Taking the Plunge

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Billy, sometimes I think Brad needs to assign a moderator just for you.

And do you really think this is appropriate posting to go with that signature line?

+1

Seriously, Billy, consider a sedative.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by just another ref

Consider a sedative.

Originally Posted by Stat-Man

Taking the Plunge.

"Take The Ultimate Plunge" and "Take The Nestea Plunge" (It was 100 degrees F here in Connecticut at the time, which is why I immediately thought of this when I read the title of Stat-Man's thread).

It's the summer. It's the off season. The Forum has been as dead as a door nail. Almost twenty-four hours between posts this past weekend. Can't we all just lighten up for a few more weeks. Isn't there a mid-western state that plays girls high school basketball in an autumn season? God, I hope so. Not that there's anything wrong with FIBA Olympic basketball.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

"Take The Ultimate Plunge" and "Take The Nestea Plunge".

It's the summer. It's the off season. The Forum has been as dead as a door nail. Almost twenty-four hours between posts this past weekend. Can't we all just lighten up for a few more weeks. Isn't there a mid-western state that plays high school girls basketball in an autumn season? God, I hope so. Not that there's anything wrong with FIBA Olympic basketball.

I think people like to have fun but you take it to another level Billy. Just sayin.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. (Matthew 5:9)

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I think people like to have fun but you take it to another level Billy. Just sayin.

Appreciate your smilie. Just sayin'.

[APG]

First off, welcome to the family...and to this things of ours.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

"Take The Ultimate Plunge" and "Take The Nestea Plunge" (It was 100 degrees F here in Connecticut at the time, which is why I immediately thought of this when I read the title of Stat-Man's thread).

It's the summer. It's the off season. The Forum has been as dead as a door nail. Almost twenty-four hours between posts this past weekend. Can't we all just lighten up for a few more weeks. Isn't there a mid-western state that plays girls high school basketball in an autumn season? God, I hope so. Not that there's anything wrong with FIBA Olympic basketball.

I'd certainly say that your off topic postings hasn't helped at all. You kept it in check when bob was moderating, but you've gone overboard since. If you don't like the forums being dead bring up play situations/scenarios/clips to discuss.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by AllPurposeGamer

If you don't like the forums being dead bring up play situations/scenarios/clips to discuss.

It's 100% off-season for me. I won't throw up a jump ball until November. I can't take time off from work to go to camps (I'm the best Ammonia/Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen analyst they've got, and summer is our busiest season at the laboratory). Connecticut is an all IAABO state, and IAABO, and the AAU, have not seen eye to to eye in regard to AAU tournament assignments, and in regard to fee schedules. Two summers ago, our IAABO state board considered barring all IAABO members from officiating in AAU tournaments, until litigious terms like "self employed", "independent contractors", and "restraint of trade", started to be thrown around, and then the state board backed off. But they still have "discouraged" us from officiating in AAU tournaments, and my local board has taken a strong leadership role in discouraging it's members from AAU officiating. I'm a "company man", and usually don't like to "rock the boat", so here I sit, hoping that other Forum members post their summer plays, questions, comments, and experiences.

I did recently take up kayaking, so maybe that will keep me occupied until the autumn.

[Adam]

Colorado is an IAABO state as well, but I've not heard of those issues. There is no AAU here, though. Other organizations dominate summer ball here.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Colorado is an IAABO state as well.

My prayers go out to families, and friends, of the victims of the senseless violence of a few nights ago. With such a large number of people killed, or wounded, there are probably a very large number of Coloradoans who either knew one of the victims, or who know someone who knew one of the victims.

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. (Psalm 116:15)

[Stat-Man]

Thanks for all the replies and feeback.

M from MHSAA is Michigan.

The focus will definitely be on mechanics. On the sidelines, I dislike sloppy mechanics, so there is motivation not to have people say the same about me as an official . I'm also looking forward to reviewing the casebook once I receive it.

I've already applied for membership in an association and I'm waiting to hear back. I've seen the association's trainers officiate upper-level games, so I'm hopeful I can learn form their experiences. From there, I can proceed with finding an assignor, mentor, etc.

Definitely looking forward to the experience.

