Massachusetts and Post-Game Handshake/Round 2

[BayStateRef]

The Mass. State Basketball Officials Assn. has posted a detailed reply to the MIAA. It can be found here: http://www.iaabo208.org/handShakeLet...2008-01-27.pdf

[rockyroad]

A question for some of you MA people - is the MIAA trying to get rid of IAABO as the "governing" body for basketball officials in your state? From a (way, way) outside view, it kind of looks and feels that way. If that's not it, then there's an awful lot of silliness involved here...maybe you should pay to fly Jurassic and Dan_Ref in as "Outside Consultants" to straighten this all out for you!! That would be a hoot.

[rainmaker]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

...maybe you should pay to fly Jurassic and Dan_Ref in as "Outside Consultants" to straighten this all out for you!! That would be a hoot.

Or fly all the Massachusetts people into Bayonne.

[BayStateRef]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

A question for some of you MA people - is the MIAA trying to get rid of IAABO as the "governing" body for basketball officials in your state? From a (way, way) outside view, it kind of looks and feels that way.

I do not believe so. The MIAA does not like anyone to question what they do: not coaches, not school administrators, not legislators, not officials, not the media, not parents and certainly not the courts. It has had run-ins with every one of those groups at some point in the past years. I think the same can be said of most high school associations, the NCAA and most professional sports leagues.

My personal view is this is a legitimate disagreement between the MIAA Sportsmanship Committee and some MIAA staff members and those who have to abide by or enforce the rules. I don't think the MIAA carefully thought out all the implications. For example...it was totally caught off guard by the NFHS rule that officials' jurisdiction continues until all officials leave the visual confines of the court and it had to get a "special ruling" from the NFHS to essentially change that rule.

I also do not think the MSBOA, which represents all IAABO officials in Mass., did a particuarly good job of sampling the feelings of rank-and-file members.

I have never felt that the MIAA had any problem with IAABO or with IAABO officials. More than 90% of Mass. officials that enrolled last year with the MIAA were IAABO...and I suspect the percentage of IAABO officials working all levels of basketball (below college) in Mass. is even higher.

And...there are some divided loyalties here. I know one official (IAABO) who is an athletic director, member of an MIAA Committee and basketball assignor. I know several officials that work in schools and are active with the MIAA and its tournaments, serving as tournament directors or tournament assignors.

[ChuckElias]

Newspaper story from Worcester, giving a little bit of the officials' side of the story: http://www.telegram.com/article/2008...35/1009/SPORTS

And before you ask -- no, IAABO is not a union.

[Rich]

Look at this reader comment:

Originally Posted by Some moron

The IABBO referees are there only to get their paycheck and run. We as a non- IABBO board in Western Massachusetts have been at every game assigned and watched the handshake without incident at all levels of play. We are most happy to come to Central Massachusetts and provide quality officials to promote sportsmanship and the game of basketball. We guarantee we will not run off the court at the end of the game and the game will be decided by the play on the court. Shame on IABBO for using safety as a ploy to get their way.

Sounds to me like someone looking for a chance to stab someone in the back. And someone who clearly doesn't understand why we look to leave once the game is over.

[canuckref]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

Change "more" to "who are" and I agree with you 117%. We are never responsible for their behavior; we just monitor it.

Know what? If they all think that this is such a great idea....that it's fostering sportsmanship and athletic bonhomie, etc.....then why don't they have the freaking handshake ceremony BEFORE the damn game? You know...maybe instill the idea that you're supposed to PLAY the game in some kind of sporting fashion instead of just paying meaningless lip service to the concept post-game.

I know, I know.....pie-in-the-sky thinking.....Bad JR... bad,bad JR

sounds like somebody wants to switch to FIBA rules regarding pre game handshake? welcome aboard the new world order that is FIBA

[Mark Dexter]

Originally Posted by biz

As an official.....

I've posted this in the previous thread on the topic. If I were forced to stay I would not choose to end my jurisdiction over the game. Anything that was even remotely unsporting would be penalized with an flagrant Technical. The ejection carries with it an automatic 1 game suspension from the MIAA (2 games if for fighting). If the free throws would effect the outcome we would clear the floor and shoot them.

If I'm going to stay I'm using the tools at my disposal and I'm not just going to report unsporting behavior and hope that the schools and the MIAA act appropriately.

I bet that the first time the outcome of a game is changed because of this policy, it will be rescinded.

[Mark Dexter]

Originally Posted by ChuckElias

You may just get a call Billy. We've been told that they will use any officials they can get -- whether they're from Massachusetts or Connecticut, whether they're IAABO or prison league officials. The tournament will be played (and that's absolutely the way it should be) regardless of who is willing to officiate it. Good luck to them, b/c I will almost definitely not be working this year.

