mwlkr said:

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Having a hissy fit? Earl Weaver. Not even close.

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You don't see those types in mLB anymore. And I miss it.

mwm said:

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In the East Texas area? She work with her husband?

If we're thinking of the same ump, she was very good.

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Fort Worth, 1979

EMY92 said:

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Shoot, today's parents are worse than the kids. Kids are having to retrain the parents, not the other way around.

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Yep, catchers and I always talk during the game and they are appalled at the parents' reaction to a pitch that is clearly a ball

ABATTBQ87 said:

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EMY92 said:

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Shoot, today's parents are worse than the kids. Kids are having to retrain the parents, not the other way around.

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Yep, catchers and I always talk during the game and they are appalled at the parents' reaction to a pitch that is clearly a ball

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Does not happen at the college level

What doesn't? Catchers laugh when they set up six inches outside on 0-2 and the pitcher hits the spots and the crowd goes nuts. They will talk about how some people are idiots.

mwm said:

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In the East Texas area? She work with her husband?

If we're thinking of the same ump, she was very good.

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I know who you are talking about. She was a solid umpire.

Would like for Sandman to weigh in on this.

backintexas2013 said:

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What doesn't? Catchers laugh when they set up six inches outside on 0-2 and the pitcher hits the spots and the crowd goes nuts. They will talk about how some people are idiots.

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Yeah but the parents are not right on the field like in hs. And of course the catcher laughs. And of course the crowd goes wild. Part of the game. But there is not "ump abuse" at the college or MLB level that I have seen. If you can't take what I have seen at every aggie game I have been to you should not be an ump

I agree that at Aggie game it's not bad. Also it's a lot harder to hear anything. Most people still don't know the rules but it's just something to laugh about.

Aggies2009 said:

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kevmiller said:

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ABATTBQ87 said:

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TXAggie2011 said:

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Quote:

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Agree with Luke. If you pay people enough they will stand in line for any job. And yelling at umps has not gotten worse over the years.

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It's gotten worse, just in my life time.

At the high college level and above, every stadium has a big high definition screen and 20 cameras and everyone can find an angle to support their opinion that a call was wrong.

But certainly, online abuse, including the threads some people start here calling out officials, simply didn't exist 15 years ago. And it's just accelerating and accelerating.

And the amount of online abuse folks get away with is bleeding over into real life. It's emboldening people.

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I started umpiring HS baseball in 2007 and ended in 2017. The anger and abuse progressively got worse every year; parents think that little Johnny is going to make the pros and that they deserved the right to vent their anger if the call went against him.

The lack of baseball IQ of coaches, parents, and players is another reason that there is such anger. For example, what is the baseline? or when is a catch not a catch? foul tips vs foul balls?

People arguing because of what they think vs the facts.

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The treatment of umpires has indeed 100% gotten worse just in the last 5-10 years.

And the baseball IQ .. especially from baseball parents.. has steadily declined.
Hell it has at Olsen field also.. I laugh at some of the comments people make regarding the " rules".

If you don't know.. don't act like a jackass pretending you know

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Lol only one umpire here has been talked about and he deserves it for the way he acted.

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You're missing the point BIG TIME. EVERY fan thinks they're right on the mark about officials and umpires when they're talking bad about them. They think the umpires deserve to be yelled and cussed at because the fan knows he or she missed one or more calls. Most of the time, it is the fan that is mistaken. Then you see an actual missed call and think, "see, I'm justified in talking **** about umpires" and then you proceed to put back on your home team colored glasses and think that about every call.

I've officiated the "money" sports (football and basketball) for over 30 years. College level too, though very minimal D1. As far as baseball goes, I know guys who do it. Luke's info is somewhat accurate though I don't think everyone fully understands what goes on in college baseball. Other than the ACC and maybe one or two other conferences (as of last year -- things may have changed) there aren't really "conference" umpires. There are assignors who assign conference weekend games and then regional (not talking NCAA regionals) assignors who assign Tuesday night games. Umpires work for one or more assignors for weekend and local assignors. They may be in Tuscaloosa this weekend, Stillwater next, and Palo Alto the week after (assuming SEC, Big 12, and Pac 12 use same assignor or umpire works with assignor who sends him those places). They aren't necessarily having trouble getting guys to work D1 ball but the pool of quality guys is diminishing for the reasons mentioned.

