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My turn to make a few points.
First, yahoo.com has archived game audio of this game from the USD radio network. I'm at work and can't listen to it now, but when I get home, I'll load it up--it could be interesting.
I'm not going to defend Dave Libbey. I'm not going to ostracize him either. Dave Libbey is a VERY VERY GOOD official on the west coast, who has earned more respect than any other official out there, with the possible exception of Dick Cartmell.
Libbey is very mechanically sound as well. Some guys when they get older, such as Tim Higgins, lose their crisp mechanics, but it doesn't cost them games, because they're still great officials and have earned the right to be doing high level games.
As an unbiased observer in this case, I will say that it seems that Libbey does pull the trigger a little sooner than some other guys. He does tend to have an aura about him of demanding authority. However, in many cases, I feel that's a good thing, to let everyone know you're in charge.
As far as him giving the technical, we're only going to hear one side of that story, and if you weren't within 15 feet of the USD sideline for the whole game, you probably don't know the whole story. So it comes down to
1. Maybe he screwed up
2. Maybe he didn't
Yep, officials make mistakes. I've never seen a perfectly called game. But then, I've never seen a perfectly coached game (apologies to Jimmy V and Rollie Massimino).
So he's got a quick trigger. I don't have a problem with that. Officials should give more technicals if they are warranted. Remember Duke's Dohntay Jones dunking a ball last year and then doing push-ups on his defender? No technical on that one. Remember Indiana's Mike Davis running on the court at Bert Smith? Smith didn't give Davis a technical, and everyone said what great composure he had. That's exactly right, but would anyone have argued if Smith HAD dinged him? That's my point.
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