New Years Resolutions for 2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all our blogging friends all over everywhere! 2009 was actually a pretty good year (even though we are all now broke!) but 2010 promises to be fantastic...

In order to get ready to fully enjoy the new year, I have set forth the following NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS:

* That I will continue to blog about issues relevant to tennis officiating with a little politics and humor thrown in from time to time.

* That I will try to include pics as often as possible. I have some great ones in my files that haven't even been used yet.

* That I will continue to push for multiple Tournament Director/Referee Workshops around the state. Since they are required, they should be numerous and easily attended.

* That I will continue to point out the existence of the secret Ad Hoc Committee meetings before all Officials Committee meetings. This thing is an abomination and needs to be done away with.

* That I will no longer use Bruce Sampley's name. In the future, I will refer to him as "Sectional Chairman" until he no longer holds that position.

* That I will continue to push for officials schools to be held in months other than January, February, and March. We've been promised change but 2010 will be the year of real proof.

* That I will be as fair to OU and the Aglets as I am to the wonderful Texas Longhorns. Of course, I have always been this way but I have a new resolution to be even more fair!

* That I will frequently share the wisdom of Myron Krueger since he is the wisest Aglet that I know.

* That I will recognize Lee Ann Bain as our Bi-Sectional Official in Texas.

* That I will continue to point out the things that diversity has done to tennis officiating--both good and bad.

* That I will continue to enjoy the meals that many officials in the Metroplex are now enjoying.

These are just a few of my new year's resolutions. I'm not promising I can keep them all but will at least give it a try...

Anyone care to share their resolutions???

News Alert! DIVERSITY Has Come To NCAA FOOTBALL in 2009

Referee Sarah Thomas

DETROIT — Sarah Thomas made history at the Pizza Bowl on Saturday, becoming the first woman to officiate a bowl game when she worked the matchup between Ohio and Marshall.

Thomas is one of five women officiating in major college football, but Pizza Bowl spokesman Tim Moore said she was the first to draw an assignment for a Bowl Subdivision postseason game.

"It was an honor," Thomas said while running off the field with her colleagues after Marshall's 21-17 victory at Ford Field.

Thomas' position as line judge meant that she spent most of the game in front of the Thundering Herd's bench, but the Marshall players didn't pay much attention.

"I noticed her before the game, but that was it," said Marshall running back Martin Ward, the game's MVP. "Once the game started, she was just doing the job that the line judge does in every game we play. It didn't matter that she was a woman at all."

The Age of Lawsuits

Texas Tech coach, Mike Leach, filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction allowing him to coach the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Alamo Bowl on Saturday. Leach was suspended by the university while they investigated his treatment of one of his players.

Looking beyond the pros and cons of this lawsuit, one has to realize that America has truly become the "land of the free and the home of the lawsuit." It seems that players, parents, and officials now regularly turn to the courts to seek remedies for their real and/or imagined wrongs. For instance...

A few years ago the USTA was sued because there were not enough women and lesbian officials in key matches at the Open. I think their words were gender and sexual orientation but I'm sure you know what they mean. The lawsuit was settled for a ridiculously huge amount of money and also has opened the doors for frivilous lawsuits around the country. Here are some of the examples:

* A lawsuit for gender and sexual orientation but nothing about white men over 45...

* A lawsuit threatened by a Texas official if she was not hired to work in a certain area...

* A lawsuit filed because a mother thought her son had been unfairly treated in a tournament.

* A lawsuit threatened because of inflammatory statements made by Texas Section leadership.

* A lawsuit threatened because one official said another official had a big butt.

I'm all in favor of legal remedies for obvious wrongs but I'm not sure what I think about all these new lawsuits.

We would welcome your comments...

ITA Set To Begin--And So Are The Fans!

UT and OU fans sharing a bonding moment...

Some of the more famous UT fans...

One of the more "unique" UT fans...

A little Baylor boy gone wild...

At least our fans aren't as wild as this one...

Wonder where he bought those Aggie things?

OSU fans sharing an interesting insight about the Kansas coach...

The 2010 ITA season kicks off in full gear about the middle of January--and it promises to be a good one! The Big 12 boasts at least 3 or 4 of the top teams in the nation on the men's side and at least 3 good ones on the women's side. TCU and SMU women both promise to be much stronger in 2010 so we have a lot to look forward to!