In football and basketball, that isn't the case RIGHT NOW, but it will happen over the next few years. Once again, the officiating isn't as bad as what people on these forums ***** about. Most of the complaining is based on an ignorance of the rules and/or how they are enforced OR it is because the fan just didn't like the outcome of the call or game. I can tell you first hand we have problems at the low levels (jr. high and high school subvarsity) with the adults -- coaches and some parents -- that is causing guys to not want to work and will have an affect later on numbers. It IS a money issue to some extent but it is also an abuse issue, a travel issue, and a motivation issue.

The bottom line is this: if you're doing little other than complaining about officiating in any sport, you're part of the problem. Coaches make mistakes, players make mistakes, and officials make mistakes. The mantra of officials is to "start out perfect and get better." As impossible as that is, most officials would accept that challenge and be happy with it if that was all there was, but the problem is that no one can agree on what perfection is.

Quote:

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I can tell you first hand we have problems at the low levels (jr. high and high school subvarsity) with the adults -- coaches and some parents -- that is causing guys to not want to work and will have an affect later on numbers. It IS a money issue to some extent but it is also an abuse issue, a travel issue, and a motivation issue.

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100% true in my case; I thoroughly enjoy the game and players but the parents aren't worth the aggravation for $65/game + miles

Two stories:

1. In 1978 when I was 8 my baseball team was really, really good. We were at Mather AFB where you might have expected some semblance of rational behavior from people who understood there were bigger things that little league baseball. You'd have been wrong. Our team won our first 14 games, most of them not close. Parents from other teams we weren't playing would come root against us, booing when we scored and won. Did I mention I was 8?

After we'd clenched the league championship our coach started throwing games, playing the starting outfield in the infield, the bench in the outfield and the starting infield in the dugout. We won 2 of our last 6 even trying to lose. When they had the meeting to select rosters for the all star game two of the coaches sheepishly said they had several parents tell them that their kids would only participate if the Yankees were not allowed to play. Our coach said, tell you what. The five of you put together an all star team and come play the Yankees. We won that game too. Did I mention I was 8?

2. In spring 1988 I was reffing a 12U boys basketball game with a good friend of mine. We were seniors in HS and doing it for $12/game. We had a game where the orange team had twin boys (twin 1 and twin 2 for this story) who were really good and their dad was the coach. Early in the 4th Q Orange is up something like 50-20 and the other team steals a pass and heads the other way on a fast break. Twin 1 chases him down, grabs the other player and throws him to the floor. The next two minutes or less went like this:

• My partner blows the whistle and heads to the table to call a flagrant foul on twin 1.
• Twin 2 comes off the bench, runs up to my partner and screams that he can't do that it was good play.
• I step in front of twin 2 to calm him down.
• As my partner finishes the call and turns away twin 2 shoves me and says "get out of my effing way!"
• I turn to the table to call a flagrant foul and ejection on twin 2 for his language and pushing me.
• Twin 1 runs up on and and screams that I can't eject him effing brother.
• My partner steps in his way and tells him to calm down. Twin 1 shoves my partner and tells him to effing move.
• I finish my call and turn to the coach and tell him to get his team under control or we will end this game and he will forfeit.
• My partner ejects twin 1 for his language and shoving him.
• Coach Dad runs out and says we can't eject those kids and that we're terrible officials.
• I put my hands and say "Coach, let's calm down and finish this game."
• Coach yells, "Eff you, you effing child!"
• I wave my hands over my head and say, "Orange coach ejected. Game over. Orange team forfeits."
• My partner and I grab our stuff and make for the door when we're confronted by a parent that gets in my face and tells me I can't do that and he's going to kick my ass.
• I respond that's great, I need some money for college so let's do it.
• My partner grabs me and fighter dad's wife grabs him and tells him we're not worth and to leave us alone.

The first story was 41 years ago, the second 31 years ago. Is it getting worse? Probably. Was it ever good? probably not. The rec league head of officials called me that night and said he had notified the league we would not do anymore 12U games because this was the 5th game we'd had a major issue with coaches and parents. I have other stories from my days playing kids sports and more than a couple coaching.

