Cooling off

[Mark Padgett]

Have your attorney send this clown a "lawyer's letter" telling him that if his comments cost you the opportunity to earn money, you will sue him for slander and ask for treble damages in court.

If you think that's too intense, then just ambush the guy one night and stuff him in a wood chipper.

[GoodwillRef]

It is not just Old School there are a lot of officials out there like him. A friend of mine just got selected to work the NCAA Women's Div III Final Four this season and an "older" official told me that she is good enough to work but she hasn't paid her dues yet. There are a lot of guys that have been working for 15-18 years that deserve a shot. If that was the case then the supervisor would have nominated the older official instead of her, he was right with his first comments, "she is good enough to work it."

[Old School]

Originally Posted by Bad Zebra

OS, how can you make this statement? It is absurd. You know nothing about his state or association or his abilities. You throw generalizations around like they are fact. I call "BULL". You sound like one of those bitter old officials that think they are owed a state assignment just for showing up.

No, not at all. I am not beating myself up trying to get a HS playoff assignment. I know what I can do and I let my ability speak for itself. I have not been trying to get a HS playoff assignment for 15 years, so I am not in that boat. However, I do think I played both sides of the track here. I complimented the OP on his success. Go back and reread my post. I know that you only focused on the negative remarks I made, but there was some congrats and advice.

Getting to the 2nd part of the story. I am in the camp that believes there are a lot of qualified officials that can work both DI and state playoffs where the same DI official shouldn't have to work 7 to 28 days in a row. With state HS assignments, I have been told that there are way more officials applying then there are assignments. This causes the selection process to come under scrutiny and knowing this country's poor track record of discrimination in hiring, especially in sports, an eyebrow raises when someone who's being doing it for such a short period of time is chosen over a person who's been doing it much longer. I wanted to try and paint the picture to the OP how the other person may feel. But please don't give me the BS that this cat earned his way. He probably earned 20% of his way. It's all about who you know in this business and you have to put as much effort into the politics as you have to do your game. That be the way it is.

[blindzebra]

Originally Posted by Old School

No, not at all. I am not beating myself up trying to get a HS playoff assignment. I know what I can do and I let my ability speak for itself. I have not been trying to get a HS playoff assignment for 15 years, so I am not in that boat. However, I do think I played both sides of the track here. I complimented the OP on his success. Go back and reread my post. I know that you only focused on the negative remarks I made, but there was some congrats and advice.

Getting to the 2nd part of the story. I am in the camp that believes there are a lot of qualified officials that can work both DI and state playoffs where the same DI official shouldn't have to work 7 to 28 days in a row. With state HS assignments, I have been told that there are way more officials applying then there are assignments. This causes the selection process to come under scrutiny and knowing this country's poor track record of discrimination in hiring, especially in sports, an eyebrow raises when someone who's being doing it for such a short period of time is chosen over a person who's been doing it much longer. I wanted to try and paint the picture to the OP how the other person may feel. But please don't give me the BS that this cat earned his way. He probably earned 20% of his way. It's all about who you know in this business and you have to put as much effort into the politics as you have to do your game. That be the way it is.

Rec ref alert!

I do rec leagues, because I don't want to play the politics of that other ball, it's beneath me.

Yeah, right!

Let's think logically about this for a second...I know that is tough for you...but the assigner has to live with the official he/she picks, no?

So this assigner is going to throw a completely unqualified official out there in a high profile game/level knowing that when they screw it up, the assigner will be the one taking the heat...and phone calls...for choosing that official? Don't think so.

It's typical...it's called sour grapes.

Last year my partner and I were fortunate enough to work a state semi-final, on that same day friends of ours worked semis also. One worked a semi at a higher level this year. My partner and I worked a final. My other friend didn't work anything past the first round.

He was upset, said some things about how we obviously kissed the right butts and played the "game" better than he did. The funny thing is, that he was the one calling the assigner about his schedule, begging to do the high profile holiday tournament, while we did neither. We worked the big holiday tournament again, because we were asked to based on how we performed in it last year and in our state semis. We in turn worked our semi and final this year based on how we performed last year and this year in the big holiday tournament. In other words WE EARNED IT.

So keep in mind, the cream will rise to the top. Sour cream usually sinks.

[PIAA REF]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the support...

To Old School, first of all I am not a cat. I am a 25 yr old white male. I also feel that even though I will agree politics play a small part is playoff assignment your judgement that I only earned the assignment 20% is way off base. Like someone else stated you do not know my state and/or how things are done here. I don't know why you even come on this sight. You have nothing to offer us true officials. Yes you may be an official but you will never be a true official. Your negative comments have proved that. You try to stir the pot but it doesn't work on here. Most of us have been posting on here for years and we know not to listen to you. You really need to evaluate yourself if you are an official because a true official would not post like you. There are many other officials on here that I may not agree with but I respect them to no end. You have lost the respect of every person on this board. Do us a favor and never post again.

[swvaref]

I agree to let it go. I have just finished my 5th year. I got a playoff game last year and also one this year. Our commissioner has allowed almost every JV official to work a V game with 2 veterans.He believes in promoting officials and giving them chances. It is at least 5-10 officials with less then 5 years in our assossiation that is doing D3. We had an invite to go to a D1 camp in Florida last year by our commissioner in which 5 of us went. I know there is a lot of talk from the veteran officials. I was with 2 veterans on a Big game in Jan. We did the pre-game, everything was going great. We were standing beside the court just about ready to go on the court,the older ref turns to me, gets in my face and said "I dont think you should be on this game." Turns and walks on the court. Needless to say I was shocked. I got on the floor worked my butt off, I had no problems. I agree the cream will rise to the top.When the coaches see the new young officials more and more they will get more comfortable. I will admitt I get more heat from the coaches and the fans than the vets do.I had a vet tell me , no matter where I go, middle school, JV, V, boys ,girls or AAU to work as if my commississioner is in the stands watching me and believe me, it has paid off

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by tmp44

I'm 23 and just got assigned a district semi-final,

It's the guys like you, the guys who have worked 15 years and thus think that they deserve the playoff games over the ones who get it on merit that screw up the same games.