While I'm away for school, I'm still an IAABO member in CT. If I were asked, I'd have to turn down the assignment, and I hope my fellow CT IAABOers do the same.

[billyc8037]

I just received an e-mail today from the MIAA that reported 715 IAABO officials have signed up on their own, paid the $6.00 fee and WILL be officiating the tournament games..... Go figure. Some strength in numbers!

[BayStateRef]

According to the MIAA, more than 700 officials from Massachusetts enrolled individually this year -- which is about half the number that were enrolled last year. That should be more than enough to cover the state tournament. I don't know the exact number of officials that were used last year, but have been told it was about 200. The tournament has enough slots for almost 800 officials, but most officials get several games, so the number actually used is much less.

To help get officials, the MIAA waived the enrollment fee of $6 per official. Last year, it took in about $8,400 from that fee. It has asked officials who enrolled individually to pay the $6, if their IAABO board reimburses them. My board has offered to do that.

I was told this week that at least one IAABO board had enrolled its officials. That is contrary to what we had been told...that all 13 IAABO boards would not send in the fee.

The MIAA sent an email to officials that includes this:

Be assured that safety and security continues to be a primary MIAA objective in all of our sanctioned and sponsored activities. This basketball tournament will be no different. As a matter of fact, because of concerns some of you have expressed, additional efforts and strategies will be undertaken in your behalf. Earlier this week, for example, the Massachusetts Secondary School Athletic Directors' Association Executive Board committed their membership to the support of your presence during the post-game handshake ceremony. If you have any substantive concerns for your safety as a game concludes, you may follow the policy adopted in November for such circumstances (i.e. leave the playing area and submit the report designed for that purpose).

My IAABO board has its monthly meeting on Thursday night. It should be interesting.

[BayStateRef]

Originally Posted by billyc8037

I just received an e-mail today from the MIAA that reported 715 IAABO officials have signed up on their own, paid the $6.00 fee and WILL be officiating the tournament games..... Go figure. Some strength in numbers!

715 enrolled, but did not pay the fee. The MIAA waived the fee.

The state board of officials does not have the backing of rank-and-file members.

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by BayStateRef

715 enrolled, but did not pay the fee. The MIAA waived the fee.

The state board of officials does not have the backing of rank-and-file members.

The state board told its members to enroll individually, but not to stay for the handshake. Here's the exact email I got from the state board secretary:

At the emergency meeting held in Milford tonight, the delegates present voted to support to following message be promptly delivered to all IAABO members:


"The MSBOA voted unanimously at its November 25, 2007 meeting that its members will not remain to observe the post game handshake. This position has not changed. As regards to the state tournament, individual members may choose to enroll with the MIAA."

I don't like it, personally, because it's going to create problems in areas where the local board has taken a harder position -- no enrollment at all, for example.

[BayStateRef]

Originally Posted by Scrapper1

I don't like it, personally, because it's going to create problems in areas where the local board has taken a harder position -- no enrollment at all, for example.

Until this handshake problem, I did not even know that I was a "member" of the state board -- the Mass. State Basketball Officials Assn. That board has no individual members. Instead, it is made up of leaders from each IAABO board in Massachusetts. I don't like someone speaking on my behalf who has not even solicited my opinion.

I know several members, including some executive board members, of my IAABO board, completely disagreed with the state board action. There has been talk of joining another non-IAABO board or disaffiliating from IAABO and becoming an independent board. There are six independent officials' boards in Massachusetts that are recognized by the MIAA.

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by BayStateRef

Until this handshake problem, I did not even know that I was a "member" of the state board -- the Mass. State Basketball Officials Assn. That board has no individual members. Instead, it is made up of leaders from each IAABO board in Massachusetts. I don't like someone speaking on my behalf who has not even solicited my opinion.

The situation is very similar to votes in the House and Senate. You elect your board President and your board President votes on your behalf within the State board. Just as your Representatives to Congress and your Senators rarely ask for your direct input, your President (and probably Secretary) vote the way they think is best for your board, without necessarily asking the membership of the local board. In theory (which is rarely the same as "in reality" ), you gave your input when your local board elected its officers.

There has been talk of joining another non-IAABO board or disaffiliating from IAABO and becoming an independent board.

IMHO, the MIAA would absolutely LOVE it if you did that. I agree that the MSBOA has not handled this situation well. But the only voice that officials have with the MIAA is through the MSBOA, and it has done some good things for officials in the past. Anything that weakens the MSBOA would please MIAA no end, IMHO.