I guess anyone can write a blog.

[bbcof83]

Illinois guys, any truth to the "an official can only work state finals 3 times" part? Did he for get the "consecutive" in there?

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by bbcof83

Illinois guys, any truth to the "an official can only work state finals 3 times" part? Did he for get the "consecutive" in there?

Yes that is kind of true. Some very rare situations guys work 4. But the point is there are a lot of qualified officials and it takes a long time to get to your first title. They want to give other guys a shot and if you work three someone else needs a chance.

Peace

[Rich]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Yes that is kind of true. Some very rare situations guys work 4. But the point is there are a lot of qualified officials and it takes a long time to get to your first title. They want to give other guys a shot and if you work three someone else needs a chance.

Peace

There's an argument that they could restrict people to one and you'd still have plenty of qualified people waiting their chance.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

There's an argument that they could restrict people to one and you'd still have plenty of qualified people waiting their chance.

True, but if there was not a limit then there would be those that would complain that someone does not deserve more opportunities. And in the person they referenced by name is a very good official, but there are officials that are just as good and have never worked a single Super Sectional, let alone the State Finals. I think many of those guys at some point deserve a chance. Our state whether you like it or not does not just give someone their first playoff games one year and the next you get a Final. By the time someone gets their third they have been around.

Peace

[Rich]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

True, but if there was not a limit then there would be those that would complain that someone does not deserve more opportunities. And in the person they referenced by name is a very good official, but there are officials that are just as good and have never worked a single Super Sectional, let alone the State Finals. I think many of those guys at some point deserve a chance. Our state whether you like it or not does not just give someone their first playoff games one year and the next you get a Final. By the time someone gets their third they have been around.

Peace

Sorry, I wasn't clear in what I wrote. I am saying it's a positive thing to restrict the number of visits. Why should *anyone* get nine state tournaments (for example) when there are people out there who are good officials who get hired by all the local conferences and work full schedules year-after-year sit home?

No officials are so good that the tournament is markedly poorer but for their absence. One official or even a small group of officials are simply not that important.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Sorry, I wasn't clear in what I wrote. I am saying it's a positive thing to restrict the number of visits. Why should *anyone* get nine state tournaments (for example) when there are people out there who are good officials who get hired by all the local conferences and work full schedules year-after-year sit home?

No officials are so good that the tournament is markedly poorer but for their absence. One official or even a small group of officials are simply not that important.

I totally agree with you. And I did not take it that you were disagreeing, just I have heard that argument before by a few officials that have got to their limit.

Peace

[IowaMike]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Sorry, I wasn't clear in what I wrote. I am saying it's a positive thing to restrict the number of visits. Why should *anyone* get nine state tournaments (for example) when there are people out there who are good officials who get hired by all the local conferences and work full schedules year-after-year sit home?

No officials are so good that the tournament is markedly poorer but for their absence. One official or even a small group of officials are simply not that important.

I agree with you there. Unfortunately in Iowa, many of the same guys work year after year, both boys and girls state tournaments. There are guys who work both tournaments 15 consecutive years or more. The same holds true in baseball. I have a hard time believing there are so few good officials in the entire state that they have to use the same officials every year. It seems that once a person gets the chance, which is rare, they will get to come back on a pretty regular basis until their officiating career is finished.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by IowaMike

I agree with you there. Unfortunately in Iowa, many of the same guys work year after year, both boys and girls state tournaments. There are guys who work both tournaments 15 consecutive years or more. The same holds true in baseball. I have a hard time believing there are so few good officials in the entire state that they have to use the same officials every year. It seems that once a person gets the chance, which is rare, they will get to come back on a pretty regular basis until their officiating career is finished.

Are you talking State Finals or just tournament? I am asking because the State Finals is very different than State Tournament. I have no problem with officials working in the State tournament for years if they have the ratings and considered the best. But working the State Finals would be another issue as that is the top level. And we have 4 separate tournaments that start (technically 8 if you include classes and genders) and not everyone is available to work all of them. As a matter of fact many do not make themselves available for all of them.

Peace

[BillyMac]

"As an official, you can't go into a game, any game, with an agenda, other than to do the best job possible".

"It is apparent some refs have an agenda. It may be subconscious but it is obvious nonetheless".

I give up. For the life of me I don't know of any officials having agendas other than to do the best job possible, especially in high school varsity games. Maybe, in some low level games, we get a few guys who want to get in, get out, and get paid, but that's the exception, not the rule.

Just what agenda are they blogging about? Are they implying that some of us are cheating? If so, I can feel my shirt ripping ...

[Amesman]

So, JAR, was that you with the eloquent response near the end of all those comments, or was that a case of identity theft?

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by Amesman

So, JAR, was that you with the eloquent response near the end of all those comments, or was that a case of identity theft?

Wasn't me. Can't even spell ellaquint.

[bbcof83]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Yes that is kind of true. Some very rare situations guys work 4. But the point is there are a lot of qualified officials and it takes a long time to get to your first title. They want to give other guys a shot and if you work three someone else needs a chance.

Peace

Got it, I actually kind of misread what that meant and compared it to MN where an official can only work ANY state tourney game (quarter, semi or final) 3 years in a row before having to sit out a year. That's not the same as what we're talking about here.