Officially taking early retirement from Adult Men's Wreck League

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by frezer11

Every situation is different, and I'm not trying to say I know what yours is, but if you can manage to finish your season out, I would recommend you try to do that, and then resign from your position. By turning down accepted games, you might run the risk of losing respect from your peers who get stuck either without a partner, or with a much lower quality official, and some may hold grudges.

That's an easy opinion for someone like me to have, who doesn't work wreck league though, but just some advice for what its worth-

I disagree. Doing it visibly makes a statement that the league needs to clean up its act. Not taking new assignments next year will never be noticed.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

I disagree. Doing it visibly makes a statement that the league needs to clean up its act. Not taking new assignments next year will never be noticed.

Exactly.

This is in addition to the fact that the assigner basically asked him to resign when he told him to have a thicker skin. I would have been tempted to write him back and advise him to grow a pair and stick up for his officials.

I think I letter of resignation works better.

[BigCat]

I think it's rec league and a statement or resignation letter to the coordinator might make him feel bad ...for a minute or two. They want to fill their leagues. They want players etc to be happy. They won't crack down because you're leaving.
Just like many things, send your letter to other zebras and have a unified front:clean it up or call your own. That might get their attention.

[JRutledge]

I do not think you need to make a major statement, just do what is best for you and your career. If make a statement you highlight something that might not be known, but it might also get twisted. Just do not accept games anymore. And if you are that bothered, give back the rest of your games. But either way this train will move on without you. I know we all think that we will make a difference, but the reality is they will play the league with or without you and someone else will be convinced that either the money is worth it or will help their career. We have many leagues around here and every time someone works them. I do not hear anything about the quality of officiating, even if it is some travel league. They do not care, we are just a prop.

Peace

[frezer11]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

I disagree. Doing it visibly makes a statement that the league needs to clean up its act. Not taking new assignments next year will never be noticed.

That's fair, but I also don't know if the OPer was trying to make a change in the officiating world, or just wanting to be done. Again without knowing the full story, I would lean toward finishing out what I had committed to, and being done from there.

We're stretched pretty thin around here right now, so if I were to do this, I can see the games not getting filled, which I don't care about the problem this might create for an assigner who isn't going to back me up, but I would care about my reputation with fellow officials, who I might be hanging out to dry. Now if there were plenty of officials that could fill in? Then I think it depends on just how bad things were.

[Jay R]

It's clear that there are a wide variety of rec leagues. Generally the worst the players are, the more they think that the officiating is what is holding them back. I work one rec league. It is good quality for the most part. I encourage young officials to work that league as a way of developing their game management skills. You're dealing with players and not one coach. We have a lot of former college players who are strong, skilled and know a lot of tricks (trying to fool officials etc...). For me, it has been an excellent avenue to develop as an official. We have another rec league (35 and over) where the skill level is considerably worse. I rarely work that league since the cons seem to outweigh the pros.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by frezer11

That's fair, but I also don't know if the OPer was trying to make a change in the officiating world, or just wanting to be done. Again without knowing the full story, I would lean toward finishing out what I had committed to, and being done from there.

We're stretched pretty thin around here right now, so if I were to do this, I can see the games not getting filled, which I don't care about the problem this might create for an assigner who isn't going to back me up, but I would care about my reputation with fellow officials, who I might be hanging out to dry. Now if there were plenty of officials that could fill in? Then I think it depends on just how bad things were.

If the assigner is telling me to get a thicker skin, I'm going to assume he thinks he can get officials willing to accommodate. If he can't, he should have been more willing to show the league some backbone.

[chapmaja]

Originally Posted by UNIgiantslayers

This was my first year with a full varsity slate, and I earned a post season game from the state which tells me I can't be as terrible of an official as this league makes me feel. Last night was the nail in the coffin for adult men's wreck league. The following events made me send an email to the coordinator telling him I was done and he'd have to find someone to fill my remaining games:

-A guy argued that there is no 5 second closely guarded rule (we are NFHS). I explained that college and Fed are different, and he insisted that even in HS, there is no closely guarded.
-A guy didn't understand why after a false double foul (2 shots on a shooting foul, 2 for a T after the foul), they didn't get a chance to rebound the ball when we gave it to other team at half court for throw in. After explaining it, he said "you're trying to give them the game."
-Gave out 4 T's (2 f-bombs, 2 players shoving and almost fighting)
-Games 4 & 5, partner doesn't cross half court as T
-Partner signaling preliminary 3 on ball across the lane in other corner
-Partner calls hand check as L across the lane behind 3 point line
-Received email from coordinator telling me to take it easy on T's and to have thicker skin.

The extra money is nice, but it's not worth the headache. Kudos to those that lasted longer than the 1 1/2 seasons I lasted in men's wreck.

My game yesterday wasn't as bad, but wasn't far from it.

