nnnGARRRGH!!!

[ElkOil]

 

I won't bore you with all the details because this story has been told and retold and it's always the same -- just the characters change.  Tonight I worked two games with a partner who was on a power trip and did nothing but cause problems.  Everybody was getting on him -- and deservedly so.  HC came out to me while I was on the bases to ask for a clarification about illegal slides, and while I was explaining the rule, over came my partner to bust up the conversation and demand that the coach return to his dugout.  The coach was steaming at that point, having had some real bad calls go against him all night, including an ejection of one of his players for malicious contact.  I have a different opinion than my partner who did the ejecting, but it's irrelevant because it wasn't my call.  Ugh.

 

Anyway...

 

After the game my partner even got into a snarky shouting match with some of the parents as we were walking to our cars.  Then he turns to me with a big smile, heartily grabs my shoulder and says like he just dined on the conflict, "Wasn't that GREAT?!"

 

This brings to mind the signature line that @Majordave has.  "Use the rules to solve a problem.  Don't use the rules to create a problem."  If only my partner did the former instead of the latter.  But then again, I guess he wouldn't have been nearly as happy.   He even told off the AD at one point and told him to leave.  When the AD feels compelled to argue with an ump, you know something is seriously wrong.

 

I was embarrassed.  I wanted to crawl into a hole.  I wanted to apologize to everyone for his actions and behavior.  Shoot... I would have been okay just putting a bag over my head and slinking away.  My only consolation was when the HC said to me, "Thank you for your professionalism tonight."

 

 

Thanks for indulging me.  Whew.  

[Jocko]

Block his ass

[BillKen]

I don't know how long you've been doing this, but I'm glad that I'm beyond my days of being nice.  If that happened to me, I'd tell him to get out of my conference immediately.  Then there would be a very terse discussion in the parking lot and there would be no question in his mind that I was never working another game with him ever again!  Life is too short for you to do a hobby...and be miserable because your partner ruins everyone's night!

[Majordave]

I haven't had a partner like that yet. I've had a partner who had a partner like that and still haven't gotten the full story yet but it is my understanding that the guy I've worked with beat the living doodoo out of his "unlikable" partner in dressing room last summer. (Yes I made up a word.)

Not sure I'd resort to that level of conflict resolution with my partner over a baseball game but I'd definitely say something.

Love the phrase "dined on the conflict" @ElkOil

[JaxRolo]

 

I won't bore you with all the details because this story has been told and retold and it's always the same -- just the characters change.  Tonight I worked two games with a partner who was on a power trip and did nothing but cause problems.  Everybody was getting on him -- and deservedly so.  HC came out to me while I was on the bases to ask for a clarification about illegal slides, and while I was explaining the rule, over came my partner to bust up the conversation and demand that the coach return to his dugout. 

 

 

 

Thanks for indulging me.  Whew.  

I would have told him to go back to the plate while I finished talking to the coach.

[ricka56]

I'd send this evaluation to your chapter prez (UIC). He needs re-training.

[Cav]

For better or worse, you're a team when within sight or sound of the players, coaches and fans.  I suggest a game report without flaming language to your assignor while making the point that you will not accept another assignment with him again. 

 

As mentioned above, the parking lot is not the place, although you could have softly mentioned unequivocally that, if he were to ever touched you again, on or off the field, it may be several weeks before he could comfortably wear his mask.

[MadMax]

Ah, @ElkOil, I see you've met "Bob".*

As a consolation, at least one (hopefully the other as well) of the coaches identified that you are not a functioning partnership, like Abbott & Costello or Laurel & Hardy. Heck, you're not even The Odd Couple. You don't know the guy (otherwise), and really don't forsee working with him again.

I'd take @Jocko's advice and make an effort to remove the opportunity to work with him again, as discreetly and swiftly as possible. Sure, an explanation might be warranted, but it ain't going to change this guy.

A few of us here call those guys "BUBBA" (and shorten it to Bub in conversation) – Being an Umpire Breeds (or Begets or Brings) a Bad (or Boastful or Belligerant or Bellicose) Attitude. So, yeah, we have/had (waiting to see if he's still with us) a Bubba Bob in this area; every region has one (at least).

* - This doesn't mean that all Bobs are like this. If your name is Bob, please understand I'm not typecasting you.

[noumpere]

Ah, @ElkOil, I see you've met "Bob".*

 

Is that SayHey's real name? 

[Mudisfun]

WOW.

 

Says it all.

[MidAmUmp]

As an assignor, I'd want to know what happened. Just stick to the facts, don't insert your opinions unless you're asked.

 

If your assignor is good to work with I would tell him not to assign you with the guy again.

 

My guess is the coaches figured out you weren't with him based on the comment after the game.

 

I hate to throw a partner under the bus, but sometimes we have a partner and sometimes we have another umpire we have to work with. This guy would fall into the 2nd category. I would have probably tried to work it into some sort of professional conversation with one of the coaches from each team - something like, "Look, I understand (you're upset...this doesn't look good...etc.). Keep your composure, stay in the game, you're kids need you. Let's just get through this and I'll make sure the proper people are made aware of what happened."

[dlongbucco]

So first off, control what you can control.

Can you control your partner, no?

Can you control your body language and reaction to all the drama? YES

Work the game like a professional.

Get off the field and into the locker room, if no locker room, then have the discussion later.

But I feel that you need to give your partner the feedback that you would tell your assigner.  

If he doesn't want to hear it, great, then report back to your assigner in a very neutral way, what happened, stating facts.

If you assigner wants more, let him call you.  

Then if you have the option, go in and block his ass.

[ElkOil]

Thanks for the input and suggestions, everyone.  I left out so many details, just know that what I've written is the tip of the iceberg.  It started horribly when during the first game, with him as BU, he busted out a pen and paper in the first inning, then went walking around the infield writing stuff down and warning players about things he was noticing (he mentioned to me later that he noted who was wearing necklaces -- which I never saw -- then issued warnings to the players and coaches about it).  He set the tone from the outset, then we hitched a ride on the Downhill Express from there.

 

I'm brand new, so I don't yet know the culture in my organization about bringing stuff like this up for discussion. I'm guessing that since this happened our assignor has heard from the coach or school about it.  

[Jocko]

http://umpire-empire.com/index.php/topic/57693-where-do-i-begin/?hl=querstion

 

This is my horror story from last season. We all have them. Some are just worse than others. Learn from every assignment. This experience definitely shows you what NOT to do

[ElkOil]

http://umpire-empire.com/index.php/topic/57693-where-do-i-begin/?hl=querstion

 

This is my horror story from last season. We all have them. Some are just worse than others. Learn from every assignment. This experience definitely shows you what NOT to do

 

Oh.  Em.  Gee. Whatta story you had there.

 

Last night was a learning experience for me for SURE.  I'm actually grateful that in this life, we're surrounded by people who are cautionary tales.  Keeps me safe!

[RingEmUp]

http://umpire-empire.com/index.php/topic/57693-where-do-i-begin/?hl=querstion

 

This is my horror story from last season. We all have them. Some are just worse than others. Learn from every assignment. This experience definitely shows you what NOT to do

 

I think I would have had to eject my partner in your case @Jocko.  Is there a precedence for this, one umpire ejecting another?  That would be funny/embarrassing/humiliating/stress relieving all at once. 

[Out&UglyToo]

New sniglet: UMPHOLE, noun =a jerk who happens to own umpire gear and disrupts baseball games, a BUBBA,  a person who could, indeed, cause to give rise to a rule allowing one umpire to eject another. (I don't believe 9.01 ( c ) necessarily covers this topic.)

 

'nuf said?