UIL letter to Sup's about TASO issue

[YTBulldogs]

The following letter below was sent to all Texas Superintendents yesterday. What does everyone read into this?

I kinda get a sense they might wanna do what BOTH sides should of done before any action was thought about---TALK TO ANOTHER. If lawyer$ get involved, this action will be handled at a snails pace on purpose, so the lawyer$ can win regardless the outcome. Hey, let's put Texas athletes first for a change, and ya'll talk like grown ups here.


Dear Superintendents,

The Texas Association of Sports Officials (TASO) filed suit against the UIL on December 3, 2009. TASO does not want officials to be required to register with the UIL. In its pleadings, TASO questions the validity of the rule-making authority of the UIL and the Legislative Council.

The University of Texas Office of Legal Affairs, headed by UT Vice President Patti Ohlendorf and Associate Vice President Leo Barnes, have spent considerable time with Dr. Cousins and myself over the last month as they reviewed a complaint filed with the University by TASO. They have developed a considerable understanding of the issues involved and the positions of the parties.

The University has agreed that we should hire outside counsel for this litigation. We have retained the services of the Law Firm of Lucius Bunton to defend the UIL. Mr. Bunton and his team, including Jack Crier, have represented the UIL in prior cases and have excellent knowledge of our organization.

Kevin Heyburn of the Office of the Attorney General also is on the litigation team. Of course, Patti and Leo will continue to be involved as in-house counsel and legal liaison with outside counsel.

Chairman Rick Reedy has advised us that he is calling a Special Meeting of the Legislative Council to allow interested parties to testify on the previously approved amendment in Section 1204 of the UIL Constitution and Contest Rules. The Legislative Council also may consider whether additional modifications should be made.

The meeting will be called for January 14th 2010. If you have any questions regarding this meeting, please feel free to contact the office.

Charles Breithaupt
Executive Director
University Interscholastic League

[Old Dog]

"It's gona be the UILs way or the highway............as usual" never mind the fact all has been okay for low these many years!!!!

[YTBulldogs]

I just got as gut feeling the UIL will do what's best for the kids, and not create a mess from something that hasn't been broke for 30+ years.

Do we need some tweaking within TASO? Of course. Do we need to be taken over? Of course not. Talking can work these matters out without going to court, that will cost all involved.

[shamu85]

You know, I am sure Dr. Breithaupt is a nice guy. His daughter is definitely a nice person. She was my daughter's sixth grade language arts teacher, and my daughter was very close to her, even planning a class baby shower for her. Thus, I hate to be negative about the man. However, I really don't like the way he is running the UIL. Seems since he took over from Dr. Farney, things have gotten even more authoritarian in the governing of sports. I don't know this Odenwald guy at all, but it seems Dr. Breithaupt is still running the athletics show.

[big daddy russ]

I don't know about all ya'll, but I love the UIL. Best HS athletic governing body in the entire nation. This TASO deal sucks, but I can completely understand the UIL's point of view and can even side with it on some levels.

Only bad move the UIL's made in my lifetime was letting Dallas and Strake Jesuit into the UIL. And I now root for Strake (my brother-in-law plays sports there).

[3afan]

apparantly officials are going to have to "register" with the UIL and pay a $50 fee to be eligible to call varsity games .... and so far I've nothing outlining what we will "get" for our $50.

[TexMike]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
I don't know about all ya'll, but I love the UIL. Best HS athletic governing body in the entire nation. This TASO deal sucks, but I can completely understand the UIL's point of view and can even side with it on some levels.

Only bad move the UIL's made in my lifetime was letting Dallas and Strake Jesuit into the UIL. And I now root for Strake (my brother-in-law plays sports there).

What is UIL's "point of view" that you understand?

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by TexMike
What is UIL's "point of view" that you understand?
From what I've read, seems like they want accountability for all HS sports officials. I don't know how TASO started or why the UIL started "outsourcing," but it's a legitimate request IMO.

If I owned a business, I wouldn't want to be told that I couldn't cut ties with a company even though its employees were doing subpar work.

[TexMike]

Not really a good analogy. The "companies" in this equation are the individual refs. We are independent contractors and the schools are already free to use any of us or not use any of us as they wish. It is more like we are in Union A and UIL has decided to start Union B. The UIL has a monoply over a certain activity and is now attempting to say that people who are engaged in that activity MUST use workers from Union B, not Union A.

[JJWalker]

The Union argument is terrible. This is Texas. JMO

[TexMike]

It is just a word. If you prefer we can say "trade association" or "professional association" or a "guild" or etc etc

[Phantom Stang]

Originally posted by TexMike
It is just a word. If you prefer we can say "trade association" or "professional association" or a "guild" or etc etc
How about "Contracting and dispatching firm", which is a private business?

The UIL on the other hand is The State.

[TexMike]

You are right, that is much more accurate. (Although whether or not the UIL is the "state" is one of the issues in the lawsuit. Seems UIL wanmts to be the state when it suits them but a private entity at other times)

[cotulla]

Tex-Mike - it's a 2 way street.

If you do not want to register with UIL, don't register with UIL. Go call TAPPS games.

As a UIL coach, I want officials that are accountable to UIL, not TASO.

You are right, officials are independent contractors... UIL want's the independent contractors to be held to a certain standard for the betterment of athletics in the state of Texas.

If you choose not to officiate UIL, that's your right.

What is TASO worried about?

If I were a TASO member I'd be asking who's paying for the lawsuit? How much of my yearly $50 fee is going to that lawsuit, and why exactly?

[TexMike]

I do not want to be accountable to UIL I DO want to be(and am) accountable to the schools who hire me. If you do not like my work, don't bring me back. What do you think being accountable to UIL means anyway?

[crabman]

Guess what the UIL is using for money to defend this lawsuit? That 15% they rake off the top from every playoff game in the state!

If they are really a state organization, I would like for someone to file an open records request for their books. They have to have a balance in the millions with as many playoff games as there are every year in every sport.

[TexMike]

Since you asked...


SHOW ME THE MONEY!
Maybe we should look at the UIL and their money.
This is their financial report for07-08: http://www.uil.utexas.edu/policy/pdf/07_08financial_report.pdf

Jumping out at me -
1 - Under membership fees there is no indication any other judge/official involved in UIL events is charged. Only the schools have to pay a membership fee
2 - in the 07-08 year they received a grant from TEA for 3 million to do steroid testing.But they only spent 1.4 million. That left them with 1.6 million They threw that in with all their other income and expenses so even though the end of year showed them up 1.3 million, take out the steroid money and they lost 300,000. The steroid money can only be usedfor steroid testing. (the $750,000 they stand to gain from us would obviously be very beneficial)