Is this just local or throughout ASA?

[gumpire]

So, to make a long story short; an extremely mouthy team had enough players ejected by me to result in a forfeit.

My schedule included a game involving this same team this week. I just received notification from my local UIC that instead I had been reassigned a different game. When I asked why, he said it best for me to avoid that field on that night of the week so "no more drama".

I feel no ill will towards this team and would not anticipate problems from them: last weeks game was last week!

I almost feel as if UIC is telling me that if teams have a hard time with me, they can just get a different ump.

This is an "adult" rec SP league.

Any thoughts whether this is what I should expect throughout ASA umpiring, or an unusual occurrence?

[wadeintothem]

Its often the same around here - and I feel the same way you do about it.

Often people want to avoid drama and move the umps.

I'm not sure how widespread that it.. but its definitely not just your area.

[NCASAUmp]

There are two ways to approach this: reassign you for a week or two to let them cool off (but making sure to put you back on their games afterward), or put you behind the plate for this team's games for the next month. Personally, I think both methods have their merits, but it depends on the assignor and the "personality" of the league. You don't want to feed your umpire to the wolves if the league is known for aggressive confrontations, but you need to send a message to the teams that the umpire involved is impartial, professional, and to be respected.

Out of curiosity, how many did you eject that night?

[gumpire]

Thank you all for the reponses.

Originally Posted by NCASAUmp

Out of curiosity, how many did you eject that night?

Four. All at around the same time. After 1st ejection, the rest of the team had trouble getting back into their dugout and resuming after "Play Ball".

[wadeintothem]

If you eject 4 off a team, it probably is better from a mgmt point of view to let it cool off.


I agree it leaves a bad taste in your mouth because it feels a little like they "got you" off their games. As long as its not permenant thats probably
fine.

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

If you eject 4 off a team, it probably is better from a mgmt point of view to let it cool off.


I agree it leaves a bad taste in your mouth because it feels a little like they "got you" off their games. As long as its not permenant thats probably
fine.

We have plenty of that to go around out here. There's a group of local players who all know each other and swap players between teams for different leagues and seasons. They can be some of the whiniest players around, because they think that because they grew up here that somehow, they're special. I've ejected a number of their players over the course of the last 9 years since I moved here. I know they don't like me much, but I don't really care. Every game, I get back in the saddle and call the best damn game I can.

They won't get me down. Period.

[archangel]

Originally Posted by gumpire

Thank you all for the reponses.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NCASAUmp View Post
Out of curiosity, how many did you eject that night?


Four. All at around the same time. After 1st ejection, the rest of the team had trouble getting back into their dugout and resuming after "Play Ball".

I'm not doubting your actions, just asking some Q's.
In hindsite, do you regret tossing all 3 after the 1st one? Not that they didnt deserve it equally, but was there another way to settle things down, gain control, and still play the game?-- maybe tossing 1 more?

We've all been in sich's where we could toss multiples, and tossing 1 settles the others. Other times, you just gotta do what you gotta do.

What did the 1st player say to get ejected?

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by archangel

I'm not doubting your actions, just asking some Q's.
In hindsite, do you regret tossing all 3 after the 1st one? Not that they didnt deserve it equally, but was there another way to settle things down, gain control, and still play the game?-- maybe tossing 1 more?

We've all been in sich's where we could toss multiples, and tossing 1 settles the others. Other times, you just gotta do what you gotta do.

What did the 1st player say to get ejected?

I'll admit I was thinking the same thing, but I realized a couple of things:

1 - I wasn't there.
2 - Who am I to second guess him?

Things just happen, and you deal with them the best you can. If he wants advice, he'll ask for it.

[CajunNewBlue]

Originally Posted by gumpire

So, to make a long story short; an extremely mouthy team had enough players ejected by me to result in a forfeit.

My schedule included a game involving this same team this week. I just received notification from my local UIC that instead I had been reassigned a different game. When I asked why, he said it best for me to avoid that field on that night of the week so "no more drama".

I feel no ill will towards this team and would not anticipate problems from them: last weeks game was last week!

I almost feel as if UIC is telling me that if teams have a hard time with me, they can just get a different ump.

This is an "adult" rec SP league.

Any thoughts whether this is what I should expect throughout ASA umpiring, or an unusual occurrence?

Or you could look at it like the UIC knows there will be bad feelings held by the team against you (you cant control that)....sounds like good management on the UIC's part.
Don't take it personal go call your other game. a game is a game.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by gumpire

So, to make a long story short; an extremely mouthy team had enough players ejected by me to result in a forfeit.

My schedule included a game involving this same team this week. I just received notification from my local UIC that instead I had been reassigned a different game. When I asked why, he said it best for me to avoid that field on that night of the week so "no more drama".

Why, did you do something to the Field that hurt it's feelings? Maybe kick too much dirt around

I feel no ill will towards this team and would not anticipate problems from them: last weeks game was last week!

I almost feel as if UIC is telling me that if teams have a hard time with me, they can just get a different ump.

This is an "adult" rec SP league.

Any thoughts whether this is what I should expect throughout ASA umpiring, or an unusual occurrence?

I believe there are too many variables in multiple situations for there to be an absolute standard answer.

