Should officials apologize?

[thadbrown]

I assume most of you are familiar with the incident that occured last year when an official blew his whistle inadvertantly but wouldn't admit it. For those of you who do remember I'm curious as to how you think it was handled. (In the interests of full disclosure I am no longer interested in officiating basketball and I am a fan of the "wronged" team). To the best of my knowledge said official has never apologized publically or privately to the young man who was lambasted on national TV because of the official's mistake or to his team. Would it be inappropriate for an official to make such an apology? Are there some sort of legal ramifications? Is there concern that admitting to mistakes undermines an officials authority? Just wondering what other officials think.

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by thadbrown
I assume most of you are familiar with the incident that occured last year when an official blew his whistle inadvertantly but wouldn't admit it. For those of you who do remember I'm curious as to how you think it was handled. (In the interests of full disclosure I am no longer interested in officiating basketball and I am a fan of the "wronged" team). To the best of my knowledge said official has never apologized publically or privately to the young man who was lambasted on national TV because of the official's mistake or to his team. Would it be inappropriate for an official to make such an apology? Are there some sort of legal ramifications? Is there concern that admitting to mistakes undermines an officials authority? Just wondering what other officials think.

Generally officials are not allowed to make public remarks except to clarify a rule in answer to a question from the media, and even this would only occur in an unusual situation. Any statements, apologies or whatever would come from the conference the game was worked under.

[BktBallRef]

Dude, what are you talking about?

Accidental whistles are not uncommon. Whatever the incident was you're referring to, I don't recall it. Mistakes happen. Apologize? Probably nothing more than "Sorry coach, I missed it." But a public apology? No. Legal ramifications? Are you kidding?

[thadbrown]

Thanks Dan_ref. That makes sense that the conference would want to keep pretty tight control over what officials say so I guess my beef is with the conference. BktBallRef-sorry I wasn't clear. The incident in question was more serious than just an inadvertant whistle. The official in question denied he blew the whistle until video proof surfaced days later. That is what I would think the conference should apologize for.

[williebfree]

Mr. ThadBrown:

You are making far too many assumptions and you know what they say about assumptions.

When was the last time that a disgruntled fan, or more specifically YOU, demanded a public apology for a player of your team for making a turnover or shooting an airball or missing an uncontested lay-up?

Bottom Line: Players hate making mistakes: shooting airballs or missing lay-ups, but these happen and most people accept them as part of the game. Officials hate making mistakes but they are human and it also happens on rare occasions. Some fans imply that officials intentionally kick calls to cheat for a team. That is a stab at the integrity of officials. Sadly it appears that you have stooped that low. I am dissappointed and embarrassed for you.

[Back In The Saddle]

Originally posted by williebfree
Mr. ThadBrown:

You are making far too many assumptions and you know what they say about assumptions.

When was the last time that a disgruntled fan, or more specifically YOU, demanded a public apology for a player of your team for making a turnover or shooting an airball or missing an uncontested lay-up?

Bottom Line: Players hate making mistakes: shooting airballs or missing lay-ups, but these happen and most people accept them as part of the game. Officials hate making mistakes but they are human and it also happens on rare occasions. Some fans imply that officials intentionally kick calls to cheat for a team. That is a stab at the integrity of officials. Sadly it appears that you have stooped that low. I am dissappointed and embarrassed for you.

This was not just some inadvertant whistle. Well, it was, but then it blew up in a major way.

The official sounded his whistle to acknowledge a time-out request following a basket late in the game. But for some reason that I don't recall exactly (some reason why he shouldn't have granted the time-out) he chose to play on and ignore his own whistle.

When he heard the whistle for the time-out, the kid that got T'd came onto the floor (in the bench area) whooping it up 'cause his team had just taken the lead or something akin to it. The official kept quiet about the whistle and allowed the crew to assess the T.

The official continued to deny that he'd sounded the whistle until a local tv station that broadcast the game was able to demonstrate that the official had indeed blown his whistle.

As I recall, the official had also denied blowing his whistle to his supervisor. The league slapped the guy around pretty good, took a few games away and denied him any conference tournament games.

All this is well documented.

Sure, it was just an inadvertant whistle. But the official's shameful behavior after the whistle allowed the player in question to be torn apart on national television and very literally cost the team the game.

So give thadbrown his due on this. He's got a legitimate gripe. Of course, he should have moved on with his life a long time ago too.

[Nevadaref]

Originally posted by BushRef
Why don't ya just come out and tell us who it was and who it involved and all that.

I racked my brain for a couple seconds, and think this may have been in the Mountain West Conference? A Game involving Brigham YOung University (BYU).

It was BYU @ New Mexico on January 26, 2004 and the official was Lonnie Dixon. His behavior was shameful. He lied on the court about the incident, lied to the supervisor after the game, lied during the conference investigation, and finally was proven to have no integrity when a local TV station had a tape of him blowing the whistle. We talked about this last year on the forum.
Here's a link: http://www.byucougars.com/Filing.jsp?ID=0000004692
Personally, I believe that he should have apologized, not for the mistaken whistle, but for his poor behavior after that.
The conference should have dropped him this year. How can any coach take what he says as truthful? I sure wouldn't want him as a partner on my game. I can't trust him.