One of the things that makes ITA tennis so great are the FANS. Personally, I like loud and boisterous matches where the fans really enjoy themselves and are real LOUD! Baylor usually wins the prize for the worst fans but I don't agree with that assessment. From what I hear, that honor belongs to the University of Georgia when you are playing in their dog pit.

Here are some fan pics that I think you will enjoy...

Day After Christmas Male Bonding Trip

Thought ya'll would enjoy seeing the fruits of our labors from a day of male bonding. There ain't nothing like chicken fried rattlesnake with mashed potatoes and gravy...

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all our blogging friends! This has been a great year and we are looking forward to 2010. Snow is headed its way toward Dallas so maybe we will have a white Christmas in the morning.

Have a great holiday!

Interesting Facts About Entry Fees

Listed below is some interesting information gleaned from the 2010 USTA Texas Tournament Schedule book that came out today.

Polar Brrrr Nothing but Doubles Tournament (Austin) 1-22-10

Entry fee: $38.13 per player, doubles only.

Abilene January Winter Classic (Abilene) 1-23-10

Entry fee: $28/singles; $18/doubles per player.

Brookhaven Indoor Doubles Championship (Dallas) 2-5-10

Entry Fee: Doubles $31 per player.

Sunshine Cup (Missouri City) 2-19-10

Entry Fee: $38.13/singles; $28 doubles per player.

Kingwood Spring Open (Kingwood) 3-19-10

Entry Fee: $33 singles Doubles: $27 per partner.

Arlington Tennis Association Spring Open (Arlington) 3-26-10

Entry Fee: $33/singles, $31/doubles per player.

T Bar M Senior & Super Senior (Dallas) 4-15-10

Entry Fee: $38.13/singles; doubles $28 per player

CATA Spring Fling (Austin) 4-9-10

Entry Fee: $33/singles; Doubles $33/player.

San Antonio Fiesta Adult Open (San Antonio) 4-23-10

Entry Fee: $30/singles; doubles $30/player.

Ft. Worth Adult Major Zone (Ft. Worth) 7-23-10

Entry Fee: $31/singles; Doubles $25/player

Cotton Bowl Classic (Dallas) 12-26-10

Entry Fee: $40.28/singles; doubles $30/player.

Draw whatever conclusions you need to draw but its sure a lot cheaper to play tennis in West Texas...

Questions About Meals Being Provided

In our last Board of Directors meeting of the MTOA the policy of requiring meals to be provided was REAFFIRMED. There was no need to institute a new policy since this policy has been in effect since the formation of the MTOA.

We have received numerous emails and posts inquiring about why tournaments are still hiring officials and NOT providing meals.

The only answers I have been able to get is that some referees and tournament directors have agreed not to provide them and then some are saying that it is a NEW policy and doesn't take effect until 2010.

Sadly, neither of these answers are acceptable. TD's and referees should be abiding by the long established policies of the MTOA.

You can be sure this will be a discussion point at the next MTOA board meeting...

Serena: 2009 Female Athlete of the Year

The beauty...

And the beast...

The Associated Press announced today that their winner of the 2009 Female Athlete of the Year is Serena Williams.

Asked about her infamous incident at Wimbledon, Serena had this to say, “People realize that I’m a great player, and one moment doesn’t define a person’s career,” Williams told the AP. “And I was right, for the most part: It wasn’t right the way I reacted—I never said it was—but I was right about the call.”

She also noted that the outburst, which resulted in a record fine and two-year probationary period at Grand Slam tournaments, “got a lot more people excited about tennis.”

Isn't it great to have someone tell us she is a great player...

And then to tell us that she was right about the call... Especially when her foot was on the line!

If that's what it takes to get a "lot more people excited about tennis" then we are in lots of trouble...

Things We Do And Don't Print On The Blog...

Having a blog can be one of the most delightful and exciting experiences you can have--but it can also be difficult at times. People always seem to enjoy reading about gossip and inuendo but then hate it when it points out some of their shortcomings. As the editor of this blog, we have to make decisions about what to print all of the time.

Here are our guidelines on what we consider before we print something:

1. Is it true?

2. Can it be validated?

3. Has it been reported or blogged about on other sites?

This policy has served us well throughout the years and will continue to be our guide. There are times we try to interject humor and a bit of politics, but for the majority of the time we try to deal with issues that confront us as USTA officials in Texas. Some of the things we discuss are quite pointed--and purposely so. We will continue this policy in the future. We will also continue to blog as openly as possible about the dealings of the USTA and the Texas Section.

