Letter to Big South Commish regarding Joe Forte

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FACTS:

1. Actually, many coordinators did what you allege Joe did. Some instituted a drop dead date by which the officials had to chose the NBA or NCAA. In the emails you reference, he also asked every one of them for their closed dates so he could work around their dates, but guess what, they don't know their availability yet because the NBA has not assigned the regular season! What assignor do you know allows an official to not know his availability and assigns games to him anyway??

2. They are independent contractors and are not guaranteed games day to day, let alone season to season. So what they received last year means absolutely nothing.

3. They don't need to be granted permission to not attend his clinic. They are independent contractors and can do what they please. However they made a choice not to attend while others sacrificed their time to be there and showed a commitment to the big south.

4. Joe Forte's past has absolutely nothing to do with this and for you to drag that out is irresponsible and childish. Referring to the irrelevant past is what one does when his argument lacks credibility. Joe Forte has more integrity than anyone that would post anonymously on a message board and attack his character and try to jeopardize what he's worked 20+ years to establish.

You obviously have no clue what Joe has done for young officials OR you're not will to acknowledge it because it kills your argument against him. Joe has multiple camps a summer where he hardly charges any money. He stays in the gym everyday at those camps all day long working with young officials. He WORKS with them. He doesn't walk around for 30 mins like some supervisors and leave. He is there for the first game in the morning and leaves the last game at night. He has had nba management to his camps to get young officials a look. He has always worked hard to get young officials as many games as possible and help them advance. Everyone knows how much Joe helps young officials.

It's a shame that someone like yourself who obviously knows the sacrifices officials have to make would try to bring down someone who has given back so much to officiating.