screamed that, I might dump him too (although restricting the Head Coach might be another option).

The problem with amateur umpires is that they let base coaches get away with that stuff and if you don't "nip it in the bud", you're just making it harder for the next crew that has to deal with him. Think about it, the Head Coach usually gets a little more rope than an Assistant Coach - so if you allow the base coach to scream at/towards you "Get a Clue"... then what are you going to allow the HC to say?

And to the one guy who said "let it go, you can deal with him later in the game"... that is how things blow up on you and then you'll end up saying "I should have gotten rid of him earlier". Take care of business and address matters promptly.

I've never really worried about ejecting a coach/asst. coach. I'm usually always been on familiar terms with most of them through the years. Some can be quirky, but we as members know who is who. The vast majority of coaches are always courteous to us. They are simply glad that they know you, want you do, and how you do it.

I had one test me in my first varsity game. Dressed him down for his actions. He was pretty much a pussycat after that.

Got my share of players when they really deserved it. On several occasions, the coach took care of it for me.

Plus they take care of our pay cards.

Really? Around here, you'd be accused of using an atomic bomb to kill a mosquito.

And, per FED rules, if you DO dump an assistant, the HC is automatically restricted for the rest of the game.

That's only if they leave the vicinity of the dugout or coaching box to dispute a judgment call. (3-3-1g6).

I think the infraction is more in line with items 2, 3, or 5 than 6.

I think your first reaction of "That's enough" was good.

I would have ignored the bratlike crossed arms.

Otherwise, in FED, I don't ever restrict an AC - they have no leash. They either stay or head to the bus.