TX TASO news
 

I almost feel like a trespasser on a forum for umpires, but...

What is the deal in TX about the lawsuit by TASO v. UIL? I meant, I knew a long time ago the current director of the UIL, and former UIL director of athletics, is a $%#^%$ (imho) but...what gives?

sixmanfootball.com - View topic - UIL votes to put all officials under its authority

Seems like it is just your everyday who-is-in-control pissing contest, Texas style.

If you are really curious, Mike, I can message you or email you all the details. It is a lot more that just a pissing match for power though. After several decades, the UIL wants to usurp TASO, and manage all officials in Texas. This would allow them to become a power player in NFHS, as well as allow them to keep officials' pay, which is already low in this state, even lower. The UIL's vested interest are the member schools and their AD's, whereas TASO is an organization of sports officials working for sports officials, and trying to get them the best insurance, pay, and benefits allowable.

I don't know, sounds like a pissing match to me? :rolleyes:

Scott, not really interested in details, that pretty much gives me the picture. Of course, unless there is a signed contract in place, TASO really cannot do much to prevent UIL from controlling the officials of their game.

And TASO can simply prioritize sports outside of the UIL's purview. You will then see the development of another organization and they will work under the hand of the UIL. Unfortunately, members of some organizations do not understand their purpose and, like independent contractor they are, will go for the work today without thinking about tomorrow.

It's not that TASO is a union but in my opinion this is akin to union busting. I feel it sets a dangerous precedent for other states. It doesn't take a Mensa member to know that the ADs don't have our best interest in mind when it comes to pay etc.
The basketball officials in my area have already "broke ranks" with TASO for some unknown reason. If I was an AD in another state and see Texas ADs busting down their officials organization I'd be tempted to do the same.
Ain't no way that I'm going under UIL. I don't do this for the money.
Cue up the Neil Young music, "Proud to be a union man, make those payments when I can...":mad:

I don't know about all other states, but in Georgia, there is no middle man like TASO. Our individual associations (chapters) that are chartered by GHSA register our officials directly with GHSA. It was that way, also, in New Jersey when I started there in the 70's and 80's, NJBUA (local association) chartered with NJSIAA (state governing body).

Just wondering, how is this organized in your other states; like Georgia, or like Texas?

Florida is similar to GA. FHSAA must charter all local HS associations. We have to renew our charter annually.

I agree. I will probably do a lot more college ball instead, and then fill in the blanks with rec leagues...etc. There is plenty to keep me busy, so, if that is the way they want to play, then so be it.

The only problem is, of course, that there are many whose only reason for officiating IS for the money (you know, the "greens"), and they will go with whoever is paying. Will the officiating ranks in Texas be thinned out, and the level of competency go down? Without a doubt. And the UIL keeps saying that they are doing this with the student athlete in mind.

In Delaware, the school organization is DIAA.

They contract with the local umpire organizations. Being so small, that is just two, one North, one South.

All officials get the same per game fee based upon the level of play (varsity/JV) regardless of the sport or number of officials designed.

The association is financed by the schools, but acts as the administrators for all HS sporting events including the officiating.

From my understanding, Arizona is unique in that all officials that wish to work HS sports must register with and pay dues to the organization that oversees HS athletics, the Arizona Interscholastic Association.

This is required no matter what other organizations or groups you belong to. The AIA also provides mandatory training each year for officials of each sport. The AIA also assigns officials for each HS contest across the state and all playoff and state tournament games.

There are quite a few states that do this.

Scott, the problem is also that there are a lot of officials that don't have much experience in calling high school ball and aren't exactly ready to stop. I am in that position as I've barely gotten started and there are quite a few of us whom I suspect either aren't going to really understand what is going on or are going to be caught in a lurch on this.

You do have a point there! And I didn't mean to leave your group out in my previous post, as I have mentioned that same demographic many times in discussions regarding this topic.

I have been doing my best to keep newbies apprised of what is going on with this, through discussion, email...etc. If you have any questions about why so many grizzled and curmudgeondly vets like myself are against this, then please feel free to PM me.

If UIL succeeds in their current endeavor, Texas will be joining you, in all aspects except for the last. (Though who knows what they could be thinking of for the future.)

No worries, I am more just expressing my frustration about the situation. PM sent. :)

PM responded to in several parts! :eek:

I umpire in both Arkansas and Texas. Arkansas is like Arizona – the state runs everything. Texas has the middle organization (TASO).

Arkansas is way ahead of Texas. Receive rule books, membership cards, pays NFHS dues, keeps status of umpires, annual test is through NFHS, etc.

TASO does not do any of these. An umpire is lucky to even receive a rule book with TASO. Even the equipment distributers are cutting back on TASO items for this coming year.

UIL can’t be any worse then TASO.

