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Why do umpires always get bagged out?

Jakester1288

International Regular
It's always the umpires. No matter what they do, the crowds, spectators, fans, critics, forumers, analysts, commentators etc always find a way to bag them out for something they do wrong or that doesn't suit them. They are humans and humans make mistakes. Some people don't realize that sometimes.
 

stumpski

International Captain
Just a feature of modern sporting life, sadly. I have virtually no interest in football, but it seems that the managers of losing teams almost routinely blame the referee - rather that than give the other team any credit, which would be a sign of weakness, I suppose. 8-)
 

stumpski

International Captain
As you'll probably all know it permeates down to the lowest levels of the sport as well - in my playing days I always volunteered to 'do the book' as I got fed up with obvious signs of dissent when umpiring, for example the 'double teapot' treatment from bowlers even when just calling a wide.
 

Smith

Banned
So you mean the players, whose careers are on the line because of umpiring errors, are spared any blame when they do bad? Umpires are paid professionals and are expected to do their job. If they fall short, they deserve to be bagged. When they do a good job, like Simon Taufel, they are feted as equally as well. So I don't see the merit in your point, sorry.
 

Jono

Virat Kohli (c)
Cricket umpires cop it far less than umpires from other sports, particularly football codes.

You can't verbally abuse a cricket umpire without taking another mortgage. In other sports its a daily occurrence.
 
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Top_Cat

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So you mean the players, whose careers are on the line because of umpiring errors, are spared any blame when they do bad? Umpires are paid professionals and are expected to do their job. If they fall short, they deserve to be bagged. When they do a good job, like Simon Taufel, they are feted as equally as well. So I don't see the merit in your point, sorry.
They're really not that well-paid. Only the elite panel umpires can actually do it professionally. It doesn't really compensate for the attention and scrutiny some bad decisions can get sometimes although, as Jono said, umpires/refs in other sports cop it far worse.

I mean, if you screw up in your job, you might get bollocked by the boss or your manager. Do it as a sports official and you get it from the crowd, the players (a lot of the time, just because they disagree, not that you weren't right in the end), the press, fans, etc. The scrutiny can be intense, completely disproportionate to the pay I reckon.
 
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Uppercut

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They're really not that well-paid. Only the elite panel umpires can actually do it professionally. It doesn't really compensate for the attention and scrutiny some bad decisions can get sometimes although, as Jono said, umpires/refs in other sports cop it far worse.

I mean, if you screw up in your job, you might get bollocked by the boss or your manager. Do it as a sports official and you get it from the crowd, the players (a lot of the time, just because they disagree, not that you weren't right in the end), the press, fans, etc. The scrutiny can be intense, completely disproportionate to the pay I reckon.
The indifference principle states otherwise. If it was really that bad they'd have to pay them more or noone would do it ;)

As jobs go, i think professional umpires have a fantastic deal.
 

Top_Cat

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The indifference principle states otherwise. If it was really that bad they'd have to pay them more or noone would do it ;)

As jobs go, i think professional umpires have a fantastic deal.
Pfft, have you ever been one? Then STFU. haha

To turn it around, if it's such a sweet deal, why is there such a turn-over of umpires doing ODI's/T20's, why does the elite panel never change despite so many questions over the ability of the current lot to do the job and why has there been, for so long, a concerted effort to convince some umpires, clearly past it, to hang around longer?

Anyway, I'm sure the professionals (elite panel) are doing alright but what of those who aren't elite panel umpires? Same scrutiny at (from my understanding) half the pay.
 

Uppercut

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Pfft, have you ever been one? Then STFU. haha

To turn it around, if it's such a sweet deal, why is there such a turn-over of umpires doing ODI's/T20's, why does the elite panel never change despite so many questions over the ability of the current lot to do the job and why has there been, for so long, a concerted effort to convince some umpires, clearly past it, to hang around longer?

