[stripes]

Originally Posted by Old School

This was good reading. I always like when we cut thru the chase and get to the point which is what these articles do. I am a bit perplex with these assigners. I think they are the problem. Nobody will ever make me believe that the officials that work DI or the only officials that can work DI. There is no shortage of officials that would like to make $1200 - $2400 per game.

You would think that with these guys working crazy schedules like this, that there is a shortage of good officials. There simply isn't! In another thread I drew a very valid comparison between career minded AAU officials (aka weekend warriors) and DI officials who chase these big games. There is no difference in the way these people view officiating. One group just makes way more money then the other and this is where the hypocrisy starts. If you're making a lot of money doing it, then it's okay. No doubt we turn our heads to the DI warrior working everyday of the week. But even at the AAU level it's a problem, we don't want to see an official working his 8th game of the day, working our game.

No doubt there needs to be limits set and I think it's up to the assigners to do it. The article states:
"The problem is that these guys are working multiple leagues, so no one is monitoring how often they work. And coordinators such as Clougherty and Hyland understand they would lose the elite officials to other conferences if they went to them and said they couldn't work elsewhere. "If I'm not going to use him today, someone else is," Clougherty added. "So I'd rather benefit than have him go to the SEC or another league."

Bullsh!t, I say. This is pure BS and I think where the problem lies. I do not think that officiating is rocket science work where only certain people in the country can do it. Until we get over this, there will always be issues. However, I will say this. I have no problem with these guys making the money that they are making, supporting their families and such, even though they are not able to see them in the winter. Not a bad job if you can get it. I just wish we would stop with the deception that only these guys can do it.

I got the answer though. It's actually quite simple and already stated. You can't work more than one DI conference, period. That's what needs to happen. Until there is a shortage of officials, then why have guys work multiple conferences? Supply and demand. The assigners could do this without having to get an act of congress to pull off. The assigners just need to have some balls and stand up to these elite officials and coaches. Unfortunately, because of the amount of money involved (the root of all evil) it will never change, imho.

I have heard this kind of attitude about who does work D1 vs who has the ability to work D1 from several different people. I know that there are some people out there who have the ability to work D1 and are not working at that level,but that number, IMO, is not very large. Refereeing at that level is not so much about calling the plays (although if you cannot call the plays right most of the time you will not last there)--it is more about controlling the people involved and controling the game. Most of the guys who I know who work at that level and who I have worked with are terrific game managers.

Also IMO, most of the people who I know who think they belong at that level, and are not there, are kidding themselves.