Letter to Big South Commish regarding Joe Forte

[ncaambbref]

It is not defamation when it is true. Yes every official has probably been treated unfairly at some level (high school or college) and yes officials get dropped by conferences from time to time. But don't claim that we are independent contractors just as a matter of convenience. If Joe is going to do this to officials, why not make it known? Bottomline is, his treatment of these officials for this reason is TRUE! Everyone in the Big South knows it.

The game of basketball is bigger than any one referee and any one union. Everyone may have a difference of opinion on this matter, but bottomline, the GAME of BASKETBALL WILL BE PLAYED no matter WHO officiates it.

Also, I stated that 17 at one time worked during a lockout. I never said that Forte was one of them. And never did I mention Javie's name.

Let's pose this scenario: would it be right if high school assignors FIRED every official who got a chance to work Jr. College or NAIA? What if every DII assignor fired officials who worked DI? Silly as it may seem but think about that when you criticize this letter. Stand on principle...right is right and fair is fair. Period!!!

Oh yeah, and when you discuss that Forte is fighting for the integrity of their profession...let's not forget that he is a CONVICTED FELON!!! Let me say that again...FELON!!! Do you think the NCAA would let a felon work? But the NBA referees' union made it so that they could still be a part of the NBA. How many other jobs would allow a felon to make six figures? Give me a break...

One more thing...I never said that I was a replacement ref either. You assumed that...

Have a nice day.

[B-Ball Assignor]

When your job is to assign referees for ball games you get to pick whatever person you want, plain and simple.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by B-Ball Assignor

When your job is to assign referees for ball games you get to pick whatever person you want, plain and simple.

And an assignor serves at the pleasure of the league. If I was a commissioner and my assignor used a personal conflict of interest to make hiring decisions, I would be looking for a new assignor.

(And I'm just a little ole HS ref (who works an occasional JC game) who has no skin in this game whatsoever.)

[ncaambbref]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

And an assignor serves at the pleasure of the league. If I was a commissioner and my assignor used a personal conflict of interest to make hiring decisions, I would be looking for a new assignor.

(And I'm just a little ole HS ref (who works an occasional JC game) who has no skin in this game whatsoever.)

Well said...again, right is right.

Yes, assignors are free to assign whomever they wish, but it should not be done based on prejudicial feelings or discrminatory in any manner. Because these officials took an opportunity, Forte exercised bias toward them.

BTW, word on the street is that he is under fire because of his actions. The NBA may not approve him to have outside employment (Assignor of the Big South) now and the Big South is investigating his treatment of these officials. So again, it is not defamatory when the allegations are TRUE! This may be the end of his assigning days...hopefully, anyway.

[bb_ref]

So you’re saying you’re not a replacement referee and therefore haven’t been personally affected by Joe Forte’s alleged bias against replacement referees???? Sounds like you have a personal vendetta against Joe Forte, which make your accusations even less credible. Or is it just that you weren’t assigned enough Big South games and you’re unhappy with your schedule?

If by “convicted felon” you are referring to the federal prosecution of 50+ NBA employees who all failed to pay taxes on their per diem, then yes, he is a convicted felon. David Stern decided to bring back the officials who were prosecuted because they are considered the best in the world. In an effort to “keep it real,” good thing “convicted felons” are given an opportunity to return to their professions or I wouldn’t have the pleasure of watching some of my favorite athletes.

Maybe the NBA referees should look into working college games during the lockout. My guess is your schedule would be even lighter.

[Back In The Saddle]

Give me a break. My teenager can make more well reasoned and convincing arguments. Once you scrape away all the vitriol and personal attacks, your only real argument is, "It's not fair." I don't think anybody disagrees.

Unfortunately none of us live and work in fairy tale land. We live in a world where most of us have to "keep it real" every day to put food on the table. So let's do a little keepin' it real here, shall we?

