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Originally Posted by M&M Guy
Hey!
So, stuff will happen. At some point, there's the law of diminshing returns. Maybe the league can spend a few thousand dollars more to get the % of correct calls up from 92% to 93% (or whatever the actual % is now). But maybe it will cost several million to get it up to 95%? 100% is not possible, so where do they draw the line?
I'm sure you might feel you really are just trying to see to it the league has the best officials. But I think we as officials would feel you have more credibility if you reacted just as passionately in the heat of the moment towards a player that misses a wide-open jumper, or free-throw at the end of a game. If you're in their face, on-camera, as often as you're "in the face" of officials, we might be willing to see that as a genuine passion for winning and a better product. But as long as we see you react towards your players differently that you react towards officials, we don't see you any differently than the average fan - the team is their extended family and they are treated differently than officials. Us vs. Them. Believe me, if I blow a call at the end of a game, I feel just as bad as the player who misses that free-throw. Will you come over and put your arm around me and tell me "that's all right; you'll get it next time" like you do for your player? When you treat your players and officials the same, on and off-camera, you will gain credibility with us. Until then, you appear the same as any average fan, just with more clout.
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Everyone thinks im all about missed calls. Im not. I get worked up when the politics manifests itself on performance.
Have i gotten more worked up over players making mistakes. We have cut people. Put them out of the business because they couldnt do the job.
We video tape and watch and review every play and every players action.
I got criticized because i added coaches for individual players. I require that they come in and work on the physical and mental part of the game. I have a team psychologist that works with players to make sure they can do the job to the best of their ability.
For every statistic on the officials, we have 10x the number for players and coaches. Which have made our team better and has won games for us.
Do they still make mistakes. No question. But its very darwinian. The best stay. The rest dont.
Someone said that officials can get blackballed if they are no longer in the NBA. Can you think of someone who has been fired and put in that position in the last 5 years ?
All you guys work other jobs. You have worked at companies where the #1 salesrep, support rep, whatever thought they were indespensable. They broke every company rule and basically did what they please knowing they wouldnt get fired.
When that happens, it creates situations that impacts the performance of their peers and the people who they report to. Its not that far from what Ive seen happen in parts of our industry.
The goal is to create an environment where the best people are put in a position to do the best job. Without the politics.
Thats my goal. Pure and simple.
THe reality is that this is a business and my job as a partner in this business who is heavily invested is to bring all my business ability , my management ability to recognize and enable change.
Like change in any industry. its not easy. its not without criticism, but in the long run it can get much better.
If i was a shareholder in the NCAA, i would be the guy screaming that having 19 D1 assignors is ridiculous. That having differences in approach is ridiculous. That it hurts the product. I would be out front pushing for change and standardization. I would push for benefits so people could committ to the job. But i dont have a horse in the NCAA.
I do have one in the NBA.