An open letter to Ronnie Carter

[Bluebelly]

Clarksville High School and their coaches and booster did an outstanding job at the duals this year. The improvements implemented and the completion of their construction project made for a very well run tournament. I believe that this year's was the best run state duals tournament that I've been to.

 

On another note: the professional development of referees is an admirable endeavor. Attempting to “balance” the representation from the various regions is commendable. Awarding referees for outstanding performance during the season by selecting them for duty at the state tournaments is a good idea.

 

Mr. Carter, I believe that you or members of your staff did participants and fans of this years state duals a disservice in the selection of several officials. In what I assume is an effort to develop, balance, or award officials, unfortunately, several officials that were selected were not ready for the challenge. I believe that they may, at some point, be ready for the rigors and pressure of a state tournament. However, it is not fair to these officials to throw them “into the fire”.

 

Officials at the Super Bowl, the Final Four, the World Series, and the Nationals have to EARN the right to be there. To Tennessee wrestling fans, this past weekend and two weeks away is our Super Bowl. To have officials that are not ready is unfair to all involved. To have some of the best officials in the state sitting in the stands is WRONG.

 

I will not point my finger at anyone official. You were there. If you didn’t see anything that would corroborate my assertions, talk to some D II coaches whose judgment you trust. I say D II because I didn’t see many of the D I matches.

 

Please work hard to get the best officials that TN has to offer at the state tournament. The kids deserve it.

[Sommers]

Clarksville High School and their coaches and booster did an outstanding job at the duals this year. The improvements implemented and the completion of their construction project made for a very well run tournament. I believe that this year's was the best run state duals tournament that I've been to.

 

On another note: the professional development of referees is an admirable endeavor. Attempting to “balance” the representation from the various regions is commendable. Awarding referees for outstanding performance during the season by selecting them for duty at the state tournaments is a good idea.

 

Mr. Carter, I believe that you or members of your staff did participants and fans of this years state duals a disservice in the selection of several officials. In what I assume is an effort to develop, balance, or award officials, unfortunately, several officials that were selected were not ready for the challenge. I believe that they may, at some point, be ready for the rigors and pressure of a state tournament. However, it is not fair to these officials to throw them “into the fire”.

 

Officials at the Super Bowl, the Final Four, the World Series, and the Nationals have to EARN the right to be there. To Tennessee wrestling fans, this past weekend and two weeks away is our Super Bowl. To have officials that are not ready is unfair to all involved. To have some of the best officials in the state sitting in the stands is WRONG.

 

I will not point my finger at anyone official. You were there. If you didn’t see anything that would corroborate my assertions, talk to some D II coaches whose judgment you trust. I say D II because I didn’t see many of the D I matches.

 

Please work hard to get the best officials that TN has to offer at the state tournament. The kids deserve it.

In defense of our officials in the finals, I must admit, while attempting to watch two matches at the same time, I witnessed the best officiating of the year. It was clear that some of our more seasoned and tenured officials were absent, but all-in-all I was impressed.

 

soms

[rasslinfan]

It is my understanding that the officials from this past weekend will not be calling the Individual State Tournament in two weeks. I am in agreement, the best officials are essential at both tournaments and it should not matter from what part of the state they come from. These young kids have worked extremely hard and long to get where they are and they deserve the best officiating.

[cbg]

Sommers,

 

You must not have watched very much wrestling the last few years or you are smoking some bad stuff!!!! The overall officiating was very bad!!!!! Bluebelly was correct, there were several officials in the stands that should have been on the mat. I will point out that Danny Gilbert looked to have had a great tournament.

Edited February 9, 2004 by cbg

[Sommers]

Sommers,

 

You must not have watched very much wrestling the last few years or you are smoking some bad stuff!!!! The overall officiating was very bad!!!!! Walkingvol was correct, there were several officials in the stands that should have been on the mat. I will point out that Danny Gilbert looked to have had a great tournament.

I don't believe I saw Elsie, Hudgins, or Craft in their stripes either. I'm hopeful to see each of these guys the next couple of weeks as well as Neff and Gilbert. Mara can get it done as long as he forgets previous matches he has called and doesn't label.

