Post by Oh My! on Nov 24, 2009 16:57:02 GMT -5
The article linked on the front page of HS.com (& URL pasted below) is ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS.
www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5io_EXVbxHWNA3r4nxZrvw_vEvDXQD9C5E3EG1
I have officiated basketball for over 20 years of my life, and I have heard every argument possible about how referees [essentially] cheat. My comments here have NOTHING to do with Tim Donaghy, but if, & I mean IF, any basketball officials that do cheat are still blowing whistles during games, then I would be the first to prosecute. The "sources" noted in the article that "try to even it out" should be revealed & removed from all future officiating assignments. I find it hard to believe that there are "a few" of these "others". Outside of professional basketball leagues, [student] athletes at all other levels are, by definition, amateurs, and the men & women I know that officiate such contests do so out of RESPECT FOR THE SPORT & ATHLETES.
Refereeing is an avocation of Integrity, & it makes me uneasy to read/hear comments like in the article linked above. "Favor(ing) the home team.......'make-up calls'........calls against the team in the lead......." are all comments/beliefs that flow from another word that starts w/ "i": Ignorance.
The referenced Final 4 game in 2005 is a perfect example to refute the very sentiment beind the article. True, Louisville WAS whistled for the first 7 fouls. What the article fails to reference is the fact that (allegations & personal opinions notwithstanding) Rick Pitino is an extremely intelligent coach, and I have all confidence that he utilized a timeout (TV or otherwise) early in the game to tell his players to "dial it down" on defense and likely went to a zone press & zone D to keep the fouls from mounting. This concept of players/coaches/teams adjusting to calls made early in a game is more than a basic tenet of basketball officiating; it was the mantra of the retired NCAA Coordinator of Men's Basketball Officials-Hank Nichols. On training tapes, he would repeatedly say: "This is a foul & must be called.............The players will adjust."
If I were asked to write a response to the piece published yesterday by Mr. Eddie Pells, I would admit to some of the inconsistencies in officiating, NONE of which are referenced in his article:
-No matter what level of unified training could be available, it is impossible to have EVERY SINGLE basketball referee view a play the exact same way.
-Plain & simple fact is that a fairly wide chasm exists between the best & worst officials in any sport at the amateur levels.
-Also fact is that NO TWO PLAYS ARE THE SAME. The movement of players, angle of referee's vision, and more make it impossible for 2 plays to be alike. Plays are regularly referred to as "the SAME", but truth is: they can really oinly be SIMILAR.
-Related to this are the references to scoreboard watching & not tuning out "thousands of fans yelling". First, officials are REQUIRED to look at the scoreboard for several reasons like: ensuring that the clock & shot clock are correct, knowing team foul situations as teams approach the 1-n-1 bonus, and knowing the alternating possession arrow. I look at the scoreboard regularly, but I RARELY know the score; in fact, I had to ask my partner a couple weeks ago what the final score was so I could put it in my game report. As for fans yelling, even if an official is fortunate enough to have a game in an arena that holds thousands, thousands RARELY direct comments at referees in unison. I avow that it is typically easy to tune out fans, and the ones that DO get a referee's ear still RARELY get their attention. We officials have a job to do, and to take our focus away from that job is a disservice to the game (players, etc.).
OK, I've stated my case. Now I have to go ref a game.
www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5io_EXVbxHWNA3r4nxZrvw_vEvDXQD9C5E3EG1
I have officiated basketball for over 20 years of my life, and I have heard every argument possible about how referees [essentially] cheat. My comments here have NOTHING to do with Tim Donaghy, but if, & I mean IF, any basketball officials that do cheat are still blowing whistles during games, then I would be the first to prosecute. The "sources" noted in the article that "try to even it out" should be revealed & removed from all future officiating assignments. I find it hard to believe that there are "a few" of these "others". Outside of professional basketball leagues, [student] athletes at all other levels are, by definition, amateurs, and the men & women I know that officiate such contests do so out of RESPECT FOR THE SPORT & ATHLETES.
Refereeing is an avocation of Integrity, & it makes me uneasy to read/hear comments like in the article linked above. "Favor(ing) the home team.......'make-up calls'........calls against the team in the lead......." are all comments/beliefs that flow from another word that starts w/ "i": Ignorance.
The referenced Final 4 game in 2005 is a perfect example to refute the very sentiment beind the article. True, Louisville WAS whistled for the first 7 fouls. What the article fails to reference is the fact that (allegations & personal opinions notwithstanding) Rick Pitino is an extremely intelligent coach, and I have all confidence that he utilized a timeout (TV or otherwise) early in the game to tell his players to "dial it down" on defense and likely went to a zone press & zone D to keep the fouls from mounting. This concept of players/coaches/teams adjusting to calls made early in a game is more than a basic tenet of basketball officiating; it was the mantra of the retired NCAA Coordinator of Men's Basketball Officials-Hank Nichols. On training tapes, he would repeatedly say: "This is a foul & must be called.............The players will adjust."
If I were asked to write a response to the piece published yesterday by Mr. Eddie Pells, I would admit to some of the inconsistencies in officiating, NONE of which are referenced in his article:
-No matter what level of unified training could be available, it is impossible to have EVERY SINGLE basketball referee view a play the exact same way.
-Plain & simple fact is that a fairly wide chasm exists between the best & worst officials in any sport at the amateur levels.
-Also fact is that NO TWO PLAYS ARE THE SAME. The movement of players, angle of referee's vision, and more make it impossible for 2 plays to be alike. Plays are regularly referred to as "the SAME", but truth is: they can really oinly be SIMILAR.
-Related to this are the references to scoreboard watching & not tuning out "thousands of fans yelling". First, officials are REQUIRED to look at the scoreboard for several reasons like: ensuring that the clock & shot clock are correct, knowing team foul situations as teams approach the 1-n-1 bonus, and knowing the alternating possession arrow. I look at the scoreboard regularly, but I RARELY know the score; in fact, I had to ask my partner a couple weeks ago what the final score was so I could put it in my game report. As for fans yelling, even if an official is fortunate enough to have a game in an arena that holds thousands, thousands RARELY direct comments at referees in unison. I avow that it is typically easy to tune out fans, and the ones that DO get a referee's ear still RARELY get their attention. We officials have a job to do, and to take our focus away from that job is a disservice to the game (players, etc.).
OK, I've stated my case. Now I have to go ref a game.
