What do you expect from refs?

[jake14mw]

I honestly get so tired of people talking about how bad refs are in games. Every single post game thread somebody has to complain about them. Typically they are pointing to one play or another. You do understand that referees are human beings, right? What percentage of calls do you expect them to get “right”? I say “right” because there are so many calls in a game that are subjective and if you polled people, 60% would say one way, and 40% would say the other way.

And on a similar note, I think the abuse officials take from coaches/fans is inexcusable. Have fun trying to find referees for youth and high schools these days. Who wants to deal with that crap? Who are all these youth coaches/parents watching to figure out what’s acceptable? The guys they watch on TV. If you’re watching Dan Hurley, pretty much anything is acceptable I guess. Don’t get me wrong, I love Hurley and his passion and am glad we have him, I just hate his referee abuse.

Ha, rant off. Thought this would be an interesting discussion in this long break between games. Thoughts?

 

[husky429]

The Big East referees have a problem with allowing too much physicality early, then trying to regain control later if/when it gets chippy. Fans, players, and coaches don't react well to that because they feel they're being treated unfairly.

In other conferences, you see a tighter game called on both teams through the first bit of the game, but the zebras let more slide later to not affect the outcome of the game.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

I expect consistency across the entire game. If a call is a foul in minute one it should be a foul in the last minute. I'm fine with refs telling coaches if there'll be a point of emphasis across the whole game and if something flares up to make both teams know that there might be a tightening of the reins - but only if both teams have informed. This makes it fair for everyone. And it might just chill the fans (and parents) out.

 

[Hurleyman216]

It’s mostly about consistency. If someone gets hammered going to the hoop on one end of the court and then 30 seconds later the same play happens on the other end I want to see the same call made. Unfortunately that hasn’t been happening the past couple years in the Big East. As Husky429 also brings up, you want consistency throughout the game. I don’t want to see a rock fight in the first half followed by touch fouls in the 2nd half.

We fair much better when fouls are called at the beginning of the game as it forces teams to not be so physical or aggressive. Far too many times our opponents have been able to physically take us out of the game in the first half and we go into halftime down 6-8 points to teams we are far more talented than. I also don’t want to see a team that is grabbing and physical with us take 15-20 more free throws than we do. I actually have a pretty low bar for what constitutes good officiating, but continue to be amazed at how many times the Big East officiating crews fail to meet the basics of officiating a basketball game.

 

[FatElvis]

I'm never quite sure what to expect from the refs – consistency can be an issue.

The only thing I know for sure is that every single game there will be people on here whining about them no matter what, while offering up ridiculous conspiracy theories about how they're out to get us. It's so tired.

 

[navery12]

I thought Brian O'Connell would be a little less obvious with his burner account when starting this thread

 

[willie99]

Consistency

Fouls being called fouls

Non fouls not being called fouls

No technicals for sarcastic clapping or encouraging the fans to be loud

That should do it

 

[uconngb]

I'm never quite sure what to expect from the refs – consistency can be an issue.

The only thing I know for sure is that every single game there will be people on here whining about them no matter what, while offering up ridiculous conspiracy theories about how they're out to get us. It's so tired.

This is what I’m tired of. We are all UConn fans. I get that. But this us against the world thing has to stop. There is no Big East or National conspiracy against us. Refs miss calls all the time both ways, it’s part of the game. I’m sure every team and their fans has a gripe with the refs. Last game our center made a dunk after a run that would have made Walter Payton proud for example. At a critical point in the game.

The consistency thing is 100% true. That’s what we all have a beef with and I don’t understand what the deal is. “Let the players decide the game” at the end has never made sense to me. I always thought a foul was a foul no matter when it occurs. That makes it hard for the players to know how to play and inserts the refs into the outcome of games, which should never happen.

 

[Palatine]

I expect the refs to screw UConn. And for the most part, my expectations have been met.

 

[Waquoit]

The Big East referees have a problem with allowing too much physicality early, then trying to regain control later if/when it gets chippy. Fans, players, and coaches don't react well to that because they feel they're being treated unfairly.

It was night and day in the St. John's game. I saw Newton get sent flying sideways while he was in the air, then later non-touch fouls are being called.

 

[RichCTBB]

Consistency is the consensus. It might not be a conspiracy against UConn, but it’s obvious that whether it’s against UConn or Hurley, we are guaranteed to be going uphill before the ball is even tossed up.

 

[prankster]

I expect UConn to get jobbed.

 

[JMick]

I expect officials to not let their personal biases and prior experiences with a coach effect how they call each individual game.

