Gentlemen,
I could really use some advise. I'm scheduled to work 2 more games this year with another offcial who in my mind is a total disgrace to our profession. I'm talking about someone who shows no hustle and only cares about the money. Shows up 10 minutes before we go out and *****'s about the game taking too long. I've already done 4 games with this clown and every game has gone awful. He refuses to switch on fouls, on numerous occassions I've been within 10 feet of him as the trail on a fast break, and he won't do a pregame. I've had about all I can stand with this guy. He's made me look so bad it just eats at me. I take this gig very seriously and try to show profressionalism and strive to improve and move up. I'm thinking about cancelling my contracts just to avoid this guy. To make matters worse he's a former coach and has been officiating for over 20 years. Thinking about contacting his association but I'm betting he doesn't attend any meetings. Can anyone help? Please anything is welcome!

Turn him into your high school association. Call the AD's of the school's your are supposed to work and see if they will work with you on getting a new partner. How bad do you want this guy off your game? If you want him off bad enough, tell the AD that this guy can have YOUR CHECK as long as you can bring a partner of your choice who will get paid.

Give up YOUR game check to bring another partner. That should let the AD know how serious your are.

Stripes, In my association we can "blackball" coaches, officials, and schools. The assigner BOCES (Board of Cooperative Education) honors our requests. Sounds like you need to do the same to this individual, if you have the option. If you do, I'll bet you that he's already been on a few lists.

My advice is to be careful. If he's been reffing for 20 years, he's probably made some friends. Perhaps you could ask your assignor to watch the pending game with him.

Similar situation
 

There's a clown in our association and he was the only person on my pre-season availability form that I excluded as a potential partner. I've got nothing against clowns, just think the big red shoes should stay off the basketball court.

Well, midway through this season he fills in for someone when they cancelled at the last minute. He's the R and refused any pre-game conversation I tried to initiate, even though he showed up 12 minutes prior to game and took his position.

Game is fine until nearly half-time. After I call a rough shooting foul I dash in and separate a few players, tell 'em to knock it off, etc. Takes probably 30 seconds or so. I report and then head to lead to administer. Horn goes off and clock operator waives partner over.

The clock operator is the home AD, been doing this 20 years, model citizen, probably 60 years old, one of the good guys. He says that he got involved watching the potential fight and forgot to turn off the game clock and that approximately 40 seconds ran off.

Partner says that he has no knowledge and comes to me and asks me if I have knowledge. Well no, I was preventing a fight and didn't glance at the clock. So partner says that he can't put time back on the clock. It's possible I would have given the AD the benefit of the doubt if I was the one he approached and since we're still in the second quarter in a close game. But anyway . . .

My partner tells him no, and the clock guy asks why, I hear my partner (I'm on the base line, he's at the table) say "Don't question me just do your job". The AD says something I don't hear and then a "I'm in charge here" from my partner. AD replies and then (I'm laughing now) my partner T's the AD. He gave him a T! and he blows his whistle.

I'm just dying to see what happens next.

My partner gestures out of the building, he's throwing the AD out and saying "get out" a few times. The AD doesn't react, just looks at me. I kind of giggle and shrug my shoulders as I walk toward him. I've only had probably 5 games in this gym, but I recognize that this is a genuinely nice guy, this AD.

As I reach him I whisper "do you have somewhere you can go?", sort of hoping he just takes the hint and goes to his office. He does, but as he gets about halfway out, walks up to my partner, with whom I'm conferring, and asks "for my report I need both your names". Whistle and another T by my partner.

I say "I'll give them to you after the game if that's alright". The AD walks off.

Then I ask my partner "how can you T the clock operator?". He says (and I'm not joking) "Charge it to the home team". I just said "partner, its just not in the rule book and it simply isn't allowed". This went on for a few more minutes until he finally relented, we got a new clock operator and moved on.

Well, this is already too long, but later he T'd the assistant coach and two bench personnel all in 10 seconds. My report to the assignor was three pages.

My advice, avoid the train wreck since it's happened to you several times already. Cancel these games. "Fool me once, shame on you . . . "

Re: Similar situation
 

That's why someone like this should be blackballed. Forget about friends. If he's that bad, everyone knows it. If you don't blackball him, you risk the opportunity to be assigned games that you have to cancel. Why should you miss out on working a possibly great game, because of someone like him?

Get in.
Get done.
Get out.
mick

Wow,

I thought I had a case not to work with a certain individual, but he looks like Division 1 compared to your guys. I really like the idea of offering your game check to get out of the game with this Bozo. It sounds like this guy isn't even in your own association. I don't know how the scheduling works but there has to be a way out of the game. Good luck.

Silence is acceptence. If you don't blow the whistle, it ain't a foul....sound familiar. Although we don't like to make waves and certainly protect our own in the true spirit of "team", we also have to police our own in a professional manner, of course.

Sound advice, especially in hindsight. Know your limit and when you've reached it, react, just as your post states - tell the assignor in a straightforward manner your reasons for "your call". Don't defend, don't rationalize, take a deep breath and just relay the simple straightforward facts. Be aware, just as in life, for every action there is a reaction, so be prepared for "consequences". Just as we all get booed (only on occasion) for making the right call, there probably will be ramifications. But you gotta make the call and not work with the clown...been there done that with "hoping" it will be okay - it never works; some guys aren't worth the risks. Officiating takes character and COURAGE.

Call the assignor and invite them to the game. If you have evaluators do the same. Put people with the power to fix it at your game, without ratting the clown out.

Just my two cents here. What's the level of play, Stripes? Around here, it's not uncommon to encounter the official you describe at youth leagues or men's leagues. There are people who officiate only b/c it's an easy paycheck on Saturday mornings. And to be honest with you, I really don't think that there's anything wrong with that. It would be nice if every official took it as seriously as I do, but that's just not reality.

If this is a non-high school game, then you will probably run into guys just like this one time and time again. You just have to work your game the best you can. If this is a HS level game, then there are more serious issues that you can perhaps discuss with a local association or assignor.

In either case, when you're on the floor with him (or somebody just like him), follow Mick's advice. Work hard and then get out.

I agree with Mick too. Only thing is you have to hope is that if the coaches are rating the refs they don't give you a bad rating because of him.

Coaches rating refs. Now there's a brilliant concept. Talk about a conflict of interest... :rolleyes:

These are sanctioned high school games.

S.O.P. in Michigan. ;)
mick