UIL Hats...to wear or not to wear, that is the argument.

[Cooter]

Kudos to my officiating brethren in Houston and in Dallas/FW who correctly and judiciously followed the precepts of the mechanics manual and did not wear the hat with the UIL logo.

I was at Cowboys Stadium yesterday and while seeing that my fellow Houston Chapter crew did not wear the hat, the crew of officials for the second game did. And to further reinforce things, the chain crew for that second game was walking out donning some of the UIL hats. Would these have been perhaps the very same UIL hats that the Houston Chapter crew adamantly refused to wear in their game?   

Good job to those who left those ugly UIL hats in the locker rooms - how dare others think the UIL has anything to do with the state championship game - except owning them of course - maybe the coaches will send back the plaques they received for participating in the state championship game since the plaques all have the UIL emblem;  maybe the schools will leave the state championship trophies on the field since the trophies all have the UIL emblem on them - that would sure show the mean ole UIL.  And lets get the fans to send back all their shirts they purchased at the stadium in support of their schools which listed the schools that participated in the championship games - they have the UIL emblem on them.  Then there were the televised games - all of which showed the UIL emblem numerous times - let's boycott those stations!  I'm sure the UIL is losing sleep over this well received "snub" since no one other than a few on this site even noticed - or cared - that the hats were not worn.  It's always a good idea to HACK off the boss, and like it or not sports fans, the UIL is our boss - you can't get along with the boss, find another job. 

[TXMike]

Isn't that the crux of the situation?  They WANT to be our boss but many of us do not want them to be.

[Cooter]

Isn't that the crux of the situation?  They WANT to be our boss but many of us do not want them to be.

Mike - do you really believe that the UIL is not in charge of public school athletic events in Texas?

[TXMike]

Yes but they are not our boss any more than they are the boss of the EMS crews that are at the fields.

[Arbitrator]

Good job to those who left those ugly UIL hats in the locker rooms - how dare others think the UIL has anything to do with the state championship game - except owning them of course - maybe the coaches will send back the plaques they received for participating in the state championship game since the plaques all have the UIL emblem;  maybe the schools will leave the state championship trophies on the field since the trophies all have the UIL emblem on them - that would sure show the mean ole UIL.  And lets get the fans to send back all their shirts they purchased at the stadium in support of their schools which listed the schools that participated in the championship games - they have the UIL emblem on them.  Then there were the televised games - all of which showed the UIL emblem numerous times - let's boycott those stations!  I'm sure the UIL is losing sleep over this well received "snub" since no one other than a few on this site even noticed - or cared - that the hats were not worn.  It's always a good idea to HACK off the boss, and like it or not sports fans, the UIL is our boss - you can't get along with the boss, find another job.  

Isn't that the crux of the situation?  They WANT to be our boss but many of us do not want them to be.

 

If that was the case, why didn't the UIL make a push to take over TASO officiating during the Bailey Marshall or the Bill Farney administrations? The fact of the matter was that both Dr. Marshall and Dr. Farney did officiate during their careers. Not so with the current incumbent! TASO has no argument with the UIL merchandise that was sold to the fans. Our main argument is through their seemingly underhanded method of trying to usurp and manipulate all officiating authority from TASO, an organization that worked right alongside the UIL right into the Breithaupt administration. The   Good UIL Dr. has overtly made it part of his standing agenda to bring everything in high school athletics, including officiating, directly under his auspices and control.

The decision not to wear the UIL hats is not to circumvent what success that the UIL has had: it is done largely because a plurality of TASO officials object to the way that this is being handled by the UIL and subsequent "bad faith" that the UIL has demonstrated toward TASO. In essence, who can trust them anymore? What action on the part of the UIL can speak to any rational official ever trusting them again? They want their plums now! The officials who champion the UIL takeover are the ones who do not like waiting for something good to happen to them. The UIL is also trying to implement a "divide and conquer" strategy by pitting UIL officials against TASO officials; by pitting small TASO chapters against the larger chapters, younger officials against the more experienced officials, and also along racial lines. And when we finally reach the bottom line, the UIL is doing this for no other reason than total control. And that control will ultimately lead to an edited UIL 1204 whereby the officials will lose the gate receipts that only football officials now, in theory, enjoy and will soon see football officiating pay go the way of the other UIL  sports and that is greatly toward a flat fee. And once that happens, then we will no longer have any recourse other than to graciously accept the crumbs that the UIL is placing on the table or to simply quit or retire.

