Washington officials finally disciplined for charity pink whistles

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

Following a simple process that's put in place by the governing body is common sense as opposed to saying, Screw you, we'll answer to no one and will do what we want."

Thought you were smarter than that.

Which, from what I can tell is exactly what WOA has done here.

[TXMike]

I just want one of you apologists to explain why other sports were allowed to wear pink whistles and why football guys were allowed to wear blue flags but these guys were not allowed to wear pink whistles. Seems like an arbitrary and unsupportable decision to me. If the PNFOA perceived they were being forced to play under different rules (as it seems they were) then kudos to them for doing the right thing.

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by TXMike

I just want one of you apologists to explain why other sports were allowed to wear pink whistles and why football guys were allowed to wear blue flags but these guys were not allowed to wear pink whistles. Seems like an arbitrary and unsupportable decision to me. If the PNFOA perceived they were being forced to play under different rules (as it seems they were) then kudos to them for doing the right thing.

I'm definitely not an apologist, but what I read was that WOA assigned charities and you were only allowed to support the charity you were assigned. I agree that it was completely arbitrary and indicative of WOA being power-hungry.

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by TXMike

I just want one of you apologists to explain why other sports were allowed to wear pink whistles and why football guys were allowed to wear blue flags but these guys were not allowed to wear pink whistles. Seems like an arbitrary and unsupportable decision to me. If the PNFOA perceived they were being forced to play under different rules (as it seems they were) then kudos to them for doing the right thing.

I don't know any apologists but I'll see if I can break down so you can understand it, even though I know you still won't agree.

In order to show support for two different causes, the WOA voted to allow basketball and volleyball officials to use pink whistles to show that officials' support breast cancer research and to allow football officials to use blue flags to show support for prostate cancer research. It's symbolic. Any official can donate a game check or any amount they choose to for with cause or any other cause.

I venture to say that if basketball or volleyball officials had chosen to use blue whistles, they would have similiar problems with the WOA for violating the directive.

I really don't see why that's so difficult to understand.

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

I don't know any apologists but I'll see if I can break down so you can understand it, even though I know you still won't agree.

In order to show support for two different causes, the WOA voted to allow basketball and volleyball officials to use pink whistles to show that officials' support breast cancer research and to allow football officials to use blue flags to show support for prostate cancer research. It's symbolic. Any official can donate a game check or any amount they choose to for with cause or any other cause.

I venture to say that if basketball or volleyball officials had chosen to use blue whistles, they would have similiar problems with the WOA for violating the directive.

I really don't see why that's so difficult to understand.

It's not symbolic; it's asinine. What possible purpose did it serve to deny the request the local association made other than to inflate egos at WOA by exercising arbitrary power?

[JRutledge]

Again, one more reason these processes are silly to me. The best crews and individuals should work the post season, not based on what organization you belong to. Even if they did not follow a policy as an organization, is this the reason to flex your muscles? And one of the reasons this is a PR nightmare for this state. Penalize the individuals that participated, I am sure there are people that did not participate. Oh well, just thanking God that we are not judged by an entire association action, especially when it comes to assignments.

Peace

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by Eastshire

Which, from what I can tell is exactly what WOA has done here.

The problem with your argument is that the WOA is the statewide organization recognized by the WIAA that all local associations join and agree to abide by their rules and regulations. They chose not to and knew they faced possible sanctions. The PNFOA has to abide by what the WOA decides, not the other way around.

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

The problem with your argument is that the WOA is the statewide organization recognized by the WIAA that all local associations join and agree to abide by their rules and regulations. They chose not to and knew they faced possible sanctions. The PNFOA has to abide by what the WOA decides, not the other way around.

It's clear to me that it's time the WOA was disbanded. It's clearly more interested in exercising arbitrary power than serving the interest of the officials it purportedly represents.

Seriously, what kind of person prohibits a display in support of breast cancer awareness?

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

Wearing a pink whistle or using a blue flag is asinine???

I'm beginning to think you're either asinine or that you can't read and comprehend a simple statement.

You're the one not comprehending simple statements. It's asinine to ban the pink whistle. The only purpose I can see to not allowing football to use the pink whistle when other sports were allowed its use is the exercise of arbitrary power. Statewide consistency would also have been achieved if it had been allowed.

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

You don't even know what the WOA is comprised of, do you? You spould like some of the fans I read, complaining about their state association.

The only real thing I know about them is they think they have the moral authority to dictate who can support what charity. But from their name I assume they are supposed to be an association of officials in Washington. Despite this, they seem very antagonistic and unresponsive to officials in Washington.

[rockyroad]

I will try to explain this again. And I know that some of you are basing your reactions to the WOA based only on what you have read or seen in the media. The problem with that is that the PNFOA has a board member who is married to one of the Seattle area newscast people, and so the original story was slanted to their side - oh, the big bad WOA won't let us wear pink whistles and donate our money. Not true at all...the WOA has specific procedures in place to apply for exemptions to certain rules - the uniform rule being one of them. My basketball association applied for, and was granted, an exemption two seasons ago. It's not hard to do...but the PNFOA guys did not follow the proper procedure and so were told not to wear the pink whistles. No one ever told them they could not donate their money. They told the WOA that the WOA had no jurisdiction over them and they would do whatever they wanted. It is NOT the first time they have acted this way...so the WOA Executive Board - not Todd Stordahl - decided to administer the consequence that the PNFOA was warned could be applied prior to the game in question.

