OT: More gripes about WCBB referees

[willtalk]

The problem with officiating has always been the base group officials are selected from. They are the best of a bad batch. Officiating should be a vocation that is treated as any other vocation and not just a part time job or hobby. Colleges should have officiating programs with set requirments for entry and grades to weed out those that are unqualified. People who do not have the physical skills to qualify should not even be considered. They could have tests to measure visual and mental processing speed. People who do not meet those requirements should be eliminated right away.

The problem is that officiating started as a mom and pop type function. They were originally just fans recruited on site for each game. The level of athletics has evolved into a multi billion dollar business and the officiating has not kept up. Right now high school and colleges provide a quality control weeding out system for athletics. The same sort of system should be in play for officiating, not the sort of hit and miss standards presently in place. It should not be a system that uses a weak pool to choose from. This way they only get the best of an incompetent pool from which they can chose from.

 

[Bjbod]

Iowa lost because they couldn't get a defensive stop if Lisa Bluder's life depended on it. That said, the game clearly was too big for that trio of officials. The game needs and deserves better.

Mulkey is on the court almost the entire time in every game she coaches; this is in violation of the rules and potentially dangerous and/or disruptive to the players. Clearly the refs are intimidated since they never cite her; I can tolerate a coach being outside the box as long as they're off the floor. Disgusting.

 

[jaydee602]

The WBB Head of Officiating is Penny Davis. With so many capable referees available, she assigned inferior, overwhelmed refs to sabotage a Championship game. I hope some sports journalist tries to get an explanation why she chose this inept crew? #INCOMPETENT

 

[EdSaid]

No T for Angel Reese taunting Caitlin Clark near the end of the game

To be fair, Caitlin Clark did the same face wiping thing in each of the last two games. Last weekend it was all over ESPN. I don't like it either. I believe it means something to the effect of "you can't stop me."

 

[boontonbomber]

Did not recognize any of the officials. Who were they? To me they simply had no clue what to call, what not to call. The players, coaches, and the game were done a great disservice. The whole tournament was such a great success; large crowds, great TV viewership, exciting games, and then this happens in the biggest of the games. What an awful way for the tournament to end.

 

[Spaceman213J]

Mulkey is on the court almost the entire time in every game she coaches; this is in violation of the rules and potentially dangerous and/or disruptive to the players. Clearly the refs are intimidated since they never cite her; I can tolerate a coach being outside the box as long as they're off the floor. Disgusting.

On the men's side, Shaka Smart does the same thing. I love Smart and think he's one of the top coaches, but I can't understand why coaches don't tell a player to line up behind them, and not in a way to hurt them, but have them just run through them on the court.

It can be quite destracting when it's happening when your team is on offense.

 

[msf22b]

By Sally Jenkins WaPo
Sports columnist

The officiating was poor, the technical was unpardonable and created a critical swing in favor of LSU. But the bottom line is that Iowa simply could not defend Kim Mulkey’s team. Maybe the legs were a little dead from taking down South Carolina — or maybe they didn’t reckon on the Tigers’ ability to knock down shots. But who did?

 

[Tonyc]

We need more consistency in calling games. I watched plenty of WCBB games this season as well as almost every NCAA tourney game. The game today proved that the refs need to work on a few things. Some of the calls were worse then terrible and its not just this game. Most of the games are called differently every time. Lets get it right and lets be consistent in all games.

 

[wyo angel]

The officiating was terrible, and both teams suffered. Still, it was a great game, a lot of fun to watch, and an important moment on TV for women’s basketball. LSU dominated and would have won regardless of the fouls.

I respectfully disagree. Fouls make a difference in game play—both mentally and physically. If you know you could be on the bench with the slightest action, your style and methodology of game play is stifled.

 

[topogigio]

The refs were, in a word, horrendous. They ruined the game, but LSU was the better team, and certainly not the classiest group. The T on Clark was just plain absurd!

 

[NutmegDog]

The biggest victim of the poor officiating was LSU. The bad calls ... the incomprehensible T ... simply tainted their victory and left everyone wondering what might've happened if Iowa's starting 5 were allowed to compete on equal terms with the Tigers. The answer is that the Tigers probably would've won anyway, but we'll never really know.

