It is that time of year....I have a question for everyone

[Smitty]

The season starts and ends a little earlier in Texas than in many other places, and tonight I have the good fortune of working in my 4th playoff game this post-season. Our association works hard to be one of the most respected in the state, so we tend to get games far outside our general region in the state. Last Friday I also had the good fortune to be chosen to work a game 300 miles away (there are about 4 associations between ours and that game, but ours was requested - the schools playing in the game get a choice and if they can't agree, the UIL chooses for them). The R for that game was the association president and my other partner was familiar with board activity as well, so I learned a lot about what goes on behind the scenes on that long drive. There are a lot of factors that go into deciding who gets post-season games - our ranking in the association, our availability, our evaluations, and the coaches also have a say. There are also a lot of people who complain because they think they deserve something they are not getting. I don't know why I've received 4 games this post-season - I had a great regular season and my assignor thinks I have earned them, one way or another. Maybe I was just available, as I'm pretty certain not many people would be for a game 300 miles away on a Friday. All you can do is work hard to be the best you can be and if you earn it, enjoy every minute of it. It's a lot of fun...

[SNIPERBBB]

Politics.

[UNIgiantslayers]

Originally Posted by Smitty

The season starts and ends a little earlier in Texas than in many other places, and tonight I have the good fortune of working in my 4th playoff game this post-season. Our association works hard to be one of the most respected in the state, so we tend to get games far outside our general region in the state. Last Friday I also had the good fortune to be chosen to work a game 300 miles away (there are about 4 associations between ours and that game, but ours was requested - the schools playing in the game get a choice and if they can't agree, the UIL chooses for them). The R for that game was the association president and my other partner was familiar with board activity as well, so I learned a lot about what goes on behind the scenes on that long drive. There are a lot of factors that go into deciding who gets post-season games - our ranking in the association, our availability, our evaluations, and the coaches also have a say. There are also a lot of people who complain because they think they deserve something they are not getting. I don't know why I've received 4 games this post-season - I had a great regular season and my assignor thinks I have earned them, one way or another. Maybe I was just available, as I'm pretty certain not many people would be for a game 300 miles away on a Friday. All you can do is work hard to be the best you can be and if you earn it, enjoy every minute of it. It's a lot of fun...

300 MILES?!? My God man, they should fly you there for that one. What was your travel reimbursement if you don't mind me asking?

[Smitty]

Originally Posted by UNIgiantslayers

300 MILES?!? My God man, they should fly you there for that one. What was your travel reimbursement if you don't mind me asking?

I actually would have flown if I didn't like my partners enough to ride in a car for 7 hours. The mileage for playoffs here is 54 cents per mile for one car, 41 cents per mile for 2 cars, and 32 cents per mile for 3 cars. Plus over 150 miles gets a meal reimbursement. We took one car and myself and the other passenger paid for gas and the driver agreed to split the whole mileage cost 3 ways. So the check will be pretty nice even though the game fee is only $65. That distance isn't common for playoffs, but we commonly have games around 100-150 miles for playoffs.

[Rich]

The truth is, you can't let getting or not getting particular assignments define your career. I can't work 50+ games and let that year be defined by one game I didn't get to work.

I worked state two years ago. I wasn't better then than I am now and it does no good to look at the people who are going this year and ask "what do they have that I don't?" Others could've asked that about me 2 years ago.

I know what I value in an official when I hire them. Only the people that make those deep playoff assignments knows what they value.

[WhistlesAndStripes]

Originally Posted by UNIgiantslayers

300 MILES?!? My God man, they should fly you there for that one. What was your travel reimbursement if you don't mind me asking?

I got an invite last week to go work a regional tournament about 350 miles away. And driving is not even an option. There are no roads going in there. So a $500+ plane ticket will get me there. One other official from our association is going as well, and I think there will be a total of 8 officials. 3-man crews. 3 day tourney. Working 3 games per day. Not a bad check when it's all said and done.