And if you remotely think that the "Good Ole Boy System" is prevalent within TASO, then just you wait for the time when the UIL fully gets total control of the situation! All I can say is "Well, you ain't seen nothing yet!"  

[ornery1]

Isn't that the crux of the situation?  They WANT to be our boss but many of us do not want them to be.

Cooter is right. Dr B is our Boss like it or not and Tony Timmons is the Director of Officials. If you aren't happy with your leadership then I suggest you take up bowling!!!!

[WABill]

Dr B and Tony Timmons should take up bowling!!!!

FIFY

[Welpe]

If you aren't happy with your leadership then I suggest you take up bowling!!!!

Well that is about all we could do under Timmons isn't it?  There sure doesn't seem to be any other way of holding our potential "leadership" accountable to the membership under the UIL.  Unless of course you are onboard with the benevolent dictatorship methodology...which brings me back to my previous question about your ties to the Vichy French.

[TXMike]

"Leadership"...interesting word to use in same breath as Timmons.  What qualifies him to be a "leader" and more importantly, what leadership has he shwon thus far?

[JasonTX]

Cooter is right. Dr B is our Boss like it or not and Tony Timmons is the Director of Officials. If you aren't happy with your leadership then I suggest you take up bowling!!!!

Actually, if we aren't happy with our leadership we vote them out.  Let me know how that will work out with the UIL.  Oh wait, UIL doesn't have elections.  I think I'd much rather be associated with an organization that I have some control of.

[Arbitrator]

Cooter is right. Dr B is our Boss like it or not and Tony Timmons is the Director of Officials. If you aren't happy with your leadership then I suggest you take up bowling!!!!

Ornery/Cooter: If those two UIL people that you so profusely lather over are indeed deemed to be the "bosses," then exactly where does Mike Fitch and the TASO Board all figure into this equation? Last time I looked, we were waiting on the decision of a Federal Judge in Austin to help determine just that!   

[Cooter]

Ornery/Cooter: If those two UIL people that you so profusely lather over are indeed deemed to be the "bosses," then exactly where does Mike Fitch and the TASO Board all figure into this equation? Last time I looked, we were waiting on the decision of a Federal Judge in Austin to help determine just that!   

I've said numerous times that Timmons is not the man for the job - I do respect Dr. B though -  but the UIL is in charge of athletics, regardless of how the lawsuit comes out.  If, and I expect it will, the court says TASO does not have to register with UIL, do you really think UIL will go away?  They regulate and oversee all interscholastic activities for public schools in Texas - and they always have - do you really not believe this?

[Arbitrator]

I've said numerous times that Timmons is not the man for the job - I do respect Dr. B though -  but the UIL is in charge of athletics, regardless of how the lawsuit comes out.  If, and I expect it will, the court says TASO does not have to register with UIL, do you really think UIL will go away?  They regulate and oversee all interscholastic activities for public schools in Texas - and they always have - do you really not believe this?

 

I totally believe that! The same way we believed it when Dr. Farney and Dr, Marshall was in charge of the UIL and jointly worked with TASO, not against it the way that the   Good UIL Dr. has. The UIL has the inherent right to conduct all activities for the schools. That is not and never has been a matter of dispute. But when the UIL hires a grossly unqualified   "Director of Officials," and then clandestinely as well as overtly goes after the existing TASO Sports Divisions, and provides a vehicle for them to change their allegiance. This never occurred on the other two long-term UIL ED's watch, only that of the   Good UIL Dr. Say what you will, but this is nothing more than a premeditated act on the part of the UIL and its current administration in their attempt to wield total control over yet another entity in which to file directly under its jurisdiction. Their main impetus in doing so is to ultimately reduce officiating fees as prescribed by UIL 1204 and also to control who gets named to work the UIL playoff games and thereby taking that choice out of the hands of the competing coaches current system of being able to select their game officials by mutual agreement. With the UIL in control, then there would definitely be "taxation without representation" as you could never be in position or have any provisions to vote either the   Good UIL Dr. or his   annointed puppet ringmaster of officials out of office. The UIL further offers no discernible means of due process for an official on its watch. You would be totally at their mercy!   Say what you might, but the same simply cannot be said of TASO!  

