Hello.

For those that follow that NFL, you know that the Superbowl crew has often come out of the wild card round. (I don't kow why I just said that - everyone follows the NFL! :)) Anyways, we (in the football section) are pretty good at predicting the Superbowl officials.

Is there a pattern that arises in the tournament? Perhaps the officials that referee the Elite Eight and on are rather predictable, and if we don't see them in the mid-rounds, can we expect to see them next weekend?

I don't care who they are, as long as the wear shorts and fishnets. :p

Cartmell, Edsal, and Burr from the two games played today.

Is that a prediction, BBR?

Yes, it is. I'd say those three will work sometime next weekend.

I thought you meant they were NC officials. ;)

I'd say Burr (b/c he properly ruled on the 3-pointer. Hightower. 3rd, I say Cartmell.)

Anyone else?

Hightower will be there. STL is basically in his backyard.

That does it. I"m calling Mary tomorrow!

Ed only lives about 20 minutes from the Savvis Center. They can even save some money on his travel and hotel. Besides that, he probably deserves to be there as much as anyone.

I would say the following people have the best shot at working this weekend.

Burr, Hightower, Tim Higgins, John Higgins, Cartmell, Hall, Libbey, Cahill, Welmer. The alternate is anybody's guess, but I would say Verne Harris because he worked the national championship last year.

And I venture to say that Burr, Hightower, and Libbey work next Monday night.

Larry Rose maybe?

I'd like to see Rose, Hess, and Hartzell. :D

I don't think Hall worked the elite 8 so I doubt he will be there. I actually thought I saw him but his name isn't in the box score....and don't count out McCall who worked the NC last year...and worked the illinois OT game saturday...

The title of your thread is "Final Four AND NC Officials."

Hightower won't be selected just because he lives outside St. Louis, in Alton I beleive. If he's selected, it'll be based on what he's done this year.

David Hall worked the Carolina-Villanova game. I don't think any of the guys who worked the Regional Semis worked the Finals. But I haven't check the boxscores.

The 10 officials selected to work the Final Four (9 floor officials and 1 alternate) will come from the 36 officials that worked the regional semi's and regional finals.

By the way, Hartzell will definitely NOT work the Final Four this year - he declined his NCAA tourney assignments this year.