Who will be the Final Four refs?
 

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

Jim Burr, Teddy Valentine, Dave Libbey, Tim Higgins, Reggie Greenwood, Ed Hightower, Curtis Shaw, John Higgins

Here's eight of my guesses. I have no clue but these are top notch officials, I'm sure there will be some "virgins" working the game, not sure who those oficials would be.

:rolleyes:

For crying out loud Nevada! :D

I almost wrote "Note to tomegun: ....", but figured that you would understand the note was for you anyway! ;)

I thought Verne Harris called two good games in the first and second round, but he and his crew (Hal Lusk & JD Collins) in the BC/Villanova game did not have a great night (imho), so I would be surprised to see any of them next weekend.

Just as a basis for comparison, here are the officials for the Final Four from 2002-2004...I will try to locate 2005...# means they did the Championship game.

2002
Jim Burr#
Dick Cartmell#
Ed Corbett
Duke Edsall
Tony Greene#
Tim Higgins
Ed Hightower
Michael Kitts
David Libbey
2003
Gerald Boudreaux#
Dick Cartmell#
Reginald Cofer#
Donnee Gray
Karl Hess
Michael Kitts
David Libbey
Tom Lopes
Larry Rose
2004
Jim Burr
Dick Cartmell#
Donnee Gray
David Hall
Verne Harris#
Tim Higgins
Ted Hillary
Randy McCall#
Olandis Poole

Here are the officials from 2005

2005
Doug Shows, Ed Hightower, Jim Burr (Semi - Ill/Lou)
Randy Mccall, Reggie Greenwood, Robert Donato (Semi - UNC/Mich St)
Ed Corbett, John Cahill, Verne Harris (Final - UNC/Ill)


Verne Harris is going for the 3-peat.

DII Men's Championship
 

Anyone know the names of the officials from the VA Union/Winona St. game?

Who was the official under the basket as Shinn shot the 1-and-1 with 5.6 seconds left in regulation of the UConn-GW game? No doubt a good official, but you would think that it would not escape notice that he walked into the play to retreive the missed FT, mistakenly thinking it to be a 2-shot foul. Luckily, the UConn guys outrebounded him!!

Tom Mauer, Everett Summers, Cornell Scaife

Tom Mauer is the brother of Ken Mauer of the NBA. Tom is very solid. I think he works a few games in the Big 10, Big XII and WNBA.

I think you are talking about the UCON/George Mason game and the shooter's name is Skinn.

The official is Zelton Steed. I noticed the same thing. I also would think his focus would be better than that.
The last time I watched the movie Eddie, I noticed Zelton Steed and Jamie Luckie were two of the officials in the movie.

That would be amazing to work the final 3 straight years, but like I said I would be surprised...I believe he called the travel on Williams in the BC/NOVA game when imo Williams was clearly fouled, in fact he was dragged to the floor.

Nevedaref - Welmer only worked a 1st rd game (Washington v Utah St) - he was an alternate on the Washington v Illinois game.

As for the chosen 10, here's my selections:

Scott Thornley
Dave Hall
Bob Donato
Tom Lopes
Tom Eades
Karl Hess
Tony Greene
Ed Corbett
Tom O'Neill
Pat Driscoll (alternate for all 3 games)

My vote
 

I would like to see Hicks and Thornley. I thought they both have been outstanding. Plus I'm biased toward Bruce, having learned a ton from him.

How many Final Fours has Burr worked?

In recent years, Sifferman has worked 3 consecutive Super Bowls, and Buchko has worked 3 consecutive Grey Cups.

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

When CBS puts the graphic on the screen at 6:07pm on Saturday.:D

Once they get notified that they have been selected, do they even know prior to arriving at the site which game they'll be working? I believe from hearing Donnee Gray speak they don't find out until they get there.

One of my mentors worked in Dallas and Oakland the first 2 weekends, but all he said in his emails was "I'll be in Dallas/Oakland this weekend". I don't know and didn't ask if he knew which games he'd be working.

Maybe Hank Nichols can log in and give us some insight??? :eek:

I heard the championship game has been assigned to: Billy Packer, Jim Nantz, and Billy Walton.

On a related note, Billy Packer, Jim Nantz and Billy Walton will also be conducting a clinic on not what to do the exact same time the championship game is on. :D

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

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.

Burr has 15 Final 4s to his credit.
85,88,90,91,92,93,94,95,97,98,99,00,02,04,05

6 of those were championship games.
91,94,95,98,00,02

They used to be in the dark until they arrived, but a chapter in John Feinstein's book on the Final Four (Last Dance) is on Nichols and the officials. Now the officials know whether they have a semifinal or a final (or are the standby) cause (1) officials not chosen for the final swould get disappointed and (2) they don't being the championship refs in until later in the weekend.

I hope Patrick Adams gets the nod for having the guts to give Calhoun a well deserved T.

Rich is right from what I've been told. The refs that work on Saturday can't stick around either. They work their game and they have to leave the city. I forgot why, but maybe I will call Reggie and ask.

They have to leave or the NCAA does not pay for their accommodations?

Peace

The way I was told, they have to leave.

I think it has something to do with public contact and the fact that people would attempt to influence officials since there is so much money involved in these games. I know what you are thinking, "What influence would someone have after the game is over on Saturday?" I don't know exactly; it is just the story I got. I can't even say it is gospel. I will try to find out.

