where do I begin?

[Jocko]

This will be lengthy, so either forgive me in advance and bear with, or just dont read it.

Game 1 of 5

Plate meeting. Coin flip. Start the clock. Home team takes LITERALLY 2 minutes to take the field. I'm BU and trying to hurry them along. 1 day tourney. 1:30 time limit. So let's get a move on. From near the plate, my partner tells me, "uh-uh. We're not gonna do that today. Let em take their time. Dont rush em." I gave him a wtf look and once again encouraged HT to quit lollygagging. Between innings, I tell HP, "we're gonna get as much baseball in as we can, same as any other day." There was a slight disagreement, but no big deal. Every other half inning, I'm hanging out in shallow RF during warmups. Trying to give partner the hint. Call it right. Game progressed with no further incident.

Game 2 of 5

Between innings, partner is checking his phone for missed calls. I told him not to do that, to which he replied, "if my momma call, I'm gon answer it too. I'll stop the game. Nobody mo important than my momma."

Game 3 of 5

Nothing notable to report

Game 4 of 5

Im taking the stick. We walk about 200 yds or so to our changing room. Approximately a 20 minute turnaround betweem games. Partner is complaining that I took too long to get changed. After he tells me we're not gonna rush the teams off and on, he's complaining about ME taking too long. Smh. About the 3rd inning, Team A is batting with R1, and less than 2 outs. Basehit to LF and Im on the line for F/F nearing 3B. I tell partner I have the ball and R1 into 3B. Sure enough there's a play. R1 slides directly into the tag. As soon as I see clear posession of the ball, I call R1 out and head home. Brush the plate. As I get into position, I see OTHC speaking with my partner. So I slow walk to within earshot in case it gets heated. But wait a minute....they're discussing MY call. "Timeout (coach's name omitted). Why are you talking to him about a call I made?" "Well, I asked for time and he called me over to him." (To partner) "Ok. Why are YOU tslking to HIM about my call?" Partner stomps all the way out to RF fence and is leaning on it. I explain the play and my call to OTHC and he goes back to the dugout. Easy, right? He didn't like what he heard, but I gave him what I had. I trot back to the dish to get the game rolling. Partner is STILL leaning on the RF fence with his back to the field. So I wait a few seconds. No change. Ok. Let's play. I figure Im working alone now. Which I'm ok with. As I prepare to put the ball in play, partner decides to rejoin the day's activities. Bellowing from RF, "I GOT TIME. THIS MY TIME." (walks very very slowly back to A). Next several plays, partner has grown roots. Not taking a step from A for plays at 1B. I mean not moving an inch. Nothing. Between innings he wants to talk. Ok. "Fish, he axed me what I saw. I have a right to answer a legitimate querstion." (Partners name omitted)"Your answer is, 'Coach, my partner made that call. You need to talk to him." "You wrong. You wrong. I ain't no rookie (which he's not). I can talk to the coach." "Not about MY call you can't." He wants to keep talking. I walk back to the plate and get the game going. Partner still has roots. So I start busting out on every batted ball. SOMEONE is gonna be in position to make a call. If he won't, I will. Half inning ends. I'm in X and HC asks about time limit. "My patner has the clock. You need to ask him." HC walks over to partner who is talking to the HTScorekeeper in the 1B stands. And I hear, " Oh you mean I have permission to answer a querstion? I guess I can answer THIS querstion. (Walking down 1BL with coach in tow) I guess massa is gon let me answer A querstion." By now I'm BEYOND livid. I give my partner a hard KNOCK IT OFF. And a VERY hard look. He still has roots.I'm still busting it. Haven't had to jump any of his calls yet, but I'm there if needed. F1 change. I'm in my prescribed position, partner meanders over to the opposite foul line. "Cummere. Cummere. (I ignore) Come here. (I walk towards 1B to show him I have zero interest in discussing ANYTHING). OH Really? You just go walk away like that (by now hes YELLING across the field at me) You not gon cummere? Really?" I turn and gkare at him and mouth through clenched teeth STFU. "I jes need to know the sitchyashun. You can't even give me dat?" I check my indicator and tell him, " we have zero outs." "Well dats all I needed to know. You couldnt walk over here and tell me dat? Really?" By now there's smoke rolling out of my ears and my blood is boiling. Parents have gone and complained to other umpires about us 'fighting'. All I want is this game overwith. It FINALLY ends and partner tells me to go ahead and leave. "No. I'M a professional. I won't leavemy partner on the field." He gets signatures and we leave. I set a steady pace and walk wordlessly back to the changing room, where I blew a gasket on him.

Game 5 of 5

New partner. Game went off without a hitch.