So you guys in Texas and the East Shire and wherever else - you keep on reading your internet news stories and jumping all over the wrong people. The WOA did nothing wrong...they did not stop anyone from supporting any cause - they simply followed the by-laws and procedures that EVERY local Association, including the PNFOA, agreed to follow.

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

I will try to explain this again. And I know that some of you are basing your reactions to the WOA based only on what you have read or seen in the media. The problem with that is that the PNFOA has a board member who is married to one of the Seattle area newscast people, and so the original story was slanted to their side - oh, the big bad WOA won't let us wear pink whistles and donate our money. Not true at all...the WOA has specific procedures in place to apply for exemptions to certain rules - the uniform rule being one of them. My basketball association applied for, and was granted, an exemption two seasons ago. It's not hard to do...but the PNFOA guys did not follow the proper procedure and so were told not to wear the pink whistles. No one ever told them they could not donate their money. They told the WOA that the WOA had no jurisdiction over them and they would do whatever they wanted. It is NOT the first time they have acted this way...so the WOA Executive Board - not Todd Stordahl - decided to administer the consequence that the PNFOA was warned could be applied prior to the game in question.

So you guys in Texas and the East Shire and wherever else - you keep on reading your internet news stories and jumping all over the wrong people. The WOA did nothing wrong...they did not stop anyone from supporting any cause - they simply followed the by-laws and procedures that EVERY local Association, including the PNFOA, agreed to follow.

I will willingly grant you everything you just said as Gospel. WOA is still wrong in disallowing the whistles and they are still doubling down on stupidity in punishing referees for supporting breast cancer awareness.

See, I've heard both sides and the WOA is still acting arbitrarily in order to flex its power. Obviously, the WOA doesn't have a problem with pink whistles, but it will kill your career if you don't follow a procedure that they designed by themselves because they wanted a procedure.

Do you get the picture? The WOA thinks an arbitrary procedure is more important than breast cancer awareness.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

So you guys in Texas and the East Shire and wherever else - you keep on reading your internet news stories and jumping all over the wrong people. The WOA did nothing wrong...they did not stop anyone from supporting any cause - they simply followed the by-laws and procedures that EVERY local Association, including the PNFOA, agreed to follow.

I do not care what the procedure is; this is a silly thing to be upset over. For one I do not know how wearing or not wearing a pink whistle was such an offense. And just like things have happen other places and people have commented on those procedures, we can do the same thing here. Basically the penalty does not fit the crime. Maybe if they completely ignored a mechanic or if they said they would ignore a playing rule, but this over a Pink Whistle? Really?? I actually have no problem with a punishment, but you cannot blame everything here on the media either. That is pretty lame to say the media story is all slanted because of someone's relationship. I think that story would be the case no matter what. Kind of like how our state was hit for their actions in the State Finals over a jersey issue. Not every media story was not from one outlet.

Peace

[TXMike]

The WOA and its supporters in this have picked the wrong "hill to die on." The only "reason" you have is a weak "thems the rules, folks". All that does is reinforce the opinions of the unwashed masses that they are the "typical" autocratic, unbending, field (or court) dictator.

Why didn't the WOA "allow" the request to use the pink whistles?

This whole deal reminds me of those officials who insist an incoming sub get inside the numbers before he can request a timeout when there is no advantage gained by calling it outside the numbers.

[asdf]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

I will try to explain this again. And I know that some of you are basing your reactions to the WOA based only on what you have read or seen in the media. The problem with that is that the PNFOA has a board member who is married to one of the Seattle area newscast people, and so the original story was slanted to their side - oh, the big bad WOA won't let us wear pink whistles and donate our money. Not true at all...the WOA has specific procedures in place to apply for exemptions to certain rules - the uniform rule being one of them. My basketball association applied for, and was granted, an exemption two seasons ago. It's not hard to do...but the PNFOA guys did not follow the proper procedure and so were told not to wear the pink whistles. No one ever told them they could not donate their money. They told the WOA that the WOA had no jurisdiction over them and they would do whatever they wanted. It is NOT the first time they have acted this way...so the WOA Executive Board - not Todd Stordahl - decided to administer the consequence that the PNFOA was warned could be applied prior to the game in question.

So you guys in Texas and the East Shire and wherever else - you keep on reading your internet news stories and jumping all over the wrong people. The WOA did nothing wrong...they did not stop anyone from supporting any cause - they simply followed the by-laws and procedures that EVERY local Association, including the PNFOA, agreed to follow.

The BS meter just got pegged....

How did this Seattle area newscast person persuade Napoleon to announce to the whole world...

"There's one person who has the authority to make that decision, and it's not PNFOA."

Seems to me that Napoleon frogot about the Executive Board.


Make no mistake, this is all about Napoleon not getting his little photo op and the credit for the officials supporting a cause.

[stratref]

As a member of the WOA (but not the PNFOA) I know that the WOA has had problems with the PNFOA doing their own thing in the past. The WOA has told them on multiple occasions to do it the same way everyone else in the state does it or there will be consequences.

They didn't properly apply for the exception, the WOA told them don't do it (actually they told the entire WOA their ruling) and the PNFOA said we don't care what you say. This was not their first time breaking a WOA rule/policy/procedure on purpose so the WOA felt that the PNFOA needed to be punished. The reason for the punishment was only partially related to the pink whistles.

As a member of the WOA I am glad that the WOA finally told an association that has thumbed their nose at the WOA and the rest of the associations in the state to sit down and shut up. Heck, had they done this quietly and not been so public and rubbed Todd Stordahal's nose in it and brought the media in, no one would have known and there wouldn't have been a punishment, but the appearance of being generous and supporting charity was apparently more important then actually doing so.

Jasper