Normally I do not feature nor print all the comments I receive, but I just received this one and thought it worthy of a featured spot on our blog. I will comment on it later but I just can't wait to hear your responses to this one...
Here is the comment in its entirety and totally unedited:
Oh my God!!!!!
JEALOUS!!!!!!!!!
When I read this blog I can only see jealous officials who have not made it into the professional line team and are just relegated to working local junior events or ITA (and just hate it) and have nothing better to do but to critize professional chair and line umpires. Let me make it VERY CLEAR that I have nothing against hard working local, and ITA officials who enjoy doing such a wonderful job. They are there to teach the children and college students the rules of the sport. They are the role models for the upcoming generation of tennis players.
As to the individual who speaks so blatantly about the Dallas Challenger I would like to see his or her performance as a line or chair umpire for that matter.
First, you CAN NOT tell if a ball is just in or just out when you see it from the angles were the cameras were at (I also watched it online), but if you are so good that you can tell 100% that a ball is in or out by just looking at the video then let me tell you friend, that you need to contact the ITF and ask them to give you a Gold Badge right away, don't even go through the process of going to the various schools and being evaluated to become the best chair umpire in the world). Second, you can not hear if a chair umpire gave a code violation or not while watching the matches.
I take it this blog is dedicated to officials who have nothing better to do than to critize other officials probably because they are not good enough on court, have no common sense and have nothing better to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!! These people are certainly jealous of those who actually make it to the BIG LEAGUE!!!!!!!!!!!! So instead of just critizing professional umpires come out and work some events and see if you are worthy to be called a tennis official....
Being an official is a wonderful way to be involved in a great sport like tennis so I would hope that next time someone writes something against an official, being a professional or a local, ITA official; that you put yourself in their shoes and actually think why and or why not things are done or not done.
17 comments:
I am sorry that I am only a local or grassroots official and don't measure up to the BIG LEAGUE!!!!!!! I have been a High School Coach for 32 years and a Certified USTA official 22 years. because of coaching, I did not have the time to make it to the BIG LEAGUE!!!!! I have been happy working at this level and I don't think anyone should make a comment like this about Officials that work at the grassroots level and ITA level. I think some of the ones that think like that need to come back to earth before they get a nose bleed.
Robert
While I will not comment at this point, I will say that EVERY SINGLE COMMENT I heard about the Dallas Challenger was from someone who was there in person. Most of them said they were sitting looking down a line so they has good a view as the linespeople.
Hi Robert,
I did not mean to offend officials like you who work hard and have the utmost respect for grassroots. I am just tired of hearing the same thing from the same people who have nothing positive to say and just think that professional officials are the worse thing there is only because they didn't make it. I have always enjoyed working grassroots events and I have learned more at those events than any other.
Again, this message was posted for all those people who do nothing more than critize other officials because they are too afraid to look at themselves and the mistakes they make.
wow that comment was spoken by a true keyboard warrior. I assume the pit bull behind the comment of course did not leave a name.
Oh well get used to it in these days of doom and gloom.
What an Arrogant A## you must be. You are the perfect example of why I DO NOT aspire to work professional events.
I see no reason to dignify your comments with a response and I hope others feel the same way.
By the way: it is criticize (not critize) and criticizing (not critizing). Dumb A##
New class suggestion for USTA officials. "How to handle criticism gracefully and professionally." This wasn't it.
What do you think a new official thinks when they read this?
WOW!!!
This is the perfect example that Diversity Rules!! Hey Anonymous, those professional chair and line umpires are only 'professional' because that's all they can do. They have no life! Any idiot that is available can get that certification.
Most folks have a career, a family, a real life and tennis umpiring is just an added value hobby. For us ITA people, we like the comradeship, the great tennis, the excitement, new players coming into the system every year, and yes, the money too. It's refreshing!! The season is short, you don't have to commit to 7-day weeks and we still get to enjoy our regular life. For those 'professionals' it's just a job and it shows. I've seen these guys just go thru the motions after 2-3 weeks 'on-the-road' of a 6-week schedule.
