In defense of the refs ...

[HuskylnSC]

The game for a ref is a continuous string of see and react. An inexperienced has a running analysis of the play and interprets the action. For an experienced ref the calls become more instinctive and quicker. All refs get into a flow of the game. They get used to playing at a certain speed.

These refs do many games of teams that are incapable of playing at the speed UConn or Notre Dame can play. They might do a month of games involving teams that play at 40 to 50 percent of the UConn speed. In these games these calls are made at the pace of the game.

Now imagine after a month of these slower games, you find yourself at the XL center in a game that is twice as fast as your internal call clock is used to running. It's not that you miss a call. It's that by the time you are ready to call, the play has moved on and the ball is half way down court and you can't make a call that happened 2 or 3 seconds ago.

It's my opinion that the NCAA needs a special group of highly qualified refs that only do the upper echelon teams. That will keep the refs honed to provide the best service to the teams and the fans.

 

[HoopsFan21]

The game for a ref is a continuous string of see and react. An inexperienced has a running analysis of the play and interprets the action. For an experienced ref the calls become more instinctive and quicker. All refs get into a flow of the game. They get used to playing at a certain speed.

These refs do many games of teams that are incapable of playing at the speed UConn or Notre Dame can play. They might do a month of games involving teams that play at 40 to 50 percent of the UConn speed. In these games these calls are made at the pace of the game.

Now imagine after a month of these slower games, you find yourself at the XL center in a game that is twice as fast as your internal call clock is used to running. It's not that you miss a call. It's that by the time you are ready to call, the play has moved on and the ball is half way down court and you can't make a call that happened 2 or 3 seconds ago.

It's my opinion that the NCAA needs a special group of highly qualified refs that only do the upper echelon teams. That will keep the refs honed to provide the best service to the teams and the fans.

I thought this was already done which is why we seem to always have the same officials (Dee Kanter, Brian Enterline, etc.) frequently in our biggest games?

 

[Zanzman]

I’m not complaining bout the refs

 

[bags27]

Hardest job I ever had, and mercifully I was fired after a dozen or so games.

That's such an interesting point, that refs need special preparation or mental conditioning to work a very fast paced game. The thing is, though, that I felt the calls weren't just subpar in fast break moments, but in half-court sets. It just seemed as if they had a "theory" about the game, rather than actually react to what they saw. Of course, they didn't. I had a theory that they had a theory

 

[rugbymate]

There were less fouls called in the ND game than any of our other games against ranked teams....this was a physical game and the refs let them play....nothing wrong with that...its actually more fun to watch....however, it does leave a lot to complain about

 

[JordyG]

There were less fouls called in the ND game than any of our other games against ranked teams....this was a physical game and the refs let them play....nothing wrong with that...its actually more fun to watch....however, it does leave a lot to complain about

The problem is fans complain when the refs call too many fouls in a big game, and then they turn around and complain when the refs let them play. Ya can't win from losin'.

 

[Alydar]

The one consistent thing about officiating is that in any given game the homer boards of each team will have posts complaining about the unfairness (to their team) of the refs.

 

[Plebe]

I've always said that no one should complain about the officiating until they've tried doing it themselves.

I'll also say that basketball has to be one of the hardest sports to officiate. There are 10 bodies involved in countless contact incidents that require instantaneous decisions as to what is allowed and what isn't.

As if the technical challenge weren't hard enough, you have both benches plus god knows how many spectators constantly assaulting your dignity throughout the entire two hours.

 

[jaundicedeye]

The one consistent thing about officiating is that in any given game the homer boards of each team will have posts complaining about the unfairness (to their team) of the refs.

My visit to McGraw's Bench - NDNation.com this morning confirmed just that. I got a kick out of their take on things. It appeared that the biggest complaint was that Arike Ogunbowale's charging foul against Lou was bogus and that Lou sold it. Amazingly, they did not reference how few calls were made overall and how both teams were permitted to play.
Gotta love it.

 

[huskeynut]

For a game of two high powered teams that can play very physical basketball, the refs did a fine job.

