Local politics blues

[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.

[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?

[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.

[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.

[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?

[7IronRef]

Originally Posted by Brad

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.

you seem to think that you are entitled to games just because you have reached a certain level.

face it, when regimes change, so does the balance of power, whether it is officiating, business, or politics.

you think that you could remain neutral toward someone you do not care for? you would not take care of the people who supported you over the ones that didn't? btw you sued because you didn't get your way or felt you were not treated fairly, how did the lawsuit turn out? sounds like your group lost which indicates things were satisfactory in the eyes of the law

must be a very nice view from your tower

[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.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

Same boat here. My association used to have the local private schools and 21 public schools (2 10-team conferences and 1 small school). New commissioner elected in 2010 and old commissioner started new association and got one of the conferences. 2011 we lost the other conference leaving us with the 1 small school plus the private schools. Now we are losing the small school b/c we are not sactioned by the state.

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

I have decided that as long as my association still has local HS contracts that I will not work for the competing organization. So I'll work whatever private school games get assigned to me, but to keep myself active in the VHSL (state-sanctioned public schools) I'm going to join an organization outside my immediate geographical area. They have some outlying schools that are closer to me than to the majority of their membership.

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?

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

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.

My situation has nothing to do with getting games. I can get them, it has to do with not being happy with the local climate, from the ADs/principals on down.

[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.