Socia Media Heckling in Games
 

Ladies and Gentleman:

Here is an interesting discussion topic. I saw a post on Facebook from one of our fellow blues, about how he was officiating a contest and fans from one of the opposing teams was heckling a player about not responding to the posts they made on Facebook.

He said nothing was out of line in this instance.

However, With Cyber Bullying being an issue is this something we are going to have to worry about in the future in contests especially during youth contests and some players and parents can be mean?

Understand this thought is coming from one of the biggest facebook users in the world.

What is the difference between that and comments about anything else .
If you feel you need to deal with it, deal with it.

I don't think it's any different from any other kinds of heckling out there. If it crosses the line, then we step in and get the coaches to knock it off. Until then, I do nothing.

But I'll toss this out there: what if players from one team seem to be "singling out" one player and riding her all game? Do you step in? When?

I have a campaign for you. How about calling it "Stop The Idiocy Now"?

Cyber bullying is a load of crap. It is just as stupid as a bank teller being robbed at the drive-in. Its as ludicrous as the 84 yo lady complaining to the police that she was subject to an obscene phone call that lasted 10 minutes.

Yeah, yeah, I know all the BS, and this is just what it is, BS. This isn't like the schoolyard bully, it is words, people! Words only hurt if you are dumb enough to let them. Parents should be teaching that instead of the timid, whiney approach we see today. Where does it stop? Everything cannot be settled in a principal's office or court room.

Bullying of any type is nothing more than a fear and control issue. Just how much weaker can we get in this country?

How about just umpiring the ball game on the field in front of you? You know, ball, strike, fair, foul, safe, out, great taste, less filling.

Um, Mike, I think you went a little beyond the end of the game there! (Not that there's anything wrong with that...) ;)

I'm going to preface this with the following: I work in IT, and I'm very familiar with being online and all that goes with it. I also used to work for one of the local school districts, and before I graduated, I worked part-time at a private school. In college, I also majored in psychology. So I know a few things about this.

Cyber-bullying is, by its very nature, VERY different from face-to-face bullying. We teach children to walk away from bullies, but an online bully is almost impossible to walk away from. It's VERY easy to find someone online, and once a bully finds you, it's difficult to shake them off.

Yes, words are just words. To us. But to a child who can't process their environment like we can, words can be much more. You and I can dismiss someone else's comments and not let them get to us (otherwise we wouldn't last long in this business). Kids don't have the same abilities we have. That's why they're children: they're growing both physically and psychologically, and we can't expect them to handle things the way we can.

Dismissing any form of bullying, whether cyber or face-to-face, as "BS" is just as dangerous as condoning it.

Yeah, cannot possibly just turn the damn thing off, can you? People who are found are found because they have provided information that allows them to be found. Stupid is as stupid does.

Don't necessarily agree with that. A child only knows what people tell them and often questions that information. When they are young is the time to teach children the difference and I think you are underestimating the ability and mental capacity of children today. And if you are in IT, you should be extremely aware of their ability to understand and process things that many adults can barely grasp. It is the adults who are hard to retrain (old dog, new trick thing). Certain things are engrained in their mind, culture, beliefs, actions & reactions and they respond to certain issues, words or actions in a very specific manner without question.

Hand a condom to a Catholic youth and s/he will ponder its purpose, use and consider its value to them. Hand it to a staunch adult Catholic and they are runner for a confessional for impure thoughts.

Extreme examples? In most cases, yes, but I have grown up and still encounter folks who are just like this.

If you say so. To me, it is absolutely nothing unless you allow it to be.

Think it as a coach trying to bait you into doing or saying something stupid in an argument. They will only be successful if you are dumb enough to give them the ammunition. Keep your mouth shut and let them talk themselves out and, one way or the other, they will just go away.

All I have to add is this: Yelling out loud in front of someone about something happening on the internet is not cyber-anything.

facebook = waste of time

If anyone's interested:

Cyberbullying latest challenge for teen cancer survivor Latest News EagleTribune.com, North Andover, MA

Mr. Irish,

I think you are an insensitive, pontificating individual yourself.
You have issue and need help.

That's hilarious. Sorry to hear you do not have your own life.

Good luck in the future.

The OP talked about fans heckling a player. Assuming that the fans were not doing this within the boundaries of the playing field, dugout or bullpen, explain to me why we would even think of involving ourselves in what was taking place.
As Irish posted ...."ball, strike, fair, foul, safe, out...." Same six words I've repeated to myself (and other umps) over an over for years. More than enough there to keep me busy or get me in trouble.
Besides, the only rules I can recall that even mentions "fans" are the rules covering spectator interference, and the one about no coach, player, or team "inciting" spectators.
It is up to the coaching staff of the team deal with school administrators/game management/TD if they feel it is an issue.

And that's certainly a parenting issue, but that doesn't stop the bullying from happening. It just cuts off an avenue.

Naturally, it depends upon the age of the child. A 17-year old is certainly much more capable of filtering information than, say, a 13-year old. And the younger the child, the more sponge-like they are. Your example is perfect: a younger child does grasp newer concepts faster than those older than him/her, and that includes their self-worth.

You know as well as I do that if all a child hears is negativity, that's what they learn: negativity. A comment or two, and most children are fine. But hearing it over and over will eventually have damaging consequences.

Study after study has shown that children with low self-esteem were often bullied. I don't know why people refuse to see the connection, nor do I see why people are so ready to dismiss cyber-bullying as being anything less than another form of bullying.

A defunct Catholic myself, this made me chuckle... :D

I agree. And we're adults. We're not talking about adults.

Yes, that's how I would process it. A child is still learning these skills.

facebook = huge waste of time