9/30/2010 - Stop The Insanity
Remember a few years ago those annoying weight-loss commercials that featured the crazy-looking lady with the Billy Idol hair cut?
Her name was Susan Powter and despite how irritating those spots were everyone remembers her slogan, “STOP THE INSANITY.”
Well, with apologies to Ms. Powter, I feel her tagline is perfect for what is going with the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association and Assembly John Burzichelli’s quest to ruin the organization.
Burzichelli (D-Paulsboro) has been after the NJSIAA for years and has made this quest personal despite what he says about saving the public money by lowering state tournament ticket process.
He pushed for an investigation by the State Commission of Investigation of the NJSIAA and the group came out with its findings this week.
The SCI, an organization that is also fighting for its existence as it is one of the groups on Gov. Chris Christie’s chopping block, found that the state wasted $800,000 over the last years despite crying poormouth.
The NJSIAA spent money on banquets, Christmas cards and other items the SCI felt were frivolous. The most damning finding was how the NJSIAA had no financial accountability and that executive director Steve Timko was the final say on the majority of all approvals.
(To read the report check out nj.com and also read all of Steve Politi’s columns, he has a great take on the situation.)
There are some serious issues the state has to address, but nothing criminal was found. I repeat, nothing criminal was found.
So instead of implementing some changes like forcing the state to hire an accountant, why is Burzichelli introducing legislation to dismantle the whole group?
Because he can and this is a complete power grab by the Assemblyman from Paulsboro and he will destroy high school athletics as we know it and that is horrible.
Burzichelli is proposing that high school athletics should fall under the Department of Education which can than choose to assign it to the New Jersey School Boards Association, a group that Burzichelli once felt was out of control in its spending. My, how things change, huh?
Under his plan schools would no longer pay the $2,150 membership fee it does to the NJSIAA now and the money to run sports would come from the dues the schools already pay to the board.
He said he wants to keep all the rules and regulations of the NJSIAA and its mission of running high school athletics. So why destroy the group when you are basically keeping all the rules?
Because it’s personal. There is no other way to look at it. Burzichelli has already said that everyone in the NJSIAA will be afforded an opportunity to apply for a new job under his plan except the six directors.
His disdain for them and the whole organization is evident, illustrated by this quote from the Star-Ledger: “Bottom line is I don’t know how educated people can be so dumb. I don’t think they can fix it. They haven’t been able to, and this makes me think that they just can’t.”
I think the same can be said about you Mr. Assemblyman and your colleagues in the New Jersey legislature when it comes to running the state. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.
Ok, so say the lemmings in the legislature follow Burzichelli’s lead (he already has the backing of his South Jersey buddy, Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver.) and this is passed. What then?
He wants the changes implemented by next school year and he wants Timko to help. Yeah, right. NJSIAA attorney Mike Herbert said that Timko will not help in something that is illegal as he views Burzichelli’s actions.
“What’s at risk now is the independence of high school sports,” Herbert told the Ledger. According to the Ledger, Delaware is the only state that does not have an independent organization running its high school sports.
What about the non-public schools? They don’t answer to the Department of Education, so what will they do? Burzichelli said they will be invited to join the new group at the same rate they are paying now of $2,150.
This could be a blessing and a curse for the non-publics. One theory is that they would ban together and form their own group like they do in New York City and if they do that, than the kid gloves are off.
If you think non-publics have an advantage now, wait and see what happens when there are no rules for them. They would be able to actively recruit, and why not, they are privately run and receive no state aid.
It could also kill some small non-public programs which won’t be able to compete against the bigger schools. I think in that case, some of the smaller non-publics would join the new group.
All in all, it is just a mess. We have reached critical mass here and the possibility of the NJSIAA no longer existing is a distinct possibility. Timko said the group won’t go down without a fight, which means this could be tied up in the courts for years and that is no good either.
So now is the time for people who love and follow high school athletics to stand up and contact your local Assemblyman and Senator and tell them to vote “No”.
People in the Mugs Media area should contact Sen. Steve Oroho and Assembly members Gary Chiusano and Alison McHose, who represent the 24th District. Tell them what you think.
All three played sports in Sussex County in their youth. Chiusano is member of the Sussex County Sports Hall of Fame for his exploits at the old Franklin High and Oroho and McHose went to Pope John. In fact, Oroho is still very involved in PJ athletics.
Now is the time because Burzichelli is not going away and Gov. Christie, who reaped the benefits of playing in a NJSIAA state final in baseball for Livingston in 1980, said in The Record, “I’m not going to be reluctant to do something like that because I’ve done it a bunch of times already and there is nothing special about the NJSIAA.”
Wow. What an indictment.
Get on the horn people and let your feelings be known. Yes, the NJSIAA needs to clean up its house, but Burzichelli wants to use a sledgehammer to kill a bug instead of a flyswatter.
STOP THE INSANITY.
That’s it for now, see you on the sidelines.
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