A "Brilliant" Sports Columnist Weighs in on UIL/TASO

[TXMike]

So now if a non-UIL official penalizes a player or team from a UIL school it is due to the lawsuit? ? ?

http://www.sealynews.com/sports/article_0d26fa14-190e-11e0-8879-001cc4c03286.html

[Arbitrator]

 

Well, I'd almost bet the farm that the basketball officials in question actually had those cute little black UIL logos on their gray striped shirts and black jackets. Can't exactly speak to the the football officials at Wimberly. But in any event, it looks as if the Sealy sports editor is busy trying to wave a "red herring!"

So I guess the UIL will now provide hours upon hours of countless training to help circumvent this problem where TASO hasn't. Give me a break!   

[Welpe]

I am 99% percent certain those officials were not from the Houston UIL chapter.

I'm not sure I get anything out of that article other than "We wuz robbed!"

[Mark Liggett]

 Can't exactly speak to the the football officials at Wimberly. But in any event, it looks as if the Sealy sports editor is busy trying to wave a "red herring!"

Rest assured, this is entirely inaccurate:  "Against Wimberly, the Tiger football team received the tar, when Ricky Seals-Jones blasted over the goal line to secure a victory.  Only one of the three officials present made the call that his “knee touched the ground” before the score.  Subsequent film reviews proved otherwise. It cost Sealy a perfect 10-0 season record."  Additionally, the official in question used a verbal abuse style of approach with Sealy players, and in protesting for his team, head coach Jimmie Mitchell was ejected.

Not only is the quote in accurate, but the game was played at the end of September, no team was anywhere near a perfect season at that point and everyone knows it's 'week to week'.  Way Way Way too much rear view mirror analysis going on here......if this "brilliant" sports writer was even at the game he was nowhere near the sideline or he wouldn't have made such an uneducated claim.

The coach was ejected, but no official (they were/areTASO) used verbal abuse towards any player or coach - it was quite the other way around and (out of respect for the players, coaches and officiating crew) can't & shouldn't be repeated on any internet post.  This instance has been discussed ad nauseum so that similar environments officials find themselves in the future are handled CORRECTLY - as this one was handled CORRECTLY.  Something I doubt the UIL would put as much effort into as does TASO.

[BankerRef]

Rose colored glasses.  He is just a guy with a small platform who has lots of opinions that are grounded in few facts.  I hope they printed this on the editorial page because it can't be called news.

[badref]

And God love those guys for three-maning a game. It had to be only three right? That's what the genius said in his column.

[refereebrent]

