When Opportunity Knocks

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Publius

No. The officials want to be available when something comes up at a higher level. That's THEIR decision, and it's fine with me. All I say is, "If you take a game from me, I expect you to work it. If being available to other assignors is more important to you than this game, don't take it." They want to eat their cake, and have it, too.

Many officials have made your exact argument to me. Some want to turn back a crappy college game to do a really good HS game. Some don't want to piss off some other assignor. I've told many, "OK, but it's going to work both ways. You can do that, but if I assign you a game and a better official lets me know he's available, I'm dumping you and giving it to him. Are you good with that?"

Rut's position is correct: they can do that, but they can and will be replaced.

I don't let teams screw the officials, and I don't keep officials who think they're bigger than the game. That keeps me in good stead with officials who want to work, and with teams who want officials.

I'll say it again since you didn't understand it...you want the officials to sit home in case the better game comes up rather than help you out if they can and don't get an assignment from a higher level. You want to be priority #1 with third rate level of games. I understand if you want to establish some sort of deadline for turning the game back, but none at all sounds more like a power trip than reasonable.

It is pretty standard practice here for the assignors to accommodate the upper level assignors. People turn back games for higher games all the time. It is the expected order of things...D3 comes after D2. HS comes after college. MS comes after HS. Etc... It doesn't hurt their assignments one bit. The only issue that bothers anyone is short notice.

In fact, the lower level assignors are grateful they can even get them to do their games because they know that if they make the person choose, they're going to choose the higher level and they'll be left with the next level officials. Sure, it makes the assignors job easier but they really are not putting the best officials they can get on the floor.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

I'll say it again since you didn't understand it...you want the officials to sit home in case the better game comes up rather than help you out if they can and don't get an assignment from a higher level. You want to be priority #1 with third rate level of games. I understand if you want to establish some sort of deadline for turning the game back, but none at all sounds more like a power trip than reasonable.

It is pretty standard practice here for the assignors to accommodate the upper level assignors. People turn back games for higher games all the time. It is the expected order of things...D3 comes after D2. HS comes after college. MS comes after HS. Etc... It doesn't hurt their assignments one bit. The only issue that bothers anyone is short notice.

In fact, the lower level assignors are grateful they can even get them to do their games because they know that if they make the person choose, they're going to choose the higher level and they'll be left with the next level officials. Sure, it makes the assignors job easier but they really are not putting the best officials they can get on the floor.

You are right it is a common practice, but it is not a practice that everyone follows the same way or across the board. As I said I know a guy that works D1 now and gave back a HS varsity game to a local assignor. That official was banned from that league for giving back the game. Now that official obviously was not hurt by that situation, but others have not achieved that level and were hurt or did not get certain assignments in the future. A MS assignor is a little different than HS assignors for sure. And depending on when you give back the game that can cause some challenges to that assignor. And if that assignor feels you just dumped a game on them within a short period of time, they can and will take issue with that position. But like Publius suggested, there are assignors that do not want you to give back their games and tell us around here to not put them in that situation. Of course things happen and if it is really a move up then most will pat you on the back and assign the game, but some will just look as you not taking their game seriously and not assign you in the future. I work a couple of really nice and prestigious tournaments and people that gave back those games often have not been asked in the future. Again, that is the assignor's right to feel that way and again the official in the replacement role for the NFL gave back games with a month or so left before the season. I can imagine the assignors were not happy and time will tell if these guys have a place to come back to.

Peace

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by IUgrad92

How about if everyone just leaves the replacement officials make their own decisions. They are all adults, understand the situation at hand, and aren't as naive and ignorant as some of you think they are.

Did it ever cross anyone's mind that they are doing this because they are willing to take the risk?

Personally, I don't care about former Big South officials or the NBA, no offense. I'm sure you're trying to say that it's a lesson that everyone should learn from. But to be honest, it has nothing to do with the broader points that I have made about this specific situation.

You've made no points of significance to me and I really don't care about your opinion on the replacement/regular officials. You made the idiotic statement that most people here think the replacement officials should suffer for their decision. I merely pointed out that there could be career consequences and there have been in the past in smiliar situations. If that bothers you then that's your shortcoming, not mine. You're juvenile response tells me all I need to know about your mentality.

[Adam]

Everyone take a deep breath.