In our area, our board has a contract with the School Masters Association - the principals. That's who we negotiate our payment with. The schools in the greater Charleston area are required to use our association for softball games. When schools turn in their schedules to us at the beginning of the season, they can scratch umpires - it's the coaches scratch list not the AD's. Once the schedule is done there's never been the ability to scratch anyone. Our individual contracts are implied through our association. We send out their scheduled umpires and they know ahead of time who they have. Heck, when I left the field the other night the coach said - "See ya next week!"

I'm very, VERY tempted to keep this game on principal. I'm having lunch with a lawyer tomorrow - not for this purpose - but I'm gonna run it past her and see what she thinks. If this AD wins on this one - it could be bad for every other official, regardless of sport, in our area.

I think there's no question you should keep this game. In fact, I think it's CRITICAL that you keep this game. And if bozo walks on the field again, you treat him as you would treat a fan who walked on the field, and write up the ejection report.

I don't have much to add that hasn't already been said.....but there is one thing that you may want to give some thought to.

I would have avoided the post game tirade by the AD by simply ignoring him and proceeding to my car. From his on-field antics, he has already done enough to warrant his ejection and a report to the state association, school board, and whoever else you can think of.

Like Darrell said...here in AZ, that clown may no longer be an AD, or at minimum, be on a very short leash with the state association.

Re: the professional HS basketball player... Just to be fair to the WVSSAC (do I have the acronym right?), as I remember reading the press reports, the WVSSAC suspended the player, but the courts granted a restraining order allowing him to play.

Well, actually the principal suspended him for 10 days and he would be scheduled to miss 4 games - the court then gave the injunction to allow him to play against Scott Co., KY - who beat them. The WVSSAC (good job!) did not get involved further because they felt the school's actions were adequate.

Principal, AD, school board and everyone else. Please keep us posted, let us know what the lawyer thinks...we are all standing for the principle of the thing :) squarely behind you...just keep us updated.

Update
 

Not sure what all I've said yet - and too lazy tonight to read all my comments - so here goes:

One of the officers of the school masters that my board has a contract with said the only way they could remove me was to buy me out of the game. I went to lunch with a lawyer yesterday (WOW) and she said the same thing. This morning I spoke with 3 directors of the WVSSAC (including the Exec. Dir.) and they are backing us on this issue. As of right now they are pretty pissed at the AD. His letter of explaination agreed with mine and my partners on all the big issues - very few small discrepancies. It will be interesting to see what they do to the AD.

My partner from last week was scheduled to be there tonight. The ED at the WVSSAC said that we should go to the field if we have nothing in writing removing us from the game AND agreeing to pay us - so he did. Talked to the coach who told him they would mail a check to us tomorrow. I'll do the same, unless they fax me a letter tomorrow or Friday. I'll let you know if there is anything done to the AD.

any more info on how this turned out?

Sorry, been out of town for a few days. I was told by our assignment committee that I did not need to show up at the game. They were sending me a check in the mail and he would see to it that I was paid. In honesty, I'd settle for an apology from the AD and they could keep the money.

Not trying to be a smart ***, but it sounds like whomever is issuing the check is buying the AD out of an embarassing situation.

In most areas, wouldn't that be the AD?

I know it's OT, but that's Jeremy Fikac. He was a stud HS baseball pitcher...

More Updates
 

I have two updates to give you guys.

First, I had Huntington tonight . . . the coach who made the comment that started the fire storm was there and we talked for a few minutes. Again, he apologized for the entire situation and for any problems that it may have caused me. He told me that he met with the principal, who said according to my report there was nothing the coach did wrong except display poor judgement in timing for his statement. However, they agreed that something needed to be done internally and the coach served a "self-imposed" two game suspension. I felt that was pretty good for Huntington to do.

As far as the AD goes - he strikes back from the grave! LOL

In WV we have sectionals, then regional semi-finals and then regional finals to determine the state champions. I have what I believe is the best sectional in the state. I worked the three teams in this section the other night - they are ranked 1, 2 & 3 in class AA in WV and tradionally beat even the AAA teams. I had also been asked to work a regional semi by South Charleston - Riverside (where the AD is from) is in the region, but not guaranteed to be in the semi-final. The AD from S. Charleston sent the names of the umpires to all four schools in the region . . . can you guess what happened? Riverside's AD asked him as a courtesy to scratch me and as a professional courtesy he's going to do that. I do understand the SC AD's position and that he's caught in the middle. I did explain my side of the situation to him and he is supposed to make his final decision tomorrow . . . but I'm sure it's a done deal. I wonder how many other AD's he's going to call and ask for this "courtesy" in the regular season and in basketball?

I am PRAYING that I'll get to work the state tournament and that they will be there! Now THAT would be funny!

On a side light, the head coach from Riverside called me this morning to tell me that all of this was out of his hands - and it is. I made sure to tell him that I hold no ill-will toward him or his girls and that I know where the problem lies. It was a good conversation.

So there ya go . . . you are now up-to-date.

No good deed shall go unpunished.

The whole thing still drives me nuts.... but what can you do...