Any time we point out a specific action that raises doubts and suspicions, we will gladly receive a response from the person or organization in question.

In case you think we only print things we like, here are some tidbits we have received and rejected recently:

* A story about an official in Texas stealing money from tournaments.

* A story about a male official in Texas who is a regular on a porn site--complete with videos and pictures. (The story was bad enough but the videos were disgusting!)

* A story about a male official in Texas who requests to do chairs for certain male players because that official is interested sexually in those players.

* A story about a female pro chair official who was banned from doing a certain player's matches because that official was trying to date/seduce her.

* A story about specific pro officials who are drug and marijuana users.

* A story about the sex lives of some specific officials on the pro circuit.

* A bunch of stories submitted about the affairs that officials are having.

* A story about the financial holdings and dealings of certain Texas officials.

These are stories that we consider to be "over the line" but we will continue to publish truth about issues that concern Texas officials.

Do we need an officials union or just more cooperation?

Seems that this volatile issue has been coming up more and more frequently these days... For years I have heard it said that we need an "officials union" to lobby for more pay and benefits such as unemployment and health care. I've always been "anti-union" for various reasons but lately I have begun to rethink my position.

Let me give you a "for instance"... I am going to use the Metroplex Tennis Officials Association purely as an example. None of this has ever happened here so just remember its a supposition.

Suppose someone who is a member of the MTOA decided that they wanted to have their own officials organization here in the Metroplex so they began to do the following:

1. Enlist others to join their new group.

2. Contact tournament directors and offer to undercut the established pay scale.

3. Promise there would be health care and unemployment benefits for those who join them.

We have had issues here in the Metroplex over small things such as providing meals but never something of this magnitude but we have always been able to work through things and remain solidified as an OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION. A legitimate association can negotiate many things for members but since we are private contractors, I'm not sure we're ready to start asking for health care. I do think it is a critical issue when it comes to forming associations within associations and undercutting established pay scales.

I'm just wondering about this issue. Would love to hear from you...

New addition to the Longhorn family...

Bevo's Son

(Newest addition to the Longhorn family)

BEVO

(The proud father!)

In the midst of all the excitement I realized I have to now figure out how a steer can have a son...

The Legacy of Tiger Woods

Tiger: Stage 1

Tiger: Stage 2

Tiger: Stage 3

And they say a picture is worth a thousand words...

Budgets and Rates...

This is the time of year when all officials associations (and individual officials in the smaller areas) are looking at budgets and rates for 2010. There is a fairly wide range of rates in Texas so we will publish those we have and invite others to chime in...

Austin Rates

USTA Events: Referee: $15/hour Umpires: $12.50/hour w/4 hour minimum

ITA: $135/match with $50 for officials traveling over 50 miles.

Dallas-Ft. Worth Rates

(Metroplex Tennis Officials Association)

USTA Events: Referee: $17.50/hour with 8 hour minimum and meals provided.

Umpire: $15/hour with 6 hour minimum and meals provided.

(rates remain the same for any time over the minimum)

ITA Dual Matches: TCU: $115 per official

SMU, UNT, UTA, and UTD: Referee: $140 Umpires: $125

UIL Dual Matches: $160

Houston

(Houston Tennis Umpires Association)

USTA Events: Referee: $16.25/hour

Chief of Officials: $15/hour

Roving umpires: $13.75/hour

ITA Dual Matches: Referee: $135 Umpires: $125

San Antonio Rates

USTA Events: Referee ($15/hour) Umpires ($12.50/hour)

ITA dual matches: $135

Waco Rates

Regular Dual Match -All officiating team members including Referee $125

Practice Match (vs non D1 team)- All officiating team members including Referee $95

Double Header Duals (same day)-All officiating Team members including Referee $200

Travel allowance(s) from $25-50 as determined by location for officials outside 50 miles

Meals provided for evening matches and double headers

Hotel may be provided when requested and approved in advance on certain matches

Cheerful disposition of coordinator provided at no charge for all matches

** WE WILL UPDATE THIS POST AS WE RECEIVE INFORMATION FROM OTHER AREAS OF THE STATE.

Tis The Season of Spending, Spending, and More Spending

Tis the season to be jolly and to spend, spend, spend... At least that's the way our federal government views the holiday season.