[Etref]

I've said numerous times that Timmons is not the man for the job - I do respect Dr. B though -  but the UIL is in charge of athletics, regardless of how the lawsuit comes out.  If, and I expect it will, the court says TASO does not have to register with UIL, do you really think UIL will go away?  They regulate and oversee all interscholastic activities for public schools in Texas - and they always have - do you really not believe this?

You are right, I have said many times we will have to co-exist with the UIL. We have done it for many years and we will do it for many more. But working with them is a hell of a lot different than working for them!

I have no doubt Breithaupt eats, lives, sleeps and breaths UIL and wants the best for them. I do not think he has the same feelings for us as officials. He has done nothing to show me that he values the officials, wants to keeps us as officials and make things better for us as officials. Until that day happens, I will oppose the UIL taking over.

[fencewire]

I guess I missed the part where TASO or the UIL ever signed one of my paychecks...  So I am pretty sure that I work for the schools involved in the particular contest, even if UIL somehow wins and you have to register your name with them to call a football game, I am pretty sure that the schools will still be writing the checks. 

[Arbitrator]

I guess I missed the part where TASO or the UIL ever signed one of my paychecks...  So I am pretty sure that I work for the schools involved in the particular contest, even if UIL somehow wins and you have to register your name with them to call a football game, I am pretty sure that the schools will still be writing the checks.  

 

The beauty of it is that you are deemed to be an "independent contractor." You don't work for the UIL or for TASO. But TASO has always attempted to represent your best interests in the avocation of sports officiating. No one can really say the same thing about the UIL, as their foremost interests rest primarily in offering representation of themselves, along with the Superintendents, the School Administrators, the Athletic Directors, and supposedly the Coaches. In any event, it is all too apparent that the UIL will only begin to look out for the needs of the official when only absolutely forced to do so, and not a second sooner!  

[TXMike]

I've said numerous times that Timmons is not the man for the job - I do respect Dr. B though -  but the UIL is in charge of athletics, regardless of how the lawsuit comes out.  If, and I expect it will, the court says TASO does not have to register with UIL, do you really think UIL will go away?  They regulate and oversee all interscholastic activities for public schools in Texas - and they always have - do you really not believe this?

I too used to respect Dr B when I thought he was shooting straight with us back in the day when he would come to the State meetings and sing our praises.  But we have subsequently seen that perhaps he was being dishonest then, he has definitely been dishonest since about some things (which will be come all too apparent if and when he gets under deposition), and his greatest sin (for me anyway) has been his bringing in of Timmons.  Of the main folks over there, the only one that seems to be at least trying to play square is Cliff O.  I still don't know why, if this take over of officiating was so important to them, they didn't put him over officiating and have him try to work with us to bring TASO guys "into the fold". 

[texref]

I too used to respect Dr B when I thought he was shooting straight with us back in the day when he would come to the State meetings and sing our praises.  But we have subsequently seen that perhaps he was being dishonest then, he has definitely been dishonest since about some things (which will be come all too apparent if and when he gets under deposition), and his greatest sin (for me anyway) has been his bringing in of Timmons.  Of the main folks over there, the only one that seems to be at least trying to play square is Cliff O.  I still don't know why, if this take over of officiating was so important to them, they didn't put him over officiating and have him try to work with us to bring TASO guys "into the fold". 

Could not have been said better TXMike.

[jeffreff]

I too used to respect Dr B when I thought he was shooting straight with us back in the day when he would come to the State meetings and sing our praises.  But we have subsequently seen that perhaps he was being dishonest then, he has definitely been dishonest since about some things (which will be come all too apparent if and when he gets under deposition), and his greatest sin (for me anyway) has been his bringing in of Timmons.  Of the main folks over there, the only one that seems to be at least trying to play square is Cliff O.  I still don't know why, if this take over of officiating was so important to them, they didn't put him over officiating and have him try to work with us to bring TASO guys "into the fold". 

