Coach asking you for help?

[David Emerling]

Originally posted by Coach D
As a coach, I don't see what the big deal is about an umpire telling a coach if a ball breaks or not. I can tell when someone is avoiding a question. I would rather someone tell me that they "legally or ethically" can't do that. Some of your responses, make me think that you are not part of the game,when in fact you are a big part of the game.I enjoy being able to talk to umpires between innings.If an umpire answered a question for me, I would expect him to do the same for the opposing coach. If you asked a coach a question about how you could improve the game, do you think he would answer it?

Apples and oranges.

A coach telling an umpire how he (the umpire) can improve as an umpire is not going to provide any advantage to either team.

On the other hand, an umpire sharing his impressions of game situations and action WHILE A GAME IS IN PROGRESS is simply inappropriate.

Naturally, the environment of each game is different. You have games that are not particularly important nor tense, where everybody knows everybody, where the atmosphere is cordial ... I could see an exchange like this taking place. The umpires know the coaches - may even be friends - the coaches are friends - and the umpires know the players. Everybody is one big happy family. No big deal. I've called games like this.

But that is the exception.

An umpire better have a good sense about this before engaging in these type of exchanges.

If there is an air of tension ... if the game matters ... if one team doesn't know the other ... if the game is close ... if there have been close plays and disputed calls earlier in the game ... an umpire does best to stay away from conversations like these.

By default - an umpire should not engage in such conversations and I think he can do it politely.

David Emerling
Memphis, TN