Blacklisted

[moblue]

After being all but blacklisted in my town a few years ago, I've gotten yet another town that doesn't like me. Seems that the team whose coach dropped the f-bomb in a 9/10 yr. old game doesn't want me coming to their town to call games. lol.

It just so happens that the town is a 40 minute drive, and I've never been there anyway, so it isn't too big a deal. The problem in general is that there are no associations in my area that contract for games. I haven't gotten many of my own games this year, but have managed to be the #1 call guy for one of the popular umpires in our area who is managing about 3 or 4 teams' schedules.

:ranton:It seems like it's getting harder and harder to call games instead of easier, simply because I don't subscribe to the "good 'ole boy" system used around here.

It seems almost expected that if you want a town to call you back, you make sure to call the game slightly in their favor. I haven't been a fan of this, and tend to pay the price. Several years back, when I only called in my hometown, I literally believed that if both teams were mad at me at the end of the night then I had done my job properly. That was about how it went. They got tired of me and I was all but blacklisted when I called out the Commissioner's kid for running out of the baseline... oh yeah, he was the tying run of the game. I haven't called for my hometown on a consistent basis since (about 3 years ago).

I'm to the point now that I don't know what to do. I give every game everything I have and yet, because I don't subscribe to the system, I have problems getting games. Now here's the kicker. Any team that I've called for on a consistent basis, the coaches don't necessarily like me, but the kids do. To me that says everything I need to know. Coaches want as many advantages as they can get, players want it fair.

Sorry, had to vent.

EDIT: Don't get the wrong idea by my crybaby smiley at the top. I meant for that to be sarcastic.

Edited May 19, 2009 by moblue
clarity

[jjb]

My integrity is not for sale, for any price.

C'mon down to Texas: we'll put you to work

[mstaylor]

Maybe it is time to talk to the area guys and start a group. They probably don't like the system either.

[MCLEOD36]

My favorite saying is "No matter how much milk is shaken, cream rises to the top". The old boy rules will get thrown out very quickly when it happens to one of them on a crucial series. Play the game as it is supposed to be played, yes errors will be made, but not on the side of integrity...

[RWPatten]

Along with JJB's answer- Come to Oklahoma. We will definitely put you to work. There are some good old boys networks here, but there are plenty of games that need umps. You can get as many JV, 9th grade, MS and little league games as you wish to call. And you can work basically every day of the week. I had some Wednesday games this year as well. There are plenty of towns and schools BEGGING for umpires here. I think I got in at the right time.

:givebeer:

[Stan W.]

Maybe it is time to talk to the area guys and start a group. They probably don't like the system either.

I think MST has hit the nail on the head.....if this is happening to you, then there others out there as well.... and since there is no association to compete with you should definately get together and form one....

It may take some time, but pull in all the like minded guys, set some standards....(dress, mechanics) and approach the leagues.....

[therefump]

After being all but blacklisted in my town a few years ago, I've gotten yet another town that doesn't like me. Seems that the team whose coach dropped the f-bomb in a 9/10 yr. old game doesn't want me coming to their town to call games. lol.

Coaches want as many advantages as they can get, players want it fair.

Here's an odd but maybe helpful answer. Why not try and get someone from a higher level NCAA, etc. to evaluate you. Someone who does not know you at all. Maybe he/she might see something you don't.

Please don't take this the wrong way. I'm just trying to suggest that you eliminate all possibilities. I did exactly this about 15 years ago and found that my confidence came off as arrogance on the field. A really good NCAA/MiLB umpire (retired) watched 2 games I umpired and came back with several excellent suggestions. The biggest one of course was my perceived arrogance. :fuel:He really pushed my game to another level. My ejection rate (never very high) went down and my confrontations with coaches went way down. I've found that we have to enforce rules and make judgments but the way we do it is part of the job.

If your game is in order then I would definitely look to other places for assignments or start your own organization.

