NCAA Men's Tournament Officials (2017)

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by big jake

That Jeff Anderson sure has a funny way of running

It is as if he is trying to make it look like he is hustling. However, anytime there was a transition, he was the slowest one down the court despite being the one with the most motion. Running like that will not get you down the court faster.

[refinks]

When do the 10 officials for Final Four weekend get announced? Anybody wanna make predictions? I'm partial to Higgins and Kimble myself. Also wouldn't mind seeing Ted Valentine.

[frezer11]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

It is as if he is trying to make it look like he is hustling. However, anytime there was a transition, he was the slowest one down the court despite being the one with the most motion. Running like that will not get you down the court faster.

I guess he's staying pretty loose doing High-knees all the time. Pretty confident if I had to bet on one official who isn't going to pull a hammy during the game that I'm going with him...

Originally Posted by refinks

When do the 10 officials for Final Four weekend get announced? Anybody wanna make predictions? I'm partial to Higgins and Kimble myself. Also wouldn't mind seeing Ted Valentine.

I believe they will be announced as soon as tomorrow.

The ten officials who worked last year were: Mark Whitehead (retired), Tom Eades (injured?), Tony Padilla, Jeff Clark (was on controversial game), Roger Ayers, Mike Eades, Michael Stephens, Terry Wymer, John Higgins, Brian Dorsey (alternate/not working this year).

I would expect Roger Ayers, Mike Eades, Terry Wymer, Michael Stephens, and John Higgins as locks.

With the game Higgins had this weekend I say he may be out

[slick rick]

What ever happened to Bolger?

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by slick rick

What ever happened to Bolger?

Final Four is outside of his work release dates.

[SD Referee]

Originally Posted by parker27

Stephens likes to be noticed, probably played a part in it. Very dramatic on calls when he doesn't have to be.

I think if you take notice, you will see that a LOT of the guys doing the big games like to be noticed. Very dramatic signals, double & triple tweets of the whistle, calling a charge from the lead like you just got shot.

Those guys LOVE to be noticed. It's funny because the game isn't about them, but they think it is. When you start out officiating, you are told that if you aren't noticed it was a good game. Apparently as you rise up the ranks you try to be noticed as much as possible.

[bucky]

Originally Posted by SD Referee

I think if you take notice, you will see that a LOT of the guys doing the big games like to be noticed. Very dramatic signals, double & triple tweets of the whistle, calling a charge from the lead like you just got shot.

Those guys LOVE to be noticed. It's funny because the game isn't about them, but they think it is. When you start out officiating, you are told that if you aren't noticed it was a good game. Apparently as you rise up the ranks you try to be noticed as much as possible.

So true. Kettle/black situation at camps all the time.

[slick rick]

It should be the goal of every new official to get to this level!

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by SD Referee

I think if you take notice, you will see that a LOT of the guys doing the big games like to be noticed. Very dramatic signals, double & triple tweets of the whistle, calling a charge from the lead like you just got shot.

Those guys LOVE to be noticed. It's funny because the game isn't about them, but they think it is. When you start out officiating, you are told that if you aren't noticed it was a good game. Apparently as you rise up the ranks you try to be noticed as much as possible.

Wanting to be noticed or just their mechanics or style? There was a time before everyone became robots that they were a requirement to be a little more demonstrative. A lot of the guys working are from that era or started in the era. I know I have been doing this 20 years and many of those guys were doing it 5 and 10 years longer than me. And all I do is when I watch a old game from the 80s are calls that are more demonstrative when it is not even that necessary in today's standards. I am not sure that is wanting to be seen, but just how they have been and what was expected. Because they are good officials, no one has told them to change on some major scale. I know guys that look like they are asleep when they officiate and that is good in some situations, but not good in all situations.

Also I think there is this great myth about "not being noticed." Well John Higgins is about as laid back as anyone and he was noticed in a big way this past Sunday. He is not a guy that often even looks like he sells a call but every call he made was highlighted. I am not on his level at all, but I know when I am on certain games, the coaches and fans notice who I am or the crew. Even know where they saw you. You think a guy on national TV is not noticed? You think he can hide? I read an article either late last season or early in this season where Higgins was featured (and I believe it was posted here) and all it talked about was how people would see him in the airport or know he was on a game the night before. We are in the social media age where people can find out all kinds of things about you without lifting a finger and we think we are not going to get noticed? Not only are there sites dedicated to bashing officials, but every box score has the official's names listed as well. I just wish we would put this myth away because that might have been the case 20 or 25 years ago, but not today. Not when people are watching games and recognize the officials or know something about them. And that includes high school ball where now games can be seen with live streaming and show all your mistakes for ever. Just the fact that Higgins is kind of laid back but every call he made in the first half was examined and credited to him is evidence of how silly that stance is. I just wish we would stop thinking that we can hide from the public that is looking for anyone and everyone to blame for a lost but the way their team played in the game. And you can be accuse of the game being about the officials when you enforce rules that you are asked to enforce by everyone but the coaches when it goes against their teams. We cannot win most of the time.