Has anyone else noticed how quiet the "real" AD for the uil has been? We have seen and heard mostly from the other two.
No youtube videos...no pressbox interviews during games...has he appeared in court proceedings?

[Arbitrator]

Has anyone else noticed how quiet the "real" AD for the uil has been? We have seen and heard mostly from the other two.
No youtube videos...no pressbox interviews during games...has he appeared in court proceedings?

 

And that's a rather astute observation! Mr. Odenwald, a former, much-respected, football coach, has either voluntarily chosen to keep himself out of this UIL fray or has been told by the  Good UIL Dr. to either get on board the UIL Steamroller or to steer clear of him and his  Dancing Monkey while they do all of the dirty work. If/When the Austin Federal Judge rules favorably for TASO, then through the initial rounds of depositions we should be able to get some initial indication of what anyone with any stroke over there on Manor Road knew, and when they came into knowledge of it. Once those depositions get underway, I would think that you will see that this was a well-planned conspiracy by the  Good UIL Dr. and his  little Simien friend. And I think that it is rather noteworthy that all of these grandiose plans seem to have been perpetrated solely by the UIL Basketball people!   

[blindref757]

The more time that goes by, the less those depositions are going to reveal. 

I said this two years ago, and I still stand behind it.  The UIL should have (and still could) built a better mousetrap and offered the choice.  The free market is always better than a government agency stuffing regulation down the throats of it's subjects.  If the UIL had designed and offered a better organization, better training, better leadership, etc...they could have gotten the keys to the storehouse given to them.

[Arbitrator]

The more time that goes by, the less those depositions are going to reveal. 

I said this two years ago, and I still stand behind it.  The UIL should have (and still could) built a better mousetrap and offered the choice.  The free market is always better than a government agency stuffing regulation down the throats of it's subjects.  If the UIL had designed and offered a better organization, better training, better leadership, etc...they could have gotten the keys to the storehouse given to them.

 

Had the UIL continued to partner with TASO, much as they did during the UIL administrations of both Dr. Farney and Dr. Marshall, we would still be in continuance of having the great relationship with the UIL that we had back then. Dr. Breithaupt almost single-handedly, saw to it that the proven spirit of partnership with TASO was going to come to an abrupt end, moreso to help achieve his own dictatorial ends!   

[Cooter]

Had the UIL continued to partner with TASO, much as they did during the UIL administrations of both Dr. Farney and Dr. Marshall, we would still be in continuance of having the great relationship with the UIL that we had back then. Dr. Breithaupt almost single-handedly, saw to it that the proven spirit of partnership with TASO was going to come to an abrupt end, moreso to help achieve his own dictatorial ends!   

The main reason Dr. B supported the current UIL position was the overwhelming backlash by school supers and AD/s who were being held hostage by TASO chapters who threatened strikes and were negotiating their own fee structures - we all know these were not football chapters - however, we are TASO and suffered collateral damage.   Dr. B does not need or want to be a dictator - we've discussed many times the sports/chapters that caused all the current problems.  You can't blame Dr. B for these issues. 

[TXMike]

This "held hostage" BS does not work for B.O. And it does not work here.  Nobody was "held hostage". 
There were some chapters who elected not to work for UIL scale. That was their right. Nobody should be able to force someone to work for what they are not willing to accept. If they will not accept the pay offered, then those offering the pay just need to hire folks who will work for that fee.

Finally, do you even know the miniscule number of chapters who had an issue with UIL pay rate?  It was a tiny minority. 

[Cooter]

This "held hostage" BS does not work for B.O. And it does not work here.  Nobody was "held hostage". 
There were some chapters who elected not to work for UIL scale. That was their right. Nobody should be able to force someone to work for what they are not willing to accept. If they will not accept the pay offered, then those offering the pay just need to hire folks who will work for that fee.

Finally, do you even know the miniscule number of chapters who had an issue with UIL pay rate?  It was a tiny minority. 

We are all repeating ourselves so no need to go there.  We will continue to agree to disagree.  One a somewhat related subject - have you heard anything on the court status?  Those in my neck of the woods thought something would come down before Christmas.