Write a Letter

[TexDoc]

Folks, the only way to get out point across is to contact the members of the legislative council of the UIL.  The members listed below were present at the meeting with TASO last week.  Please take a moment and tactfully put-together a message for these folks about why TASO must continue to exist and how the UIL has been quite disingenuous with their future plans for registration and for officials in general.

Rick Reedy   reedyr@friscoisd.org    chair of the Legislative Council
Curtis Culwell   cculwell@garlandisd.net   former chair of the legislative council and council member
Greg Poole   gpoole@bhisd.net   legislative council member
Mark Henry   mhenry@galenaparkisd.com    legislative council member

[TXMike]

Great idea!

[rickref]

Why not ask them our questions? Still waiting on some TASO communication.

[TXMike]

I believe you will see a message today

[Etref]

Sent mine!

[Etref]

Why not ask them our questions? Still waiting on some TASO communication.

I think one is coming out very soon.

[Mark Liggett]

Folks, the only way to get out point across is to contact the members of the legislative council of the UIL.  The members listed below were present at the meeting with TASO last week.  Please take a moment and tactfully put-together a message for these folks about why TASO must continue to exist and how the UIL has been quite disingenuous with their future plans for registration and for officials in general.

Rick Reedy   reedyr@friscoisd.org    chair of the Legislative Council
Curtis Culwell   cculwell@garlandisd.net   former chair of the legislative council and council member
Greg Poole   gpoole@bhisd.net   legislative council member
Mark Henry   mhenry@galenaparkisd.com    legislative council member

Outstanding, thanks,

being sent.............

[blindref757]

Mr. Reedy,

I’m writing you to request that you convene the UIL Legislative council and end this November 1st deadline for football officials to register with the UIL.  There is no need to create a crisis on the UIL’s part and you owe it to the kids, coaches, band members, and all people involved with interscholastic football in Texas’ public schools.

Imposing this deadline will throw Week 10 football into a tailspin.  Additionally, the playoffs will be a joke.  There will not be enough quality officials to cover all of the games adequately.  Even if the UIL were to foot the bill for flying people all over the state on Southwest Airlines, many of the people in those games will not have the qualifications or experience needed to work the games effectively.  It takes the majority of 4000 officials to cover games for any particular week.  As of today, there are less than 500 registered.  Do the math sir!  You are in a bind and there is an easy solution.  Exempt TASO football for the 2011 season.  If you want to take over Basketball, great…they are all jumping in the boat.  But Football is different.  Football has worked 90% of a season under the auspices of TASO.  You don’t need to fix this right now.

If the UIL locks out officials, they will not register at the last minute.  Many of my fellow officials are ready to watch the chaos and laugh at the travesty that the UIL will bring on themselves with this poor decision.  It is not necessary.  You have the power to stop this.  The only question is will you?

After the football season ends, the courts can work their process and the officials can make their decisions for next year if nothing changes.  But time will be needed to recruit and train the people who might fill the spots of the guys that end up quitting.  They will have an entire season to garner the experience needed to work playoff games next year.

I implore you to use common sense here and save the season. 

[ornery1]

Mr. Reedy,

I’m writing you to request that you convene the UIL Legislative council and end this November 1st deadline for football officials to register with the UIL.  There is no need to create a crisis on the UIL’s part and you owe it to the kids, coaches, band members, and all people involved with interscholastic football in Texas’ public schools.

Imposing this deadline will throw Week 10 football into a tailspin.  Additionally, the playoffs will be a joke.  There will not be enough quality officials to cover all of the games adequately.  Even if the UIL were to foot the bill for flying people all over the state on Southwest Airlines, many of the people in those games will not have the qualifications or experience needed to work the games effectively.  It takes the majority of 4000 officials to cover games for any particular week.  As of today, there are less than 500 registered.  Do the math sir!  You are in a bind and there is an easy solution.  Exempt TASO football for the 2011 season.  If you want to take over Basketball, great…they are all jumping in the boat.  But Football is different.  Football has worked 90% of a season under the auspices of TASO.  You don’t need to fix this right now.

If the UIL locks out officials, they will not register at the last minute.  Many of my fellow officials are ready to watch the chaos and laugh at the travesty that the UIL will bring on themselves with this poor decision.  It is not necessary.  You have the power to stop this.  The only question is will you?

