I totally understand what you are saying and you may very well be right. However, don't believe everything you hear on the news - yes, to include the questionable ballots too.
After living in DC for three years and seeing how low us humans can stoop, I believe anything is possible.

Back to basketball officiating politics. I want to plead with every young official: do not be a brown noser, worrying about politics, before you take care of your (officiating) game on and off the court. This is a business where opportunity may knock several times, once or not at all and it will have nothing to do with your ability. There are also those guys who you see climbing the ladder and you know they just have the gift.
Putting forth the correct effort is so important. Politics can put an official in a position they shouldn't be in and don't deserve. If you get burned for being someplace too soon, you may not ever get the chance to get back.
We have meetings here, in Mississippi, and I just feel like telling a lot of guys to shut up and listen. They are so worried about making witty comments and talking about all the "what ifs" that they can't get the basics. It is so dumb and frustrating to see guys running their mouths all the time and you know they can't ref to save their lives.

I have to go, I forgot to block an official. :D

Agree completely. Politics and sucking around might get you there. You aren't going to <b>stay</b> there though unless you prove that you can actually do the job. I've seen too many "stars" flame out completely because they were pushed way too fast, and weren't up to the level that they were being assigned to. They got themselves into a situation that their experience(and maturity in some cases) hadn't prepared them for, and they just weren't up to the task. Assignors( and coaches, AD's, etc) have a long memory.

I think another point that needs to be made is that "Politics" is not always about someone kissing up. Sometimes "Politics" involves going to meetings regularly, helping out at a camp or association function or simply working with the right veteran that sees something positive in you. I know I have benefited from the fact I dedicate so much time to many of my associations and do things that others are not willing to do. I offered my services to give presentations and run for office in associations when others choose to not do anything. The fact that I am a perceived as a decent official helps, but when you prove you can work you get asked even more to help out because you have some credibility. In one association we created a mentor program and I am the only official that has been involved in the mentor program as a mentor every year the program has been active. I did not know this until recently, but guys like me are going to be considered for things that the equally qualified veteran may never get consideration for because they never take a leadership role. I even have been helping a guy this past year that one of my mentors asked me to help when this official moved to this area. I have become good friends with this guy not because he kissed my ***, but because he wants to learn, get better and constantly calls me for advice and wants to get better. All I have done is share what I know about officiating and point him in the right direction, he has done the rest and it is paying off for him.

I think sometimes we need to look in the mirror when we complain that we did not get opportunities. I have not gotten all the opportunities I feel I should have and I am sure some have some political consequences to the lack of those opportunities. But all I can do is continue to work hard and do what I have been doing. I feel if it is in the cards, I will get there. I feel that God always has a plan and just because it does not happen my way it does not mean I will not be happy with the results.

Peace

IMO, what Tomegun and Jurassic and Rut just shared is dead on. Dead on. There is so much to being a top official than just being able to recognize a violation or a foul. So much more than just what happens between the lines.

I hope that my post did not give the impression that I thought "playing politics" was just (or more) important the being a good official and working to improve. You definetly need to know the rules, mechanics and how to apply the rules. You need to always conduct yourself professionally and be physically prepared to officiate the games.

However, I do firmly believe that what camps you select is important. Of course you need to select camps appropriate for you current officiating skill level and that will help you get better and reach you ultimate goals (whatever they may be). But you need to keep in mind the next step on your ladder to that goal. I hope someday to make it to college ball (probably not D1 as I started a little late). However, I know (right now) that I need to focus on my HS game and getting the better games locally. I can honestly say to myself that I am not ready to try to make the jump. Therefore, I would be better served finding a good camp where the local people that need to see more of my work will be in attendance than go to a camp 1,000 miles away because. All things considered, I will probably get more bang for my camp dollars by having them see me. Now if you can make both that is even better.

In the same light, it is human nature to help those who make the effort and who you know and like. That is why I said to get involved locally. Even if you have to almost force your way in. Part of that, like it or not, is the smoozing factor. Hypothetical scenario...an assignor has a need for an official and decides to "give someone a shot". There are two officials who he feels are ready...one he has never spoken with and who rarely offers his services for things off the floor and one that he sees active all the time and has had the opportunity to get to know personally. Who do you think he is going to choose?

Like Jurassic said, you are not going to stay unless you can prove yourself. But you cannot prove yourself until you get the shot. Getting that shot may very well require some off court effort that others call sucking up. I couldn't care less what an official who is not working to improve says about how I got the opportunity. If I conducted myself professionally and ethically I will sleep well.

I just want to echo. Your best is your best if you are satisfied with what you are doing.*Be Happy*:)

And very little of it is a science. Much of it is an art. It's stuff that you can't write down and have a recipie for other to follow to success.

If you want a (regular) job, do you think anyone is going to hire you without first meeting you? I would expect assignors to take a similar position. Of course this does not apply with every game or every assignment, but most people want to know something about you before they give you game.

Oh please, I know many officials that never got a shot and they kissed up or at the very least tried to. And those individuals in some cases hurt their future opportunities in the process. Did it ever occur to you that some people just cannot officiate and will never get certain opportunities?

Peace

Thanks Mark! I'm TOTALLY Happy!:D

If you recount only the precincts that were strongly democratic and were more like to find missed democratic votes, no. But if you reo****ed all the state, yes.

Gore only wanted to recount the votes in places where he thought it would favor him....not a general recount where they might also find votes that would benefit Bush in a recount. I've yet to understand how anyone can think that a selective partisan recount could be anything close to fair or just.

Again, the candidate the Dems put up against him was unacceptable to enough people.

Personally, I think that GWBush is overall the weakest/poorest president we've had since Carter. In that timeframe, I think that Reagan is 1st and Clinton is 2nd (even though he left the ecomomy in a tailspin in his last 9-12 months....and not rebound for Bush, who was left with most of the blame when he couldn't recover from the mess he was left with) and G.Bush was 3rd.

If Gore had won instead, he would have likely been in the bottom spot. He was no match for Reagon or Clinton...he may or may not have beat out the first Bush, hard to say without him actually winning.

Kerry, had he won, may have ultimately slipped in above GW Bush (that was not an obvious thing...he had a lot of weaknesses too) but he was never going to come close to either Reagan or Clinton....maybe would have been a match for G. Bush.

When both parties have poorer candidates, you've got little choice but to get a lessor president.

I have come to realize that there are two aspects to an officiating career: improvement and advancement.

Both are important. Both have to be managed. Improvement has a tendency to positively impact advancement. But improvement on its own will not guarantee advancement.

There are things you must actively pursue to improve: camps, evaluations, practice, study, watching film, working lots of games, etc. We all know what these things are, and if we're serious, we do them.

As for advancement, there are things we must actively pursue here too. They include being seen, becoming known to the people who make decisions, and generally managing our own image. Every area is different, so it's important to learn what the path to advancement is for your area. Then get on that path and start walking.

Be genuine. Be patient. Be happy for others when they move up. Be ready. Be humble. Be grateful.

Where's Teddy Roosevelt when you really need him?

http://www.bartleby.com/51/11.gif

Dead.

Rut, I think what you described above is more an example of leadership and taking an active role than politics.

Your substance and integrity will always become obvious to those who also have substance and integrity. When you love the game, and I think many people on this board do, it shows.

Look for the person who is not getting any better, but always wants their face to be in the place. Look at the official who always complains but doesn't want to do anything. Look at the official who always speaks before they think. It will become obvious when someone is into politics.