 

[jaundicedeye]

The one consistent thing about officiating is that in any given game the homer boards of each team will have posts complaining about the unfairness (to their team) of the refs.

My visit to McGraw's Bench - NDNation.com this morning confirmed just that. I got a kick out of their take on things. It appeared that the biggest complaint was that Arike Ogunbowale's charging foul against Lou was bogus and that Lou sold it. Amazingly, they did not reference how few calls were made overall and how both teams were permitted to play.
Gotta love it.

 

[the Q]

I've always said that no one should complain about the officiating until they've tried doing it themselves.

I'll also say that basketball has to be one of the hardest sports to officiate. There are 10 bodies involved in countless contact incidents that require instantaneous decisions as to what is allowed and what isn't.

As if the technical challenge weren't hard enough, you have both benches plus god knows how many spectators constantly assaulting your dignity throughout the entire two hours.

Yeah. It's not easy. And yes, you get personally attacked quite often. Having a 3 man crew really does help though, you can basically cover the entire floor when everyone is doing what they're supposed to be doing. I don't do college so I work 2 man crew.

I'm more about the consistency when I watch now. My only real complaint yesterday was ND was climbing our girls backs like trees, and they nailed Z for 2 over the back calls. I'm find with them letting a little jostling go, but things like that you have to be consistently on point.

And traveling. So much traveling is just ignored these days. I want whoever came up with the myth that you get "2 steps" to rot in hell for all eternity.

 

[donalddoowop]

I used to officiate boys "B" team games and then 30 minutes later officiate the varsity games. The difference in the speed and contact in the games was great. It was sometimes tough to keep up and really was not fair to the varsity to have a somewhat tired official call their games. Plus only two officials called the games. Usually, the better officials are assigned to the most important games and sometimes it's all about who you know. A lot of politics can be involved. Now, when I called women's college games, I called only one game and they were a lot slower than the high school boys games. Yes, basketball is not an easy game to call.

 

[BigBird]

...I'll also say that basketball has to be one of the hardest sports to officiate. There are 10 bodies involved in countless contact incidents that require instantaneous decisions as to what is allowed and what isn't...

No argument on that from me. But I’d also add ice hockey to your list of sports where the officials have a mentally and physically tough job to do.

 

[HuskylnSC]

For a game of two high powered teams that can play very physical basketball, the refs did a fine job.

Agreed!
I thought this crew did a good job. I really wasn't singling out this crew. It's just something I've noticed over the years. I've seen refs start to make a call and then not complete it because they were too late. You've probably seen it too. There is a foul or often a travel and after about a second and a half the ref's hand starts to go up. Ooops.

 

[FairView]

No argument on that from me. But I’d also add ice hockey to your list of sports where the officials have a mentally and physically tough job to do.

I've always admired hockey refs, and NHL refs in particular.
The world-class athletes make line changes every few minutes because it's just too tiring to skate full speed all that time and the refs skate the entire 60 minutes.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Hardest job I ever had, and mercifully I was fired after a dozen or so games.

That's such an interesting point, that refs need special preparation or mental conditioning to work a very fast paced game. The thing is, though, that I felt the calls weren't just sub par in fast break moments, but in half-court sets. It just seemed as if they had a "theory" about the game, rather than actually react to what they saw. Of course, they didn't. I had a theory that they had a theory

I have a theory about your theory of the theory, now I forgot what I was to say--. I too did some Ref-ing, not easy, sometimes fun, mostly dynamic, instantaneous, if you do a great job-maybe- both sides hate you. I finally decided to join those who were complaining about me. The truth is: To be a decent Ref, as seen by other Refs, one needs to start in pre HS games, working your way up through the systems and if you are good and lucky you get College games. Experience separates the girls from the women in Ref-ing . It isn't easy,
My take on Refs--the best I can hope for, fair is in the brains of the beholders, is the same calls are made for both teams for the same apparent violations.