Anyway, I'm sure the professionals (elite panel) are doing alright but what of those who aren't elite panel umpires? Same scrutiny at (from my understanding) half the pay.
Personally i'd quite like to be an international umpire. Follow summer around the world, watch top-quality cricket from the best seat in the house, meet all kinds of interesting people. Umpires get nowhere near the abuse of someone like a football referee.

If it was really that unappealing, they'd just make the pay substantial enough to keep the numbers of people who want to do it adequate.
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Personally i'd quite like to be an international umpire. Follow summer around the world, watch top-quality cricket from the best seat in the house, meet all kinds of interesting people. Umpires get nowhere near the abuse of someone like a football referee.

If it was really that unappealing, they'd just make the pay substantial enough to keep the numbers of people who want to do it adequate.
I seriously hope that was an intentional pun, 'cos it's diabolical if you can make that without realising it.

Anyway there's no question to my mind that the cricitism is often disproportionate to the mistakes made - and also occasionally it's fit for them.

There's also no question that something needs to be done to cut down on Umpiring errors. Not surprisingly this referral nonsense has failed to do such a thing, so maybe - eventually - we could have a system that will.
 

Debris

International 12th Man
I know I am going to be alone here but I don't mind a few umpiring mistakes a game, usually working on the theory of one shocking decision an innings is acceptable. It does give people something to talk about.
 

Uppercut

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I know I am going to be alone here but I don't mind a few umpiring mistakes a game, usually working on the theory of one shocking decision an innings is acceptable. It does give people something to talk about.
If a big terrible decision costs Australia the Ashes you're not going to turn round and say "wow, i love having something to talk about".
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Yeah, Umpiring errors are a bit like the opposite of global warming and the dominance of bat over ball - when you just consider the general nature and aren't in the immediate aftermath of one, it's fine; but when you've actually just experienced at first hand one of the things, it's outrage-inducing.

I've said it before - if we can eliminate the obvious error in significant cricket (and we most certainly can, without great expense) then the game will before very long at all move into a "how on Earth did we tolerate this for so long?" mentality.
 

Debris

International 12th Man
If a big terrible decision costs Australia the Ashes you're not going to turn round and say "wow, i love having something to talk about".
Actually, I am. In fact, I thought the decision against Kasper in the last Ashes (which arguably cost us the series) was a bit dodgy but you accept what the umpire decides. McDermott in Adelaide against the Windies also comes to mind. Pretty much any close series is going to have a bit of controversy and it only makes it more interesting. You swear at the umpires a bit at the time but soom get over it.
 
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Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
In fact, I thought the decision against Kasper in the last Ashes (which arguably cost us the series) was a bit dodgy
The one which nearly cost us the series was far more dodgy. Kasprowicz was plumb lbw 1st ball, and Bowden didn't give it. Thank God he made a miniscule error which evened it up later that session by giving him out caught off a glove that wasn't on the bat.
 

Manee

Cricketer Of The Year
The one which nearly cost us the series was far more dodgy. Kasprowicz was plumb lbw 1st ball, and Bowden didn't give it.
Never have had a problem with umpires giving batsmen not out to an out LBW, because stuff like a long stride, position of the stance can put doubt into the mind of the umpire and umpires should be sure about LBWs before giving them out, imo, and that is coming from a bowler who's only ever had three LBWs given.
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
Actually, umpires don't get nearly as much criticism as they deserve, or get in other sports. Only in cricket, we put them on a pedestal and allow them to build an over-inflated ego. On the other hand, they should be compensated more and given more tools to do their job better.
 

Debris

International 12th Man
The one which nearly cost us the series was far more dodgy. Kasprowicz was plumb lbw 1st ball, and Bowden didn't give it. Thank God he made a miniscule error which evened it up later that session by giving him out caught off a glove that wasn't on the bat.
Not arguing that England did not deserve to win that series, which they clearly did based on the run of play on the field. Just pointing out that I am OK with umpiring decisions going against sides I support as well as for. I do think that umpiring mistakes can sometimes add to the entertainment (this is not only a cricket argument btw).

As I said earlier, probably on my own here. :)
 

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