 

[Nolefan]

Kim gets the same treatment from the refs as Draymont Green gets in the NBA

 

[BBallF]

Single worst National Championship officiating job of all time. When the sport was poised to attract even more followers with the most exciting player in the nation, the endemic defect of the sport, its refereeing, reared its ugly head and became the lead story. It has been an unsolved problem. Sure, the optics were great on paper. 3 women officials, two great players, and a perfect time slot for the nation to watch. Instead, we got a game that shows the sport's biggest weakness and its one lingering residuum of not being at the same level as the men's game. All it would have taken would have been a well officiated game. The chosen 3 flat out stunk as officials and should be forced to go back to Baby Ref school. The NCAA should be ashamed of themselves for the disservice they continue to do to all the players, coaches, colleges and universities by not training the referees properly and not enforcing the rules of the game. Something needs to be done.

 

[BBallF]

Kim gets the same treatment from the refs as Draymont Green gets in the NBA

Nonsense. Draymond gets technicals called on him. The Mulkey move on the court and then the one bumping into the official went untouched.

 

[BBallF]

The biggest victim of the poor officiating was LSU. The bad calls ... the incomprehensible T ... simply tainted their victory and left everyone wondering what might've happened if Iowa's starting 5 were allowed to compete on equal terms with the Tigers. The answer is that the Tigers probably would've won anyway, but we'll never really know.

Maybe if her defense wasn't to just beat Clark up it might have been a different game. The officials were weak, uncertain, and diffident and Mulkey got away with more fouls than are countable by her players on Clark. Shows you why you need a flopping rule in womens basketball. Mulkey has perfected it.

 

[Aluminny69]

Apparently, the names of the three Referees is a well guarded secret. The announcers never mentioned their names. I can't find their names in any box score. I challenge anyone to find out who they were.

 

[BBallF]

A close up look of Reese to Clark. Just speechless ...

Absolutely disgusting. Please go to the WNBA if you can.

 

[Soxx]

No T for Angel Reese taunting Caitlin Clark near the end of the game

Her taunting was awful.

 

[Nolefan]

Nonsense. Draymond gets technicals called on him. The Mulkey move on the court and then the one bumping into the official went untouched.

Yea he should get more look how often he mouths off at refs … you must not watch many Golden state games ..

 

[hayman522]

Lot to learn when you're that young. Pride goeth before a fall. Chastening will come. How anyone responds to that is the key to maturity.

Very wise statement humility always comes.

 

[BBallF]

Yea he should get more look how often he mouths off at refs … you must not watch many Golden state games ..

He has 16 this year and got suspended. At least they call them on him. The NBA refs are not easily intimidated. Today was a classic study in not standing up to a bully.

 

[sno-cat]

Apparently, the names of the three Referees is a well guarded secret. The announcers never mentioned their names. I can't find their names in any box score. I challenge anyone to find out who they were.

From DRAFTKINGS NATION:
"You may have thought you were going to watch Iowa’s Caitlin Clark battle Angel Reese in what is perhaps the most anticipated women’s basketball game in history. Instead you got a big dose of Lisa Jones, Pualani Spurlock-Welsh, and Michol Murray; the three referees selected to officiate the 2023 NCAA national championship game between No. 3 LSU and No. 2 Iowa."

 

[Kaizen]

You win with class and lose with dignity, both Kim/Reese did not show proper sportsmanship during the biggest win of their life.

 

[hayman522]

This has been all about Kim and her clown suits. While I agree with many she had the best team on the floor, it was a hard watch.
The network had Kim in the picture during the game and every stoppage. Stomping, cringing, mouth wide open, whining at officials,pacing out of the box and on the floor.
Having watched college ball for decades both men and women I have never seen a coach get this much attention and the opponent so little. The network and the officials set a road block today for the progresees and momentum of the women's game. JMHO....

Welcome to today's sports the victory of style over substance.

 

[msf22b]

Apparently the dissatisfaction with the officiating
is nation wide...turned up on UTenn and ND boards
also Rebkell, Sic em (never heard of that one)...

One poster: are the refs getting paid extra for each call?