Ya know, line umpiring, contrary to NYC office hype, is Not Rocket Science. When was the last time any of these 'professionals' had to attend a USTA school?? They've been lead to believe this is a career choice and you can make a real living out of it. Only a handful of people are able to actually say that. They are the pipers leading their flock. You will not find too much intelligence at the top in the USTA or bottom either.
In. Out. In. Out. 15-0. 15-40. Deuce. Game. Time. Game & Set. New Balls. Please no flash photography ladies & gentlemen. Quiet please! Let's play! Trainer to the court. Damm, no double-off today. ------ OK, that's pretty much it. Now everybody is qualified to be a 'professional'. I believe all of us 'Retired Professionals' can observe a match and without much effort size up who (or what) is doing a good job or not. I know I'm sure glad I'm out of that kiss-ass enviornment.
In response to your diatribe, let me set the story straight. I HAVE worked a plethora of professional events as a line and chair umpire from Futures up through the US Open, yes US Open. Back in the day, we were ALL well qualified to work any line and chair any match, and we actually got along with each other. And yes, I used to parade around in my free officiating attire from the US Open and Lipton like I was something special. Then one day, I finally smelled the coffee and realized what a joke officiating professional events had become. Most (not all) chair umpires are arrogant prima donna snobs and it was beneath them to associate with the peasant line persons, unless of course they were trying to hit on them. The line persons themselves became back-stabbing fools with the only objective to outdo their fellow officials so they wouldn’t dare be assigned to the near sideline or center serve, always complaining about how poor the working conditions were and how they were going to quit professional officiating. Yes, those same officials that used to constantly complain are STILL officiating pro events. So what does that say about them as individuals? It wasn’t how GOOD of an official you were, but WHO you kissed up to. And don’t dare pull out of an event because of something more important came up, like REAL work. Once you got on a Supervisor’s bad side, you were done for life.
Those that attempt to quit their day jobs to officiate pro tennis full time are stumbling idiots. Think about it – you get paid below minimum wage working excessively long days for what? You are a bonefide slave; no health insurance, pension, etc. etc. etc. Oh yeah, but you do get to be on TV occasionally, provided of course you are one of the lucky ones to work stadium court on a line within a camera’s sight. In my opinion, those working professional events have a huge insecurity problem, and must seek TV exposure to make up for their inept upbringing.
For example, you have an FBI agent that MUST go on court carrying his concealed handgun, because, according to him, he may be called on to use it. Is this a joke or what?
You have numerous officials complaining when THEY DON’T get assigned to stadium court for big matches, because according to them, they are the BEST officials and none or more worthy than themselves to be working such an important match.
I personally watched many of the matches that were played at the Dallas Challenger. Why is it that many of the players complained about how poor the officiating was? Is it because they can’t see the lines themselves, or was it because many of the officials had to attend a line clinic the night before the start of the tournament to get proper training? If that is true, no wonder why the players were complaining. From what I’ve seen, some of the officials selected to work the Challenger WERE NOT READY for the Big League and probably never will be. And speaking of the chair umpires (not all of them, but a select few), they DID NOT call obvious code violations from cursing to breaking rackets on court. And why not? Only they can explain their reasoning for their ignorance.
I agree being an official is a wonderful way to be involved in a great sport like tennis. Unfortunately, working professional events will taint the psyche of even the most thick skinned person. Remember, it’s not HOW GOOD you are, but WHO YOU KNOW that will get you ahead in professional officiating. For all you fools who think you can do this full time, more power to you. Your stupidity is shining bright. Oh yeah, I must be jealous to run AWAY from all professional officiating like the plague. WHAT A JOKE!!!!
"Jealous officials who have never made it into the professional line team."
