Umpire knocked unconscious by 10U coach
 

Those of you who browse the eteamz coach's forum may have seen the story, but here are a few links.

Note some of the comments after the articles...

Softball coach arrested after punching umpire

Coach released on $5,000 bond...Man allegedly struck umpire

10U has absolutely the worst behaved fans and coaches.

One other thing... even though the stories are short on detail, there is one glaring example of how NOT to handle a coach...

1) The umpires in our last baseball game let my pitcher wear a white long sleeve undergarment while pitching.

2) The basketball officials in our last game let my player wear a cast covered with foam.

3) The umpires in our last game let our use that bat; they said that we could use it even though it is on the ASA banned bat list.

4) The basketball officials in our last game let my players wear earrings as long as they keep them covered with bandaids.



Yes siree Bob, coaches never lie.

MTD, Sr.

Exactly. I'm skeptical until more facts are released. Even if the umpire did call the coach a liar, that does not permit the coach to assault him. I am distgusted but not surprised at several of the comments left on those sites.

Maybe the coach was from Georgia.

http://www.ahajokes.com/laws010.html

4th bullet down.

But seriously, I hope they lock this guy up. Truly pathetic for a grown man to punch someone over a 10U softball game.

Just to clarify.... I didn't for one microsecond intend to imply that this was the umpire's fault for poor game management. Only that when you have an idiot for a coach, don't stoop to his level - it will only make matters worse. Even if the coach actually was a liar (hard to believe, I know), better to just walk away and let the coach eject himself. We don't know if the coach should have already been ejected; not enough information about what led up to the assault.

Gosh, I hope this umpire has someone who can help him carry and sort out all the lawyers business cards he's getting. Thats gonna be tough on him... and goes to show a good baiting really can pay off at times.

And so would I since it is not against the rules :)

But seriously, who really cares who called whom what?

Rant on!

Wow, the umpire called him a liar, I'm sure that justifies physical abuse.....in some third-world country that we, as US taxpayers, support. Maybe the coach is a liar, but who cares.

I am tired of people using any little tic to justify any type of reaction. "he hit me, he touched me, he's on my side of the seat, he looked at me, he...he...he...well, he did something, so I'm going to kick his *** and then sue him."

Wasn't there a congressman or governor from IL a couple years ago who stated during debate on an Abuse of a Sports Official bill that actually stated some of "them" need a good *** kicking or something similar? Great country, America, the land of what can I get for free and home of the cowardly politicion who cannot find a job other than conning the electorate.

The people in this country have turned into a whining bunch of idiots. The only "right" people now respect is that to find the slimiest lawyer in the phone book to sue the next guy because you don't like the color of the flowers he is growing in his front yard!

When the hell are people in this country going to start acting like the people we want everyone else to think we are?

Rant off!

Irish:

You are correct for softball. I will edit my post to reflect that it applies to a baseball game which was my intent.

MTD, Sr.

Some coach hits me and I'm finding me the slimiest slickest lawyer I can. I may or may not like the color of the flowers in his yard... I'll worry about that when its my yard.

Lawyers and flowers in the same thread. I just planted my rose gardens this week. Lots of different colors. :cool:

I have a secret admiration for lawyers. We all hate'em till we need one. :rolleyes:

But blaming people is so much easier than actually having to do something ourselves. :rolleyes:

This is a major problem with our culture, one that has been about 50 years in the making. With the so-called leaders pointing fingers at each other rather than brainstorming to actually fix our nation's problems, I see no change in the near future either.

Wait....did I just point the finger at our nation's leaders???? :D

Actually, I have been giving them a finger for years! ;)

Scott, Scott, Scott.... How many times have I told you? You can't eject the leaders. :cool:

I agree that this is a big issue with sports it is crazy and some people who are the nicest people 6 days of the week lose their minds on game night. I caught myself many years ago when I was coaching my daughters all-star team....ball off of F6's glove hits my R1 coming from 2nd (4-5 steps behind F6), left fielder way back no chance at play, Umpire calls my R1 out. When I questioned the call answer was "Come on the runner is always out when they are hit by the ball" well I got mad and told him that he was wrong but this was his game to call so I would go back to the coaches box and show him after the game (no protest rules) and I thought after that game that I would not let myself ever become "that" coach, because I felt the possibility of getting too mad that day....I decided that I was taking the high road from that point forward, even if they were wrong I was going to show the girls sportsmanship and the way to go on with life when something unfair happens and that was a more important lesson than ever winning a game. I have shared this story with a lot of friends that coach and it has brought them back to reality some, but I just wish people would let the kids play a game, play their best, and we all hope they are officiated by the rules fairly, but if something goes against you do your best to fix it but if you can't say the serienty prayer and play harder next time.

But again in this story what is the take home lesson? Umpire shouldn't have called coach a liar, I can't defend that....but if someone calls you a name you punch them? Great lesson to teach 10U....

The take home lesson for the girls is: solve your problems without violence, or else you go to jail.

Point a finger at our nation's leaders???? Not possible.

You cannot point a finger at something which does not exist. This country is in dire need of a leader instead of the shepherds the electorate has been duped into placing in positions of authority.

You are aware that I was using the term in the familiar sense, weren't you? Not the literal meaning.

Either way.