Basic fact of life: If you want to keep your job, you need to keep the boss man happy. If you knowingly do something to make the boss man unhappy, you knowingly chose to suffer the consequence. In fairy tale land, a man may chose both his actions and the consequences of those actions. But here in keep it real land, you only get to chose your actions. You have to live with whatever consequences flow from them. These are all grown men who willingly accepted to work those games knowing that there might be a price to pay for doing so.

That, my friend, is keepin' it real.

(Yeah, I know. It just isn't fair. You already said that.)

[dahoopref]

Many assignors are from the old school of "loyalty." If an assignor hires you into their conference first, he/she expects that you will take games in their conference above all others until you move up the ladder into more "prestigious" conferences. Sometimes that assignor has a working relationship with the assignor of the "prestigious" conferences and it works out best for that official. When there is no working relationship, then it can turn very ugly.

In my humble opinion, I believe Mr. Forte is exercising his loyalty card. He hired these NBA replacement officials first into the D1 conference he assigns, probably worked diligently over the years to get their schedules with other D1 conferences for a maximum number of games. Then these replacement officials show them their thanks and loyalty to Forte by working his games when the NBA locked him out; he didn't walk out or strike.

I wonder if Forte hired some new officials into the Big South to replace the ones who now work the NBA games? Someone is always willing to fill in the gap that others left behind.

[ncaambbref]

Originally Posted by bb_ref

So you’re saying you’re not a replacement referee and therefore haven’t been personally affected by Joe Forte’s alleged bias against replacement referees???? Sounds like you have a personal vendetta against Joe Forte, which make your accusations even less credible. Or is it just that you weren’t assigned enough Big South games and you’re unhappy with your schedule?

If by “convicted felon” you are referring to the federal prosecution of 50+ NBA employees who all failed to pay taxes on their per diem, then yes, he is a convicted felon. David Stern decided to bring back the officials who were prosecuted because they are considered the best in the world. In an effort to “keep it real,” good thing “convicted felons” are given an opportunity to return to their professions or I wouldn’t have the pleasure of watching some of my favorite athletes.

Maybe the NBA referees should look into working college games during the lockout. My guess is your schedule would be even lighter.

I simply said that I NEVER said I was a replacement ref. I said you assumed that. However, I never confirmed or denied your assumption...nuff said.

You can call my allegations whatever you want to call them. Why don't you simply ask officials in th Big South (if you know any of them) if what I am saying is true. Do you own investigation IF it really concerns you...nuff said.

I have no personal vendetta again Forte. I am simply expressing MY opinion on the matter. I did state that many will have a difference of opinion, which you and I clearly have and the poll is 50-50...nuff said.

Yes, I am referring to the tax evasion and it wasn't just on not paying taxes on their per diem...it was clearly an effort to make MORE money by downgrading airfares from 1st class to coach and not paying taxes on that money too. Some would call that stealing! You and and I have to pay our taxes correctly don't we? Obviously, if the FEDS got involved, it was very serious and a felon is a felon regardless of the charge. And most felons cannot VOTE...I may be wrong in this. But, you never responded to whether the NCAA would allow felons to work in the tourney...hum. And Stern did allow them to continue to work. He placed their ability over principle which has come back to bite him and is something that those felon referees have appeared to forget that they are lucky to even still have their jobs in the NBA at all.

But, if the NBA refs worked college hoops during the lockout that would be fine with me. But I guess you're so good that YOUR schedule would not decrease one bit if this happened. BTW, when a few NBA refs got fired from the NBA a few years ago, they went right back to some of the Big 6 leagues...I have no problem with that.

It is a sad state of affairs that if you have talent and are a felon, you are given more opportunity than if you are just a plain Joe...this applies to anything and not just sports. What does that say about our values?

Have a nice day...

[ATJ Ref]

ncaambbref,

Everyone knows that anonymous message boards are a hotbed for disgruntled individuals to vent their frustrations with no consequences. You are clearly a replacement ref who feels slighted, someone with an axe to grind against Forte, or just a plain old internet troll who wants to stir controversy. In any case, you have no spine. For if you did, you would've signed your letter with true conviction, not the principles of a 13 year old girl wanting to sling mud with the other gossip girls.

Good Day.