Local politics blues

[Brad]

Originally Posted by Welpe

Coaches having so much influence on the whole process is another big one.

Dirty little secret: Coaches have a lot of influence at EVERY level.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Brad

Dirty little secret: Coaches have a lot of influence at EVERY level.

On some level they do, but they have to explain themselves to many people in other areas. Heck if a coach tries to ban an official around here they just might get them again in some capacity.

Quick story. There was an official in my area that is a very good official and happened to tick off some coach in a conference. Well the coach ended up having this guy in a Christmas Tournament. Then when the playoffs took place he got this officials again for all his games. So it only goes so far in many places and some assignors will want a very big reason to ban a guy from a school or not put them on future games. Assignors know who their silly coaches are and act accordingly.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Brad

Coaches have a lot of influence at EVERY level.

Here in "The Land of Steady Habits", coaches "vote" for officials who will work the state tournament. Believe it, or not, they actually do a pretty good job selecting officials. They seldom select an official who doesn't deserve to be there. Full disclosure. I have never worked a state tournament game. I've come close a few times, but have never worked the "big show".

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Here in "The Land of Steady Habits", coaches "vote" for officials who will work the state tournament. Believe it, or not, they actually do a pretty good job selecting officials. They seldom select an official who doesn't deserve to be there. Full disclosure. I have never worked a state tournament game. I've come close a few times, but have never worked the "big show".

I do bet, however, there are some very well deserving officials who don't get picked...perhaps ones that just don't put up with bad coach behavior....or just are not as charismatic but call just as good if not better at calling the game.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by Brad

Dirty little secret: Coaches have a lot of influence at EVERY level.

I know this and my post was regarding how it is done here in Texas as compared to California.

Here, football coaches actually draft the crews for their games. The result is similar to what you get from w_sohl's experience. Talk about letting the inmates run the aslyum. I don't think that's done at any level in college, even in...wait for it...the SEC.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Welpe

I know this and my post was regarding how it is done here in Texas as compared to California.

Here, football coaches actually draft the crews for their games. The result is similar to what you get from w_sohl's experience. Talk about letting the inmates run the aslyum. I don't think that's done at any level in college, even in...wait for it...the SEC.

I lost a HS conference for a long time because, in football, my crew ejected a player for spearing and when the coach came out to check on his injured player, got in my face and got a flag for his trouble.

C'est la vie. I still filled my schedule from other conferences and eventually the assignor retired and now the new assignor offers us dates (but they're already filled by the other conferences). My crew thinks we should run back, but I'm in no hurry. We've done fine without that conference.

Of course, I'm in a system like JRut's -- I deal with about 7-8 assignors and if one isn't happy with my work (this has been the only assignor to not use us/me in basketball, football, baseball), I'll just take more games from the other assignors. In a centralized, one-assignor system, I had to please one person and that's not always as easy.

The college level is completely different, in my experience. At least in my experience, the coaches don't completely run the asylum. They do force the assignor to hold us accountable, though, which shouldn't bother a good official.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by w_sohl

I don't know if it is the area I'm in or what, but the football is no better than I've seen in Illinois, Indiana, or California. In fact, the football I worked in CA was much better than the stuff I worked around Corpus Chrisit. And this stuff with TASO and UIL trying to figue out who has the bigger penis is rediculous. I had the least fun officiating in this state that I ever had. Thank God I'm moving back to Indiana, can't wait to start working games there.

How have you been my friend? I hope all is well. Where in Indiana are you coming back to?

Peace

[w_sohl]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

How have you been my friend? I hope all is well. Where in Indiana are you coming back to?

Peace

West Lafayette, Eric Harmon will be my assignor for basketball and if he feels I'm capable I think he may use me for his local underclass football games. I think his crew is pretty spread throughout the state.

[Brad]

Originally Posted by w_sohl

West Lafayette, Eric Harmon will be my assignor for basketball and if he feels I'm capable I think he may use me for his local underclass football games. I think his crew is pretty spread throughout the state.

Great guy ... you'll enjoy working for him!

[Brad]

Originally Posted by w_sohl

I don't know if it is the area I'm in or what, but the football is no better than I've seen in Illinois, Indiana, or California. In fact, the football I worked in CA was much better than the stuff I worked around Corpus Chrisit. And this stuff with TASO and UIL trying to figue out who has the bigger penis is rediculous. I had the least fun officiating in this state that I ever had. Thank God I'm moving back to Indiana, can't wait to start working games there.

You should change your post title from "Texas is a joke..." to the "UIL is a joke..." -- they are the ones that single-handedly are trying to destroy an organization that has served officials very well for many decades.

At the local level in Houston, the UIL is even a bigger mess -- I personally can't believe that the members have let the president and board get away with half of the crap he has done. It is unbelievable and completely unethical.

[7IronRef]

Originally Posted by Welpe

I will keep this fairly short but I just found out that my local chapter, the smaller one I had joined last season after leaving the larger one, lost the vast majority of their games to the larger chapter.

I don't know what this is going to mean for this season but I'm bummed. I just want to call local games and not deal with all of the political BS. It doesn't feel like I can even hope to avoid it.

I do apoligize this just me venting. I was looking forward to this upcoming season too.

Why is it that when people aren't getting what they want it is politics? If you just want to work local games, then only take local games you get offered to work. If that doesn't appeal to you, move on.

If it is about getting the best games, then go out and earn the trust of your fellow officials, assignors, and the local teams by calling good games. If you are good enough, eventually you will be able to do a little more picking and choosing.

Just venting

[Welpe]

I suggest you actually read my post and attempt to understand it before venting.

[johnnyg08]

Originally Posted by Welpe

I just want to call local games and not deal with all of the political BS.

Isn't that the political stuff that benefits you?

It's tough to say you want to stay out of the politics, but your group had to have some type of relationship in order to keep the schools you wanted. Maybe the schools wanted some variety and didn't want to see the same guys all of the time?

[Smitty]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

Maybe the schools wanted some variety and didn't want to see the same guys all of the time?

Funny that you mentioned that - this is one of the main reasons we were told that the school districts left Dallas. They kept sending the same crews to the same schools. There were other reasons as well, but this was near the top. I'm certain that the association was told this as well, but they likely thought they had a stronghold and were too arrogant to realize that the districts would have the nerve to switch associations. Whoops.