After the football season ends, the courts can work their process and the officials can make their decisions for next year if nothing changes.  But time will be needed to recruit and train the people who might fill the spots of the guys that end up quitting.  They will have an entire season to garner the experience needed to work playoff games next year.

I implore you to use common sense here and save the season. 

Mr. Reedy;

Please excuse my fellow official Mr. blindref757 because he really doesn't have a clue. Week 10 and Playoffs will be just fine. There are many officials out there with experience who are chompin at the bit to work and they are just a phone call away. The good ole boy system has been hogging all the good games for years and alot of these guys just want the opportunity. PLUS YOU HAVE ME AND I HAVE A TON OF FRIENDS WHO WILL WORK 3 TO 4 PLAYOFF GAMES A WEEK, IF YOU NEED US.

Thank you
Mr. Have bag will travel

[blindref757]

Spoken like a guy that has never worked 3 varsity games in a weekend. 

I've done three days in a row and it ain't all it's cracked up to be. 

Ornery...what will you gain by being a SCAB?  Money?  It won't be glory because you'll know deep down that you probably don't belong there.

If you work a state championship...there will have to be an asterisk on your ring!!!

[JasonTX]

There will not be enough officials to cover the games.  From looking at the list it is obvious that a good portion of those registered are bogus names.  It's probably more like 300.  Even if it were 400, that is clearly not enough officials to cover the last week of the regular season plus the first week of playoffs.  As I said before, we will see what the UIL does when they don't have enough officials.  I already know what the schools will do.  They will be calling us to work their games.

[Arbitrator]

There will not be enough officials to cover the games.  From looking at the list it is obvious that a good portion of those registered are bogus names.  It's probably more like 300.  Even if it were 400, that is clearly not enough officials to cover the last week of the regular season plus the first week of playoffs.  As I said before, we will see what the UIL does when they don't have enough officials.  I already know what the schools will do.  They will be calling us to work their games.

I still contend that we show up and see if a Week 10 lockout is ordered. I would think likely that that won't exactly happen. If there's no resolution to this dispute by Playoffs Week 1, then the schools will be calling your TASO Chapter Secretary: Translation: Business as usual!   

[Etref]

I received a response from my email to Dr. Reedy. It basically says that this was forced on the UIL "because some chapters failed to follow the rules". He says the date of Nov. 1 was "forced" upon them due to the TRO.


A crock as usual.     

[txmustang68]

if ornery1 is as "experienced" as he claims, he won't be able to walk Sunday - Friday after doing 3 or 4 playoff games in a weekend!   

[texref (TX)]

I received a response from my email to Dr. Reedy. It basically says that this was forced on the UIL "because some chapters failed to follow the rules". He says the date of Nov. 1 was "forced" upon them due to the TRO.


A crock as usual.     

It appears that Dr. Reedy has drunk the kool-aid also. Tail still wagging a very large dog.

[txmustang68]

Sent mine to all those listed.

[txmustang68]

 Thank you for the e-mail. We have tried to work together for a real solution and all we have received in return is lawsuits. November 1 is firm and will not be moved. All we seek is registration and adherence to UIL rules, including Section 1204. > > Regards, > > Rick Reedy

my response:  I think it goes both ways, sir. Good luck with enough officials to cover your games. I won't be on the field, for sure.

On Sep 30, 2010 10:36 PM, "Reedy, Rick" <ReedyR@friscoisd.org> wrote:
They are not “my” games. They are the kids’ games. I regret that they will not have the benefit of your experience and skill.

[Etref]

Thank you for the e-mail. We have tried to work together for a real solution and all we have received in return is lawsuits. November 1 is firm and will not be moved. All we seek is registration and adherence to UIL rules, including Section 1204. > > Regards, > > Rick Reedy

my response:  I think it goes both ways, sir. Good luck with enough officials to cover your games. I won't be on the field, for sure.

On Sep 30, 2010 10:36 PM, "Reedy, Rick" <ReedyR@friscoisd.org> wrote:
They are not “my” games. They are the kids’ games. I regret that they will not have the benefit of your experience and skill.