When I coached we were extremely clear that the parents were there to cheer for their kids and our team and that we would not tolerate anything else, even to the point of stopping our own game if necessary. I've told many people over the years that parents are the root of all evil in kids sports. I believe that firmly.

Baseball umpiring is also costly in the beginning for new umpires

Steel toe plate shoes, all plate gear and various base and plate pants
Not to mention two or three game series usually requires multiple uniforms and upkeep of all that equipment can be expensive.

I reffed and umped intramural a lot at A&M. Church teams were the worst

LOYAL AG said:

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Two stories:

1. In 1978 when I was 8 my baseball team was really, really good. We were at Mather AFB where you might have expected some semblance of rational behavior from people who understood there were bigger things that little league baseball. You'd have been wrong. Our team won our first 14 games, most of them not close. Parents from other teams we weren't playing would come root against us, booing when we scored and won. Did I mention I was 8?

After we'd clenched the league championship our coach started throwing games, playing the starting outfield in the infield, the bench in the outfield and the starting infield in the dugout. We won 2 of our last 6 even trying to lose. When they had the meeting to select rosters for the all star game two of the coaches sheepishly said they had several parents tell them that their kids would only participate if the Yankees were not allowed to play. Our coach said, tell you what. The five of you put together an all star team and come play the Yankees. We won that game too. Did I mention I was 8?

2. In spring 1988 I was reffing a 12U boys basketball game with a good friend of mine. We were seniors in HS and doing it for $12/game. We had a game where the orange team had twin boys (twin 1 and twin 2 for this story) who were really good and their dad was the coach. Early in the 4th Q Orange is up something like 50-20 and the other team steals a pass and heads the other way on a fast break. Twin 1 chases him down, grabs the other player and throws him to the floor. The next two minutes or less went like this:

• My partner blows the whistle and heads to the table to call a flagrant foul on twin 1.
• Twin 2 comes off the bench, runs up to my partner and screams that he can't do that it was good play.
• I step in front of twin 2 to calm him down.
• As my partner finishes the call and turns away twin 2 shoves me and says "get out of my effing way!"
• I turn to the table to call a flagrant foul and ejection on twin 2 for his language and pushing me.
• Twin 1 runs up on and and screams that I can't eject him effing brother.
• My partner steps in his way and tells him to calm down. Twin 1 shoves my partner and tells him to effing move.
• I finish my call and turn to the coach and tell him to get his team under control or we will end this game and he will forfeit.
• My partner ejects twin 1 for his language and shoving him.
• Coach Dad runs out and says we can't eject those kids and that we're terrible officials.
• I put my hands and say "Coach, let's calm down and finish this game."
• Coach yells, "Eff you, you effing child!"
• I wave my hands over my head and say, "Orange coach ejected. Game over. Orange team forfeits."
• My partner and I grab our stuff and make for the door when we're confronted by a parent that gets in my face and tells me I can't do that and he's going to kick my ass.
• I respond that's great, I need some money for college so let's do it.
• My partner grabs me and fighter dad's wife grabs him and tells him we're not worth and to leave us alone.

The first story was 41 years ago, the second 31 years ago. Is it getting worse? Probably. Was it ever good? probably not. The rec league head of officials called me that night and said he had notified the league we would not do anymore 12U games because this was the 5th game we'd had a major issue with coaches and parents. I have other stories from my days playing kids sports and more than a couple coaching.

When I coached we were extremely clear that the parents were there to cheer for their kids and our team and that we would not tolerate anything else, even to the point of stopping our own game if necessary. I've told many people over the years that parents are the root of all evil in kids sports. I believe that firmly.

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Love it. Long stories below, so don't say I didn't warn you.

I umpired when I was 16-18 too. I did little league and I was smart, knew the rule book better than all of the coaches. We got payed $10 for field, $15 for behind the plate per a game. Loved that I could make $70-$100/week and totally worth it then.

