Men's Final Four Officials

[johnSandlin]

Brother and Sister Officials,

I wanted to get this out there for debate now. Now that we know who will be playing in the men's Final Four it is now time to start trying to figure out who will be working the games at the Final Four. After watching most of the tournament games. My picks for officials based on what I observed and who I thinks deserves to work the Final Four are:
Game 1
Michigan State
Arizona
Referee: John Clougherty
Umpire: David Libbey
Umpire: Ted Valentine

Game 2
Duke
Maryland
Referee: Tim Higgins
Umpire: Ed Hightower
Umpire: Mike Sanzere

National Championship
Referee: Jim Burr
Umpire: Gerry Beaudroux
Umpire: Scott Thornley
I curious for thoughts and/or different opinions on these names??

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by johnSandlin
Brother and Sister Officials,

I wanted to get this out there for debate now. Now that we know who will be playing in the men's Final Four it is now time to start trying to figure out who will be working the games at the Final Four. After watching most of the tournament games. My picks for officials based on what I observed and who I thinks deserves to work the Final Four are:
Game 1
Michigan State
Arizona
Referee: John Clougherty
Umpire: David Libbey
Umpire: Ted Valentine

Game 2
Duke
Maryland
Referee: Tim Higgins
Umpire: Ed Hightower
Umpire: Mike Sanzere

National Championship
Referee: Jim Burr
Umpire: Gerry Beaudroux
Umpire: Scott Thornley
I curious for thoughts and/or different opinions on these names??

I do not know if your list would be completely accurate. The same officials doing the semifinals are the only ones that can do the finals if I am not mistaken. So for example, only officials like Ted Higgins, Ed Hightower and Teddy Valentine would do the finals if your list was accurate. The officials go through a tournament from what I understand themselves.

[JAdams]

Rumor has it that if Ted Valentine doesn't get an assignment this weekend, he is going to take in the Final Four in a sports bar somewhere around Lubbock, TX.

[bigwhistle]

Jrut....

About 3 years ago the NCAA went to a policy of bringing 9 officials to the Final 4. This will keep anybody from working more than one game during this segment. Up until the Final 4, you are correct in saying that half the officials from day 1 will work again on day 2.

This allows more officials to work the Final 4, and helps those such as coach knight not have a problem with those poor old men (or women, if we are talking about the women's Finals) from being toooooooo tired to be able to get up and down the floor.

[JRutledge]

BigWhistle,

Do the officials still move through the tournament by doing the first round and moving through the tournament because their evaluations where high. And these officials that you have stated have done every single round until the Final Four.

[Mark Dexter]

This is from the NCAA Tournament Handbook (I posted a link somewhere before).

All suggested officials are eligible for First/Second round games.

Anyone who works a First/Second round game is eligible for a Regional Semifinal/Final.

Anyone working a Regional is eligible for the Final Four. Ten officials are selected - three for each game, one alternate to serve at all three games. (In the earlier rounds, the alternate official of each game is the R from a different game).

[Tim Roden]

Mark is correct. There is an alternate official for the final 4. So who from the regional round would be the alternate?

And I also beleive T.V. has already turned back all BIG XII games for next season.:-)

[mick]

Originally posted by Tim Roden
Mark is correct. There is an alternate official for the final 4. So who from the regional round would be the alternate?

And I also beleive T.V. has already turned back all BIG XII games for next season.:-)

Micigan Tech hosted a regional and my parnter, Jim Weiler (who posts here) was the alternate and got one of those cool round black with white ncaa patches.
mick

[Ref42]

Look for my recent post today, I posted the list of officials.

[Ref42]

I do not know if your list would be completely accurate. The same officials doing the semifinals are the only ones that can do the finals if I am not mistaken.

Rut, your incorrect the officials for the Final Four & Championship are selected from all that worked in the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 and you are either selected to work a Semi-Final or the Final.

[Ref42]

Hey John, you got 4 right and 3 on the correct games, Not Bad!!! lol