Some prominent officials short on requirements
By
Steve Berkowitz and
Steve Wieberg, USA TODAY
A number of notable men's basketball game officials were not assigned to work the NCAA tournament because they did not meet a set of administrative requirements.
Among the officials affected was Jim Burr, who has worked 16 Final Fours, including 14 of the previous 18, and seven finals. Burr attributed his exclusion to "an administrative mix-up" over whether he completed one of the three requirements.
Bernard Clinton, who works in the Atlantic Coast Conference, also was affected, says John Clougherty, the ACC's coordinator of men's basketball officials. Clougherty adds he appealed to the NCAA, "but it didn't go anywhere."
Without specifying why, Greg Shaheen, the NCAA senior vice president who oversees the event, says "a handful" of tournament-worthy refs were excluded.
Adds Shaheen, who declined to identify the affected officials, "Every year, we have people who have (the procedural) issue. This year, it just happens to be some relatively high-profile people."
Ninety-six officials are selected for the tournament. To be eligible, they must meet three administrative requirements by mid-November, says Shaheen: attend a regional rules clinic in the fall, consent to a background check and take an online rules test.
Leagues nominate officials for the tournament in late February, and from that group, NCAA men's basketball officiating coordinator Hank Nichols forwards a list to the Division I basketball committee. The committee has final approval.
Burr, who works regular-season games in several major conferences and worked this year's Big East Conference tournament final, declined to say which requirement he did not complete, except to say "there was a document online that I thought I did, and (NCAA officials) claim they didn't receive it."
"I don't know whose fault it is," Burr says, "maybe it's mine — I'm not shirking my responsibility (for the problem). … Am I disappointed? Sure. But it's not the end of the world. Life goes on. There's no animosity on my part. They have to protect the integrity of the game, and I respect that greatly. But there's nothing wrong. I'm squeaky clean. … The NCAA did what they had to do. It's no different than a young man seeking his eligibility."
Clougherty, who worked Final Fours with Burr, says, "The tournament would be better with a guy of Jim Burr's status. … If you take Alex Rodriguez out of the Yankees lineup, their lineup is not as strong. But the Yankees still play."