My similar stories to this were two:

Coach Pitch girls softball. These were 8 yo girls and there was about 5 feet between me at home plate and the back fence. I could hear every word people in the stands were saying (so the 8 yo batter and catcher could definitely do it). There was a close call at the plate and some parents start to lose their *****
So like 4-5 of these parents start talking loud enough for me (and the players) to hear and it went something like this:
Dad1: "**** this dumb *******."
Dad2: "Yeah this dumb **** is a stupid piece of ****"
Dad3: "what the hell is this bull*****"
Mom1: "What a **********"
Me: "Time!"
<walks the three feet over to the fence and notions for the coach to come over, which he does>
"Hey you guys have to watch the language. I can hear what you're saying so I'm betting the players can too."
Dad2: "well stop being such a piece of **** blue"
Me: "if I hear another peep out of any of you that is negative, I'm stopping the game and clearing out the stands and kicking all of you out of the ballpark. I'll let the players play but you'll be watching from your cars"

Everyone proceeds to shut up and the rest of the game goes great. I lived happily ever after. The rest of those white trash meth smoking pieces of **** probably died early deaths qualifying for the Darwin awards.

The other story involved one of the coaches coming into the umpire changing room after the game. Guy was super competitive and he's one of those parents who encouraged his kid to talk back to umpires, so I didn't really like Coach Mullet and his 11 yo son Mullet Jr. At one point the year before I had a colleague (fellow high school student) tell Coach Mullet he needed to "grow up".

Coach Mullet had been catching for the pitcher between innings while the catcher was putting on his equipment and one of the pitches had bounced before the plate and he looks at me and my fellow blue and goes "yeah, right there. That's where these guys have been calling strikes." This is a 40 year old dad and coach saying that to two 17 year olds at a regular season 12&u little league softball game. My friends looks at home and goes, "you need to grow up." Coach Mullet was pissed. Looks at us, starts to say something and walks off.

So flash forward a year later, they're playing some team during the regular season for "first place" (this league didn't keep standings btw), and their kid hits a pop up out of the infield but high enough to where the 2B man has time to set up underneath the fly ball. Infield fly was in effect. . I call "infield fly. batters out".

Guy missed the pop up and batter thinks he's safe. I go over to tel the kid he's out and he losing his ***** Coach Mullet comes out losing his ****, and gets in my face yelling at me how the ball was out of the infield and there's no way it could be infield fly rule. After about 30 seconds of listening to this guy yelling in my face, I tell him "you need to grow up." He stops in mid-sentence. He balls up his fist, screams at me and storms off.

After the game, he storms into the umpire changing room and yells at me and my fellow ump to never tell him that again. Before I can say anything my friend goes, "Well if you grow up and stop acting like a kid, we won't have to tell you." Guy punches the wall, slams the door and walks out.



The point:
Not worth being a ref/ump. Made the right calls both times and people threatening me or confronting me over what is largely meaningless stuff.

It didn't affect me negatively but you can see how vivid these memories are for people having incidents 10-30 years ago so it tells you how out of the ordinary it is.

dermdoc said:

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I reffed and umped intramural a lot at A&M. Church teams were the worst

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Sorry. That was probably me.

Coonasses

ironmanag said:

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I have read that its getting very hard to get refs, umps, officials in all sports. It is a huge time commitment and doesn't pay well. Maybe this is the best we can grt.

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Not for college baseball. Pays well..

The shortage is at the high school level and below. Pays not good enough for the bs refs are forced to endure from coaches and parents (players are generally fine).

It's incredibly competitive and political to get to the d1 level of ncaa sports such as baseball, softball, basketball, football, volleyball, etc.

Lack of interest of having refs at that level is not the problem.

I got out of hs basketball after 7 years. Once I had multiple kids, the strain wasn't worth it on my family for the money.

Last time I called a game, I was a freshman in college. Came home after the spring semester and went down to the local ball field to see if a certain young lady was there watching her little brother play.

I was walking behind the home dugout and the local head of umpires (who was my neighbor) calls me over and tells me he needs me to fill in. It seems one crew didn't show and he had no one else. He would call the plate and I would take 1st base.