 

[Paesano]

There were less fouls called in the ND game than any of our other games against ranked teams....this was a physical game and the refs let them play....nothing wrong with that...its actually more fun to watch....however, it does leave a lot to complain about

Actually there is a lot wrong with the game being excessively physical. First, it favors the less skilled team. Second, injuries occur and they can be serious for no good reason. I am dealing with that with my son right now.. I thought the game was fair and consistent but I like skill over brute.

 

[rugbymate]

Actually there is a lot wrong with the game being excessively physical. First, it favors the less skilled team. Second, injuries occur and they can be serious for no good reason. I am dealing with that with my son right now.. I thought the game was fair and consistent but I like skill over brute.

Fair point about not wanting excessively physical games.....however, physicality is a part of basketball. The players are taught how to use their bodies for leverage and spend a lot of time in weight rooms to gain that advantage. No one wants to see anyone get hurt or dirty play and the officials did a reasonable job of keeping the game moving and exciting while not letting it reach a destructive emotional state. The refs probably talked about it as any good crew would.

 

[donalddoowop]

Just think. Originally, basketball was meant to be a non contact sport.

 

[Paesano]

Fair point about not wanting excessively physical games.....however, physicality is a part of basketball. The players are taught how to use their bodies for leverage and spend a lot of time in weight rooms to gain that advantage. No one wants to see anyone get hurt or dirty play and the officials did a reasonable job of keeping the game moving and exciting while not letting it reach a destructive emotional state. The refs probably talked about it as any good crew would.

It wasn't awful but it was a bit too much. In particular, Mabrey. They need to find a happy medium where some contact is allowed but not so much that it negates skill. There was a lot of grappling that limited mobility.

 

[the Q]

It wasn't awful but it was a bit too much. In particular, Mabrey. They need to find a happy medium where some contact is allowed but not so much that it negates skill. There was a lot of grappling that limited mobility.

Which is interesting because cleaning up contact has been a MAJOR point of emphasis for the last few years. Especially hand and forearm checking in both the guards and the post (for example, putting 2 hands on a ball handler, no matter how weak, is supposed to be an automatic defensive foul).

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

One of the most interesting things this year is having floor seats at Arizona. We attended 2 games, both against little sisters, both losses for AZ and both reffed by experienced but mostly run-of-the-mill PAC12 refs. That said -

- I saw more accurately some of the plays than from regular seats. I could actually see players arms, actually see the force used or not used, etc - the type of things you see more on replays on TV than on the game as a whole. Very interesting look.
- Not that I didn't know it, but the game is routinely very physical, without fouls being called. The banging is pretty intense. Take the opportunity (those who haven't before) and watch a game - even if it isn't UConn - from floor seats. You absolutely will get an appreciation.
- In the last game I was at, the Refs got one wrong - they did, and it happens. Replay on the big screen and my own eyes on the play told me there was no foul - but from the ref's angle, I'm sure it looked like one. Oh well.

 

[the Q]

One of the most interesting things this year is having floor seats at Arizona. We attended 2 games, both against little sisters, both losses for AZ and both reffed by experienced but mostly run-of-the-mill PAC12 refs. That said -

- I saw more accurately some of the plays than from regular seats. I could actually see players arms, actually see the force used or not used, etc - the type of things you see more on replays on TV than on the game as a whole. Very interesting look.
- Not that I didn't know it, but the game is routinely very physical, without fouls being called. The banging is pretty intense. Take the opportunity (those who haven't before) and watch a game - even if it isn't UConn - from floor seats. You absolutely will get an appreciation.
- In the last game I was at, the Refs got one wrong - they did, and it happens. Replay on the big screen and my own eyes on the play told me there was no foul - but from the ref's angle, I'm sure it looked like one. Oh well.

Yeah, that's the thing.

This isn't the NFL with like 7 or 8 guys who can really cover most of the field (still hard to see in the trenches cause there's just so many huge bodies), you have 3 guys trying to cover a big, yet congested area.

 

[01Neaggrad02]

I personally still would have loved a T against Mabrey when she reacted to Collier. I also was sick and tired of watching the ND players make hand gestures that the refs are supposed to do trying to influence their call.