Someone messaged me privately saying that I go out of my way to 'protect' or 'defend' umpires...
In many ways, yes, I am going to give the umpire the benefit of the doubt especially when we are only getting one side of what happened. I wasn't there - I don't know what ACTUALLY happened - nor what happened before or after (even when I have video). And I understand what any umpire goes through, their situations, why they are doing it, etc., etc. I understand the weekend umpire who doesn't get training as well as the full-time pro umpire getting to umpire pro sports. I have been both of those at various times in various sports -sometimes at the same time (like a couple of years go when I was umpiring a new sport because they needed some quick help due to lack of umpires)
But there are three things that are just totally unacceptable.
But if you do the three things above, then believe me, I hate you as an official more than any coach or parent.
And that is why 3 of the 12 umpires we did assessments on for HS playoff assignments last week wont be on the field for playoffs and are probably not going to be doing any 'interesting' games the rest of this season. It is also why my next three games I am partnered with a newer umpire who we are going to be moving through quickly - she is raw but she works hard and is a total sponge for knowledge. She is inline to get a playoff game this season.
Over the last few weeks I umpired games in Rec, travel, HS, NAIA, JUCO, NCAA D3 and NCAA D2 plus umpired another sport in MS and HS and also did my 'real job'. I take pride that I treated every game as seriously as the next - and yes that included the rec games.
And yes I got calls right and wrong - I blew a delayed dead ball call in a college game because they changed the rule this year and in every other sanction it is immediately dead and always has been. I knew it - I read it the previous evening - but yep, I called it. Coach wasn't happy but I owned it, and managed it... it was fine though it bugged me for the rest of the day. I am sure I missed a lot of close balls and strikes over those games - even the best miss a few a game - but only 1 blatant miss (yep, I can still see THAT pitch and my missed call - it was clearly a strike - fortunately the batter grounded out next pitch). But I know I did my best... and that my legs hurt.
In many ways, yes, I am going to give the umpire the benefit of the doubt especially when we are only getting one side of what happened. I wasn't there - I don't know what ACTUALLY happened - nor what happened before or after (even when I have video). And I understand what any umpire goes through, their situations, why they are doing it, etc., etc. I understand the weekend umpire who doesn't get training as well as the full-time pro umpire getting to umpire pro sports. I have been both of those at various times in various sports -sometimes at the same time (like a couple of years go when I was umpiring a new sport because they needed some quick help due to lack of umpires)
But there are three things that are just totally unacceptable.
- Not giving whatever effort you can
- Not being willing to learn when you have the opportunity
- Throwing your partner official under the bus when you are working with them (which is an effort to totally protect yourself)
But if you do the three things above, then believe me, I hate you as an official more than any coach or parent.
And that is why 3 of the 12 umpires we did assessments on for HS playoff assignments last week wont be on the field for playoffs and are probably not going to be doing any 'interesting' games the rest of this season. It is also why my next three games I am partnered with a newer umpire who we are going to be moving through quickly - she is raw but she works hard and is a total sponge for knowledge. She is inline to get a playoff game this season.
Over the last few weeks I umpired games in Rec, travel, HS, NAIA, JUCO, NCAA D3 and NCAA D2 plus umpired another sport in MS and HS and also did my 'real job'. I take pride that I treated every game as seriously as the next - and yes that included the rec games.
And yes I got calls right and wrong - I blew a delayed dead ball call in a college game because they changed the rule this year and in every other sanction it is immediately dead and always has been. I knew it - I read it the previous evening - but yep, I called it. Coach wasn't happy but I owned it, and managed it... it was fine though it bugged me for the rest of the day. I am sure I missed a lot of close balls and strikes over those games - even the best miss a few a game - but only 1 blatant miss (yep, I can still see THAT pitch and my missed call - it was clearly a strike - fortunately the batter grounded out next pitch). But I know I did my best... and that my legs hurt.
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