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Texas Topics / Re: interesting $ numbers for championship game officials payments
« Last post by Etref on Yesterday at 04:03:31 PM »👍
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National Federation Discussion / Re: Familiar name in Referee Mag
« Last post by Tom.OH on Yesterday at 03:52:56 PM »Thanks, guys, for the kind words. I've been lost in space (couldn't log on) for the last few days and couldn't respond. IMHO, the 'fainfare' I've recieved is mostly about my last game being on my 80th birthday. I believe it was Pope Gregory that re-wrote our current calander, so I can blame him
. At our NFHS rules meeting, an editor of Referee Mag. dropped off several copies to me. I've been called several @#$%&* things before, but never a "Maine Legend"
.
Congratulations on a remarkable career. Keep posting here about Bubba, the prom queen, the prom queens mom...
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Texas Topics / Re: interesting $ numbers for championship game officials payments
« Last post by ElvisLives on Yesterday at 12:53:04 PM »I learned at a young age that Texas was big…
I live in Lubbock, about at the base of the ‘panhandle’ portion of Texas. About 10 hours drive from Houston, and a mere 5 1/2 hours from Fort Worth (add another 30-45 minutes to Dallas). Back in my FBS days, I could certainly fly to El Paso, for UTEP games, but my job, at the time, was moderately stressful, and I discovered that driving to El Paso was 6-hours of peace and quiet. So I always drove to UTEP games.
I had the Liberty Bowl in Memphis around 2005. As directed, I contacted the “bowl people” to make travel plans. When I told them where I live, they said that the “official airline” of the bowl did not service Lubbock, and that I would have to get to Houston to catch a flight from there. “Ma’am, I’m not sure you realize how big Texas is. That’s about 10 hours away by car. Another 4 hours and I could be in Memphis.” They gave me a voucher for future travel from Houston (which, you’ll be shocked to hear, I was never able to use before it expired). I covered my entire travel for that game.
Yep, we’re big. We just need to secede and be our own country.
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Texas Topics / Re: interesting $ numbers for championship game officials payments
« Last post by dammitbobby on Yesterday at 12:50:21 PM »Ralph I definitely agree that it's not about the money; but, since we have a pay structure that has variables, it's our responsibility to make sure that the pay we receive is accurate and correct, since we don't know how it calculated by the schools. This is how it is calculated by UIL for championship games, but officials are simply told what the pay amount is, not how it is calculated.
This is believed to be a very wide-spread problem in Texas (underpayment for games) which is further complicated by the fact that many officials are hesitant to use 'trust but verify' since coaches can pick officials and crews and they don't want to make waves. Schools are not required to provide a 'paystub' or equivalent to the contractors (i.e., officials) that work their games, so the vast majority of officials have no idea if they're being paid correctly or not (and I definitely don't think overpayment is a concern, on either side.) I have suggested that the paysheet provided by TASO be modified to give schools an opportunity to 'fill in the blanks' on the different variables that make up pay so that officials can more easily see how it was calculated, but haven't gotten anywhere with that yet. (I've yet to work a job - any formalized job - where the employer did not provide, or was not required to provide, a pay stub that shows how the pay was computed... except for officiating. And that needs to change.)
The intent of this is not to brag or be boastful about pay, but to bring transparency to the process and educate Texas officials on how this works, and start to drive change. I had to do three FOIA requests to get this information as it's not publicly available, then wait 2-3 weeks for a response on each... sunshine is a great disinfectant.
This is believed to be a very wide-spread problem in Texas (underpayment for games) which is further complicated by the fact that many officials are hesitant to use 'trust but verify' since coaches can pick officials and crews and they don't want to make waves. Schools are not required to provide a 'paystub' or equivalent to the contractors (i.e., officials) that work their games, so the vast majority of officials have no idea if they're being paid correctly or not (and I definitely don't think overpayment is a concern, on either side.) I have suggested that the paysheet provided by TASO be modified to give schools an opportunity to 'fill in the blanks' on the different variables that make up pay so that officials can more easily see how it was calculated, but haven't gotten anywhere with that yet. (I've yet to work a job - any formalized job - where the employer did not provide, or was not required to provide, a pay stub that shows how the pay was computed... except for officiating. And that needs to change.)
The intent of this is not to brag or be boastful about pay, but to bring transparency to the process and educate Texas officials on how this works, and start to drive change. I had to do three FOIA requests to get this information as it's not publicly available, then wait 2-3 weeks for a response on each... sunshine is a great disinfectant.
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National Federation Discussion / Re: Familiar name in Referee Mag
« Last post by toma on Yesterday at 12:46:51 PM »Ralph, Thank you for all you have done. you make it a joy to read your posts. You keep us informed in the best way.
You are the best
You keep us informed in the best way.You are the best
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Texas Topics / Re: interesting $ numbers for championship game officials payments
« Last post by Ralph Damren on Yesterday at 12:18:20 PM »I learned at a young age that Texas was big by retrofitting giant machines in the Dallas area for my then employer back in the late 60's. Your payscale for officials illustrates that . In Maine, all sports officials earn $97.50 /game regular season; times 1.25 post-season, times 1.50 championship. I probably speak for many who officiate, not for the money, but for staying in the game that we love.
. In Maine, all sports officials earn $97.50 /game regular season; times 1.25 post-season, times 1.50 championship. I probably speak for many who officiate, not for the money, but for staying in the game that we love. 7
National Federation Discussion / Re: Familiar name in Referee Mag
« Last post by NVFOA_Ump on Yesterday at 09:45:57 AM »Thanks, guys, for the kind words
Thanks for all that you've contributed for NFHS, the State of Maine officiating, and on this discussion board. Congratulations and kudos well deserved.
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National Federation Discussion / Re: Familiar name in Referee Mag
« Last post by ElvisLives on Yesterday at 09:44:04 AM »Thanks, guys, for the kind words
Be PROUD, my friend, be PROUD! The respect and honor is earned and deserved.
May God bless you and you family.
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National Federation Discussion / Re: Familiar name in Referee Mag
« Last post by Ralph Damren on Yesterday at 09:29:15 AM »Thanks, guys, for the kind words . I've been lost in space (couldn't log on) for the last few days and couldn't respond. IMHO, the 'fainfare' I've recieved is mostly about my last game being on my 80th birthday. I believe it was Pope Gregory that re-wrote our current calander, so I can blame him . At our NFHS rules meeting, an editor of Referee Mag. dropped off several copies to me. I've been called several @#$%&* things before, but never a "Maine Legend" .
. I've been lost in space (couldn't log on) for the last few days and couldn't respond. IMHO, the 'fainfare' I've recieved is mostly about my last game being on my 80th birthday. I believe it was Pope Gregory that re-wrote our current calander, so I can blame him . At our NFHS rules meeting, an editor of Referee Mag. dropped off several copies to me. I've been called several @#$%&* things before, but never a "Maine Legend" .10