To the Virginia officials ...

[crosscountry55]

Originally Posted by BatteryPowered

At our last association meeting we were being lectured by the assignor for our blocks and "cherry picking games" (seems quite a few members are members of multiple associations and are turning back games if they get a "better" game from someone else).

This is an interesting point. Happened a lot in the pre-internet era of assigning, but decreased when assignors gravitated to the monopoly that we know of as Arbiter. Now that Arbiter is experiencing some competition from other applications, it stands to reason that the "game-shopping" problem is on the rise again.

Integrity. If you accept an assignment, honor it. If you're lucky, your assignor has a policy where if you're offered an upgraded game, all you have to do is contact him/her to ask for relief. Good assignors are happy to provide relief if they have replacements available.

Game-shopping and turnbacks, without approval, are a reputation killer. Your short-term gain will turn into a long-term loss.

[Dad]

Originally Posted by crosscountry55

This is an interesting point. Happened a lot in the pre-internet era of assigning, but decreased when assignors gravitated to the monopoly that we know of as Arbiter. Now that Arbiter is experiencing some competition from other applications, it stands to reason that the "game-shopping" problem is on the rise again.

Integrity. If you accept an assignment, honor it. If you're lucky, your assignor has a policy where if you're offered an upgraded game, all you have to do is contact him/her to ask for relief. Good assignors are happy to provide relief if they have replacements available.

Game-shopping and turnbacks, without approval, are a reputation killer. Your short-term gain will turn into a long-term loss.

Some good points, especially reputations being at stake.

I'm wondering why this is such an issue. If you block a lot of people, you don't get games. If you send games back, you don't get games. If you're arbiter is up to date then take what you get.

I also don't believe in blocking partners. It's so rare for there to actually be a good reason. I guess some association may have a ton of people with freakishly horrible social skills who just block everyone. No games for you.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Dad

I also don't believe in blocking partners. It's so rare for there to actually be a good reason. I guess some association may have a ton of people with freakishly horrible social skills who just block everyone. No games for you.

I've only blocked one person. It isn't because he is a bad official. In fact, he is one of our best. I blocked him because of some extremely unprofessional behavior he demonstrated in game where he went out to buy a bus, drove it onto the court, and proceeded to run it back and forth over me, then got out and threw the keys at me.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

I've only blocked one person. It isn't because he is a bad official. In fact, he is one of our best. I blocked him because of some extremely unprofessional behavior he demonstrated in game where he went out to buy a bus, drove it onto the court, and proceeded to run it back and forth over me, then got out and threw the keys at me.

I had one of those moments once.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by crosscountry55

This is an interesting point. Happened a lot in the pre-internet era of assigning, but decreased when assignors gravitated to the monopoly that we know of as Arbiter. Now that Arbiter is experiencing some competition from other applications, it stands to reason that the "game-shopping" problem is on the rise again.

Integrity. If you accept an assignment, honor it. If you're lucky, your assignor has a policy where if you're offered an upgraded game, all you have to do is contact him/her to ask for relief. Good assignors are happy to provide relief if they have replacements available.

Game-shopping and turnbacks, without approval, are a reputation killer. Your short-term gain will turn into a long-term loss.

(Here's my rant for the week as an assigner who also has 5 games of his own this week as well as a full-time day job.)

Know what your assigner sees as an "upgrade."

I recognize all these things are local, but...

For me "varsity basketball game" is a class upon itself. Someone wanting to get off to work bigger schools, boys versus girls, or closer to home....is going to find themselves not working for me for long. Same for those who drop me for college games without asking me first or bringing me a qualified sub. I want you to work your college game, but don't expect me to assign the same game TWICE. I get paid to assign it ONCE.

I had a partner tell me "something came up" last year. I drove my hour plus to my game and on the way home stopped for a bite. Watching the highlights, I saw that original partner working at another school closer to home. When I assigned my conference last summer, one of my officials listed him as a preferred partner (I tend to hire crews when I can) and I said, "Find someone else."

Just this week I've dealt with:

(1) A crew on Monday saying, "Sorry for the short notice, but we have a college game on Thursday and won't be able to work your game..." No subs, no "is this OK" from them, nothing. Just...."here you go"

With most of the area working 3-person crews now, few good officials have nights off. It's harder to find subs than it was just a few years ago.

(2) A crew double-booked and dumped my game 2 days before it was due to be played. They signed my contract 9 months before the other one and "just realized" that they were double booked. Then they told me that the other assigner told them that he really needed them and since I didn't say anything, they were going with that game. How could I say anything? I found out they were double booked from OTHER PEOPLE who called me to let me know -- I didn't find out from them until the next day.

A small minority of officials think that their schedule is the only thing in the world and that I sit at their beckon call to find replacements when they feel like not working. People that are high maintenance like that could be the best damned officials in the world, and I am much better off without them.

As an assigner, I would rather have a reliable average official than a great one who gets rid of half my games.

[grunewar]

Good rant Rich and well said!

