Partner blues...

[KJUmp]

Cecil and Mick both have the right idea about working with this type of partner.You simply have to prepare yourself mentally for who your working with and not let them throw you off your game.

We've all experienced this (some of us more than others)...you could pre-game until the cows come home with these guys and they generally just nod and just yes you to death as it goes in one ear and out the other. I mean the game starts and forget about wether they're correctly in B or C...these guys have their own alphabet when it comes to proper position.

Working a lot of adult SP as I do, what worries me about working with these type of umps, is that their incompetence, stubborness, lack of rules knowledge, etc. always seems to causes the s**t to hit the fan when they get involved in a situation.

I'm with one of these guys the other night. ASA Men's SP...rec league. He's got the P, (we're playing under a league 5HR limit rule), s**t hits the fan when he allows a team a 6th HR, (3 run shot BTW), because he said that one of the first 5 HR's had hit off the F7's glove as he leaped above the fence line trying to make the catch....he says.."that's an error, hence it's does not count as a HR." I came in from my position as I saw him getting tripled teamed in the ensuing argument, not having any idea at the time what the hell the arugment was about. As I'm getting the two guys who shouldn't be there away from him, I hear what he's telling the HC... and I can't believe what I'm hearing. I calm down the HC, partner and I get off to side, we review the sitch., I try to point out that he's not correct on this, I'm advised by my partner that he doesn't need my help he knows what is and isn't a HR.
OK partner, I'm going back out to my position....I get there just in time to hear the HC tell PU he's protesting the game.

I'd rather work alone. Then the only umpire I have to worry about is me.