 

It's a "NEW SEASON" NOW. Different wrestlers, attitudes, slates, and hopefully everyone will look at it that way.

 

Sorry guys, I was trying to be more supportive this time so no one will come back on me or anyone close to me again.

 

Oh well, I guess I failed again. We'll just wrestle through it and hope to break into the top 15.

 

soms

[mjgIII]

Sommers,

 

You must not have watched very much wrestling the last few years or you are smoking some bad stuff!!!! The overall officiating was very bad!!!!! Walkingvol was correct, there were several officials in the stands that should have been on the mat. I will point out that Danny Gilbert looked to have had a great tournament.

I wonder if those officials in the stands, and some other good ones who I didn't see, wanted to call and just were not asked or were given the option of duals OR individuals, or were asked and declined (some have other lives besides wrestling)? It seems that in our quest to be "fair" to all areas we deny ourselves the most competent officials. How does that selection process occur?

[Sommers]

Sommers,

 

You must not have watched very much wrestling the last few years or you are smoking some bad stuff!!!!  The overall officiating was very bad!!!!!  Walkingvol was correct, there were several officials in the stands that should have been on the mat.  I will point out that Danny Gilbert looked to have had a great tournament.

I wonder if those officials in the stands, and some other good ones who I didn't see, wanted to call and just were not asked or were given the option of duals OR individuals, or were asked and declined (some have other lives besides wrestling)? It seems that in our quest to be "fair" to all areas we deny ourselves the most competent officials. How does that selection process occur?

M. Parker & RC were there observing this and will adjust accordingly.

 

soms

[tnsmokediver]

It is my understanding that the officials that attend the state events are there on recommendations by their association's assigning officer's recomendation. Our assigning officers see us throughout the year and know more of our capabilities than someone who sees us maybe once at the rules meetings. Mr Carter makes the decision on who will call the event based on those recomendations. Anyone who has ever put on the stripes knows that we are all capable of having a bad day or even a bad. We have all had a bad day at work when nothing seems to go right for us. Being an official is no different than that. I have officiated for 13 years and have had an off day or two. We all suffer one one inescapable problem....we are human. Even 30 year vetran officals have the same problem. The 1984 World Series showed that (boy I just really dated myself). The NFL has had some really great officials who have made some really close bang bang calls this year only to have them overturned by instant replay (this in no way implies I want instant replay for us). They didn't miss the call because they were bad but because they called what they saw in the blink of an eye. Wrestling is no different. when you get to see officials in an environment like this where we all come from different areas you see different methods of officiating, even different interpretations of rules. I have seen that from state to state on little aspects of the rules. Until you have put on the stripes and been in the hot seat you will never know what it's like to be there.

[Drem2Achev]

that is the problem they are there without any input from the coaches the coaches know what goes on who is good who is bad and who can do the job evedently the tssaa and the evaluation staff do not do a very good job the quality of officiating is bad and what they get paid is crazy alot of schools can not afford home quads because of the cost. coaches need imput.

[mjgIII]

the quality of officiating is bad and what they get paid is crazy alot of schools can not afford home quads because of the cost.

I disagree. I've been there and you couldn't pay me twice what they make to call again. Well, maybe middle school. Most officials do it for the love of the sport and face it, no one is getting rich. I firmly believe, to a man, that everyone of them is doing his best. What's needed, in my opinion, is mandatory continued education and some sort of skills review. Coaches maybe required to fill out an evaluation form after each match and mail it into the TSSAA or head of officials-not as the final say-but to spot trends. MORE pay wouldn't be a bad idea either. It's not like we have an over-abundance of guys lined up to do the job.

[best_of_the_west]

A ref's pay is about the same as 10-15 people's admission. If you can't make that much at a quad, your area is going down fast.

[oneblindref]

It should not be left up to the coaches, then it becomes a popularity contest. The fans always have an opinion on the close calls, if the call goes there way they love you , if it does not go there way your the worst ref in the world.