[Jim Porter]

Originally posted by PeteBooth
While I understand it's not professional to call the assignor the day of the game IMO, there should be nothing wrong with giving that assignor say 2 or 3 day's notice.

Sure there is, Pete. That gives the assignor a very limited time in which to find a replacement. Furthermore, the replacement must be able to change his/her schedule in 2-3 days' notice. That's unfair to the assignor, as well as the replacement. Fair is making it to the games you agreed to work. Fair is giving a minimum of 7 days' notice to turn back, at the very most, one or two games a year.

In additon, HS games start around the 4-4:30 time frame, and most HS umpires are leaving work to get to the game.

We have a number of officials who know they will be late to some games, and not make others, because of their work schedule. These umpires abuse the system, as well as their fellow umpires.

I agree that work comes first, but the first prerequisite to accepting a job is that you can work when you are scheduled. If you know you can't work, you have no business taking the job. It's not fair to other quality officials who can make the scheduled games.

In addtion, HS assignors do not understand as Assigning games is there real job That's what they get paid to do.

First of all, you make it sound like just because they're paid to assign, that gives you permission to make their lives difficult by turning back games on them with only 2-3 days' notice. Assignors are paid to assign, which is a difficult enough task on its own. Now, you compound the difficulty of their job by making them constantly have to re-assign as well. That's not right, Pete.

Furthermore, you are completely dismissing the inconvenience you would cause whatever replacement that is found for you. 2-3 days' notice gives people very little time to re-arrange their schedule. That's not fair of you to do, Pete.

As I mentioned in my original response, I'm more concerned about Summer / Fall ball where there are many games and I do not have to kiss a@@@ in order to get the quality assignments.

Sounds to me like either you have other problems within your association, or you simply don't understand that making every single game assignment you are given is vitally important to your success in that association. That is nothing new, Pete. It has been an intricate element to every association I've ever been in. It is reasonable. Thinking that the whole world should schedule their lives around you on 2-3 days' notice is unreasonable.

I'd much rather have the HS assignor mad at me than my boss looking for me and some co-worker saying Oh yeah Pete left early to umpire a HS game - that goes over real well.

My main reason in the first place in getting HS certified was to umpire in the Summer / Fall where my availability greatly increases becasue there are many games played under the lights and you do not have to leave work early.

Sounds to me like the problem is that you've got no business taking high school assignments. You can't make the schedule. You've got to at the very least be able to make the games without causing strife to your employers. If you can't, then you are simply not a high school official.

If a person is judged to be a good quality umpire simply because they are always available is shallow IMO.

You make it sound like those umpires who are available are not otherwise of good quality. I think that's wrong. I'm available for all my assignments, and I am hardly a lousy official. I'm sure you have folks in your association who are, indeed, good quality officials and make every game assignment. Where you live cannot be that much different from where I live.

You sell your fellow blues short when you make such statements. It is possible to be a good quality official in all aspects and make all of your assignments.

You sound very bitter that high school games begin when you are not available. Too bad. Get over it.

The more important aspect is to make certain you show up for the clinics, rules interpretation meetings etc.

I'm sorry, but clinics and rules interpretation meetings won't mean diddly if you can't make your game assignments.

I guess your answer prooved to me that HS associations are indeed political, which is the point I was getting at in my original response.

There is utterly no politics involved, here. The job starts at 3:30pm (where I live). You are required to be there at 3pm. If you know you can't make it, why take the job? That makes no sense to me. It's not at all about politics. It's about having officials who are good quality and well-rounded in all fields, from game management to punctuality. I'm flabbergasted that you cannot understand that.