Started well and was a good game for awhile. It was about a 5 point game when things started to get a little heated. Team A only started with 7 players. Team A's best player fouled out in the first half (aggressive but not under control, 2 fouls were charges). Team A's players liked to scream "and one" every time they went up for a shot attempt, even if nobody was near them. My partner and I finally had enough and warned the team that this was unsportsmanlike and in violation of both NFHS and league rules, and that further screams of that nature would result in a technical foul. (The team argued they had been doing it all season, like I never heard that before). Late in the 3rd quarter, A1 goes up for a shot and screams "and one" which immediately earns him a technical foul. We have a league rule that states a player must sit for 2 minutes after being assessed and intentional or technical foul. He argues a bit but goes to the bench. The problem is his team mate, which should be subbing in for him has gone to the bathroom. We shoot the tech FT's and inbound the ball. Here comes A 0 out of the bathroom. He walks over to the table and realizes that Team A only has 4 players on the floor, so he immediately runs onto the floor during play. Partner calls a tech on A 0 for entering the court without permission. He now has to sit for two minutes and now Team A only has 4. Team B goes on a huge run and takes a 10 point lead. Penalty time runs out and Team A is back to 5 players.

About 3 minutes left and Team B is up 10. Team A inbounds the ball and A 0 puts up a shot and thinks he was fouled. He goes Ape-!@#$ and drops multiple F-bombs directed at me. He gets a T and the exit door from me (2nd Tech, but his actions were also deserving of a flagrant foul). He continues and refuses to leave the gym, which earns him a tech from my partner (he also called my partner an F-ing something as well, which earned the T). During the 4th quarter we had a fan starting to get a bit crazy complaining about calls. Whatever, I can ignore that to a point. This fan starts getting more vocal crude and is asked by site supervision to leave. After shooting the tech FT's this fan decides to throw her water bottle across the gym. My partner sees this and immediately ends the game.

This caused the captain of Team A (A 13) to go APE-!@#$. He comes over and gets in my face saying you can't F-ing end the game, then he starts going after the other team. He is also rewarded with a flagrant T. The fan then comes across the court and starts yelling at us and the other team about how we are all F-ing cheaters and such. She is being disruptive to the point of the site supervisor pulling out his phone to call the police. She then says that calling the police won't make a difference because she's been arrested many times before. (I'm not shocked). She also says she is going to call the police because we stole the game from her boys.

The funniest and saddest part of this mess was the female fan. I thought she was the wife or girlfriend of one of the players. Nope, this was the mother of #13, the one who went off on me after the game was called.

It is truly WRECK League when you have your mother coming out and making a scene at her ADULT child's basketball game. (I do use the term child correctly because that's what he acted like).

My end of game report requested a minimum 2 game suspension for #0 and for #13 (team captain) and that the Rec Department request a trespass order be placed on the mother prohibiting her from setting foot on any school district property.

The absolute worst part was the on the other end of the bleachers who two elementary aged children of one of the Team B players. These two young ladies were absolutely scared to death when this was happening because they didn't understand what was going on. The site supervisor had to go over and calm them down because their father wasn't able to calm them down.

That game almost made me want to give up on working WRECK LEAGUE Games as well.

At least my supervisor generally understood what was called and has so far supported us. The question of support will be answer when I find out if they have suspended the players and barred the mother from the school facilities were we play.

[UNIgiantslayers]

As Rich has said before, I would have put the ball on the table and went to the house. No reason to stick around for that. That whole team should be disqualified from further play this season, I don't care how much they paid.

[RefsNCoaches]

I gave up Adult Leagues years ago...to many babies crying, too many boxers wanting to throw fists, too many "stars" not getting fair treatment......Not worth the measly amount they pay to deal with that garbage. The facilities/centers these are played in will typically cater to their paying customers anyway (the players) and don't want to back the officials.

[jTheUmp]

Originally Posted by RefsNCoaches

The facilities/centers these are played in will typically cater to their paying customers anyway (the players) and don't want to back the officials.

And here's the root of the problem... from the league's perspective, the players are "revenue" and the officials are an expense.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by jTheUmp

And here's the root of the problem... from the league's perspective, the players are "revenue" and the officials are an expense.

As someone who picks and chooses what I work, for me it's about location, money, and potential for BS. When potential for BS goes up, the rate needs to go up. And for rec stuff, it all has to be close to the house.

I end up doing about 3-4 a year because of my criteria.

[UNIgiantslayers]

Originally Posted by Rich

As someone who picks and chooses what I work, for me it's about location, money, and potential for BS. When potential for BS goes up, the rate needs to go up. And for rec stuff, it all has to be close to the house.

I end up doing about 3-4 a year because of my criteria.

Ours is $25 a game/hour, and the league rotates locations all within 5 miles of my house. I think they'd have to give me at least $40 per game to ever consider it again. 5 hours on a Sunday night is not worth this hassle.

[grunewar]

Our Association does several Men's League's. They rate from "A" - former College and HS players still in their youth with much above the rim play......to "C," older or less skilled players, but still, not bad ball.

I choose to avoid the "A" League as I have heard horror stories of fights and the police being called on occasion.

The "C" League has some decent, competitive games and while the testosterone does fly at times, I rarely have an issue and most of the time they're friendly.

I take a "B" or "C" game every now and again, but, wouldn't go out of my way to schedule them or try and bank a lot of these games. (Usually $40/game)

[Adam]

I'd consider it for $40 / game. The one nearest my home brought in an assigner from 60 miles away, cutting out the local association.

Emails were sent, and expectations were set. Let's just say I get an email now and then from that assigner but I still don't know how much they're paying (they are doing 3-man, though).