Ejection or Warning

[bam]

"Authority to retaliate".

Expand upon that, please.

[BRUMP]

I think trout means he abused his authority BY retaliating

[bam]

I think trout means he abused his authority BY retaliating

I think we're going to hav e to let Trout explain himself on that one. I hope it's not going to resemble his FPSR interpretation... :D

[plateumpire29]

@ Umpire-Scott; you need to realize that, whether the age is ten or 35, we are dealing with a child's mentality. We are the ones in authority. We are the people who must lay down the law and make it clear that certain behaviors will not be tolerated. It really doesn't matter how it is said. In my example, the offending party was straightened out, and no one watching had a clue what had just happened. Once I had a coach chirping and I pulled him aside and said,"you realize, of course, that what you're saying is going in one ear and out the other." (The message? Moaning and groaning ain't gonna change a thing. I'm keeping it friendly, for now.) There were laughs and he knocked it off. Experience. 25 years of developing a no-nonsense reputation. When coaches know an umpire can't be pushed around, they generally don't try. My strictest rule for myself is to mirror the way I'm being treated. If I'm given courtesy and respect, I respond in kind. If not, it could wind up being a long evening and it is one that I will not lose.

[Replacematt]

@ Umpire-Scott; you need to realize that,

<snicker>

whether the age is ten or 35, we are dealing with a child's mentality. We are the ones in authority. We are the people who must lay down the law and make it clear that certain behaviors will not be tolerated. It really doesn't matter how it is said. In my example, the offending party was straightened out, and no one watching had a clue what had just happened. Once I had a coach chirping and I pulled him aside and said,"you realize, of course, that what you're saying is going in one ear and out the other." (The message? Moaning and groaning ain't gonna change a thing. I'm keeping it friendly, for now.) There were laughs and he knocked it off. Experience. 25 years of developing a no-nonsense reputation. When coaches know an umpire can't be pushed around, they generally don't try. My strictest rule for myself is to mirror the way I'm being treated. If I'm given courtesy and respect, I respond in kind. If not, it could wind up being a long evening and it is one that I will not lose.

Ron Luciano pointed out that arguments lose their fun when you know who's going to win.

[RichMSN]

I was wearing a microphone and was on ESPN on Friday. During that game, I knew anything I said or did or even my mannerisms would be on display across the country.

I think that umpiring "like you're wearing a microphone and on national TV" is a great way to officiate and I'm going to try to hold myself to that standard going forward. I normally meet that standard, but when times get tough we have to put extra effort into remembering that ultimately we're the ones in charge and we're the ones tasked with keeping our heads while all those around us are losing theirs.

Sadly, I saw an umpire working LL on TV who did not remember that over this weekend and he didn't look so good in the process.