Blocking Partners
 

Got our first wave of games for the season and an accompanying email from the assigner:

"I noticed that there was a very high number of blocked partners coming up in the game window. Due to our numbers I will not honor any blocks concerning your fellow officials."

What is the point of being allowed to block partners if they're not going to be honored?

I work for 8 different supervisors between HS and college, none of them give us the option of blocking partners through Arbiter. I was just informed last night that one of my HS bosses will do it based on request.

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For some, it would be reasonable, but others might be blocking all but their favorite partners....going way overboard.

I am sure I could do this on Arbiter, but I would not do it at all. If I was that upset, I would call the assignor and tell him why. But otherwise it is a waste of time as far as I am concerned. Be professional and work with whomever they assign you to. There is a reason they are putting you together and not all reasons are that you like each other. If you really have that deep of a problem, I doubt the assignor would put you with people that will not totally get along with anyway.

Peace

As an independent contractor, you have the right to let your assignor know your working conditions. He needs to honor that.
However, there does need to be a reasonable limit as Camron notes. Depending upon the size of the referee group, a handful of partner blocks should be fine.

Likewise, as an independent contractor, your assignor has the right to not hire you....for just about any reason short of the various illegal discriminatory practices. Not liking the job you're offered (the partners) isn't one of the protected things.

Interesting read.

We are not allowed to block partners, however, we do block schools based on conflicts of interest. i.e. my kids go to the school, my wife is the principal...

Coaches are no longer allowed to block officials.

We do however, rate our partners for every game and the schools based on the following: (we also have 2 observers that travel to numerous games and provide their evaluations)

Partner rating (1-10; 10 best): COURT DEMEANOR (Courteousness, Professionalism, Poise); MECHANICS (Court Coverage, Proper Angles, Signals); RULES (Knowledge, Understanding, Application); JUDGEMENT (Post Play, Hand Checking, Consistency); GAME CONTROL (Bench, Players, Pressure Situations); OVERALL RATING

School rating (1-10; 10 best): Coaches, players, fans overall experience from the officials perspective.

Any rating of 4 or lower must accompany a written explanation.

We use the partner rating as 40% of our overall rating that is used for game assignments in next years season.

We use the school ratings as a guide to honor schools at our year end banquet. Most schools take this award seriously and strive to win the award.

No rating system is perfect, however, your comments are encouraged and please share how your area handles it.

Our partner blocks on Arbiter are limited to three (might even be two). I think up to about five is reasonable, but two or three is survivable.

I only exercise one ... for now.

It sounds to me as if the assigner is saying "we tried the 'block' feature but you (not "you" the OP but "you" all the officials as a group) abused it so we're not allowing it (which is the same as him ignoring it)

We have a couple of officials in our zone who are known to be picky about their partners. They will talk about why they refuse to work with so and so. What they don't realize is that there refusal to work with all officials reflects just as poorly on them as it does their "blocked" partners. I have never worked with anyone so bad that I would block them. There are a few guys that I don't particularly enjoy. Such is life.

It's The Belt, Isn't It ???
 

I bet I know who it is. Please unblock me.

I've only tried to block one past partner. The assignor who assigned the games said while he understood my concerns, he assigns too many games to make sure he honors my request.

That said, I haven't seen him since and now that the high school season has started I don't think I'll be seeing him.

I am just curious....
 

Let me ask this question then.

What kinds of things made you guys want block a partner? We all have bad experiences with people, but why block a partner? Or are you just having a disagreement that could be avoided or worked out?

Peace

NFHS Rules Regarding Fights Between Officials ???
 

Partner cheating with my wife, or girlfriend.

I have one guy I would consider blocking, and not because he cannot officiate. Whenever he works games outside of "real" high school games, he is totally unprofessional in how he officiates. He talks to coaches during plays, walks up and down the court, will stare at any attractive woman who passes by (during game action), doesn't attend to rough play, and gives off the general impression that he just doesn't care.

I've worked one HS game with him, it was a very high profile game, and there were no problems. But I worry want would happen in a terrible HS game that wouldn't hold his attention.

The guy I tried to block was lazy and Was only concerned about staying ahead of schedule at the youth tournament we were working so he could go home sooner. By lazy I mean walking up and down the floor and using lazy signaling.

Soooo pretty much everyone that works summer or weekend rec ball? :D

This.

I've had a couple of officials not be truthful about something either on or off the court (when he blew a whistle, what he saw/didn't see, what the coach said, why he is late, one guy lied on his state registration form, etc.). This lack of integrity makes it impossible for me to be a partner with such a person.

Pretty much.

Peace

Lots of officials will make stuff up when they whiff a block/charge call to make themselves sound like they made the right call.

I don't like it either, but do you block them all?

I have never requested a partner block until this year. Twice during my first game of the season, I had information to present to a partner to allow him to decide if his call was correct. One was blatantly wrong (2 shot foul when the player clearly passed). In both situations, he did not even want the information, shouting in defense of his original call, taking my approach as an insult. Also, he made a face and shook his head in disagreement for all to see on my backcourt call, even though he was C opposite side of the player who was close to me at T. Finally, as I finished reporting a foul, he dipped down from C to demonstratively complain to L about my call for all the players to hear and fans to see. I've seen him act this way to other officials, but this is the first time I've experienced it directly.

I cannot work with someone so unprofessional and judgmental. When I called my commissioner, it only confirmed what he already knew. Many others in our association have also requested to not work with him, and we don't have partner blocks.

Hahaha. Actually my experience has been pretty good. An overwhelming majority of the officials I've worked with in these youth tournaments are good officials

Aggrevated unprofessionalism.

I've only blocked one person. The partner refused to do any pre-game between us, and changed one of my calls on the court without consulting me. His personality screamed, "I don't care." I applied GIGDGO, and blocked him. Thankfully, I've never worked with anyone like that since.

I think we have the option, but since I've never tried to use it (I couldn't even figure out how to block my daughter's high school), I don't know for sure.

I don't block anyone but I have 1 guy I prefer not to work with. He lacks the drive to move up, 10 years in and still working jv & below. Scores poorly on tests and is critical of his partners. He is often late for assignments. Often he will arrive just before the ball is ready to be tossed. It doesn't matter if it's a 5p start or noon on Saturday. He watches the ball constantly & calls out of his PCA in front of you.

Other than that, he is a joy to work with.

3 years of volleyball and I haven't yet been paired with anyone that I would consider blocking.

Probably cuz working with a volleyball partner is way different than a basketball partner.

Get in, get done, get out?

Yup.

Ups and Downs
 

Downside: You regret working with this guy because you know your tactful support as a partner during the course of the game confirms in him a false sense of confidence in all the things he's doing wrong.
Upside: Compared to him, you look real good.
Downside: If coaches rate officials, too many lump both partners together and you go down with the ship.
Upside: You get to counsel him during post-game and your genuine concern for what he does wrong results in him being a better referee from that point on.
Downside: He probably won't listen to the feedback you have to offer him.
Upside: You're out of there.
Downside: You'll get him as a partner again.
:D

These upsides sound a like like autoban