Personally, if I thought the umpire may be in danger, I may move an umpire, but not for a season or tournament. However, on many occasions, rather send the umpire stay the course and if the team shows up on the schedule, so be it. In some tournaments, I might even make a point of getting the same umpire on the field with that team (with a strong partner) just to get the point across that the team is not in control of the situation. I'm not suggesting umpires change their game, but just the opposite. Nor am I suggesting the umpire go out on the field with a vengance, but just the opposite.

I agree, last week's game was last week, yesterday's game was yesterday, and neither should have any bearing on today's game.

[NCASAUmp]

I think the key to getting past these incidents is to accept your assignor's decision and support him/her in it. Reiterate to your assignor that you harbor no ill-will towards the team, and that you have no passionate feelings towards what happened, one way or the other. We're professionals. We have no passion or prejudice for or against anything, other than making sure that we do our jobs well, day in, day out.

When you eventually meet this team again (and if you call long enough, you're guaranteed to do so), make zero mention of the events of the past. Don't bring it up, don't allude to it, don't even hint at it. Just walk into the dugout as a professional to do your bat and equipment inspections, keeping a positive (not cocky) and approachable attitude. Leave any chips on your shoulder in the car.

Teams are fickle. One day, they love you. Next day, they hate you. Next day, you're the best umpiring team in the entire crew. Life will go on.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

About nine years ago, I officiated in the AYBTour Boys' National Basketball Championships at Indiana University. During the double elimination portion of the tournament I had a boys' 16U game where a team was blown out by 35 points. I won't go into details but the HC received a TF from me in the first half. After the game he yelled at me that if I was scheduled to officiate his team's next game he would not play the game until I was removed. The tournament director (TD) was an idiot, but the HC didn't have the intestional fortitude to go to the TD with his threat.

Anyway, I looked at my schedule and sure enough later that day I was scheduled to officiate his team's next game. I took it upon myself to switch courts with another official so that I did not have to put up with the idiot HC. The HC never knew I was really supposed to officiate his team's second game that day. His team preceeded to get bounced out of the tournament by losing the game by 45 points.

Later that evening I saw him and his wife eating dinner in a local resturant. I know I behaved badly, but I couldn't help myself. I told him that I switched games because I didn't want to have to put him with his idiocy, and that if he had never made his threat about having me removed his team would have only lost by 35 points like in the first game instead of by 45 points.

MTD, Sr.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

About nine years ago, I officiated in the AYBTour Boys' National Basketball Championships at Indiana University. During the double elimination portion of the tournament I had a boys' 16U game where a team was blown out by 35 points. I won't go into details but the HC received a TF from me in the first half. After the game he yelled at me that if I was scheduled to officiate his team's next game he would not play the game until I was removed. The tournament director (TD) was an idiot, but the HC didn't have the intestional fortitude to go to the TD with his threat.

Anyway, I looked at my schedule and sure enough later that day I was scheduled to officiate his team's next game. I took it upon myself to switch courts with another official so that I did not have to put up with the idiot HC. The HC never knew I was really supposed to officiate his team's second game that day. His team preceeded to get bounced out of the tournament by losing the game by 45 points.

Later that evening I saw him and his wife eating dinner in a local resturant. I know I behaved badly, but I couldn't help myself. I told him that I switched games because I didn't want to have to put him with his idiocy, and that if he had never made his threat about having me removed his team would have only lost by 35 points like in the first game instead of by 45 points.

MTD, Sr.

I think you acted badly on both ends. OTOH, if you didn't the first time, the second wouldn't have occurred.

JMHO

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

I think you acted badly on both ends. OTOH, if you didn't the first time, the second wouldn't have occurred.

JMHO

By behaving badly, I meant, I couldn't help myself when I saw the coach in the resturant. This was a poorly run national tournament and during the girls' portion of the tournament, I had to eject a HC because he went nuclear on me when I called a blocking foul on his player in the open court. At that point the foul made it 4 fouls against his team and 8 against his opponents, and he was winning the game by 15 points with only 5 minutes left in the first half. His wife was court side holding their young daughter and she kept up a foul mouth tirade for the rest of the half. The TD didn't want to do anything about controlling her; finally an IU PE professor who was representing IU as a site manager had her removed by campus security when the TD wouldn't do anything.

MTD, Sr.

[JPaco54]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

About nine years ago, I officiated in the AYBTour Boys' National Basketball Championships at Indiana University. During the double elimination portion of the tournament I had a boys' 16U game where a team was blown out by 35 points. I won't go into details but the HC received a TF from me in the first half. After the game he yelled at me that if I was scheduled to officiate his team's next game he would not play the game until I was removed. The tournament director (TD) was an idiot, but the HC didn't have the intestional fortitude to go to the TD with his threat.

Anyway, I looked at my schedule and sure enough later that day I was scheduled to officiate his team's next game. I took it upon myself to switch courts with another official so that I did not have to put up with the idiot HC. The HC never knew I was really supposed to officiate his team's second game that day. His team preceeded to get bounced out of the tournament by losing the game by 45 points.

Later that evening I saw him and his wife eating dinner in a local resturant. I know I behaved badly, but I couldn't help myself. I told him that I switched games because I didn't want to have to put him with his idiocy, and that if he had never made his threat about having me removed his team would have only lost by 35 points like in the first game instead of by 45 points.

MTD, Sr.

why would you even think of approaching him, especially at a public restaurant and with his wife?