Tex. That would be a local issue. You cannot fault TASO for what your local people aren't doing. Every year, I get my rule books at the first of January, in a box to be distributed to the membership. In that collection of books, you will also find the membership cards(that entitle officials to get into any sporting event pro gratis), and a Referee Magazine supplement. Texas is not a full member state, currently, in NFHS, because it has been better for us to get the insurance that we get through TASO. It is the job of the local chapter officers to forward the status of their officials to TASO, which we do every year. TASO also supplies you with a test, both on paper and online, that requires a passing grade for an official to be eligible to call any contest at the varsity level. If you are not taking, and passing this test annually, not to mention attending the required state or regional meetings, then not only are you not eligible to work varsity games, you also are not eligible to call any playoffs. Worse, the games that have been worked in a season by non-sanctioned officials could result in forfeits by the teams using the non-sanctioned officials, and some sort of sanction by the state against the chapter who is assigning these non-sanctioned officials to work varsity/playoff games. By the way, these are the requirements of the UIL as well. (All except the state/regional meeting requirement.) So, rather than blame TASO, place the blame where it belongs. I will be most happy to alert both TASO and the UIL of the mismanagement that appears to be going on in the Texarkana area. I am sure that they would be happy to fix this for you.

As for the equipment distributors, of course they are cutting back. There is no reason to lay in large stocks of TASO labelled items when the UIL is trying their damnedest to get rid of them. That is just good business sense. People tend to underestimate the power of the UIL. But again, this has absolutely nothing to do with TASO.

Just wait a year, buddy, and then tell me that!

TASO vs. UIL
 

The UIL asst director spoke at one of our most recent "TASO" meetings in Houston. After a lot of time talking about what little changes would be in effect, everyone within my circle agreed that this was probably in the best interest of the high school softball umpire and that very little change would actually take place.

Those who seemed to be the most against what was going on were the ones with strong TASO affiliations or just resistant to change - period.

Ho-hum, a diddly dum.

The strength of the high school softball program is as strong as the local chapter. And, the Houston chapter is second to none. If anyone thinks that Arkansas has a better anything than the state of Texas, they need to keep the garage door open next time they paint the car.

:)

Then why change? :confused:

And I'm sure the UIL AD would provide any information which may not have been beneficial to the purpose of his visit, right? :rolleyes:

Of course he would say that. That is what they want you to believe. Remember the promises Hitler made to Germany in the 30's. However, tell me, why is UIL already wanting all organizations in the state of Texas who aren't registered with ArbtierSports.com to register with them now, and for all who are to either re-register as a UIL affiliate, or to share the account info with UIL so that they can incorporate it into their databases? (This memo was sent out to assignors about a month ago.) Sounds like the fox is already wanting in the henhouse to me.

I was in a meeting in October with Tony T., and we could never get a straight answer to any question. He kept spinning the line you talk about, that there will be very little change...blah blah blah.....and when I posed the simple question, "then why change now?" he never did answer me. Instead, he launched into a diatribe about his credentials. We all came away from the meeting convinced, largely on his words, that nothing good can come of this.

However, when the same group met with Mike M. of TASO, all of our answers were answered very directly and succintly, even though much of what he had to say was not what anyone was wanting to hear.

If nothing is going to change, then, like Mike said, "why change?" You know that things are going to change, most notably insurance (I have a comparison form if you are interested), and in all likelihood pay and method of post season assigning. The UIL exists for its member schools. That means it exists for its member AD's. When push comes to shove on officials' pay and benefits, who do you really think they will side with?

I have no vested interest in TASO(in fact, I have had my share of gripes with them), and I usually think change is a good thing. (Heck, I don't even keep my facial hair the same way for much more than a month at a time.) So, the only reason I am so adamant in this, is because with the information I have received from both sides of the fences, and my own diligent research, I feel that this is a bad change no matter how you slice it.

It is somewhat akin to William B Travis asking Santa Anna to guard the fort for him while he took a cigarette break.

So, it was okay for Neill to ask Travis to watch the fort while he went out for a cigarette, but Travis couldn't ask Santa Anna? :rolleyes:

Aren't you your local chapter's president?

If both these sentences are true, I understand why TASO is getting the boot. Single umpires, NO umpires, late umpires, unprofessional umpires, shabbily dressed umpires, etc. I won't even start on mechanics, rules knowledge, judgment, and game management. There are some quality officials in the Houston Chapter, but they are certainly the exception and not the rule. I can only name 3 or 4 that I would care to work with. The truly sad part for HS softball is that Texasbock may be right.

And your point?

You say you have no vested interested in TASO but have been it's staunchest supporter on this board. Have you worked hard to make your Chapter the best in the state, or, like I've heard from other officers of associations, did you take the post because nobody else wanted it? If it's the former, the argument can be made that you do have a stake in this. If it's the latter, well...

