*

[dumbdumb]

On 7/14/2024 at 9:52 PM, wolfe_man said:

That’s fair.
To be fully transparent, I probably only got out a ‘Huh? What?’ Before he blew past being able to stay, then I asked what he was saying so I was clear. I didn’t ask it in a baited manner. I was genuinely surprised that we were going there only four outs into the game. 

The funny thing is he tried to say he was coming out to ask a question after I dumped him. For the life of me, I can’t find the question in storming out yelling ‘that’s two, that’s two, etc’.  

It was definitely a daddy ball coach who thought that he was allowed to get away with a lot more than I permitted. 

ah ha, an ole counting coach (that's 2) and a (i can't ask a question?) coach,

[wolfe_man]

*

[Fbrocato34]

On 7/14/2024 at 9:25 PM, The Man in Blue said:

This is just a personal opinion I have stated before … I don’t like the “What did you say?” interaction from an umpire.  We should not escalate.  My two issues are:

1.) Why are we baiting them into repeating it?

2.) It is very accusatory/stand-offish, IMO.

 

I wouldn’t have asked, I would have just dropped him.

Sadly, it feels as if the phone on the field has become a near necessity at youth tournaments where site administration is bouncing around locations.  

There are different "trains of thought" on repeating. One school says by making him repeat what he said, it gives the coach an opportunity to rethink what he said because it's clearly an ejectionable offense. Think of it like a parent/child relationship. "mom, I hate you" "What did you say?" "Nothing".

The other school says just dump him. It depends on the level and what your supervisor wants. In pro ball, its an automatic EJ. HS, maybe. Youth, it depends on the coach and the situation. Some of them REALLY dont know whats acceptable and what's not.

Another alternative might be to respond with "you know you can't do/say that, right?" Again, it puts the onus on the coach to try it again or just walk away.

[The Man in Blue]

11 hours ago, Fbrocato34 said:

There are different "trains of thought" on repeating. One school says by making him repeat what he said, it gives the coach an opportunity to rethink what he said because it's clearly an ejectionable offense. Think of it like a parent/child relationship. "mom, I hate you" "What did you say?" "Nothing".

Another alternative might be to respond with "you know you can't do/say that, right?" Again, it puts the onus on the coach to try it again or just walk away.

 

Those both illustrate why I don't care for this strategy . . . I feel it is a power play.

Different strategies work for different people, though.

[BigBlue4u]

On 8/23/2024 at 7:56 PM, The Man in Blue said:

Those both illustrate why I don't care for this strategy . . . I feel it is a power play.

Different strategies work for different people, though.

There is another way at looking at this.  How many have you had a coach berate you in front of his team and when you call him on it, he says, "Blue, I'm not talking to you." ?

Now what? Simple:  "Coach, if I can hear you, you're talking to me."

[Thunderheads]

On 7/13/2024 at 9:53 PM, wolfe_man said:

14U large tournament semi-finals...

Top 1st.  Two close plays, one goes for HT and one goes for VT. 

Bottom 1st, 1 out - R1 stealing, F2 throws to F6 who makes a long sweeping (waving) tag but I have no definitive tag, so I signal safe.  Def HC comes out yelling: "That's two, that's two, that's two this inning that you've cost us!"  At which point I asked him "What did you say?" to give him a chance to slow down or back out and he continues saying "that's two calls this inning you've cost me", so I ran him.  I was a bit surprised that we were doing this so early in a semi-final game, so I was kind of dumbstruck and didn't say much beyond "What did you say?" and then "You can't do that (keep count and accuse me of trying to cheat), you're gone." as I tossed him.  I never raised my voice and my toss signal was not animated at all, just a general wave towards RF as I said "you're gone".

After I toss him, he said "you can't toss me for that, I only came out to ask a question".   Then I told him he's done, he can't accuse an umpire of trying to cheat him, so he really goes off calling me an effing douche-bag and saying I'm a homer and trying to help them win.   He finally gets it all out and leaves, mouthing off to me the whole way about how bad I am.

He leaves, but shows up about half-way down the RF line a few outs later.  I texted site management and he is made to leave the park, but if he stands straight down the RF line he can be "outside" of the park entrance technically, so he stood down there on this phone the rest of the game.  Every little bit I could hear him talking to a parent down the RF line, but cannot make out what's said so I ignore it.

Great game, walk-off walk with 1 out ends it.  As I'm waiting on my partner to get his water so we can exit the field together, the Def HC comes up to me, as he's re-entering the field, and tells me that I need sensitivity training and that I was terrible.  I just shook my head in bewilderment and walked off.

Of course, I made a report with my assignor about the situation.

What did I do right and what did I do wrong?  I didn't get a chance to say much because coach said all I needed and there really wasn't any way to keep him in the game after he made it personal with the "that's two YOU'VE cost me this inning". 

Thanks in advance.

Sorry, late to the party!!

What you did right?  You gave him a chance.

What you did wrong?  I would have done something like this (which I've done before) STOP SIGN -  "No, no no, Jim, ... WE ARE NOT COUNTING today, I'm not having it, STOP!  If he continues, BOOM.  I've found that they totally change their tone with the above.  (mind you, ...you didn't necessarily do anything wrong, but the "what did you say" could have made things worse,...  IMHO)