I just sent this to the publisher and editor.
Good morning. I just read the article/column by Ben Cunninham concerning the "state of sports officiating" and I thought I would share my 2 cents with you. I would love to discuss it in more depth with Mr Cunningham or you to bring the feelings of the other side into it. I will tell you up front I am not a basketball official so I do not feel qualified to discuss those incidences. I am a proud member of the TASO Houston Football Chapter and will, Lord willing, begin my 19th season of officiating Texas High School football this fall. I am a firm believer that Texas has the best players, coached by the best coaches, and officiated by the best official in America. College and the NFL are filled with many official, including four current NFL official from my chapter.
I have had the honor and privilege of calling varsity games for Sealy going back to the days of Coach Mills. I always look forward to our trips to Tiger Stadium. I have a lot of respect for Coach Mitchell and his staff. I think he is a pretty nice guy and a very good coach. Both myself and my crew have great respect for Coach Mitchell and his staff, and his players. I think 99% of the working officials do as well.
On the issue of the UIL VS TASO, it has its roots in sports other than football. Most athletic directors and coaches say they never had any problems from TASO football. The way Titke 1204 was written many years ago required on TASO officials to call and officiate varsity contests in Texas. The change in rewriting 1204 and replacing TASO with UIL registered officals was viewed first as a slap in the face and second as a huge money grab for the UIL by most officials. If every TASO official in every sport registered with the UIL, it would bring in over $750,000 annually to their bank account. As with why anything is done, sometimes all you need to do is follow the money. One of my main gripes is who will provide trainingfor the officials? The UIL has not thought this out. They seem to think that TASO will, but if the UIL makes TASO obsolete, why should they stick around. Also, who willbe my advocate? The UIL board is filled with past coaches, and no officials. A former basketball coach was hired to be the UIL head of officiating, but all he wants to do is yell at officals and try to strongarm them in joining.
Personally I would love to see the UIL and TASO come to a peaceful understand where we could each get back to uor jobs. I think that could happen if some on the UIL would see fit to save face and listen to us and also negotiate honestly. A lot of falsehoods and out and out lies have come from Austin. I would humbly suggest listening to both sides in this matter instead of just reporting one side. I know this was an opinion piece and not real news (hence the reporter's bias) but I thought we still need the press to honestly and fairly report both sides.
I am horrified and disgusted by the words your reporter wrote when he called some officials unsavory characters and mavericks. He also seems to think we want the lawsuit as a way to get rich. Has he actually looked at the lawsuit. I have. We are not asking for riches or money. We just want things to go back to the way they were for years. The lawsiut is not about money and never has been (except for the money the UIL wants to take from every official in the state of Texas and give us nothing in return). Most officials would probably not object to paying a small fee to the UIL as long as TASO still had a say in things. Right now if the UIL takeover is allowed, TASO will be gelded of any power and personally I think Texas high school sports willbe the losers.
Does the author know how the officials are picked for varsity games? Does he know that Coach Mitchell and his opposing coaches pick the referee and his crew? Only on subvarsty is it not known. All high school football coaches know in July who will be officiating each and every game, both home and away. It is not a suprise.
I could discuss this for hours and in more lenght that I am not. I would ask for fair and balanced reporting on the issue. I also remind the author that we do not have instant replay in Texas high school sports. If a call is missed, then that shows the human side of officiating, not a "maverick" (your words, not mine) out to get a school or player.
We have real jobs. Officiating is nnot our main occupation. It is an advocation we enjoy and live for. If you were to take the pay for an average Sealy varsity game, and divide it by when we get to the stadium to when we leave, it would suprise you how little it would be per hour. We do not do it for money or riches but for the love of the game. Here it is January 6th and myself and my crew are already starting our preseason workouts and preparation. We and all officials attend numerous classes and clinics each year at our own expense. I know when I pay taxes on my officating, I lose money every year. I do this not for money but for love of the game. The vast majority of my brothers and sisters in stripes feel the same way.
Please feel free to contact or call me about this.

[george7244]

the idiot that wrote that article is the one who should be "tarred and feathered". what a jackoff

[RMR]

If all the schools are part of UIL, then how do the officials decide which team to screw?

[DallasLJ]

All I can say is "Wow".  This guy truly is brilliant.

[TexDoc]

Unfortunately, this is all opinion and nothing he says is based in fact or on research.  If had taken the time to actually do some research, he would have found that UIL's grand scheme of registering officials has nothing to do with ensuring consistency amongst officials across the state.  In fact, by virtue of the UIL not have any type of training program in place, the opposite would have happened.

Poor little pitiful Sealy.  If those calls and ejections would have been against their opponents, I wonder if Ben would still have written this sorry piece of "journalism."  If the football coach had not been on the 3 yard line to protest the call and curse, maybe he might not have been ejected. 

[mobetta285]

I did notice that the alleged "writer" failed to mention the number of F-bombs that the coach dropped, at the 3-yard line, in the CENTER OF THE FIELD!!! Of course, that would be too much like journalism 101 wouldn't it? That coach wanted to be tossed, from the opening kick-off, by berating the Headlinesman, especially after his QB threw a pick six.

[TxSkyBolt]

Just curious under what rule the coach was ejected.

thanks,

Brad

[TXMike]

Sounds like "flagrant" unsportsmanlike conduct to me.

[TxSkyBolt]

Sounds like "flagrant" unsportsmanlike conduct to me.

Mike, I think only players and substitutes can be disqualified for USC.

