NCAA Men's Tournament Officials (2017)

[SD Referee]

Originally Posted by Adam

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.

I worded that poorly.

I meant to blend in and be part of the crew. Consistent calls. Proper mechanics. No over the top mechanics and theatrics. That is a good night. I don't equate not wanting to be noticed for the wrong reason with shying away from anything. I've had a lot of big games and big calls and I've never disappeared in a game. I would take a nut cruncher of a game EVERY night.

[deecee]

This is funny about all the "what we should do" and "what the game is about" by a bunch of guys talking about reaching a level where these officials work, yet not willing to accept that they (you, and I) need to adjust our mentality rather than the "we would do it this way".

Hey they are working the games "we want" so lets just say what they do is working? More than what you or I do is. And then there is the luck factor. They have more of "it". That's life.

[CallemUp]

While I do agree that most "big time" college referees love to be seen, I also think there are a few great officials that never default to the over the top histrionics that sometimes just annoy the fans. Mike Eades, Jamie Luckie, Darron George, Keith Kimble are a few. They quietly and professionally go about calling a game without the showtime calls. Interestingly, these don't seem to get called out that often by the media, fans or even coaches. I wonder if there's a correlation.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by SD Referee

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.

Blech. That's the college/pro version of "It's about the children. It's just not true. It's really not about anyone (player, coach, official, etc). It's a freaking game.

As for the "over the top signals," remember the folks hiring these guys are well aware of their individual styles and they continue to hire them. That tells me they really don't give a crap as long as they're getting the calls right. Quite honestly, the only ones who do are officials.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by slick rick

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

And perhaps you shouldn't create user name after user name when you get banned for being an idiot.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by SD Referee

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.

One guys "over the top" mechanic is another guys "sell." And you said "clearly?" Why is it that clear? Again, depending on when you started there are some actions that were common place. So I disagree that it is "clear." I think it is just not your bag. I do not see any official that clearly does anything. You would have to talk to them to know what their intentions are.

Originally Posted by SD Referee

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.

You think they did not notice you. I have been noticed many times by the second I show up on the floor. And it is because they have seen me before or because I worked some other game. Sometimes you have a game where all the calls happen in your area and other games you have hardly any calls. Look I work in places where the reputation of officials are obvious. And the way officials are treated often comes with that reputation and the officials were not the guy that was "over the top." Some officials are identified by their real job or what they look like, similar to "The Black guy," or the "Elementary School Teacher," or "The guy with the big belly." All of those things I have seen officials be identified for and it had nothing to do with their mechanics. To me that is just a bogus claim overall. And Higgins as much as you love him was identified for the calls he made. Even the video shown claimed he called something far away, which was not "right" in their eyes and that alone was the reason he got noticed. And then every call after that or before, "Well that was called by the guy we were talking about." Who put him on notice? Not his mechanics. They did not talk about his mechanics. Heck do they even know what our mechanics are?

Originally Posted by SD Referee

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.

Again, all subjective anyway. I see guys sell calls all the time and some person would suggest they are over the top. And I think there is a place for over the top movements on selling a call.

Peace

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by CallemUp

While I do agree that most "big time" college referees love to be seen, I also think there are a few great officials that never default to the over the top histrionics that sometimes just annoy the fans. Mike Eades, Jamie Luckie, Darron George, Keith Kimble are a few. They quietly and professionally go about calling a game without the showtime calls. Interestingly, these don't seem to get called out that often by the media, fans or even coaches. I wonder if there's a correlation.

I am not going to specifically point out the specific official you referenced. But I can tell you that one of these guys was accused by a commentator on ESPN (notorious for saying bad things about officials) that he always found a way to interject himself into a contest. And it was when some non-players were interfering with the court area and stopped the game to address this issue. So this again proves that if the right people are paying attention, there is someone that claims you do things the wrong way. Which is also an example of why you cannot listen to this silly standard of "We might get noticed, so do not do....."

I'm only posting this to show that not everyone is a fan of the people we think are held in a certain esteem. I have nothing against the official or the way he handled this situation. For all we know they were told to deal with this situation that was becoming a problem.



Peace

[SC Official]

"The best officials go unnoticed."

Just add it to the list of hackneyed camp speak that is often false.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by SC Official

"The best officials go unnoticed."

Just add it to the list of hackneyed camp speak that is often false.

Often times the clinicians at some major camps are the guy people here do not think "Want to be seen." So that might be a high school thing in some circles, but I cannot recall ever being told this during a college camp. But then again if it had, it was a very long time ago.

Peace

[Adam]

I'm guessing it was originally used to convey a valid point, but that point was misunderstood and/or passed along. The lessons learned from the old game of telephone apply, and are magnified because it's something that gets passed along by people who didn't understand the original point.

The valid points?

Don't be a pioneer.
Don't grab the crap end of the stick.

[JRutledge]

Bullshit???

Shit???

Do I have to be an administrator use that language?

Peace

[Adam]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Bullshit???

Shit???

Do I have to be an administrator use that language?

Peace

Brad removed the filters years ago.

So no, you don't have to be an administrator to use that language.

(and dammit, I meant to edit that before I sent it.)

[so cal lurker]

Originally Posted by Adam

I'm guessing it was originally used to convey a valid point, but that point was misunderstood and/or passed along. The lessons learned from the old game of telephone apply, and are magnified because it's something that gets passed along by people who didn't understand the original point.

The valid points?

Don't be a pioneer.
Don't grab the crap end of the stick.

Isn't that true of so much good advice? Those who don't understand it re-frame it and turn it into nonsense.

Originally Posted by tmagan

If Ted Valentine makes another Final Four, he will break the record for most years between first final four and last final four currently held at twenty-one years by Jody Sylvester and Jim Burr.

It happened!