Local politics blues

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

One person has the power to grant or block a person's ability to get to the post season? (it did sound like the system was somewhat data-based but they didn't have to follow it) Sounds like a recipe for problems.

Any less than what I am reading here now? Of course there are problems, but that person tries to get the best guys working. Usually what I see, is usually the most deserving get a shot. Are there omissions or sometimes people overlooked? Of course, but there is no perfect system. And the people that make the decision here do not have officiating people that have a vested interest in their people going to the playoffs.

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

If you ever get on the bad side of that one person, you can kiss your future opportunities goodbye. If you are a buddy of that one person, you get favor. They may not even do it consciously, but I can guarantee that it has happened.....two similar officials, which one do you think they are going to pick.

Yes and no. Of course this is based on one person, but as I said this person runs the entire sport in the state and only assigns the playoffs. He/she does not assign anything else or only assign one area. They assign the entire state. So yes you are right that you could get on the bad side of anyone in anything and kiss your future goodbye. Not that different in this system and chances are those that get on the bad side usually got their on their own.

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

It may be independent of each conference/association/etc. but it is still one person deciding who is in and who is out. It seems to keep all of the negatives unless you're in the inner cirlce....it has no checks and balances.

And this is not really different than the NCAA Tournament or getting a job. It sounds like you can tick off the wrong person in the association-does-all-the-assigning" model that I am reading.

And coaches and certified (a ranking) officials have a say. It is not like you cannot get high numbers and overcome and opinion. I have never met a person that has not gotten a playoff game if they were not available and they did not have good numbers. The people I see complain usually do not have the numbers and have not been seen.

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

At least with a vote system, I don't have to make sure that I please one person or a small group of people but just be generally regarded as doing a good job by more people than not. It is OK if a few don't like me, they can't block my opportunities. It certainly isn't perfect, but it seems far better than a single gatekeeper.

If coaches are the only people voting, not so sure I agree with that. Voting also means that people can come together to accomplish the very same thing you say is wrong with our system. And coaches often have agendas as to why they do not like a certain official. At least in our rating system the coaches have to tell who won and lost and have to answer some questions to even complete a rating. If they choose not to do so, then their rating will not be noted. BTW, coaches have absolutely no say in who works playoffs here or who does not work playoffs. They can give a rating, but it is not uncommon that a guy that is banned from working a coach's games in the regular season, gets playoff games at the very place or with the very school that banned them. I think I told a rather funny story of that happening with a friend of mine this past year. The bottom line our administrators are independent from the coaches and the official's associations. They make decisions based on their integrity or their judgment. Not everyone is going to like all those decisions, but I have grown to understand that I would take that system over what I read many here having. And as I said, this is really not much different than the NCAA and people complain there too. You will never stop complaining.

Peace

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

And coaches and certified (a ranking) officials have a say. It is not like you cannot get high numbers and overcome and opinion. I have never met a person that has not gotten a playoff game if they were not available and they did not have good numbers. The people I see complain usually do not have the numbers and have not been seen.

Good...so I misunderstood your system...that there was a bunch of "info" that one person could use or not use as they wished when they decide who gets what.

It sounds more like there is a bunch of data that they are expected to use and if there are any interesting anomalies, it would be readily apparent to others (assuming the data is available to more than just the one person).

Originally Posted by JRutledge

If coaches are the only people voting, not so sure I agree with that. Voting also means that people can come together to accomplish the very same thing you say is wrong with our system.

Not only coaches but coaches and officials....about 70 and 180 of each....250 total ballots with about 3000 votes. It would take a lot of collusion to change the results in any material way. It could be done, but it would be hard to hide. A couple people have tried it...and they were reported and sanctioned. If you try to get enough people in to make the difference, you run the risk of at least one of them not being on the same page and turning you in.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

The bottom line our administrators are independent from the coaches and the official's associations. They make decisions based on their integrity or their judgment. Not everyone is going to like all those decisions, but I have grown to understand that I would take that system over what I read many here having. And as I said, this is really not much different than the NCAA and people complain there too. You will never stop complaining.

Peace

As you seemed to have clarified above, it looks like it isn't exactly solely at their discretion but there is data behind their decisions that they are expected to use and if there were a low ranked official that in or a high ranked official that got left out, there will at least be questions asked.

It almost sounds like you have our system (where the coaches and officials get their input) and then you add on top of it an independent person to takes those results as input to ratify/reject/modify those results with his own assignment choices.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Good...so I misunderstood your system...that there was a bunch of "info" that one person could use or not use as they wished when they decide who gets what.

It sounds more like there is a bunch of data that they are expected to use and if there are any interesting anomalies, it would be readily apparent to others (assuming the data is available to more than just the one person).

I do not think you misunderstood as much as I probably in this conversation did not give as much information as I could have.

The bottom line is not all systems are perfect. I love our system because I have been in this system pretty much the most of our career so I am clearly bias. I would not be a major advocate of many changes as it applies to all of our sports. People complain all the same in our system and that will never change.

Peace