Who will be the Final Four refs?

[refTN]

Originally Posted by tnzebra

When will we find out who was selected? I'm pulling for Maxwell.

I'm pulling for Gary as well. I have talked to him a couple of times in the last couple of months and he seems unbelieveably intelligent when it comes to officiating basketball.

[refTN]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

The following officials are eligible to be selected for the Final Four:

Bruce Hicks, David Hall, Jim Burr
Bryan Kersey, Karl Hess, Ted Valentine
Gary Maxwell, Mike Sanzere, Randy McCall
Curtis Shaw, Gerry Pollard, Pat Driscoll
Verne Harris, J.D. Collins, Hal Lusk
Robert Donato, John Hughes, Raymond Perone
David Libbey, Joseph Lindsey, Tom O'Neill
John Higgins, Steve Skiles, Patrick Adams
Richard Cartmell, Terry Wymer, John Cahill
Timothy Higgins, Tom Lopes, Reggie Greenwood
Scott Thornley, Tony Greene, Zelton D. Steed
Ed Corbett, Ed Hightower, Tom Eades



Who do you think will be the 10 chosen?

(Note: Steve Welmer is not on the list.)

Could somebody tell me who the youngest and oldest in this group are. Thanks

[biz]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

My guesses:
1st semi: John Higgins, Hicks, Shaw
2nd semi: Burr, Kersey, Donato
Final: Greenwood, Greene, Maxwell
alt: Wymer

Nevada, you have 4 final four rookies on your list. John Higgins, Hicks, Kersey, and Maxwell. Just quickly looking back over the last few years the most final four rookies the committee has selected has been 3 (2004 Harris, McCall, Poole) and usually no more than 2 "rookies" have been selected.

I'm not saying that your picks are impossible, but that it would be against what the committe has been doing recently.

[JeffRobinson]

From what I have heard from a buddy who is tight with John, Higgins is out. Curtis Shaw is in. Not sure which game.

[jeffpea]

OK - so we know Tom Lopes, Bob Donato, Pat Driscoll, Tom O'Neill, Reggie Greenwood, Randy McCall, and (according to JeffRobinson) John Higgins are out. Not sure who is working NIT conso. and champ. games Thr. night (they would be out as well).

That leaves: (with my guesses)

Bruce Hicks- YES
David Hall - YES
Jim Burr
Bryan Kersey
Karl Hess
Ted Valentine - YES
Gary Maxwell - YES alternate
Mike Sanzere
Curtis Shaw - YES
Gerry Pollard
Verne Harris - YES
J.D. Collins- YES (alternate 2yrs ago)
Hal Lusk
John Hughes
Ray Perone
David Libbey
Joseph Lindsey
Steve Skiles (crew had rough Wash v UConn game)
Patrick Adams (crew had rough Wash v UConn game)
Dick Cartmell (work champ game in 02,03,04 - too many)
Terry Wymer (just getting feet wet - maybe next yr)
John Cahill - YES
Tim Higgins
Scott Thornley - YES
Tony Greene
Zelton D. Steed
Ed Corbett - YES
Ed Hightower (made nearly every call in FL vs Nova)

[biz]

Originally Posted by jeffpea

Verne Harris - YES
J.D. Collins- YES (alternate 2yrs ago)

Steve Skiles (crew had rough Wash v UConn game)
Patrick Adams (crew had rough Wash v UConn game)

jeff,

I'm with you on most of your picks and your reasonings, but not with Harris and Collins...I think that both are tremendous officials (obviously), but I would put Harris and Collins in the same list as Skiles and Adams in that they did not have a great game in the last round imo.

Harris, Collins, and Lusk missed some big calls at the end of the Nova/BC game and I think that will cost them. I still can't believe the travel call on Williams, and I have never, nor will I ever root for BC.

I really think that Tim Higgins will be back this year. He was last there in 2004 and my guess is that he might even get the championship game this year. Just a guess though.

[jeffpea]

Originally Posted by biz

jeff,

I'm with you on most of your picks and your reasonings, but not with Harris and Collins...I think that both are tremendous officials (obviously), but I would put Harris and Collins in the same list as Skiles and Adams in that they did not have a great game in the last round imo.

Harris, Collins, and Lusk missed some big calls at the end of the Nova/BC game and I think that will cost them. I still can't believe the travel call on Williams, and I have never, nor will I ever root for BC.

I thought J.D. had a very good game. As for the Verne Harris travel call - I didn't have as much problem with it as you and others did. It certainly occurred during a stretch of several calls going against BC. One travel call made/missed is not going to keep someone out of the Final Four - IMO.

By the way, do you remember the travel call against 'Nova a year ago in the UNC game. People were evenly split on that call then. Interesting how "karma" works...

[biz]

Originally Posted by jeffpea

I thought J.D. had a very good game.

This brings up an interesting point...The committee is evaluating individual officials to determine who advances to the FF, but how much does the crew's performance help/undermine an official's individual performance rating.

IOW...if your partner(s) kick a couple big calls in a regional final or semi-final how much do you think your chances of advancing are hurt, and conversely is it possible to ride your partner's coattails to the FF even if you didn't have a great game?

[Daryl H. Long]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

The following officials are eligible to be selected for the Final Four:

Bruce Hicks, David Hall, Jim Burr
Bryan Kersey, Karl Hess, Ted Valentine
Gary Maxwell, Mike Sanzere, Randy McCall
Curtis Shaw, Gerry Pollard, Pat Driscoll
Verne Harris, J.D. Collins, Hal Lusk
Robert Donato, John Hughes, Raymond Perone
David Libbey, Joseph Lindsey, Tom O'Neill
John Higgins, Steve Skiles, Patrick Adams
Richard Cartmell, Terry Wymer, John Cahill
Timothy Higgins, Tom Lopes, Reggie Greenwood
Scott Thornley, Tony Greene, Zelton D. Steed
Ed Corbett, Ed Hightower, Tom Eades



Who do you think will be the 10 chosen?

(Note: Steve Welmer is not on the list.)


My guesses:
1st semi: John Higgins, Hicks, Shaw
2nd semi: Burr, Kersey, Donato
Final: Greenwood, Greene, Maxwell
alt: Wymer

Nevada,

I see you have Terry Wymer as an alternate. He lives about 8 miles away from me and I see him often but not within the last two weeks to pick his brain about his thinking on this subject.

jeffpea thinks Wymer as a rookie may get his shot next year.

Just curious about your reasons you include him as your alternate. What qualities did you see him exhibit that made him your choice.

From what I have seen:
Great poise.
Pressure does not faze him.
Excellent mechanics and rules knowledge.
Makes calls without bringing undue attention to himself.

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by Daryl H. Long

Nevada,

I see you have Terry Wymer as an alternate. He lives about 8 miles away from me and I see him often but not within the last two weeks to pick his brain about his thinking on this subject.

jeffpea thinks Wymer as a rookie may get his shot next year.

Just curious about your reasons you include him as your alternate. What qualities did you see him exhibit that made him your choice.

From what I have seen:
Great poise.
Pressure does not faze him.
Excellent mechanics and rules knowledge.
Makes calls without bringing undue attention to himself.

I've never met him, never seen him work before, and was not aware if he had been in the NCAA tourney prior to this year. That said, I thought that he did solid job. In the WSJ article Hank Nichols stated that he wants fresh faces to work the later rounds of the tournament and tries to include a guy who has never been there before. So I just put him on the list.
I don't know anything special. Just a guess.
If he gets an assignment, good for him. When you see him, please tell him that his good effort was noticed.