Your logic makes no sense. I took the post with the vested interest of the membership in mind, to improve it and to look out for the chapter's best interests. The chapter membership have told me that they don't want this change, so I am supporting that. How does that give me a vested interest in TASO OR the UIL. My interest is in the good of the chapter. The chapter will stay the chapter, whether or not it is through TASO or the UIL.

My argument, as I have clearly stated over and over again, is a simple one. The UIL is doing its job when it looks out for the interests of its member schools and AD's. So far, from what I can tell, it has done a fine job of that. One that is to be commended.

TASO's is doing its job when it looks out for the welfare of the sports official in the state of Texas. So far, it seems to have done a pretty good job from where I am sitting. Every gripe that I have heard on this board against TASO has to do with the failings of the local leadership, rather than the failings of TASO. Those same problems would continue to exist no matter who is in charge.

So, when it comes to a battle for the welfare of the officials of Texas, TASO is the defender of the officials. The UIL is the defender of the schools and their AD's, and what is monetarily in their best interest. That is the way it should be, and it has worked fine that way for more that three decades.

So, once again, to sum up my argument as concisely as possible, I just don't think it is wise to have the fox guarding the henhouse.

Scott,

What is your income from that position? I'm sure you are reimbursed for every minute, every phone call, every stamp and envelope, not to mention the cost of your ISP used in executing your duties as president.:confused:

And how is that TASO 401K coming? Make your first million yet? I'm sure as the president of your association, you get all your uniforms and equipment comped and the schedule.....boy, I bet you get to pick your games and partner. :rolleyes:

That only leaves one thing, it must be your ego. ;)

Mike, I really hope you were kidding by your comments, but with your icon post, I doubt it. I have known Scott for at least 10 years. Let me say that he truly has only the chapter's best interest at heart. I take offense at the implications.

I am not sure whether TASO or UIL is the best way to go. Insurance might be better with TASO, but pay is still whatever UIL decides to give umpires and TASO while they might lobby for pay increase, really does not get officials any more money and TASO has had their own organization messed up for several decades.


But for any of you to attack Scott without knowing him or his intentions - shame on you

I'm not a union guy, but I can guarantee that if you do not have an organization to represent the group as a whole, how will umpires ever have anything to say about what happens on the field? But that's up to you.

You do understand what an emoticon is and the purpose of it's use, right?

Keep in mind this UIL / TASO situation is a state issue, not a local chapter issue. The local chapters are in a “wait, see, and do” time frame. A lawsuit has been filed by TASO. This issue may not be resolved this school year.

Let me see .... smiley face means happy? But your use of a frowning emoticon leads me to believe that you were serious about your first comment.

You know those "glasses" the teams keep on mentioning? Maybe it's time you started listening. I have not used any "frowns" :( in this thread.

Seriously,

Maybe you did not intend to, but... go back and look at the end of the sentence below

"Scott,

What is your income from that position? I'm sure you are reimbursed for every minute, every phone call, every stamp and envelope, not to mention the cost of your ISP used in executing your duties as president."

Seriously, that was not a frown. (Not that Mike needs any help with this.)

The one with the question mark over it? Looks like it to me. If I misread, sorry. Looks just like the frown at the bottom in purple except has ??? on top.

The point still is why attack Scott over this? He works hard at trying to improve his chapter and making the umpires there better at what they do.

The emoticon means "confused." Most likely mock confusion, given the question.

Actually, not only is the color different, the "frown" has larger eyes and eyebrows

Frown :(
Confused :confused:

Not to mention that when you roll your cursor over the one, it says "frown" and over the other, "confused". :cool: (<this means "cool" ;) )

Actually, and I think Scott knows this, I'm supporting his statement and view.

Probably correct. My perception was an attack. If Mike was supporting Scott, then I apologize

:D:eek:

Maybe I'm showing my age, but I believe that was actually....

Rosanana Rosanna Dana
http://ts2.mm.bing.net/images/thumbn...436b5&tmaxh=85

Better known as the late and absolutely great comic, Gilda Radner, also known as Mrs. Gene Wilder

My memory has her saying "just goes to show you, it's always something."

I have Emily Litella, also Gilda Radner, working with mostly with Chevy Chase (Cheddar Cheese, she called him), later with Jane Curtin (b_itch) ending with "Never mind."

Emily Litella - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You are most likely correct. I must admit, most of the time I watched SNL, I was in a........let's say......alcohol-induced state of relaxation and comfort. Yeah, that's the ticket!
:D

Yeah....that must be it! :cool:

Thank you, Larry, for having my back!

And again, thanks.

Yeah, I do. And thanks to you for that!

It WAS Emily Litella! :D