This was a 9-10 year old league and I didn't know anyone in the stands or field, so I figured why not? The game was rolling along fairly quickly until one kid hit a slow dribbler out in of the mound. The catcher comes out to get it but throws high and wide. Theb1st baseman jumps up off the bag, makes the catch, and tags the runner on the back as he goes by. I ring him up and their coach loses his mind. He runs up into my face and starts screaming that he came off 5the bag. I calmly told him yes, the kid came off the bag but tagged the the runner. At this point, he started cussing and bowing up to me like he was going to give me the old belly bump. I looked him in the eye and said if he cussed again, he was going to be thrown out. He said "You ain't got the ****ing balls, kid!" I ran him and turned to the dugout and asked who was the new coach of record.

He said he would leave and said he was going to kick my assin the parking lot. Mind you, I was 6'3" and a former d-lineman that still lifted weights. I told him if he didn't leave the field and go to his car, his team would forfeit the game. My neighbor umpire got in between us and walked him off. He stood in the parking lot yelling for the rest of the game "I'm out here big boy. Come get some!" When I pointed at my white truck and said "That's mine. See ya after the game", he suddenly drove off. Found out later he was kicked out of the league and banned from the ballpark. Apparently he had done it before.

dermdoc said:

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I reffed and umped intramural a lot at A&M. Church teams were the worst

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Amen.

80s Guy said:

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Last time I called a game, I was a freshman in college. Came home after the spring semester and went down to the local ball field to see if a certain young lady was there watching her little brother play.

I was walking behind the home dugout and the local head of umpires (who was my neighbor) calls me over and tells me he needs me to fill in. It seems one crew didn't show and he had no one else. He would call the plate and I would take 1st base.

This was a 9-10 year old league and I didn't know anyone in the stands or field, so I figured why not? The game was rolling along fairly quickly until one kid hit a slow dribbler out in of the mound. The catcher comes out to get it but throws high and wide. Theb1st baseman jumps up off the bag, makes the catch, and tags the runner on the back as he goes by. I ring him up and their coach loses his mind. He runs up into my face and starts screaming that he came off 5the bag. I calmly told him yes, the kid came off the bag but tagged the the runner. At this point, he started cussing and bowing up to me like he was going to give me the old belly bump. I looked him in the eye and said if he cussed again, he was going to be thrown out. He said "You ain't got the ****ing balls, kid!" I ran him and turned to the dugout and asked who was the new coach of record.

He said he would leave and said he was going to kick my assin the parking lot. Mind you, I was 6'3" and a former d-lineman that still lifted weights. I told him if he didn't leave the field and go to his car, his team would forfeit the game. My neighbor umpire got in between us and walked him off. He stood in the parking lot yelling for the rest of the game "I'm out here big boy. Come get some!" When I pointed at my white truck and said "That's mine. See ya after the game", he suddenly drove off. Found out later he was kicked out of the league and banned from the ballpark. Apparently he had done it before.

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I hear you. But Broussard was still really bad. And Rob was a much better man about it than I would have been.

I was a hothead as a player and still a hothead as a coach. However, I don't get personal with umps or refs, but I do question. What has completely baffled me in the last 3 years is the complete inability to have a conversation with an ump. I don't run out and get in their face. I use the Mark Johnson approach, I go out and ask what they saw.

The responses I have gotten from these emotional snowflakes has been so depressing. They will yell at me without me having raised my voice or gotten sarcastic. They have shot down conversations before I even crossed the foul line.

I have umped before (in college), played small college ball, and coached for several years. I know enough to know I don't know enough on the rules and I don't act like it. But when Mr. Ump won't even listen to a question or explain the play, I lose it.

LOL, me too. Last year in school, was married, worked as a buyer for a binder company in Bryan, then worked two intramural games a night $5 a game. Bought a few groceries with that money. Did all of my work on campus. We ought to compare stories some time!

dermdoc said:

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ABATTBQ87 said:

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EMY92 said:

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Shoot, today's parents are worse than the kids. Kids are having to retrain the parents, not the other way around.

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Yep, catchers and I always talk during the game and they are appalled at the parents' reaction to a pitch that is clearly a ball

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Does not happen at the college level

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Funny.

aggiedaddie said:

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dermdoc said:

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ABATTBQ87 said:

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EMY92 said:

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Shoot, today's parents are worse than the kids. Kids are having to retrain the parents, not the other way around.