I also asked him how many of the 192 TASO chapters "failed" to follow 1204 and if he had personal knowledge of it or just what TT and Dr. B said. He responded saying he has full trust in the people in the UIL office.


So basically we are going to be locked out on Nov. 1, 2010 I never received a response from the others.

[Cooter]

I believe Mr. Reedy is going to be the designated spokesman for the council - all emails received from others on the council will be forwarded to him and he will respond.  He too sounds HACKED and not ready for compromise - plus - Frisco is a very large district and I'm sure he has other things to do.  If I were in letter writing mode, I would go after someone at UT Austin - possibly Dr. B's boss - maybe even the Board of Regents.  I would also provide one very well written letter signed by as many officials I could find stating that many officials will not work from week 10 and beyond - and tell them why.  If academics at a large university are like I think they are - B's boss doesn't have a clue about the problems down the hall. 

But - I don't think letter writing is gonna get you anywhere.  The one thing UT Austin/UIL/Dr. B/etc...does not want to see is bad publicity.  I'm sure many of you have connections with media - I'm sure some members work in the media.  Take it to the public - tell them what's going on = do as many media interviews as you can - talk to the sports reporters in your area and get them to publish a pro-TASO story - maybe it will be picked up by AP. 

Just a suggestion.

[TXMike]

Hat's off to you         

You are taking a chance since we all know how vindictive school administrators can be. 

[Etref]

 

Although I disagree with your logic on your registration, I will defend your right to do so.

Thankfully, I am not a teacher so I do not have to worry about the peer pressure when I refuse to register.




Rick

[Welpe]

Excellent letter, Coby. I can only hope it is given the consideration it is due.

Good luck to you and your crew the rest of the season.  

Monty

[Arbitrator]

 

This is an issue that just tears at the fiber of all officials! Every football official has the basic right to do as he sees fit: Unwillingly register with the UIL and continue to be able to call UIL football games Week 10 and beyond; Not register with them and in effect end your season and quite possibly your career. It's a dilemma! And it's closer to home than a lot of us think!

Even members of my own crew are greatly in favor of abiding by and honoring the UIL registration process to be in position to be able to call games in the aforementioned timeframe. I, as crew chief, am not willing to comply under any circumstances. In my heart, I really feel that litigation is the only true vehicle that TASO now has in saving itself from this hostile takeover attempt. To that end, I just cannot find it in my heart to ally myself with such a sordid and unethical bureaucracy that the UIL truly is, even if it is nothingmore than registering with them. If my crew so elects, they are certainly free to procure a crew chief who will register with the UIL.

I feel that Mike Fitch would do TASO an immense service to call a statewide football meeting to convene in Austin on Sunday, October 24th and let the TASO football attendees debate this issue and set a course of action to either help preserve our grand association, or transfer our allegience over to the UIL. In any event, I still remain steadfast in my loyalty to TASO and will not waver in my belief that TASO, hands down, remains the viable choice to represent interscholastic officials within Texas; and I remain firm in my absolute refusal to submit to UIL authority either directly or indirectly!   

[Headlinesman]

Spoken like a guy that has never worked 3 varsity games in a weekend. 

I've done three days in a row and it ain't all it's cracked up to be. 

Ornery...what will you gain by being a SCAB?  Money?  It won't be glory because you'll know deep down that you probably don't belong there.

If you work a state championship...there will have to be an asterisk on your ring!!!

Using a word like scab is highly irresponsible since the differences between TASO and a union are like night and day.

[WABill]

Thank you for the e-mail. We have tried to work together for a real solution and all we have received in return is lawsuits. November 1 is firm and will not be moved. All we seek is registration and adherence to UIL rules, including Section 1204. > > Regards, > > Rick Reedy

Because God forbid, we use a Tuesday or Thursday for an arbitrary line in the sand.  Maybe we should use mauve or magenta to decide.

Sorry folks, I won't freely register, and if the games are impacted, it rests on the shoulders of the rule changers, not the rule enforcers.  As an independent contractor, I can choose who I align with, and I do not chose an entity that openly violates "good faith" negotiations - if the 1st is so sacrosanct, why can't a day or three be used for a joint statement?  Guess that is too much like teamwork and working together, and dictatorships are not managed by consensus, collaboration, or cooperation.