Coaches Scratching Officials

[RichMSN]

Why don't the schools just self assign in Arbiter? They're picking their own anyway.

Horrible system.

[VolUmp]

Gentlemen ...

I started this thread without having any idea it would stir up such dissention.

I have had to "learn to live with it," there's absolutely nothing I can do to change it, God knows I've tried, and almost left the Association over my Assignor "keeping me away from a coach for my own protection" ... like I'm a 16-yr-old intern or something.  I, of course, wanted to call three of the coach's next 5 games to prove a point ... that once the season starts, no one gets to expand on their scratch lists.  With 130 umpires in my association, 2-3 scratches per school doesn't seem like that big of a deal.

BUT ... I love the way basketball handles it.  I love that the coach gets financially punished for making complaints on officials that have good reputations, and if said coach wants to buy them out, out of their own pockets, they may.  I know for a fact that once the coach complains, he will be assigned that official immediately to force his hand to put up or shut up.  The coach will know under most circumstances that he's getting the official he doesn't like 3-5 days ahead of time, and must buy him out ahead of time, and that official will then get assigned to another game.  So I love everything about this.  Official gets double paid, coach gets punished for being persnickety, and coach is kept in his place.

In a perfect world, there would be no scratch lists, and we would all be "observed" at least 2 or 3 times per season by someone (officers) in our Association to grade us.  The only time we get observed is when we are being considered for the State Tournament.  We know for two reasons ... it usually involves a late change of schedule, and we are assigned as a three-man crew (very rare).  We can bet that means we three guys are being considered for the state, and there will be an observer in the stands for that particular game.

[JaxRolo]

On 1/17/2017 at 8:27 AM, JSam21 said:

Scratch lists aren't inherently bad. Now one way to take care of the problem that you are describing.... If a coach from a school gets dumped, they no longer can have a list for 2 years.

That is an excellent idea!

 

[lawump]

Out of my association's hands...but our coaches can scratch 3 umpires no questions asked.

I had one head coach one year specifically ask for me to work the plate in Game 3 (best of three series) of the state championship  series (even though he had no actual input.)  Two years later he black-listed me as I had restricted him to the dugout in a game...which he didn't like.  

Yup, I went from him wanting me to work the plate in one of the biggest games of his career to him not wanting me to work a meaningless pre-season tournament game at his school.  LOL