Does it bother you when...

[Umpire in Chief]

Speaking specifically about calling baseball or softball for that matter...

 

Does it bother you when someone refers to you as a ref or referee, or asks if you are reffing any games?

 

I don't know why, but it really bothers me, especially when it is somebody I already do not care for. I had a number of in-laws the past few days all of whom asked If I was still reffing baseball in some way or another.

[mjr_2013]

Yes. Small pet peeve of mine... I officiate baseball, I umpire baseball... I do not referee baseball.

[plateumpire]

It does bother me a little. I wouldn't get really upset though. Some of the people I know just don't know that it is umpire for baseball instead of referee. If someone says, " Are you refereeing?" I might say, " Oh you mean umpiring? Yes."

[BalkHawk]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9u9QprLcvg

[Jocko]

I personally HATE being called 'Blue'

I have a guy in my tourney group who will refer to his partner as 'Blue' on the field. WTF!!! Dumba$$ knows my name. USE IT!

Youth coaches I will politely remind them what my name is. I always, ALWAYS make the effort to use each HC's 1st name. I expect the same in return.

:rantoff:

[LMSANS]

A lot of times when working football I'll be called "blue" by coaches and players at the youth level. I dislike being called "coach" when officiating. Larry Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

[JHSump]

I personally HATE being called 'Blue'

I have a guy in my tourney group who will refer to his partner as 'Blue' on the field. WTF!!! Dumba$$ knows my name. USE IT!

Youth coaches I will politely remind them what my name is. I always, ALWAYS make the effort to use each HC's 1st name. I expect the same in return.

I too try to use the coach's first name when addressing him.  Some get the point and start using mine.  Some think it's just baseball to keep calling me Blue, even if they have seen me for years.

 

I was umpiring a 10U tournament game this past weekend and a 9U team was playing up.  You could just tell the team was well coached.  They hustled, did some subtle things well, and you could hear the coaches remind them of those subtle things.  I had never seen them before.  After the plate meeting, the head coach addressed me by my first name, (e.g., from the 3B coach's box, "____, how many outs?  Thank you.")  Even the assistant coach knew what to do.  The HC was doing something (can't remember what, exactly) and the AC gave me some information (can't remember precisely what that was either, maybe the name of the new pitcher, which we have to record on a "card").  He introduced himself, and outright asked, "I don't want to call you Blue, can I call you by your first name?", then "Ok, _____, our new pitcher is _________.")  I have to say, I was very impressed with their team, their coaching, and them.  They never argued a call, either.  Beat a 10U team as well.

[umpire_scott]

I don't care if they call me "blue" because I invariably forget the coaches name anyway and end up calling them coach.  The only time it bothers me is when one of the players is named "Lou" or "Drew", or one the teams is wearing "blue".  Then I end up turning my head for no reason several times during the game.

[plateumpire]

I don't care if they call me "blue" because I invariably forget the coaches name anyway and end up calling them coach.  The only time it bothers me is when one of the players is named "Lou" or "Drew", or one the teams is wearing "blue".  Then I end up turning my head for no reason several times during the game.

That happens to me to. the coach says, "lou" and I think he is calling me.

Sometimes people I know ask me about my coaching when they mean my umpiring.

[maven]

People generally make so many errors when speaking, it's bad for your blood pressure to worry about them all. Just smile and work on improving yourself.

[Stan W.]

I'll admit that when a game participant calls me "ref" on a baseball field, rightfully or wrongfully, it bothers me.................not enough to dwell on, but oftentimes its an indication of things to come.......if its a parent or spectator, .........its just water off a ducks back.........

[noumpere]

I personally HATE being called 'Blue'

 

That's very area and maybe level specific.  Ive worked in areas where it was common and accepted and in areas where it was almost an immediate ejection.

[thunder6661980]

A ref if doing hockey games...

[basejester]

Hey, Ref, how many points do they have?

[grayhawk]

Couldn't care less.  I have two teenagers, so I have about a billion things more important to worry about than being called Ref.

[Mudder]

Couldn't care less.  I have two teenagers, so I have about a billion things more important to worry about than being called Ref.

 

Agreed! and I have 2 and a half teenagers. 

 

Could be worse than being called a ref....I work with some West Indian guys who don't know much about North American team sports , so when I tell them I'm an umpire, they ask "so what's it like to be a cricket umpire?"

[JHSump]

Hey, Ref, how many points do they have?

Occasionally, someone will mention points during a baseball game.  Same sort of cross wiring that results in being called "ref."

[CentralOhioUmp30]

I've been called blue, ump, sir, my first name and a piece of dogsh**, among other things.

[VAUmp]

 

I personally HATE being called 'Blue'

 

That's very area and maybe level specific.  Ive worked in areas where it was common and accepted and in areas where it was almost an immediate ejection.

 

There is a place where a player can be ejected for calling an umpire "blue"???  WoW!!!  Just WOW!  

[Mudder]

I find sometimes there's too much confusion with getting called blue... sometimes they're talking to you, sometimes they're they referring to the team as a whole (if their colors are blue)..."C'mon blue" or "lets go Blue", sometimes they yell out a player's uniform # (#2), "hey 2" that sounds like blue, heck I ump this one team a lot and it always seems like I'm doing the dish for their games, catcher's name is Luke, coach is always calling him..."Luke, Luke"  The way he says it, sounds just like blue, I'm always turning to look.  When he actually does say "hey blue", he's gotta say it 3 times cause I think he's talking to his catcher!

 

You can't mistake  "Hey Ump"

[basejester]

 . . . sometimes they're they referring to the team as a whole (if their colors are blue)..."C'mon blue" or "lets go Blue . . .

 

I hear this, too.  It seems extra stupid.

[Pete Peterson Sr]

It bothers me that people can be so ignorant....

[bam]

There are SO many other things to worry about, and someone calling you "ref" is the thing you choose o focus on?

 

This sounds like time for a therapy session

[Richvee]

 

 . . . sometimes they're they referring to the team as a whole (if their colors are blue)..."C'mon blue" or "lets go Blue . . .

 

I hear this, too.  It seems extra stupid.

 

Maybe it's me, but I've noticed the only teams that call their players a color are "blue" jerseys. I've NEVER heard a coach yell, "Cmon RED, let's get some hits", or, "wake up Yellow, on your toes. 

 

Ref bothers me for some reason. Especially if it's from anybody who thinks they know anything about baseball, or sports in general. I've never been called a ref on the field. I hear it from relatives and work associates. "Are you reffing any games this week?". My reply usually goes something like, "No, but I'll be umpiring a couple baseball games Tuesday and Thursday night"

 

"Blue" has never bothered me. 

[BigUmpire]

There are SO many other things to worry about, and someone calling you "ref" is the thing you choose o focus on?

 

This sounds like time for a therapy session

That is a "NoSH*#ter"