Quote:
Originally posted by gordon30307
I do basketball as well as baseball and I work for 5 different assignors (they all belong to different associations) and all of them know it and none of them will blackball me for doing this.
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I work for more than 5, but I do games well outside of the Chicago area. But what you are saying is very true.
Quote:
Originally posted by gordon30307
In baseball this is not the case. I go to socials where we have our favorite beverage and pizzas and all of the assignors get along together. In fact if they need a game covered they help each other out. Do you know in basketball that there are numerous officials that belong to two or more associations? In baseball it's like warring camps. I doubt that the assignors could ever get together on a social occaision which I believe is a sad situation. I doubt that they would ever help each other out if they needed a game covered. In my opinion this is a disservice to the schools that need an umpire. And because of this you lost the DVC not because of the quality of your officials (Umps has many excellent offcials) but simply because you couldn't cover all of the scheduled games. If we all worked together this wouldn't have occurred. There are plenty of games to go around for anyone who wants to work.
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What Gordon says is exactly the truth and been my problem with Baseball in this area. Guys are much more concerned about organizations, instead of hiring the best umpires available. That is why one conference or one school keeps changing assignors every other year. If the assignors would stop trying to hold allegiances to a group of people that happen to pay dues to one organization. In football there is an assignors meeting where all the Chicago area assignors come and choose crews in a "draft" like selection process and pick their crews based on other assignments or availability of the crew. They work together and pump up the good crews and hire who is available with every assignor knowing who works for whom. I have even heard they will trade games to help another assignor out with an opening. No organization affiliations or picking only people from on area. They hire you based on what you have proven in the past and where you are willing to go. You might one year have 3 games from one conference and the next year get none depending on several factors. But you do not get hired based on the only one organization you belong.
There are not enough umpires in baseball (in our state and area) to be picky about who works and who does not work with a group. It is sad that baseball in our area is reduced to fighting between organizations, rather than who can work and who cannot work. One of the many reasons I am not looking for a future in baseball as the basis of my officiating career.
Peace