Local politics blues

[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.

[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.

[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.

[7IronRef]

Originally Posted by Welpe

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

I did, you said "politics" and "you just wanted to work local games." If there is something more, it was not in the OP.

Politics around here seems synonymous with people complaining about why they cannot get ahead. Politics is an excuse, either you have what it takes or you don't.

Sorry you are unhappy with your situation, but you are an independent contractor. Which means you can pick and choose where you want to work, choose the games that suits your schedule. The choice is yours.

Perhaps a discussion with your assignor will give you the "local" schedule you had hoped would be available? Oh wait, that wasn't part of the OP, you are just bummed about having to go back into the larger group where you were not getting things your way, errr, I mean the politics were keeping you from getting what you wanted. Smaller group politics are difficult too, unless you are part of the good ol' boys there.

Good luck with your group. Just keep working hard and once you are trusted enough, you will have more say in your schedule. Sounds like a real job in the real world, become a leader within your organization and you can frequently write your own schedule. Or is that politics?

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Since the coordinators at the college level are hired by the conference and the assignor wants to keep their job (presumably), they have to, on average, please the conference (read as coaches). If they don't, the conference will hunt for a new assignor.

Coaches at the college level change a lot more than at the HS level. And the lower the level, the more this is possibility and a reality as these coaches are always looking for a better opportunity. We are not talking about guys at the lower college level that are Coach K types out there.

Peace

[Bad Zebra]

Originally Posted by 7IronRef

Politics is an excuse, either you have what it takes or you don't.

That's a black and white (and naive) view that doesn't really reflect reality in this vocation.

My guess is you've never experienced the affects (effects?) of politics within an organization OR you've never been on the $h1tty end.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by 7IronRef

Oh wait, that wasn't part of the OP, you are just bummed about having to go back into the larger group where you were not getting things your way, errr, I mean the politics were keeping you from getting what you wanted. Smaller group politics are difficult too, unless you are part of the good ol' boys there.

At least you got the reading part of it right. For what it's worth, the politics I mentioned, and which is understood by my fellow Texas officials, is in regard to the ugly struggle that's going on here between two organizations. I'd elucidate further but you seem to already have your mind made up about my motives. Thank you for inferring the worst of intentions out of my post.

[Brad]

Originally Posted by 7IronRef

Politics around here seems synonymous with people complaining about why they cannot get ahead. Politics is an excuse, either you have what it takes or you don't.

Sorry you are unhappy with your situation, but you are an independent contractor. Which means you can pick and choose where you want to work, choose the games that suits your schedule. The choice is yours.

Not always.

In the case of the Houston UIL chapter they completely manipulated the schedule of those that they did not like. There was a group of us that sued the chapter because of a fraudulent "vote" that was pushed through by the current board to change from TASO to UIL. They did not follow Texas Law nor Robert's Rules of Order ... they simply did what they wanted to do because it was the president's agenda.

All of us that sued received schedules that were completely crap games -- places I hadn't worked in years!! It was clear the the president had decided to manipulate the assigning process to get some revenge. He also tried to tell officials assigning tournaments that they couldn't use certain people, which caused a huge uproar.

Keep in mind that those of us that sued were almost all college officials, some working at the Division I level, including myself. So, there was no issue based on "having what it takes" ... it was politics pure and simple.

It's interesting to me that the same guy is STILL president of the chapter, when his term and term limits have LONG expired. I can't understand why several hundred officials just stand there and let him get away with it.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by Brad

It's interesting to me that the same guy is STILL president of the chapter, when his term and term limits have LONG expired. I can't understand why several hundred officials just stand there and let him get away with it.

Nevermind how long it took for bylaws, amongst other things, to be put into place once the organization switched over. And you know why on the second part. As long as people were still getting games, why rock the boat, right?

[Brad]

Originally Posted by Welpe

Nevermind how long it took for bylaws, amongst other things, to be put into place once the organization switched over.

Exactly.

No one voted to rewrite the constitution or form a new organization, but the president took it upon himself to come up with an entirely new document, putting things in that were never voted on, nor discussed with the members. He simply has no respect for how organizations are run and thinks it's his own little playground.

There is also a question now of where the TASO money went that was in the bank at the time ... somewhere around $50,000 just "disappeared" ... and no one has provided any sort of financial documents for years.

There are some people looking into this now (legally) and it will all come out eventually ... I'm really going to enjoy telling a few people "I told you so!!"

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by 7IronRef

I did, you said "politics" and "you just wanted to work local games." If there is something more, it was not in the OP.

Politics around here seems synonymous with people complaining about why they cannot get ahead. Politics is an excuse, either you have what it takes or you don't.

Sorry you are unhappy with your situation, but you are an independent contractor. Which means you can pick and choose where you want to work, choose the games that suits your schedule. The choice is yours.

Perhaps a discussion with your assignor will give you the "local" schedule you had hoped would be available? Oh wait, that wasn't part of the OP, you are just bummed about having to go back into the larger group where you were not getting things your way, errr, I mean the politics were keeping you from getting what you wanted. Smaller group politics are difficult too, unless you are part of the good ol' boys there.

Good luck with your group. Just keep working hard and once you are trusted enough, you will have more say in your schedule. Sounds like a real job in the real world, become a leader within your organization and you can frequently write your own schedule. Or is that politics?

Well, my area is affected by politics and my concerns have nothing to do with getting games. I could join the other association and would be working a top flight schedule from day 1.

Sorry, but your broad brush strokes don't cover the entire canvass.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by 7IronRef

I did, you said "politics" and "you just wanted to work local games." If there is something more, it was not in the OP.

Politics around here seems synonymous with people complaining about why they cannot get ahead. Politics is an excuse, either you have what it takes or you don't.

Sorry you are unhappy with your situation, but you are an independent contractor. Which means you can pick and choose where you want to work, choose the games that suits your schedule. The choice is yours.

Perhaps a discussion with your assignor will give you the "local" schedule you had hoped would be available? Oh wait, that wasn't part of the OP, you are just bummed about having to go back into the larger group where you were not getting things your way, errr, I mean the politics were keeping you from getting what you wanted. Smaller group politics are difficult too, unless you are part of the good ol' boys there.

Good luck with your group. Just keep working hard and once you are trusted enough, you will have more say in your schedule. Sounds like a real job in the real world, become a leader within your organization and you can frequently write your own schedule. Or is that politics?

Lots of words for someone who has no experience with the problem Welpe is referring to. Nice advice - become a leader in an organization ... problem is, the organization in question is run entirely by the good-ole-boy network. Merit or ability has nothing to do with it.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Welpe

At least you got the reading part of it right. For what it's worth, the politics I mentioned, and which is understood by my fellow Texas officials, is in regard to the ugly struggle that's going on here between two organizations. I'd elucidate further but you seem to already have your mind made up about my motives. Thank you for inferring the worst of intentions out of my post.

I don't put everyone who bugs me on my ignore list, but when I do, he's a real tool.

[KingTripleJump]

How is it that Ft. Bend ISD (one of the largest school districts in the area and state) wasn't using the Houston Chapter to begin with?

Or rather, why?