It is extremely clear that some officials have it out for certain coaches. Those officials should not have jobs.

Any official that does something to "send a message" is a failure of an official. Regardless of the sport.

If you really want to get into youth officiating, it's a different matter and a lot more complicated. But a lot of those guys aren't saints either and quite frankly some deserve the hate they get.

 

[Greedo]

Refs make mistakes. To me, as long as they're calling the game the same for both teams I don't care too much. It does annoy me that Big East refs call the game loose in the beginning then all of a sudden tighten up in the end, but I can get past it as long as it's the same for both sides.

This season, so far, I would say the refs have been calling the game the same for both teams in UConn's games. I didn't feel that was the case last year in Big East play.

 

[XLCenterFan]

Call it even. Call fewer fouls. Let ‘em play down the stretch.

 

[upstater]

I honestly get so tired of people talking about how bad refs are in games. Every single post game thread somebody has to complain about them. Typically they are pointing to one play or another. You do understand that referees are human beings, right? What percentage of calls do you expect them to get “right”? I say “right” because there are so many calls in a game that are subjective and if you polled people, 60% would say one way, and 40% would say the other way.

And on a similar note, I think the abuse officials take from coaches/fans is inexcusable. Have fun trying to find referees for youth and high schools these days. Who wants to deal with that crap? Who are all these youth coaches/parents watching to figure out what’s acceptable? The guys they watch on TV. If you’re watching Dan Hurley, pretty much anything is acceptable I guess. Don’t get me wrong, I love Hurley and his passion and am glad we have him, I just hate his referee abuse.

Ha, rant off. Thought this would be an interesting discussion in this long break between games. Thoughts?

The critique of BE refs is not how they're getting stuff right/wrong. It's that they allow butcher ball which always means the most skilled players are neutralized.

That makes for a crap watch.

 

[mauconnfan]

I expect them to listen to the guys checking into the game and get the call right, not screw the Lions….oh crap my bad

 

[dingaling]

I dont understand how the big east games are called any differently than the NCAA tournament or any other OOC games. Is there not a central place that makes sure all calls are made consistently across all NCAA games. I know a lot of people love a physical game but it seems silly when these guys look to be seriously wrestling for position down low.

 

[RichZ]

There is no Big East or National conspiracy against us. R

I do believe that there are individual refs that hold a grudge against a player or coach and it affects their judgement. And that grudge often grows out of getting riled up for being called out for an egregious error at some point. A ref is less likely to hold a grudge from disagreeing with a coach or player than when a coach calls them out for what was an obvious bad call. When a ref makes a mistake, he usually realizes it. But he will rarely draw attention to it by reversing it, and sure as hell doesn't want it advertised by an irate coach.

 

[Tenspro2002]

1) Call the game in a way that allows for superior talent and coaching to prevail and not to even the playing field by allowing inferior players to use physicality to neutralize their disadvantage

2) Failing that, at least call the game evenly, so that a defender isn't whistled for a touch-foul on the perimeter at one end after getting bodied and hacked to a no-call at the other end

3) Grow the ____ up and have a thicker skin

 

[ucp990411]

I believe the refs are too close to the action which limits their peripheral vision. People in the first few rows can see more (especially travels) than the refs being on top of the action. Not offering a solution, just my opinion from coaching and watching thousands of games in my 68 years.
And I don’t think refs are out to get us. Sometimes you get the calls and sometimes the other guys do

 

[prankster]

Refs make mistakes. To me, as long as they're calling the game the same for both teams I don't care too much. It does annoy me that Big East refs call the game loose in the beginning then all of a sudden tighten up in the end, but I can get past it as long as it's the same for both sides.

This season, so far, I would say the refs have been calling the game the same for both teams in UConn's games. I didn't feel that was the case last year in Big East play.

A significant problem associated with calling the game loosely in half 1 only to change gears in half 2 is that it disadvantages players.

Just about the time they start to adjust to the style of play encouraged by the refs (seeking, as they are to actually win), they are faced with a complete change in the tenor of the game.

This is totally on the officials (or on the Big East, which actively encourages rock fights, in order to disadvantage the best players).

 

[imno1]

Although he gets to the line a fair amount, Newton gets hammered almost every time he drives to the hoop and many are no calls

 

[Excalibur]

Competence, which is apparently too much.

 

[krinklecut]

I expect the refs to show how they’re going to call the game and then stick with it. If somethings a foul once it has to be a foul all game and if something is a no call it has to be a no call all game.