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Yep, catchers and I always talk during the game and they are appalled at the parents' reaction to a pitch that is clearly a ball

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Does not happen at the college level

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Funny.

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So I have been to almost every Aggie baseball game, home and away, the last four years. And almost every home game before then. Have known almost all of the Aggie parents and have never seen them yell or berate umps. And have never seen opposing parents on the road do it either.



Have you?

TXAGBQ76 said:

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LOL, me too. Last year in school, was married, worked as a buyer for a binder company in Bryan, then worked two intramural games a night $5 a game. Bought a few groceries with that money. Did all of my work on campus. We ought to compare stories some time!

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I basically lived on the softball fields and those old courts above G Rollie. Got to ref some intramural championship games on G Rollie itself. Got paid five bucks a game and between that and penny a point cards in the dorm made some beer money. Jim Jeter and Dennis whatever were my buds.

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away I was pitching and really felt like the ump was not calling a square game. My dad was in attendance and between him and the coach it got vocal, and that was all. We lost the game and we found out the next day the umpire was the father of the opposing pitcher. My dad was very angry and I could hear him on the phone talking with the coach and he simply asked how this could happen. The coach said he did not know but he would from then on go up to each ump prior to play and asked them if they were related or friends with anybody on either team. It worked.

kevmiller said:

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This thread is reasons why people don't want to umpire.
Looks at these replies.. every umpire sucks, every umpire is " out to screw us"

High school level is really struggling to fill games.
Nobody wants to umpire.
Little pay and don't want to deal with BS from coaches, players and especially parents.

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My wife and one of her good friends have been lobbying me to get involved and become an ASA certified umpire. Honestly, I've thought about it or going to be an ump for Little League, because it can be a lot of fun and I honestly enjoy the game and the atmosphere and watching kids have fun and develop.

The biggest thing that keeps me away, honestly, is the parents. Too many little Johnny's and little Sally's that have mom and dad shuttle them around for year round "select" sports and with personal trainers and what not that take the game far, far, far too seriously.

Don't get me wrong - the umps back when I played LL and Babe Ruth and HS ball got an earful from parents, from both sides of the baselines. That's part of the game. I don't, however, ever recall physical threats or actual physical contact before, during or after a game. Granted, I didn't pay attention to that stuff and generally was focused on the game or the chicks in the stands I was trying to impress - but I don't remember any rumors or anything of that nature happening.

My daughter played softball in the local rec league 10u last season - I know of at least 3 circumstances where a parent was ejected from the stands because of their behavior and more than one where some of the umps had to get with the league about parents because of things said or intimated during or after games.

Bad calls happen - it's part of the game and has been since we turned cricket into a real sport. People have changed, and honestly its not for the better. I still like to believe that the Billy Oaks response to questioning or complaining about a bad call is the end of the story. He was a very well respected umpire in my home town - even umped a few LLWS games at the end of his career. I specifically remember questioning a called 3rd strike on me when I was in the Babe Ruth 14-15 year old league. He responded to me that he was more than willing to bring out the official score book and show me exactly where his call was correct at - and then let me know that I had used up my one opportunity to be a less than stellar participant in the game. Between that and the Olde Man, I didn't outright question a call again. Complained? Sure as hell I did - but did it in the dugout and not where the ump could hear me.

80s Guy said:

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Last time I called a game, I was a freshman in college. Came home after the spring semester and went down to the local ball field to see if a certain young lady was there watching her little brother play.

I was walking behind the home dugout and the local head of umpires (who was my neighbor) calls me over and tells me he needs me to fill in. It seems one crew didn't show and he had no one else. He would call the plate and I would take 1st base.

This was a 9-10 year old league and I didn't know anyone in the stands or field, so I figured why not? The game was rolling along fairly quickly until one kid hit a slow dribbler out in of the mound. The catcher comes out to get it but throws high and wide. Theb1st baseman jumps up off the bag, makes the catch, and tags the runner on the back as he goes by. I ring him up and their coach loses his mind. He runs up into my face and starts screaming that he came off 5the bag. I calmly told him yes, the kid came off the bag but tagged the the runner. At this point, he started cussing and bowing up to me like he was going to give me the old belly bump. I looked him in the eye and said if he cussed again, he was going to be thrown out. He said "You ain't got the ****ing balls, kid!" I ran him and turned to the dugout and asked who was the new coach of record.