First, congratulations on your district semi-final. Good luck in the future too, bearing in mind that hard work combined with ability and experience hopefully should make "luck" irrelevant.

Second, there's no use getting upset at RecLeague Ronnie. He's never officiated at the high school level in his life. He simply knows not what he speaks.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Old School

. It's all about who you know in this business and you have to put as much effort into the politics as you have to do your game. That be the way it is.

You could know God and it still wouldn't get you a regular season high school game, let alone a playoff game. You actually have to work at a certain level before being considered for playoffs at that level.

[jkjenning]

Originally Posted by PIAA REF

Sorry about this post but I need to vent. ...
My question is should I just have the who cares attitude or should I confront him about this.

Good vent and congratulations - come playoff time the assignors no doubt want the third team to be as good/better than the other two, so you have no doubt earned your reward.

My adivce is to weigh the emotional cost of whatever you decide to do. If you are able to walk away, treating it as a "who cares" situation and the memory does not continue to gnaw at you, then do that. However you handle this, remember that no vocation or avocation is worth the price of emotional baggage... it will take a toll, so find a way to let it go, whether you confront or let it slide.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Old School

I do not understand why people get so frustrated about working HS playoff games. The majority of the ball simply is not that good for the amount of bull you have to go thru to get a chance to do it. You are lucky, you are among the chosen few. However, you are too young to understand the problem. In all businesses, not just this one, there are people that will feel like this when you move up, especially when they think they are just as deserving. I'm going to give you some excellent advice for your young career. Do not look back, nothing can be of benefit to you by going in that direction. Keep your eyes and career moving forward in the positive direction that you are now going. You have just as much work to do now, then you had to get here. Don't screw it up by focusing on the wrong thing. Hell no, do you say anything to him about it.

Now, to the problem. More often than not, selection to HS playoffs is more political then it is how good you are. If you think you got there on your merits, you are fooling yourself. You're 25 years old and you're working state playoffs over someone who has been wanting to do it for 15 years or longer. That's BS in my opinion. That's age discrimination. Of course you are younger, faster, more energetic, bah, bah, bah. However, as good as you think you are, you do not have the experience of a 15 year veteran. This is a dog eat dog business. Enjoy it, you are truly lucky and you don't even know it.

This is a direct personal attack without provokation. It ought to be struck from the record.

[blindzebra]

Originally Posted by Old School

I thought this was a discussion forum. Not everybody views the world the same. If you want me to sugar coat and always say what everyone wants to hear. Then you are the ones that are fooling yourselves. I'm just being real and speaking my mind, even if you don't agree. You wonder why those guys are saying the things they are saying behind the scenes about you making the playoff's. Why did the official tell the guy you shouldn't even be here? There is a group of officials in every state that doesn't like how decisions are being made when it comes to the state HS playoffs. Remember the incident in Kentucky last year. These things are real, whether you want to acknowledge it or not, whether you want to blame me for all these problems or not. They are still real and they are not going away. If you want to pretend these issues don't exist and live in your make believe world, then I really feel sorry for you.

Don't shoot the messenger....

This is laughable.

Sure there are officials in every state complaining about how the playoffs get assigned...they are the ones who aren't working. Big freaking shocker there. I think you should inform CNN, that's a huge news story.

Here's the real scoop.

The ones talking, saying others shouldn't be there, are the same ones who:

Never go to camps.

Don't follow the policies of rule meetings, scrimmages, mentoring, etc.

Are usually out of shape.

Think that their "experience" means that they know what they need so a rule book doesn't really need to be read.

Think the "young guys" who keep up and are in position in the boys games don't deserve it, while they get beat back all the time in the girls game.

Say it's all who you know...well, they must be pretty dumb if they've been around 15 years and don't meet the right people, when someone who's been around a few years seems to always find them.

[tmp44]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

First, congratulations on your district semi-final. Good luck in the future too, bearing in mind that hard work combined with ability and experience hopefully should make "luck" irrelevant.

Second, there's no use getting upset at RecLeague Ronnie. He's never officiated at the high school level in his life. He simply knows not what he speaks.

JR,

Thank you. I'll let you know how it goes!

[PIAA REF]

To my knowledge I am the only ref that is under 30 that is able to ref at the state level. There are a few others that are in their early 30's. I may be not thinking about one or 2 but I believe I might be the only one.

[REFVA]

congrats. that is a major accomplishment.

Show him the code of ethics that is written in the NFHS book and explain to him what you have done to make yourself better and see if he has put in as much work as you have to improve.

[Old School]

Originally Posted by PIAA REF

To my knowledge I am the only ref that is under 30 that is able to ref at the state level. There are a few others that are in their early 30's. I may be not thinking about one or 2 but I believe I might be the only one.

I rest my case. However, I still will congratulate you (hopefully this time you Will hear it) because this is still an accomplish. Just remember, in order for you to step forward, someone was held back. I know you probably don't care about that but in the industry you seek to move up in. There are many disappointed officials and not all of them fall into the category of not good enough.

I support the strategy that assigners, just like our presidents, should have term limits.