What a disgusting thought. I've seen the "professional line team" and find them sadly lacking.
I figure the official who wrote this has been rejected at the higher levels and is now trying to overcompensate. Or, they are a new provisional official who still has stars in their eyes.
Little known fact I learned today:
If you spent $1 million dollars a day every day since Jesus was born--you wouldn't equal the amount of Hussein Obama's stimulus package.
Just a little food for thought...
Oh my God!!!!!
ARROGANT!!!!!!!!!
I take it this [comment comes from an "official"] who [has] nothing better to do than to critize other officials probably because [he/she thinks they are too skilled, too exalted, and much too refined to be] on [a non-pro] court, [but in reality] have no common sense and have nothing better to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The only thing Big LEAGUE!!!!!!!!!!!! about this "official" is his/her ego and fatuity. (Go look it up moron.)
In closing, I'm relatively new to officiating, but I do ITA by choice. I have intentionally not pursued "pro" assignments. And the "I truly appreciate the little people" comment says more about this "official" than he/she realizes.
At least us "little people" still believe in the rules, the code, and PROFESSIONAL ethics.
Just ask some of the ITA coordinators around the state how many times Pranke, Hinueber, Robinson, and Labor have reniged on their commitments.
Enough said.
My only comment about this site is that it seems to focus more on the politics of the officiating community and less on the art of officiating. My perspective is that of a full time attorney who on the side does some ITA matches and some National Jr. tournaments. I certainly don't officiate for money, and really lose money on the deal. I do it for the love of the game, to be close to good tennis, and hopefully to pass along my sense of sportsmanship to a new generation. So I am very hungry for discussion of how to handle particular situations that arise on the court. The training tapes the USTA puts out are good, as far as they go, but they don't cover the waterfront of what I see match to match. As to the politics, I respect the right of those who feel abused by the system to complain, especially if they rely on officiating as a source of income. I would just like to see more nuts and bolts here, or a suggestion as to where I could go to hear/read more nuts and bolts.
We do try to keep a good balance between nuts and bolts and all other issues. Sometimes we may tilt one way a little more than the other.
I really don't know of any other site that deals with nuts and bolts or any other issues for that matter.
I guess you're stuck with us. We'll try to do better in the future. If you have any good questions, please feel free to send them and we'll print it.
Thanks, RM. Here are a couple of things that are fresh on my mind from last weekend.
1. We have a three person crew who works ITA team matches, one for each doubles and then we each monitor two singles. As the singles matches start to end, we collapse down to where eventually there might be two officials on one court and then finally three officials to cover the last singles. With two officials on a court, we have one at the net post and the second back at the fence calling the far outside sideline. What is the optimal placement of the third official? Covering the service line or coverng the other sideline?
2. A recent match demonstrated the adaptability of the human spirit. Knowing that he would a get a code for ball abuse by hitting a ball into the back fence, or over it, a clever young man figured out a way to hit himself with the ball by dropping it in front of his chest and then wacking it backhanded with his racket into his chest. I (and his coach) were frankly so stunned that I did'nt say anything. Is this ball abuse, or just wierd behaviour that we hope the young man will outgrow?
3. And finally, what is the preferred method for handling an outburst in a foreign language? If the tone is harsh and the volume audible on the next court, I tend to tell them to speak english, but they can mutter under their breath in any language they wish. Do you agree?
Well, let's see...
#1. Where are you doing that arrangement for ITA matches? If you drop down to a person at the net and one on the far sideline, I would say that is plenty. Any more might be overkill unless you are having real problems on the match. Is there no chair for the umpire to sit in?
#2. I would pray for the deluded boy and hope he doesn't do permanent damage.
#3. After the first outburst (if I don't understand it) I would caution him about doing it and then code him if he does it again. If he is talking under his breath or to his coach or his partner, I would say nothing.
Hope this helps...
When you get down to 1 court and 3 officials, then wave to the referee and go to the car and leave.
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