PS Why is he bringing this up now? It was almost a year ago, let it go.

[ChuckElias]

Yikes!! Guys, do we want to be calling out other officials by name in a public forum by calling them shameful and other things? Whatever happened, it doesn't seem like a real good idea to be hanging this guy out to dry like this.

[Jimgolf]

When the ACC refs blow a call, the supervisor of officials has them phone the coach and apologize to them. I think the theory is that they don't want the coaches to think that a given official is holding a grudge against a particular coach or team, and by ackowledging their mistakes the refs will learn and improve.

[Nevadaref]

Originally posted by ChuckElias
Yikes!! Guys, do we want to be calling out other officials by name in a public forum by calling them shameful and other things? Whatever happened, it doesn't seem like a real good idea to be hanging this guy out to dry like this.

For this, yes.
If he simply blew a call, I'd have his back, but for dishonesty...let him hang.

[Robmoz]

Originally posted by Back In The Saddle
This was not just some inadvertant whistle. Well, it was, but then it blew up in a major way.

The official sounded his whistle to acknowledge a time-out request following a basket late in the game. But for some reason that I don't recall exactly (some reason why he shouldn't have granted the time-out) he chose to play on and ignore his own whistle.

When he heard the whistle for the time-out, the kid that got T'd came onto the floor (in the bench area) whooping it up 'cause his team had just taken the lead or something akin to it. The official kept quiet about the whistle and allowed the crew to assess the T.

The official continued to deny that he'd sounded the whistle until a local tv station that broadcast the game was able to demonstrate that the official had indeed blown his whistle.

As I recall, the official had also denied blowing his whistle to his supervisor. The league slapped the guy around pretty good, took a few games away and denied him any conference tournament games.

All this is well documented.

Sure, it was just an inadvertant whistle. But the official's shameful behavior after the whistle allowed the player in question to be torn apart on national television and very literally cost the team the game.

So give thadbrown his due on this. He's got a legitimate gripe. Of course, he should have moved on with his life a long time ago too.

What? Cost them the game? No.

In an incredible finish, BYU guard Kevin Woodberry tipped in a Cougar miss to tie the game with 3.8 seconds left. A technical foul was then called on the Cougars as Mark Bigelow came onto the court from the bench to celebrate the shot, sending the Lobos' Troy DeVries to the line for two free shots (later scrutiny on video tape showed a whistle was blown after the Woodberry bucket, which prompted Bigelow onto the court; however, the officials did not acknowledge the whistle and consequently Bigelow was called for the technical foul). Amazingly, DeVries missed both attempts, leaving the game tied with 3.8 seconds still on the clock.

Shameful actions by the ref goes without saying but there is no need to persecute this man further, let it go.

For someone to say that they would have his back (under the right conditions) but then offers to let him hang ---- that is shameful

[JRutledge]

I cannot even believe what I am reading. I guess you guys are either the assignor or the coach in the situation. Because how in the hell you know of what took place in detail and not being either party is suspect? For anyone to talk about 3rd and 4th hand information and say the official was shameful for not admitting something is shameful to me. Unless you were in the locker room or the hallway after the game, not sure how you know who and when someone admitted to anything. I hope you are not taking some media story and trying to come to some conclusion. Do you know what this official might have said the next time they saw each other too?

I think all of us should be ashamed of the actions of people ripping another official without possibly knowing everything that happen. But this would not be the first time.

Peace

[footlocker]

Jrut,

I don't always agree with you, but this is how I read this situation as well. It's best to mind my own business and withold judgements when I don't have first hand knowledge. And, when it comes to officiating, if I do have first hand knowledge of another official and do pass judgement, I keep it to myself.

Hopefully this is the last time I agree with someone who quotes Bill Maher!

[Nevadaref]

Originally posted by Robmoz

For someone to say that they would have his back (under the right conditions) but then offers to let him hang ---- that is shameful

Yeah, and that right condition would be an HONEST MISTAKE. However, the conference released a report about a week after this game confirming the FACT that the official lied. Now that I can't support. If you wish to stand with those who have no integrity just because your shirt looks the same that's your choice, but how dare you criticize me for standing up for honesty.

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by footlocker
Jrut,

I don't always agree with you, but this is how I read this situation as well. It's best to mind my own business and withold judgements when I don't have first hand knowledge. And, when it comes to officiating, if I do have first hand knowledge of another official and do pass judgement, I keep it to myself.

Hopefully this is the last time I agree with someone who quotes Bill Maher!

I really do not care if you agree with what I say or not (or Bill Maher). If I was there and worked on the game with the accused official, I still would not come here and voice my opposition to the actions that took place.

Peace