What is lost here is the effect on both teams. We're talking about 10 and under here!:( Do these leagues do any backround checks before making some moron their leader. Also if it's true that the umpire called the coach a liar he's another guy who would need a talking too from his UIC. Some times I wish the parents would drop the kids off and come back after the game is over and let kids play!

I doubt a background check would have prevented it.. just because he hit an umpire does not mean he is a registered sex offender or some other high level criminal who would have failed the limited scope feel-good BS back ground checks that are done (in areas where they are done).

Where's Dakota
 

Isn't this the part where Dakota chimes in with his take on background checks ? :D

STOP! Background checks only catch those who have already been caught and are basically useless in serious situations.

And I don't care if he called him a liar, maybe he was, I don't know or care. Umpires are called much worse in the course of a game. It is still no excuse for a violent reaction.

Well I was hoping to set off Irishmike. Its always fun when he drones on and on about background checks and then threatens to quit. :D

Wait until Matt informs you that you will have a background done on you, at your expense.

I will not quit. I will refuse to permit a BI as a matter of principle. It is a waste of time, money and effort. It is a Chicken Little, feel-good, knee-jerk reaction that is common to this country. Unfortunately, it will provide no positive results and place ASA in a very vulnerable situation.

He already has btw, guaranteed it within the next few years..some lame $7 back ground check. I'm not worried about it.. I've gone through real background checks.



I agree in principle.. with the exception that if it was required, i would simply do it.. since I could care less if they do so or not just for a "feel good measure".

Same here. Go ahead, check me out if you want, but I'm not paying for it.

The only thing background checks do besides give the warm and fuzzies is absolve (or minimize) an association of wrongdoing if an incident later occurs. I think it's more a requirement from the lawyers trying to keep an association from having to pay a small fortune when Joe Schmoe can't keep his hands to himself.

Actually, it does just the opposite. If ASA "certifies" coaches and umpires as being "safe" around children via background checks, they will be the first entity listed in the lawsuit.

If the ASA lawyers suggested this, I'm glad they do not represent me.

It's not ASA certifying the coaches or umpires, it's whatever agency ASA uses. It's their nuts on a string if they fail to dig up the right bone. ASA can claim they exercised due diligence.

Either way, they're still a bad idea.

All of these background checks are a waste of money and time. As has already been pointed out, all that they tell us is who has yet to commit a crime. They are certainly no indication of who will commit a crime. Case in point, Dennis Rader, a former military man and private business man, who had also worked for a security company and the City of Wichita, Kansas, would have passed any background check performed by any organization. Yet for the more than twenty years that he was murdering people, he would have been able to umpire for ASA or anyone else. (Even by the current BI standards.) BI's are nothing more that what they have been described, knee jerk warm fuzzy actions. They are otherwise totally useless.

I have a real personal feeling about these, too. For in order for me to continue to practice in the profession of my choice, in the state in which I live, I will now be forced to not only agree to a BI but also to submit my fingerprints, which I feel is a violation of my right to privacy. Further problem with the fingerprints in Texas is that they will be readily available to any state agency.

Actually, that is exactly what the ACE program is doing, certifying coaches and a BI is going to be part of it. I still think it is wrong to dictate to parents who they can or cannot coach their children.

I feel you there, man. The feds already have my prints, and that was part of a BI that I voluntarily submitted to (concealed carry permit). Who knows what other agencies have my prints now.

Would somebody please name ONE umpire who committed an offense where that umpire would have been revealed as a bad actor by a background check? ONE will do? Anyone?.... Didn't think so.

Now, school teachers are another matter! :D

Thanks. :rolleyes:

Leslie Nielson? :eek:

Doesn't count 'cause OJ did his background check!

Ignorance is bliss, esp for 10U coaches.
 

More about the folks with the Least Common Denominator in coaching, 10U.

On a recent Sunday I am doing a 10U game with one of our youth umpires. Team B has a GLM coaching first. I swear her Levi's were painted on, and that was a good thing.

Anyway, one out in bottom of last inning, 1 strike on the batter. Next pitch, swing and a miss, sorta. They say for ASA "legal" bats, the ball comes off the bat at no more than 98 MPH. This, as Spock once said, is a Vulcan lie. The batter lost control of the bat, which just missed the catcher and continued back on a collision course with my cup. A week later, and my left one is still 3X size of right one.

I refuse to cry. I refuse to puke. I stand with my hands on my knees and try to breathe. The GLM then lost all my respect. She comes down and wants to talk. Never once asks if I'm ok, can I kiss it and make it better or anything. She wants me to call the batter out for slinging the bat.

I had to do all I could to keep from going off on her. I hope she has a baby and gains 200 pounds while losing her hair.

In the role as umpire, or do off-field incidents count? In the former, I don't know any off-hand. In the latter, I can name one, but won't actually name him.

Here's a few:

http://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/story/46874.html

http://www.keyt.com/home/ticker/7873872.html

http://www.courttv.com/trials/hinton...rdict_ctv.html

http://enterprise.southofboston.com/...ews/news05.txt

and I only ran a very simple keyword search.

The basketball forum had a lengthy discussion about this very topic about a month ago,

http://forum.officiating.com/showthread.php?t=42475

and if I recall correctly, "Referee Magazine" recently also had an article.