[Jocko]

Luckily, our UIC and a VERY senior umpire were there. Comments from spectators who had to witness this fiasco pretty much in line with my version of how things went down. I've never been more embarassed on the field. I tried to tell him several times tk act like a professional. No avail. Needless to say, this individual has been relegated to coach pitch or possibly fired outright. I was ashamed for my entire organization. It felt like fighting with a woman that just WANTS to fight. The only way to end it is to leave. But that wasn't an option. I just don't know what else I could have done to make this jackwagon stop.

[BuckeyeMike]

I'm embarrassed FOR YOU.   That's ridiculous.   Thank God I've never been with a P like that.   I've had some "Smitty's" (lol) but nothing like that.   I think you did just about everything you could have done, short of defaming yourselves and the profession as a whole. 

 

Sorry man.  Unfortunately, it takes those guys to appreciate the good ones.     There's no good without evil.   There's no light without dark.  There's no good partner without this guy.  

[th3]

what kind of accent was that?

[Jocko]

Inner city Alabama - @th3

[BigUmpire]

Yep.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sdix00]

Dafuq?

Epic.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

[JHSump]

"In this [OP] a number of dialects are used, to wit: [inner city Alabama], [Chicago], the Missouri negro dialect; the extremest form of the backwoods Southwestern dialect; the ordinary "Pike County" dialect; and four modified varieties of this last. The shadings have not been done in a hap-hazard fashion, or by guesswork; but painstakingly, and with the trustworthy guidance and support of personal familiarity with these several forms of speech.

 

I make this explanation for the reason that without it many readers would suppose that all these characters were trying to talk alike and not succeeding.

 

THE AUTHOR."

 

I think you may have a future in literature @Jocko

 

P.S.  Your tale is a warning to all of the misadventures we might encounter on our travels, even if only relatively near the Mississippi.

[Jocko]

"In this [OP] a number of dialects are used, to wit: [inner city Alabama], [Chicago], the Missouri negro dialect; the extremest form of the backwoods Southwestern dialect; the ordinary "Pike County" dialect; and four modified varieties of this last. The shadings have not been done in a hap-hazard fashion, or by guesswork; but painstakingly, and with the trustworthy guidance and support of personal familiarity with these several forms of speech.

 

I make this explanation for the reason that without it many readers would suppose that all these characters were trying to talk alike and not succeeding.

 

THE AUTHOR."

 

I think you may have a future in literature @Jocko

 

P.S.  Your tale is a warning to all of the misadventures we might encounter on our travels, even if only relatively near the Mississippi.

would you be at all surprised if I told you I have been previously published? :D

[JHSump]

Hmmm... Interesting!

 

Pen name?

 

M.T. ?

[bam]

I don't get that here in Connecticut.

[dumbdumb]

Hmmm... Interesting!

 

Pen name?

 

M.T. ?

Thought it was S.L.C. or is that a city or airport?

[JHSump]

 

Hmmm... Interesting!

 

Pen name?

 

M.T. ?

Thought it was S.L.C. or is that a city or airport?

 

That was his real name.

[JHSump]

I don't get that here in Connecticut.

Haha....so, you're a Yankee?  Ever been to England?

 

(Who is still following all this?)

[Jocko]

@JHSump - no idea, but this was a welcome hijack.

Gentlemen, this was truly the worst experience I've ever had on the field. The sad part is, I considered him a friend (past tense). I shared my story in hopes of showing you guys how bad it can get. And maybe get some ideas, short of fisticuffs (which he deserved). This is what you can expect from people who have zero respect for the game. I hope I didn't dishonor myself, my organization, or my brotherhood. I was ashamed and embarassed to be associated with this guy. And that this is the experience and memory some will take away from their first tournament with us.

[renegadewolf]

Props to you for not knocking the taste out of his mouth on the field, as you said he would have deserved. You however in a tough situation pulled up your socks and did the best you could.  It's tough trying to work a game with an idiot, been there done that (he told a coach that i had just ejected for continuing to argue about a situation we had thoroughly discussed and said we were no longer talking about that he wasn't ejected and didn't have to leave the game)  Best that can be done in those situations you are stuck with a brain dead partner is to put on the big boy underoos, bite the bullet and call the game till it's done.  Shame is not yours it's all his, hold your head high for being the professional and getting the game done.

[JHSump]

Sorry @Jocko for hijacking.

 

You had a truly awful situation.  I have never experienced such a dramatic situation with a partner.  I think you did all you could to contain it, and get through it, until the end of the game.

 

I did have two, more minor incidents in a similar category.  From which learned a bit.

 

One: my partner, the PU, overturned my call at 1B, after a head coach talked with him.  I just swallowed hard and waited until the end of the game.  Back at our cars I told him I was shocked that he did that and to never do it again.  He apologized.  We get along just fine now.  I think I did fine in that situation.  Although I had felt like walking off the field, and leaving him to officiate the rest of the game.  That would have been a mistake on my part, I think.