Tom, I remember Reggie saying that, as well. But I can't remember the "why" either. I'm going to email him after the tournament is all over. I'll let you ask about the "why" tho. ;)

I kind of figured that was the reason. I just find that odd that someone has to completely leave at such a special event. I can understand that thinking. They have to do what they have to do I guess.

Peace

Donnee Gray (he's my JuCo supervisor) has said during his camps that the semi-final officials do have to leave, but he never did give us a reason why this is so.

Did you find this info online or in an NCAA encyclopedia or just call him up and ask? :)

Seriously, I am interested where you found it. Seems like a good source.

Actually, biz, if you look at your own list you'll see that Dick Cartmell worked the championship game three years in a row 02, 03, and 04.

I'd guess that it has happened before as well.

Let's start throwing darts out there....here's my call for the final:

Libbey, Cahill, Harris.

Anyone else? We can all chip in a quarter, winner take all. Of course, my quarter's only worth about 20 cents to you guys :D

Good point!...I guess I should read my own posts:)

Hicks, Greenwood, Valentine :D

Maybe I am Jim Burr?:cool:

Just kidding. The NCAA record book lists Final 4 officals. You can find it on pages 24 & 25.

http://www.ncaa.org/library/records/...our_record.pdf

And, because I am way too weird about this stuff, I have written down every tournament assignment for the field of 64 since 1998. So, if you have any question about games in the past 8 years, I can give you names from the boxscores.

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.

Higgins (Tim), Hightower, Valentine

I don't know Hicks at all. But this crew gets my vote. Well, any crew with Reggie on it gets my vote :)

My guesses:

Semis: John Cahill, Tom Lopes, Ed Corbett, Dick Cartmell, Bryan Kersey, Reggie Greenwood

Final: Jim Burr, Tim Higgins, Bruce Hicks

Since we're throwing guesses out there ...

Semis:
Kersey, Hess, Valentine
Maxwell, Sanzere, McCall

Championship:
Hicks, Hall, Burr

Standby: Greene

No real rhyme or reason to it ... I'm just going by crews that I thought did well last weekend. One guy that I didn't have on there that I hope does get there for a second straight season is Donato ... He's a great guy!

Does anyone have the list? I know the officials have been contacted.

They do NOT know what they will work until they are there, just that they are IN.

I would guess the following:

1st semi: Jim Burr, John Higgins, Tony Greene
2nd semi: Ed Hightower, Vern Harris, Mike Sanzere

National Championship: Scott Thornley, Reggie Greenwood, David Libbey

Alternate: Randy McCall

teddy v is working one of the semi's on saturday...

Good for Teddy. I, for one, am glad to see him back in the Final Four for the first time since doing the final in 1997, which was also in Indianapolis.

Did I see on a previous post that anyone who advances from last weekend advances with his crew? Would I be safe in assuming that Hess and Kersey are going with him?

Care to identify your source?

a guy i officiate w/ is tight w/ ted...he was informed yesterday of his semi...

Officials do not advance to the Final Four based on crews; they are individually selected and assigned. If Valentine is working, you cannot assume his partners from last weekend are going as well.

Based on tonights NIT semi's from Madison Square Garden - we now know that Bob Donato, Pat Driscoll, Tom O'Neill, and Reggie Greenwood will not be working in Indy this weekend......they are working the NIT semi's tonight.

Add Tom Lopes to that list too.....

Would this be the first time Hightower and Valentine worked together since the Bobby Knight incident? How about that for a story line...

Very true. The NCAA has the following in its handbook:
"For the Final Four, each official will agree to not accept any offciating assignment within five days of the national semifinals for reasons of health and safety."

Interesting. Not sure.

Looks like I was wrong about Valentine for the final, but I had a strong hunch he would be back at the FF this year. He's earned his way back.

Teddy V.
 

Guess he bounced back well after his crew's early season mistake in BGSU/VA Tech game. Goes to show you that one missed call shouldn't ruin your entire season.:)

Maxwell is in. He may be the alternate.

Don't forget Randy McCall and Tom Lopes...They both worked last night as well.

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

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)

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.

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...

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?

I think it helps when your crew has a good game and you make a call that separates you from the pack.

Of course, name recognition goes a long way too!

I wonder if it makes a difference which teams advance. Does it make a difference for Harris whether or not Villanova or BC had moved on, or to guys like Higgins (the younger) if Connecticut had moved on.

Does it matter if you've previously called a closely contested game in a prior final four involving a particular team? For example, does Tim Higgins get the call if UConn advances?

It would be interesting to see whether the officials who ultimately get the nod were involved in any of the prior games in the tournament involving the teams in the FF.

Tim Higgins and Bryan Kersey are working the NIT Champ. game that just started - so cross them off "the list"....

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.

GW hasn't played UConn in the past several seasons . . . :mad:

Be a fun game, though -- grizzled old coach against his former assistant. Heck, they probably still love each other so much you might not even need refs.

The answer is Zelton Steed. Very good official who works the Big 10 and several other midwest-based D1 leagues.

I am the guy who was under the basket. If you noticed the ball rattled and came out. I thought it was going in. Luckily I still rebound as I did in college--very badly.

I appreciate that compliment.