Again, just showing an example and maybe another way to look at your situation. Hope this helps. :)

[bassfam11]

Maybe it is time to talk to the area guys and start a group. They probably don't like the system either.

QFT x2

There is strength in numbers. It will also give you a shot and getting bigger and better leagues. Associations can also provide more training and evaluations. There has been nothing more helpful to me than good honest criticism.

Side note: My association does not inform us, nor provide an appeal process, after being blackballed by a school or league. And the majority of the membership votes to keep it this way!!!!

:smachhead::P

[therefump]

QFT x2

There is strength in numbers. It will also give you a shot and getting bigger and better leagues. Associations can also provide more training and evaluations. There has been nothing more helpful to me than good honest criticism.

Side note: My association does not inform us, nor provide an appeal process, after being blackballed by a school or league. And the majority of the membership votes to keep it this way!!!!

Hmmm. That seems kind of bass ackwards to me. I'd be interested in hearing why you folks feel that way. I'd want to know why and if I should change my ways.:WTF

[moblue]

Thanks everyone for the input. As far as forming an association goes, I have absolutely no idea how to go about it. I don't have a large number of umpire contacts either. If I tried to start it, I'm sure it would look like I was doing it just to get more games and take them from the people that had been given team schedules.

Side note: My association does not inform us, nor provide an appeal process, after being blackballed by a school or league. And the majority of the membership votes to keep it this way!!!!

That's probably for the best. If they knew, would you expect impartiality from every umpire when they met that school again somewhere else?

After waiting for years, I called a game last week where my hometown was the visitors, and the coaches were the ones that hadn't liked me several years back. I wondered what I had gotten into, but I was nice, as were both coaches. One shook my hand with a smile on his face, which is the nicest gesture I've had from that coach for years. It used to be hard just to get him to say hi! lol. The game went smoothly and there were no problems.

The following night I called a softball game in my hometown and got to find out I really don't miss calling there all that bad. Pity that I'm so busy with other towns I don't have much time to call for them anyways. :P

[bassfam11]

Hmmm. That seems kind of bass ackwards to me. I'd be interested in hearing why you folks feel that way. I'd want to know why and if I should change my ways.

I don't understand it either. There was a proposed by-law change last year to grant us notification and hearing to inform us why (not an appeal however), and it failed to pass. I sure as heck voted for it. I have only been with them for 3 years and it seems many of the old timers are reluctant to change.:P

Edited May 25, 2009 by bassfam11

[therefump]

. I have only been with them for 3 years and it seems many of the old timers are reluctant to change.

Therein lies the answer. Trust me, my association has the "old fart" syndrome as well. Sounds to me like either a) they are afraid of hearing the truth about themselves or there's a conspiracy theory that only "outsiders" are blacklisted.

I'm not joking about "B". When I moved into an area about 15 years ago I was shunned by some of the baseball people and many of the "older" umpires. They didn't like the "outsiders" like myself. For the record, there was an Amish history to the community and it was/is still tight knit. I complained to league officials and my chapter president. Guess what, the president of the league was the one who said "we have to start accepting outsiders help to get new blood in here". He was the reason I stuck with the umpiring not the umpires' chapter president. :kissass:I had to keep a low profile in that organization until I moved back to civilization (suburbs of Philly).

I guess it's true that Umpires are a conservative lot. A bit too conservative at times. Hang in there. :angel4:

[bassfam11]

Therein lies the answer. Trust me, my association has the "old fart" syndrome as well. Sounds to me like either a) they are afraid of hearing the truth about themselves or there's a conspiracy theory that only "outsiders" are blacklisted.

I dunno about "B", we have seem to have a lot guys with less than 5 years in. In our association the assignor seems to have all the real power. I personally have no complaints as I have gotten a good schedule with someone my of limited years with them. In fact I got a playoff game this year and have been given a Carpenter Cup game at the U of Penn (June 18). Our president is not a guy I would go to for help, but some of the Board seem like good guys. I hope that as some of the new blood works its way up the chain we can make some changes for the better.