The list would be too long.

I get the number of a spokesperson from each team. I circle the numbers in the book. I may need to go to the captains at some point to talk someone out of a bad situation. Would be nice to remember who they are, but my brain only has so much capacity.

I think many here worry waaaaaaayyyyyyy tooooooo much about what others think of them. We are human beings first. If someone wants to make an issue out of that kind of interaction, this is their paranoid problem.

And for shaking kids hands, why not shake their hand? They are showing sportsmanship like we claim they are supposed to do. We are not adversaries; we are playing a role in a game. What is the big deal? And when kids have seen you over and over and over again, I am not going to treat them like I do not know them. In my case I might see the same kid in a college game and they will remember me. I care about these kids as people, not just some player that I will never see again. I take my job as an official very seriously, but I am a human first and foremost before everything.

Peace

+1

I dont see why so many guys hate doing it so much!
I've seen it avoided 3 different ways:

1. Stay opposite until intros are complete (theres a chance they will run 50 feet to give you some love anyway).

2. Aftet the Anthem plays Umpires run to the block & R goes opposite (the seperation may deter them from showing you some love).

3. Just go behind the table & begin stretching.

IMO none of the above promote good sportsmanship :(

I don't see anything particularly compelling either way with this. I don't seek it out, but I don't balk at it either. It's the same as the kids shaking my hand after the game.

I am not advocating going out of your way to shake hands. I am just wondering what is the big deal?

Peace

I wasn't responding to your post. :D

That is the funniest thing you have said in some time. ;)

Peace

The Bay State ???
 

Do you officiate in Massachusetts?

And No, My Partner Wasn't Howie Mandel ...
 

A few years ago, during a particularly bad influenza season, after all the hand shaking before the game, my partner took a bottle of hand sanitizer out of his jacket pocket and rubbed it all over his hands. Really.

Math Isn't My Best Subject ...
 

If they're wearing warmups, do you ask them for their numbers? And, if so, do they pull up their warmups to show you their numbers? Can't they remember their own numbers?

Handshakes Are Oh So Twentieth Century ...
 

Over the past few years we have become a mostly "fist bumping" state.

We do that and I want to see them. This is for my information, not their benefit. Do we ask players to tell us what their number is when they foul if we cannot clearly see them? No, so I want to see their number. And I mark the speaking captain in the book.

Peace

Did he do it each time after handling the ball as well? :rolleyes:

That depends on the team. FWIW, one official in my area said he had a coach this year that insisted on conducting the meeting without a captain. It's highly unusual, but I don't know any penalty for not bringing a captain to the meeting.

During those meetings, I don't bother asking for speaking captains, because any player (i.e. those on the floor) can speak to you during the game, anyway. If the game goes into overtime, I'll worry about it then.