Today the leadership in Congress is proposing to raise the federal debt ceiling an additional $1.8 trillion.

And we thought Santa Claus was the source of all gifts...

Just think of where you are today...

The view this morning from downtown Los Angeles.

Surfers were going crazy with the 50' waves at Oahu. What a great time of the year for surfing!

Scene outside the stadium in Green Bay before the Packers' game last night.

Scene from a midwest snowstorm yesterday...

Picture of an apartment complex in Houston, Texas this past weekend.

Aren't you glad you are where you are...

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen...

President Harry Truman

Years ago Harry Truman penned those famous words, "if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen," and those have been the by-words of people involved in leadership ever since--and rightly so. With a position of leadership comes responsibilities... Here are a few:

* Always tell the truth. If you do, then you don't have to worry about what you told someone.

* Expect criticism. Its part of the job when you are making decisions that affect others. You can't please everyone all the time.

* If you are in an elected or appointed position, you are fair game for criticism. Like Truman said, "if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen..."

* Know what you are doing and talking about before you open your mouth. When you don't, the moment you open your mouth is validation of their criticisms.

Somehow these rules apply to anyone in leadership--and also to us as tennis officials. You're never going to please every parent, player, spectator, or official so just do your best and do it honestly and correctly.

Just in case you think I'm talking only to tennis officials, here is an example in Washington that happened yesterday:

Rep. John Conyers (D)

Conyers got a personal phone call from Obama because he felt that Conyers has been demeaning him before Conyer's committee.

Sounds like someone needs to get tougher skin--or get out of Washington.

President Barack Hussein Obama

(the offended one)

UT: 2009 Big 12 Champions!

In an epic defensive struggle, the University of Texas Longhorns crushed the Nebraska Cornhuskers before a crowd of 80,000 cheering fans. Here are some pictures of the glorious evening...

And who says prayer doesn't work...

The hero of the evening: HUNTER LAWRENCE (kicked the winning field goal with 1 second to go)

UT Players enjoying the victory...

Colt McCoy lifting up the Big 12 Championship Trophy.

Coach Mack Brown holding the trophy high.

The two McDonald children and various friends enjoying the pregame festivities.

The Younger Generation. Absolutely amazing...

The news came out today that Andy Murray's girlfriend, Kim Sears, is dumping him! Nothing new but the reason behind the breakup is...

Seems that Andy plays video games for 7 hours a day and Kim is fed up with it.

Perhaps he developed those biceps playing with the controls of a video game...

Bargain of the Day: A Handshake With Al Gore for Only $1,200

We just wanted to alert all of our blogging friends to a bargain they are offering in Denmark...

Seems that the world renowned expert on global warming, Al Gore, is offering to let you shake his hand for a mere $1,200.00.

You might want to consider giving a couple of vouchers for this privilege as Christmas gifts...

(You might need to hurry since we hear there is a move to take back his Academy Award for the movie he made without basis.)

How much do you think we could get for a handshake with John McEnroe????

America: Land of the Free But Free To Fail?

We truly live in a nation that is free--but have we become a nation that is afraid to fail? Current events tell us that we have indeed become that nation...

* In Texas, school districts are suing over legislation that requires them to give a child the grade they actually made. Districts are asking to give a grade no lower than 50.

* In Texas, the Census Bureau is giving a test for job applicants in which passing is 34%.

We have even let some of this mentality creep into our tennis officiating and the testing of our officials. In the past, we required every official to take a test in a classroom and they had to pass with a minimum score. Today, they just fill out the test at home with open book... And then we wonder why we have some of the problems we have!

Lack of accountability leads to lack of job performance. Perhaps it is time to reassert our standards...

News Update: Global Warming in Plano!

Much to the chagrin of those who espouse global warming, it was noted that snow has been falling all morning in Plano, Texas. Here is a view from my front and back doors along with some footprints by Phoebe (tail pictured). I thought I might forward a copy of this post to Al Gore for his upcoming memoirs...

Billie Jean, Serena, & Elton--What A Combination!

WTT Smash Hits is a charity event co-hosted by Sir Elton John and Billie Jean King and will be on display at LSU on December 8th. Feature players will be Serena Williams, Andy Roddick, Anna Kournikova, and Lindsey Davenport.

What an evening this will be!!!!