Updated: Feb. 28, 2006, 7:50 PM ET
Big Sky suspends three officials for error
Associated Press

OGDEN, Utah -- The Big Sky Conference has suspended three women's basketball officials for misapplication of a rule during the Eastern Washington-Montana State game in Bozeman, Mont., on Feb. 25.


Glenn Mayberry, Julie May and Chuck Rydzak have all been suspended for one Big Sky game for failing to apply a rule correctly.


Montana State had six players on the floor on defense with 7:09 left in the first half. An out-of-bounds play ended with an Eastern Washington field goal.


The officiating crew called a technical on Montana State, but mistakenly nullified the two points scored by EWU on the play, the league said.


Having six players on the floor is an officials' mistake, but not a correctable one. Removing the two points scored by Eastern Washington was a misapplication of the rule, the league said.


"We defer to officials for judgment calls," said Big Sky Conference Commissioner Doug Fullerton. "But on an application of a rule, with three officials on the floor, we expect them to get it right. As a league, we are very supportive of our officials, but a misapplication of a rule cannot be tolerated."


Eastern Washington won the game 63-56.


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So do people agree or disagree with the premise that officials can't be suspended for judgment calls, but when it comes to misapplication of the rules in administering the game the whole crew needs to get it right or face a penalty?

Depends on the situation.

If the whole crew botches the call, like the officials allow the points to come off the board then they should all be suspended. If for example, one official says it's wrong and its still done then that person should be exempt from any suspension.

I basically agree. If an official exhibits a pattern of poor judgment calls, then the official should either receive additional training, or be let go. But suspending an official for a single judgment call would crossing the line, and would have a hugely detrimental effect on the staff.

But as a card carrying member of this excellent forum -- which should tell you how I feel about knowing the rules -- I have to agree that a crew of three officials of that caliber, at that level, should be expected to come up with the right application of the rule. And if they don't, then what better way to encourage them to study harder.

Maybe I missed this page in the Rule Book, but I thought the mistake was the team's. I know all about preventative officiating, but this is not an "officials' error" in my book.

I don't officiate NCAA, but my Fed Rule Book (10-1-6) certainly says this is a Team Technical -- not an offical's error.

Baystateref, I thought the same thing.

Nevada, I thought Glenn Mayberry was a men's official and possibly getting into the NBA tournament.

Glenn works about every confrence known to man. I don't know what you mean by the NBA tournament but he does work the "D" League. He also works on the men's side in the Pac-10 and Big Sky. And I believe he works on the women's side in the West Coast Confrence in addition to the Sky.

It's an indirect "T" under NCAA rules, and the ball goes back to the POI after the FT's.

You pulled the wrong sentence out of the statement. The officials weren't disciplined for starting play with 6 players on the floor. The "T" issued for that was ustifiable by rule. They were disciplined for then screwing up part of the penalty part of the "T" by nullifying the basket that was scored before they called the "T". Iow, as said in the release, they were penalized for a "misapplication of the rule".

<i>"Removing the two points scored by Eastern Washington was a misapplication of the rule, the league said".</i> was the reason for the suspensions.

[Edited by Jurassic Referee on Mar 1st, 2006 at 08:37 AM]

Sorry about that, I meant "program" instead of "tournament." That is what happens when I post while I'm on the phone talking about a play-off game.

I didn't know he was in the Pac-10, but I did know Marla has talked about officials working both sides in the Big Sky in the past.

I met Glenn at the Grand Canyon State Games about 5 years ago; he is a good official. His success doesn't surprise me at all. How long has he been in the Pac-10.

I didn't know until two weeks ago that Bruce Hicks moved to Phoenix from LA. Phoenix has a lot going on right now. Do you ever think they will go to three-man for high school? My friend told me how much officials get paid for high school there and I think that is a shame.

I've said this before, so forgive me for repeating myself. It is not the officials' fault that there are six players on the court. But it most definitely is the officials' fault for allowing the team to play with six players on the court.

Not counting 5 and 5 is definitely an "officials' error".

I forgot to say this part. The biggest thing that I dislike about the suspension is this trend of making officials' suspensions public. Why do we need a press release advertising that a crew screwed up? I don't like that at all.

I agree!!!
 

I know we are suppose to count the players during substitutions and so forth, but IMHO, its the coach of the teams' fault for sending too many player on the court. As far as the rules, its the officials fault for not properly applying it.

I agree. Of course, it gives us something to talk about :)

It's ok no big deal. Glenn got in the Pac-10 this year. Marla has quite a few people working both sides. As a matter of fact last year Bob Scofield and John Weeks both worked the Men's and Women's Championship games in the confrence tourney. I believe that's the first time anyone has worked a men's and women's confrence championship game in the same year. And for the record the coaches submit a list to the confrence and my understanding is whoever is on the list for the top coaches works the final. I could be wrong.

Bill Jump moved to Phoenix too. It's not just Pheonix though the whole state has a lot going on. Rydzak is from Tucson it's his second year in the Sky. And no they will not go to 3 man here as long as we have our current commisioner. He wants high school games called as high school games and thinks going to 3 man will encourage college mechanics and rules.

I agree. They may as well give out phone numbers.


The biggest mistake was starting play with more than 5 players on each team. That is 100% preventable.