Peace

[Adam]

Originally Posted by slick rick

It should be the goal of every new official to get to this level!

Not in any way true. Your goals should have zero to do with whether you're noticed. A desire either way could negatively affect your calls.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by SD Referee

I think if you take notice, you will see that a LOT of the guys doing the big games like to be noticed. Very dramatic signals, double & triple tweets of the whistle, calling a charge from the lead like you just got shot.

Those guys LOVE to be noticed. It's funny because the game isn't about them, but they think it is. When you start out officiating, you are told that if you aren't noticed it was a good game. Apparently as you rise up the ranks you try to be noticed as much as possible.

I've never been told this by anyone worth listening to. Most games it works, but there are some games where the right call will mean you're going to get noticed. Guys who don't want to be noticed tend to shy away from the calls that need made at the time they most need to be made.

[SD Referee]

Originally Posted by slick rick

It should be the goal of every new official to get to this level!

Everybody has their own goals to reach.

My dream does not include getting to that level. Because of work and family constraints, I could never even begin to go down that path.

Good for those that do. Just remember the game is about the athletes, not you and your over the top signals.

On the other hand, maybe being those guys helps you get to the top. I have no idea.

[SD Referee]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Wanting to be noticed or just their mechanics or style? There was a time before everyone became robots that they were a requirement to be a little more demonstrative. A lot of the guys working are from that era or started in the era. I know I have been doing this 20 years and many of those guys were doing it 5 and 10 years longer than me. And all I do is when I watch a old game from the 80s are calls that are more demonstrative when it is not even that necessary in today's standards. I am not sure that is wanting to be seen, but just how they have been and what was expected. Because they are good officials, no one has told them to change on some major scale. I know guys that look like they are asleep when they officiate and that is good in some situations, but not good in all situations.

Also I think there is this great myth about "not being noticed." Well John Higgins is about as laid back as anyone and he was noticed in a big way this past Sunday. He is not a guy that often even looks like he sells a call but every call he made was highlighted. I am not on his level at all, but I know when I am on certain games, the coaches and fans notice who I am or the crew. Even know where they saw you. You think a guy on national TV is not noticed? You think he can hide? I read an article either late last season or early in this season where Higgins was featured (and I believe it was posted here) and all it talked about was how people would see him in the airport or know he was on a game the night before. We are in the social media age where people can find out all kinds of things about you without lifting a finger and we think we are not going to get noticed? Not only are there sites dedicated to bashing officials, but every box score has the official's names listed as well. I just wish we would put this myth away because that might have been the case 20 or 25 years ago, but not today. Not when people are watching games and recognize the officials or know something about them. And that includes high school ball where now games can be seen with live streaming and show all your mistakes for ever. Just the fact that Higgins is kind of laid back but every call he made in the first half was examined and credited to him is evidence of how silly that stance is. I just wish we would stop thinking that we can hide from the public that is looking for anyone and everyone to blame for a lost but the way their team played in the game. And you can be accuse of the game being about the officials when you enforce rules that you are asked to enforce by everyone but the coaches when it goes against their teams. We cannot win most of the time.

Peace

I wasn't saying hide because that's impossible. Even in high school basketball you get noticed based on the call you make. Some love the call and some hate it. Some schools notice you because they have had you many times and start to know you to some degree.

I was talking about the guys that are way too over the top with their signals and whistles. They are clearly trying to be noticed more than the average guy and clearly think some people are there to watch them.

I love the way guys like Higgins officiate with a laid back style. I did some pretty big games this year on the high school level. My style and mechanics never changed outside of my normal levels on big calls. Outside of some people already knowing who I was, they didn't really notice me in the game until a big call was made. They didn't notice me for my mechanics, they especially didn't see me fly off the baseline as the lead and make a charge call near the free throw line like you see on TV.

I just believe in proper mechanics with no over the top theatrics. That tells me you are trying to be noticed even more or think people are there to watch you.