How good/bad is your association involved in politics?

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by fullor30

I mentioned 'good ol boy' network before, and you admonished me somewhat.
I'm now walking on your side of the street. As you said, it is what it is. Does it go on? Probably to some extent varying from assignor to assignor. Can I control it or change the system? No, nor should I try.

I had my most satisfying year officiating on many levels, starting with working, studying, attending more camps and listening more than ever. I had a better schedule, tournament games, and also helped assignors out with emergencies and an occassional lower level game that needed last minute filling which I was more than glad to do. You're right, if you just put your head down and work the right way, good things will happen. Nothing's perfect and I'm not going to get every date I want, but very few do.

Officiating and all it entails is a perfect microcosm of any other part of society.

I was not admonishing you. I just wanted to make it clear to you and others that if you stop worrying about the system and work within the system. And in our system you did exactly what I tell people to do all the time. It appears that advice (not just me I am sure) worked out for you. I just think there are people that say politics is the reason they do not accomplish things, but they never take responsibility for their own failures or shortcomings. And if you look at me there are many people that feel I am connected to all kinds of people and I get opportunities that I have because of those connections. Now if that is true, why is it that I cannot work on of the most famous tournaments in the country? There are places all of us cannot get into or people that will not hire us. Just do a little research and you will see even the most big time officials cannot go places because the right (or wrong) people do not like them or respect their abilities (or outside stuff we will never know about).

My problem has always been that people want to believe that they are being held back because someone is making decisions in the back room or because they do not go to the bar. Then they chalk it up to "politics" instead of what they are unwilling to do to be seen. Each official is their own salesperson and it is up to each of us to sell ourselves because most of the time no one else will.

Peace