Best regards,

Brad

[TXMike]

Report me to UIL then

[Arbitrator]

 

I was thinking that the  Good UIL Dr., in better times, had issued a verbal decree at the General Membership Meeting/Question and Answer Session a while ago, (back when TASO held their State Meeting in El Paso) that a Football Coach could certainly be ejected from a game so long as a report to the UIL followed it up.   

[Mark Liggett]

Mike, I think only players and substitutes can be disqualified for USC.

Best regards,

Brad

While the rulebook does only refer to players and substitutes, any coach can be ejected for the same actions as did this coach - and the UIL has/had clarified that they expect coaches to be subject to that penalty.  Regardless of the time remaining and # of times it happened, to defend (not that you are Brad) in any way the actions and words used by this coach in this situation is tantamount to simply throwing out the rules altogether.  How can anyone, who claims to be a proponent to the rules and good sportsmanship possibly consider anything other than an ejection?  How can any sportswriter continuously (this is the 2nd article) bring this up as some sort of unjust outcome without gathering the facts?  My dad was a coach, AD, principle and superintendent - granted it wasn't in TX but I can guarantee (without fear that he's disagreeing with me from above) that had any coach who worked for him said 1/2 what was said on this field a 1 week suspension would not have been the end of it.

I do find some humor in the title of the article - "From the Sidelines".  It would seem that could also be applied to other things too, like his knowledge, career, etc......

There are really only 4 things to remember here:
1.  No one wants to toss a coach.
2.  No one sets out to toss a coach.
3.  No official should be cussed out at the 3 yd line in the middle of the field.
4.  Any coach, or anyone who does this should be tossed.

[TxSkyBolt]

I was thinking that the   Good UIL Dr., in better times, had issued a verbal decree at the General Membership Meeting/Question and Answer Session a while ago, (back when TASO held their State Meeting in El Paso) that a Football Coach could certainly be ejected from a game so long as a report to the UIL followed it up.  

But the rules under which we operate don't provide for a coaches ejection, short of physical contact.

[Arbitrator]

But the rules under which we operate don't provide for a coaches ejection, short of physical contact.

 

Where I was going with this was that I was under the impression that an ejection of a coach was permissable by UIL doctrine under the UIL Exceptions to the NCAA rulebook, (i. e. 12 minute quarters, et. al.) However, please feel free to correct me if I'm mistaken on this!   

[TexDoc]

Brad,

UIL rules allow for coaches' ejections.  It happens in sv games much more often than varsity.  In fact, varsity coaches ejections are very rare.  When a situation escalates to the point that an ejection is warranted, it just makes logical sense that an ejection needs to happen.  It happens in other sports all the time.  And yes, I understand their rules code may specifically detail how and when this is done.

If a coach meets me at the 3 yard line after a score and verbally abuses me, that might be the first time I have ever ejected a coach.  From what I have heard of this situation, it was simple the best course of action.  He needed to go.

UIL rules specifically detail what happens following a coaches ejection from any sport, so logic says ejections, although quite rare for football, are expected to happen at some point.

[TxSkyBolt]

Not trying to be argumentative, but I just looked at the UIL exceptions again and there is no provision for ejecting a coach for an USC, unless it's fighting.  Is the rule you speak about in another area?

Best regards,

Brad

[Arbitrator]

Not trying to be argumentative, but I just looked at the UIL exceptions again and there is no provision for ejecting a coach for an USC, unless it's fighting.  Is the rule you speak about in another area?

Best regards,

Brad

 

But wouldn't the Referee have the elastic authority contained in the NCAA Football Rules to be able to rule on any situation that is not specifically covered in the rules? Ergo, the ejection from the game of coaching personnel whose sordid actions are considered to detrimental to the overall conduction of the games officiating?   

[NTXRef]

Not trying to be argumentative, but I just looked at the UIL exceptions again and there is no provision for ejecting a coach for an USC, unless it's fighting.  Is the rule you speak about in another area?

So, what is your point.   Is there no circumstances that you would eject a coach for verbal abuse?

[DallasLJ]

So, what is your point.   Is there no circumstances that you would eject a coach for verbal abuse?

  No authority under the NCAA rules (except for physical contact).  When looking at the UNC rules, the DQ language is specifically restricted to players and substitutes.