PS: I also noticed upon reading the replies that Jurassic Referee is no longer with us. Hopefully, he is now getting call ing some good games thanks to the Great Assignor.

[Multiple Sports]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

It's 100% off-season for me. I won't throw up a jump ball until November. I can't take time off from work to go to camps (I'm the best Ammonia/Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen analyst they've got, and summer is our busiest season at the laboratory). Connecticut is an all IAABO state, and IAABO, and the AAU, have not seen eye to to eye in regard to AAU tournament assignments, and in regard to fee schedules. Two summers ago, our IAABO state board considered barring all IAABO members from officiating in AAU tournaments, until litigious terms like "self employed", "independent contractors", and "restraint of trade", started to be thrown around, and then the state board backed off. But they still have "discouraged" us from officiating in AAU tournaments, and my local board has taken a strong leadership role in discouraging it's members from AAU officiating. I'm a "company man", and usually don't like to "rock the boat", so here I sit, hoping that other Forum members post their summer plays, questions, comments, and experiences.

I did recently take up kayaking, so maybe that will keep me occupied until the autumn.

BM - I am a IAABO member and I thought that IAABO was a "teaching" organization??? How can the state board tell you what you can and can't work ???? It seems to me that the assingers don't want you to work becuasse the fees will be under what he would ask for and this is eventually taking money out of their pocket....

Looking foward to hearing your reply........

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Multiple Sports

How can the state board tell you what you can and can't work ????

They can't. They thought that they could, but when a few officials, and AAU tournament directors, started "rattling sabers", and throwing around litigious terms like "self employed", "independent contractors", and "restraint of trade", the state board, and thus our local board, put "their tails between their legs" and backed down.

Basically it was an attempt by the IAABO state board to increase AAU fees by creating a monopoly over all AAU assignments, like IAABO presently has over all public high school assignments, all high school prep school assignments, and a very large number of middle school assignments.

The coup failed. Now the state board, and our local board, have simply "discouraged" members from officiating AAU tournaments that have not "signed on" with IAABO. We have been told to "hang together", that eventually, if enough of us refuse to officiate in AAU tournaments not affiliated with an "official" IAABO assigner, AAU tournament directors will "come running to us", "begging" to pay us the fees that the state board thinks that we deserve.

Besides being "discouraged" from accepting such AAU assignments, we have been reminded that while officiating such assignments, we are not covered by the IAABO insurance policy, we may not wear the IAABO patch, and that we cannot work with a non-IAABO member.

[APG]

Say an official decides to go ahead and work in "non-approved" tournaments...I'm guessing that wouldn't help his/her schedule during the regular season?

[JetMetFan]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Besides being "discouraged" from accepting such AAU assignments, we have been reminded that while officiating such assignments, we are not covered by the IAABO insurance policy, we may not wear the IAABO patch, and that we cannot work with a non-IAABO member.

I'm no attorney but I wonder if this section of the IAABO constitution may come back to bite your state board?

Section 12. RIGHTS OF MEMBERS.
Members, including Provisional Members, may wear the official uniform; annually receive a membership card and the Handbook; officiate with other members of this Association; and shall receive such other benefits as may be provided by the Association or its Boards. There are no restrictions upon members as to where they function. If and when an official, who is a member of the Association, officiates in a game played in a location not under the geographical jurisdiction of the Board of which he is a member, he is to be governed by the rules, regulations and fee schedules which govern Board members in that area.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Besides being "discouraged" from accepting such AAU assignments, we have been reminded that while officiating such assignments,

we are not covered by the IAABO insurance policy,

That may or may not be true, but for those that NFHS insurance, you'd be covered there as that insurance is not limited to just NFHS games.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

we may not wear the IAABO patch,

Perhaps reasonable but I'm not sure they can actually do that. IAABO is a training and certification organization and if you are IAABO certified, you're IAABO certified.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

and that we cannot work with a non-IAABO member.

They definitely can not do that. They have no say in that matter.

[Adam]

Crazy, I work with non members regularly, as our middle schools do not have to use IAABO officials (IAABO membership is required to be certified for high school ball), and I sometimes wear a patched shirt (not often). I've never been told it's not allowed.