 

Two: I ejected an AC for questioning my integrity (he outright yelled across the field that I was cheating his team, because they had not paid me at the plate; they had paid the TD in advance).  My partner (PU) had apparently turned around and told him to knock it off, just before I ejected the AC.  Then, my partner decided to yell across the field to me, about how I handled the call that lead to the situation!  I was shocked.  Unlike in the situation described above, I decided to approach my partner between innings, and simply tell him to not yell at me across the field --- a mistake I made.  He decided I was looking for a fight, and starting screaming at me.  I tried to tell him to calm down and be quiet, but gave up and went out to RF.  We had it out after the game, inside a building.  I think he has probably blocked me.  I really don't care.

 

What I learned: Don't discuss anything that might lead to conflict with anyone --- including your partner.  For, that matter, I try to stay away from my partner, unless it is absolutely necessary.  Sometimes I can't avoid it because my partner will come to me between innings (when I am PU).  Often, some HC decides a conversation between me and my partner is an invitation for a third party to join in, and discuss some call.  Ugh.

 

In your case, Jocko, I think you did all you could to avoid the drama during the game.  Your partner was just way off the reservation.  These things stick with us for a while.  I know.

[Mark Pepper]

 I think he has probably blocked me.  I really don't care.

 

What I learned: Don't discuss anything that might lead to conflict with anyone --- including your partner.  For, that matter, I try to stay away from my partner, unless it is absolutely necessary.  Sometimes I can't avoid it because my partner will come to me between innings (when I am PU)..

How is it you didn't block him?  I know I would have. 

 

I disagree with the "Don't discuss anything that might lead to conflict with anyone--including your partner."  The overwhelming majority of the time a quick conversation with your partner can help make vast improvements real-time and prevent a far worse situation.  Sitting on it lets the problem continue.  There's always a risk that your partner will behave like yours or Jocko's did, but those extremes are once every 20 years situations.  Give them a chance first.  

 

Just my opinion.  

[bluejerred]

I'm surprised he didn't start missing a lot of calls when he grew roots.  Good on you to keep hustling for the good of the players and the game.  If I was in that situation, it would be very tempting to cover my responsibilities and then let him crash and burn when he is out of position, especially with him showing you up on the field. 

 

One thing that I will say is that as a new umpire, it helped me on this site to learn the finer points of umpire/umpire etiquette.  When to help, when not to help, what to say, when to say it, letting partners handle their own business, when not to go for help and why, etc.  Since he was a veteran umpire, he probably should have known better but with new umpires, it should be wisdom that should be imparted immediately during training and emphasized during a pre-game.  New umpires usually have best intentions with their partners but might accidentally step on toes from not knowing any better.

[TStokes97]

I'm surprised he didn't start missing a lot of calls when he grew roots. Good on you to keep hustling for the good of the players and the game. If I was in that situation, it would be very tempting to cover my responsibilities and then let him crash and burn when he is out of position, especially with him showing you up on the field.

One thing that I will say is that as a new umpire, it helped me on this site to learn the finer points of umpire/umpire etiquette. When to help, when not to help, what to say, when to say it, letting partners handle their own business, when not to go for help and why, etc. Since he was a veteran umpire, he probably should have known better but with new umpires, it should be wisdom that should be imparted immediately during training and emphasized during a pre-game. New umpires usually have best intentions with their partners but might accidentally step on toes from not knowing any better.

I agree with this, theres a huge difference between us new guys who need help and make mistakes and the partner the op had who was screwing up and just ruining things on purpose, I would never intentionally sabatoge my partners thats not right or fair to anyone

[Majordave]

@Jocko

So, Fish, let me axe you a querstion?

[Majordave]

My pet language peeves are axe instead of ask, querstion and quextion for question and excape/ekscape for escape.

Never understood that speak.

I'm also not a fan of nucular instead of nuclear.

And warsh instead of wash.

I'm done. Inarticulate speech shows laziness and stupidity. Mouth breathers were the bane of my existence in the law biz.

Another one. My last name ends in er. To some folks in my home state it ended in uh the lazy way they said it. Pitiful.

[Jocko]

My pet language peeves are axe instead of ask, querstion and quextion for question and excape/ekscape for escape.

Never understood that speak.

I'm also not a fan of nucular instead of nuclear.

And warsh instead of wash.

I'm done. Inarticulate speech shows laziness and stupidity. Mouth breathers were the bane of my existence in the law biz.

Another one. My last name ends in er. To some folks in my home state it ended in uh the lazy way they said it. Pitiful.

I, too, am a grammar nazi. It drives me insane to hear, "I COULD care less."

There are many many others, but dats a hole diffurnt thing to conversate on. :smachhead:

[Larry in TN]

I, too, am a grammar nazi. It drives me insane to hear, "I COULD care less."

I agree on that one. It's strange, too, how the people who use it will so vigorously defend it as being correct!

Less vs. fewer is another one for me.

[bam]

You know what helps? 

 

Stop listening.  It's been working pretty damn well for me.