I assume that basketball officials work their way up through the college system before they hit the pros, much like baseball umpires start out in a rookie league and work their way up. I'm not confirming this now because looking it up would spoil my momentum.
So the Utes lost their men's basketball game again last night, once more by 3 or fewer points -- but they found a new point margin and lost by 2. That doesn't make me happy but isn't what had me fuming 24 hours ago either. Frankly I'm not certain if TCU won or the officials did.
If I were UofU athletic director Chris Hill or the AD for TCU I would have spent today writing a letter to whoever is in charge of NCAA officials filing a complaint against the officials.
Now I admit I get distracted by shiny objects and probably miss seeing half of the fouls in any given game. But I certainly saw some the officials either missed or miscalled last night. My favorite was when the Utah player was charged with charging, but the TCU defender wasn't planted, and the in arena big screen replay showed that he had a foot off the ground. Didn't look planted to me. Too bad college basketball doesn't have the red hankies that football has. Both coaches could've used them with abandon and not lost a time out.
It was horrible.
I respect officials. They have a really tough job. I rarely join the crowd in yelling at baseball games unless a pitch is obviously a foot or so out of the strike zone and called a strike or a runner is called out when the baseman is nowhere near the bag. I try to be the same with other sports and only join the yelling against officials when it's REALLY BAD.
This was probably the worst officiating I've ever seen. The Mountain West Conference and NCAA should be ashamed that these men work for them.
Well...
10 years ago
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