Cockers, I don't doubt that you know that certain parties who are generally not known to the average supporter hold strong positions within the various committees. However, I know quite a few people who know Cecil Watson, Winker's da, and describe him as a man who has given up huge tracts of his life, free of charge, in service of Malone, Ulster & Irish Rugby.Cockatrice wrote:Watson is the king maker and his position with UR appears to be much much more than a simple unpaid committee man.... WHy and how come...
Indeed may the lads could enquiry as to why he is Kingmaker? Then again doubt it so about an interview with Terry on how his World Domination is getting on? Then again doubt that.. you bastions or the free press took the bump with me the day I asked if the podcasts were being recorded at UR. It was a simple comment that for some reason was taken as an accusation which of course it wasn’t..
Now I do not personally know him but I respect the opinion of the people I am talking about at least 2 of whom know him quite well & very well. Are pals sticking together? Maybe but I know nothing of his role as "kingmaker", so feel free to give me chapter and verse, either here or by PM.
I have also been doing a bit of digging around a few people who may know what sort of "rewards/perks" are available to committeemen.
As far as I can discern:
- the President in his year of office gets free trips for himself & spouse to all Ulster away games that season and all Ireland games that season. These are not exactly freebee weekends as there are duties to perform. Some other Branch Officers get some but not all trips at branch expense.
- No other committeeman or past president gets free travel
- Committeemen get a seat in the box at Spanners +1, about 2 free dinners a season & the occasional drink FOC and the entitlement to buy 2 international tickets.
As far as I can discover, that's it. However, I understand that nobody has an unchallengeable place for life on any committee, all are sent to Spanners by their clubs, those who don't pull their weight are easily removed. Almost everyone involved does it because they are immersed in what's good for their clubs & Ulster for more or less no reward, aka for the love of the game.
I don't doubt that some may be addicted to it, but I also understand that volunteers to do the work involved are hard to come by, certainly, it's not something I would be remotely interested in. It is a substantial undertaking and regular non-attenders at various committees do not last.
There is no doubt that in a mainly amateur game, volunteers keep the game going. I respect those willing to give up their time.
Of course, that is my take on it based only on very minor research. If there is any abuse of position involved then that should be properly investigated, discussed here even, but my fear is that the regular suggestions here, and not exclusively from you by any means, several others involved, is that good people are lumped together as living high on the hog as freeloaders when that seems to be grossly unfair and untrue, for largely many many hours for scant reward.