NCAA Men's Tournament Officials (2017)

[parker27]

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

[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!

[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.

[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.

[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 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

[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.

[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

[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 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.