Big Sky Suspends 3 Men's Officials

[TheOracle]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

After reading this thread and another thread, it sounds to me like the Big Sky needs to find a better training method to find their officials.

Jeff, being a former West Coast resident, and still having lots of friends there, everyone knows the Big Sky is a joke. The assignor picks pretty people based on how they look physically, in the hopes that she can "train" them. She is so overbearing on the officials that many try directly for the WCC/WAC/Pac-10 and skip the Big Sky on the way up.

[zebraman]

Originally Posted by TheOracle

Jeff, being a former West Coast resident, and still having lots of friends there, everyone knows the Big Sky is a joke. The assignor picks pretty people based on how they look physically, in the hopes that she can "train" them. She is so overbearing on the officials that many try directly for the WCC/WAC/Pac-10 and skip the Big Sky on the way up.

No, actually your post is a joke. The Big Sky tryout camp generally sells out in less than an hour. Some incredible refs would give their eye teeth to get into that league. Several excellent Pac-10 officials work the Big Sky.

From what I have heard, the official closest to the play knew the time-out request was well prior to the horn and was choosing to ignore it. To me, that is mistake #1. Many officials have the philosophy to let the horn run out rather than stepping up and making the tough call. I disagree with that philosophy, but I am generally outvoted when that discussion comes up.

Another "philosophy" here on the West Coast with many college officials is to NEVER tell the teams how many time-outs they have. To me, preventative officiating means that we tell the players and the coaches when they come out of their huddle that they are out of time-outs. That usually prevents the nightmare that happened here. But hey, I get outvoted on that one too.

IMO, as long as there are assignors who preach their own philosophies rather than letting players decide games, officials are always going to get themselves into trouble by trying to do what they think their assignors would want rather than just officiating the game that presents itself.

I heard the editor of Referee Magazine speak once and he referred to assignors like that as "power brokers" who think they have a higher vision of what the game should be rather than sticking to the rules. He said it's very damaging to the integrity of the game.

[TheOracle]

Originally Posted by zebraman

No, actually your post is a joke. The Big Sky tryout camp generally sells out in less than an hour. Some incredible refs would give their eye teeth to get into that league. Several excellent Pac-10 officials work the Big Sky.

I'm sure that any open tryout for a D-1 conference would sell out in an hour. But then again, nobody else does that. It's a money grab. No disrespect to the guys who work that conference, but I'm fairly certain that if they had other choices, they'd take them. Glad you went to that camp, though. Going again?

[zebraman]

Originally Posted by TheOracle

I'm sure that any open tryout for a D-1 conference would sell out in an hour. But then again, nobody else does that. It's a money grab. No disrespect to the guys who work that conference, but I'm fairly certain that if they had other choices, they'd take them. Glad you went to that camp, though. Going again?

Never been to the camp. I know guys who have. Only the best of the best get picked up for D-1, especially in the Northwest where there aren't as many opportunities (including D-1) as there are in many other parts of the country. No disrespect, but the have-nots always want want the "haves" have.

[tomegun]

Unless something has changed in recent years:

1. The Big Sky camp does not "sell out" in less than an hour.
2. The west coast, like almost ever other area, does not always hire the best of the best for D1. I know this for a fact.

[zebraman]

Originally Posted by tomegun

Unless something has changed in recent years:

1. The Big Sky camp does not "sell out" in less than an hour.
2. The west coast, like almost ever other area, does not always hire the best of the best for D1. I know this for a fact.

It did last year. I don't have statistics to track past years.

We all have our opinions on who is best. The assignors hire who they think will do the best job for them. Those who don't get hired often have excuses.

[Chess Ref]

Originally Posted by zebraman

We all have our opinions on who is best. The assignors hire who they think will do the best job for them. Those who don't get hired often have excuses.

You're kidding us right. Some of those who don't get hired have excuses, some have reasons. We all know people get hired for a variety of reasons. Looks, gender, who you know, are just a few of the reasons people get hired, or not hired.

So to suggest that the best are the only ones hired seems a little naive.

[ma_ref]

Originally Posted by zebraman

It did last year. I don't have statistics to track past years.

We all have our opinions on who is best. In an ideal world, The assignors hire who they think will do the best job for them. Those who don't get hired often have excuses.

I slightly modified your post for you, in the interest of accuracy.

I agree with the previous post'er. Reality is much, much different. If this truly is the case where you live, then tell me where you are, because I'm moving there.

[socalreff]

Originally Posted by zebraman

It did last year. I don't have statistics to track past years.

We all have our opinions on who is best. The assignors hire who they think will do the best job for them. Those who don't get hired often have excuses.

Speaking of Big Sky Camp, I was thinking of attending and would need to register quickly. Does anyone have some insight to the conference and the camp that could help me with an attendance decision????

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by zebraman

Never been to the camp. I know guys who have. Only the best of the best get picked up for D-1, especially in the Northwest where there aren't as many opportunities (including D-1) as there are in many other parts of the country. No disrespect, but the have-nots always want want the "haves" have.

I do not know about the best of the best always get hired. First of all many guys that work D1 are not that much better than a lot of officials that do not get picked. They either are in the right place at the right time; they have the right people pulling for them to get hired. And sometimes people that attend multiple times, which many people are not willing to do also help.

Look, these are job interviews and the people are hired are based on need and opportunity. Some people are going to get hired and they will not be the best in everyone's eyes just like anyone else hired at any other job.

Peace