At what point...
 

I come to realize this forum is part improving rules/mechanics knowledge, part therapy. This one might be mostly therapy.

I worked with a guy last weekend who is a good official, nice guy, and does a good job, but our chemistry on the court is bad. I feel like we are seeing two different games. Because of how our games are assigned, I only work with him 2 - 3 times a year. I walk away frustrated every time. This past weekend, I finally said him, "Hey Bob, listen you're good official, you call a good game, I recognize you are wanting to move up the ranks. I am not here to hold you back, I do this for the camaraderie and being involved in the game. I'll work hard tonight to do a good job." His response, "Yep, lets have a good game." After the game, we always post game and while he never complains about his partners or calls, I feel the tension.

I feel like no matter what, we just won't be in synch with one another. At what point do I ask our assignor to remove me with the idea that its not personal, just better for the schools if we don't work together? I'm old enough to realize that in life, everything isn't perfect. At the same time I recognize that this isn't ultimately good for our crew or the teams we officiate.

I think it's great that you recognize that your partnership with this guy is a detriment to the game. It sounds like you should let the assignor know right away. I don't think you should be removed, just make sure that you two no longer work games together.

Officiating should not be a burden. We don't make nearly enough money to go into a game feeling like "damn, I don't want to do this".

Hopefully you have an assignor that doesn't see this in a negative way.

Just block him. You'll never get another game with him, he'll be none the wiser and your assignor may even be none the wiser.

You do realize that many (most?) assigners don't just allow officials to block partners no questions asked, right?

Pack,

As a hs assigner I would suggest that you NOT BLOCK partners. This is high school athletics and if you begin to BLOCK partners, you can come across as a bit high maintenance. If you feel things aren't clicking and it makes you feel uncomfortable, then have a conversation with your assigner. I'm sure he will listen and appreciate your concerns as opposed to you just blocking him in the arbiter.

Does anyone know...if an official blocks a partner/team/site who--if anyone--sees it? Or, when the assignor tries to assign that official to a specific site or with a specific partner, does Arbiter just splash some type of notification that something was blocked?

Just curious...

Assigners control that functionality on Arbiter. They can change the settings to allow or not allow those types of blocks.

Right, but if I block some official or some place, does the assignor know who blocked whom or is there a more general message to the effect of "one of these officials is unable to be assigned to this game..."

I’m sure the assigner can see all official-created blocks.

Communicated like this, how could any assigner not respect your concerns? It gives him/her information needed to make good decisions going forward. And if the assigned with that partner again, I'd make the best of it, knowing that my concerns were heard.

Good luck!

I am curious: what is the source of the tension? A difference in how tight or loose to call games?

That was my question too. The statement "I recognize you are wanting to move up the ranks. I am not here to hold you back, I do this for the camaraderie and being involved in the game." makes me wonder what part of your normal approach is so out of the ordinary that it would hold someone back?

Pack, I've done this in the past. I emailed the assigner, and laid it out just like you did. No hard feelings, and I don't think it affected anything other than not working with that official.

When there is an open slot for a game assignors can see who is available for it, and who is blocked for it. Additionally, they can see the block reason (whether it be a school, time, miles, or partner block) and have the ability to override it.

I am not understanding the issue. It is a game where at most you have to spend 32 minutes calling the game with that person. You do not have to love everything they do. You just have to call the game. I would never block or not want work with someone just because we call something like "handchecking" differently.

I am missing the beef here. Because some things work out over time.

Peace

Appreciate all of the feedback thus far.

In the past he has made comments such as "I'm working on moving up to the next level, high school games are a way for me to get exposure." "We have to do a good job as a crew, we get rated by officials as a group." "Did you like your call on X play? I thought you missed it, those are the kinds of things that for me I have to get right."

We have a number of officials who see high school basketball as a stepping stone. I am okay with that, they have different ambitions in life. I married a pretty girl, have a family and a good career. Basketball is my escape from my boss wanting my TPS reports done sooner. Its 32 minutes on the court, but we all know that if you are invested in it, its pre-game and post game time with our partners. And I spend the majority of my travel to and from games mentally preparing or reviewing. So to JRuts comment, I think its more than just a difference of calls in those 32 minutes.

Depends how deep the assignor cares to look. I have one assignor who looks to see if you are blocked. He never checks to see what the cause of the block is. Sometimes the block is one of his games in situations where games get rescheduled.

I presume that you are inquiring about the OP. As a side note, there are a million reasons to not want to work with another official. Some are truly valid and objective based on no-tension-whatsoever while others are. Officials can also block schools as well as levels/genders, etc.

OK, now I think I get it--he's passive-aggressively questioning your judgment. I work with some officials like that. I generally can ignore the tacit criticism.

Again, I get it on some level. But if you are only working with a person 2 or 3 times a year, that is not very many times. And even if you pre-game or post-game with someone, that again is not very much time. Actually, I am probably with a person on a varsity game only about a couple of hours that night. In your OP, you did not describe any of the other comments. That is why I was confused what the issue was.

We all have personality conflicts. We all have bad experiences. Kind of comes with the territory. We are dealing with people and people do not always see eye to eye on many things.

I guess if you want to block him, then do that. If you have the ability to do that, then click the button or make the call to make that happen. I just think sometimes that is an extreme way to deal with people that if you do this long enough will be many more people you will not want to work with. Just get through it and go home or like Mick used to say, "Get in, Get Done and Get out." How many games are you working a year and 2 or 3 times are that bad you cannot work less than probably 5 percent of your schedule?

Peace

Some people are just douches and life is too short. Block them. No apologies or explanation necessary. There are many officials and many games. Life will go on for you and for your assignor without you having to do a game with a blocked individual.

And you won't be missing out on anything, because any game this individual(s) does, you wouldn't want to have done with him anyway.

Block ... him.

If your assignor offers the option, take it. If there's a limit to the number of partners you can block, block right up to that limit. You can avoid A LOT of cringing, dread and train-wreck games with weak/obstinate/douche partners this way.

You'll enjoy your seasons a lot more knowing that you'll never get games with these people. Trust me.

Don't let that guy get into your head to create that tension. If you can't block him, have confidence in your own abilities and call your game. Then, when he offers his post-game remarks, just nod politely.

Seems like the guy does a bit more dissecting of the game than you prefer. I would just be honest and confident in your communication - if he asks about a play, you can respond honesty (I had a pretty good look and saw illegal contact; I didn't have the best angle so maybe I missed something; I didn't like that call and wish I had waited a second to see how the play finished; etc.).

This is an interesting thread. Sounds like you think the guy is coming across as "I'm good. You stink. Stop bringing me down." If he really thought that way, he should be the one blocking you, not the other way around.

On the other hand, this could all be in your head. You said, "..he's a good official, never complains about his partners or calls..." So, what's the source of tension?

Don't block him, yet. At this point, it sounds like your only reason to give your assigner would be something like: "He wants to call a good game, and have his partners do the same." That would not be a good reason.

Next time you work with him, instead of beating around the bush, just say, "I get the impression you don't respect my officiating. If that's true, and you think I'm holding you back, go ahead and block me. No hard feelings."

It might actually wake him up to the way he's been acting towards you.