He said he would leave and said he was going to kick my assin the parking lot. Mind you, I was 6'3" and a former d-lineman that still lifted weights. I told him if he didn't leave the field and go to his car, his team would forfeit the game. My neighbor umpire got in between us and walked him off. He stood in the parking lot yelling for the rest of the game "I'm out here big boy. Come get some!" When I pointed at my white truck and said "That's mine. See ya after the game", he suddenly drove off. Found out later he was kicked out of the league and banned from the ballpark. Apparently he had done it before.

---

Whats with fans wanting to fight an umpire? I was a sophomore in HS when I threw out a parent for constantly coming over to the side of the field during half innings where I would keep my drink and harassing me about calls when I had to ump the game by myself from behind the pitchers mound. The kids could barely hit the strike zone and this F'er wanted to fight me after the game b/c of balls and strikes. Neither coach had a problem with the strike zone.

aggiebrad94 said:

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I was a hothead as a player and still a hothead as a coach. However, I don't get personal with umps or refs, but I do question. What has completely baffled me in the last 3 years is the complete inability to have a conversation with an ump. I don't run out and get in their face. I use the Mark Johnson approach, I go out and ask what they saw.

The responses I have gotten from these emotional snowflakes has been so depressing. They will yell at me without me having raised my voice or gotten sarcastic. They have shot down conversations before I even crossed the foul line.

I have umped before (in college), played small college ball, and coached for several years. I know enough to know I don't know enough on the rules and I don't act like it. But when Mr. Ump won't even listen to a question or explain the play, I lose it.

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Do some official struggle with communication? Sure, in large part because MANY a-hole coaches routinely take it too far and it puts them on the defensive any time there are approached with a question (you see many "questions" by coaches aren't really questions). Just because an official has trouble finding that balance communicating to coaches, doesn't give you the right to "lose it" or be a "hothead" with him or her. It's not right. Just my humble opinion.

And none of these things happen on college baseball from my experiences. Can anyone remember a specific instance from a recent college game?

dermdoc said:

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And none of these things happen on college baseball from my experiences. Can anyone remember a specific instance from a recent college game?

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Closest thing I can remember was Childress taking a swing at Sonny Galloway and the umpire getting in between them. Never seen an umpire get attacked in college but have seen it plenty in the MLB.

Aston04 said:

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aggiebrad94 said:

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I have umped before (in college), played small college ball, and coached for several years. I know enough to know I don't know enough on the rules and I don't act like it. But when Mr. Ump won't even listen to a question or explain the play, I lose it.

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Do some official struggle with communication? Sure, in large part because MANY a-hole coaches routinely take it too far and it puts them on the defensive any time there are approached with a question (you see many "questions" by coaches aren't really questions). Just because an official has trouble finding that balance communicating to coaches, doesn't give you the right to "lose it" or be a "hothead" with him or her. It's not right. Just my humble opinion.

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Not a right? Totally agree. I count a privilege the let the umpire know if he isn't willing to communicate in a professional and adult manner, I'll do enough communicating for the both of us. Sad part is, almost always in the pregame huddle, the umpires tell us they will have a discussion and then do the opposite. My typical response in the pregame is that I understand they will most likely have over 200 calls during the game and get almost every one right. However, there may be one or two I want to discuss. I tell them all I will do is discuss the call - that's it (learned that from a book by that - now deceased - fat and funny umpire).

I plan on reffing and umping when my kid is done playing. I have no problem ignoring fans chirping or discussing what I saw with the coach. My purpose will be to protect the game so kids can get better. I see too many umps in our league that have no interest in the kids or the game (in their defense, we pay much less than San Antonio or Boerne so we really do get the bottom feeders).

Female relative reffing an u9 girls soccer game had to give a red card AFTER the game to male

parent upset over a call. Wouln't stop b-----ing !