Partner makes major mistake

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by WestMichBlue

There are really two questions here. (1) Do you intervene to prevent partner from making an incorrect rules call? (2) If it were called wrong against one team, would you allow it to be wrong against the other team?

WMB

1 - I intervene only when asked, even if I saw with 100% certainty that the call was wrong. If another umpire is unsure of a particular rule, they absolutely need to conference when possible. In the last two situations (I won't comment on the first since I only call SP), play was suspended, and there was every opportunity for your partner to ask for your help. If I'd been there and she didn't ask me, she would get no help from me.

2 - If, between calls, it's discovered that a previous call was the wrong one, then there's no reason to continue making bad calls. If she made the wrong call the first time, she's going to have to live with a upset coach when she makes the correct call the next time. I've seen very few umpires get flak when they say, "coach, you're right, I blew that call. I asked my partner, and we are calling the correct rule from here on out." The coach apparently didn't know the rule, either, so they can only complain so much about people not knowing rules.

My point is, be "stand-up" about it. If you blow a call and don't ask, don't cover it with more BS. You'll end up looking even more foolish when you're eventually caught.