I always feel badly for my Assignor when it snows and schools are closed, especially for multiple days, and he has to re-assign a lot of games - especially toward the end of the season when time gets compressed due to playoffs. Of course, that's why you get paid the BIG $$$!

Good luck the rest of the yr.

[BatteryPowered]

I agree with Rich's views. In our area there are three high school associations. All have agreed that if an official has dual membership they must declare it to everyone. There are discussions going in with our board that we will not allow membership in another high school association and if it is discovered that a member turned back a game to work what they perceived to be a better game from someone else we will pull the remainder of their high school schedule.

Seems like it is becoming a significant problem.

[scrounge]

Originally Posted by BatteryPowered

I agree with Rich's views. In our area there are three high school associations. All have agreed that if an official has dual membership they must declare it to everyone. There are discussions going in with our board that we will not allow membership in another high school association and if it is discovered that a member turned back a game to work what they perceived to be a better game from someone else we will pull the remainder of their high school schedule.

Seems like it is becoming a significant problem.

I'm not so sure you want to do that...unless you want to risk being classified as an employer. Controlling workers associations and putting limits and conditions like this are one of the tests the IRS uses to determine IC/employee status. Now would someone test it? Doubtful. But is it a risk you want to take?

[crosscountry55]

Originally Posted by scrounge

I'm not so sure you want to do that...unless you want to risk being classified as an employer. Controlling workers associations and putting limits and conditions like this are one of the tests the IRS uses to determine IC/employee status. Now would someone test it? Doubtful. But is it a risk you want to take?

We actually do that where I'm currently at....and yes, that same thought has crossed my mind. Independent contractors under union-like control are inherently dependent. Red flags all over if someone ever has the desire and resources to challenge it.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Rich

(2) A crew double-booked and dumped my game 2 days before it was due to be played. They signed my contract 9 months before the other one and "just realized" that they were double booked. ...

A good reason not to have contracts for individual games signed 9 months in advanced. No way in the world would my personal schedule allow me to know that far in advance that I will be available on that particular date. That's especially impossible to do for anybody who works college games as we start getting our schedules in October and are still receiving games through November.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

A good reason not to have contracts for individual games signed 9 months in advanced. No way in the world would my personal schedule allow me to know that far in advance that I will be available on that particular date. That's especially impossible to do for anybody who works college games as we start getting our schedules in October and are still receiving games through November.

Except they picked a different varsity game over mine. No excuse for that at all.

Our system is just different here. I assigned 2016-17 this past July. I leave some openings for transfers and people I see at camps, etc. but not many.

I'm happy to work with college officials. I know what they bring to the table and most of them work a dual schedule. But a small minority want to accept games and then at the last minute dump them in my lap thinking that I'll just deal with it because they're too good to fire.

I have to get off games as my day job requires occasional travel. I always find a sub and give that name to the assigner with my apologies. Now, it's just a matter of sending out a replacement contract, updating my master schedule, and notifying the school -- something I can do in about a minute.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Rich

Our system is just different here. I assigned 2016-17 this past July. I leave some openings for transfers and people I see at camps, etc. but not many.

Why?

Our schools don't even have their games figured out until Sept/Oct just before the season. Even if they had then ready earlier, this isn't like scheduling astronauts for shuttle missions. 1-2 months ahead of the game should be plenty. I, as an official, would hate to have to commit to a specific Tuesday night for HS ball game 2 years away. That seems like it is skewed very much against the officials and very much for the assignors.

[Altor]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Our schools don't even have their games figured out until Sept/Oct just before the season.

Different sport...but I have two schools that sent me contracts for spring 2017 this past summer. I have several more that will send me contracts for the next year's corresponding date the week after I work a contest. I don't think it's that they are any more organized. Their preferred timeline in just different.

I never turn one back because I got something better. And I can't remember the last time I had to turn one back for any reason. I came close a couple years ago when I got called as an alternate for the grand jury and one of our court dates was the same as a contest. I told him the situation and he understood. Luckily, the "regulars" showed up for jury duty and I was able to go back to work.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Why?

Our schools don't even have their games figured out until Sept/Oct just before the season. Even if they had then ready earlier, this isn't like scheduling astronauts for shuttle missions. 1-2 months ahead of the game should be plenty. I, as an official, would hate to have to commit to a specific Tuesday night for HS ball game 2 years away. That seems like it is skewed very much against the officials and very much for the assignors.

Your system is just different. It's not necessarily better.

And I do our sport schedules, not the schools, so the schedules are always 2 years in advance. It's what's expected here.

I'd be happy to schedule officials later. But when all the other assigners schedule in advance I lose the ability to hire the better officials.

BTW, I have a game scheduled for February 2018. I probably won't get to 17-18 till next summer.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Rich

Your system is just different. It's not necessarily better.

And I do our sport schedules, not the schools, so the schedules are always 2 years in advance. It's what's expected here.

I'd be happy to schedule officials later. But when all the other assigners schedule in advance I lose the ability to hire the better officials.

BTW, I have a game scheduled for February 2018. I probably won't get to 17-18 till next summer.

And that is the reason...a race to get them covered before others. It is really entirely unnecessary, but the way it is.