Calhoun and Whining

[ShadowStripes]

I kind of think the notion that there was a perception that he intimidated the crew in the Washington game and got favorable treatment, or that he should have been whacked a second time, are a little insulting to the crew. I believe that if they thought a second T was warranted, they would have called it, and those who argue that a crew at that level was intimidated into making particular calls are similar to those who take Billy Packer's word for the notion that a call was blown.

As an official I agree with you, but those words were coming from tournament officials. I don't know who was there specifically to watch the officials, but there was discussion up and down the scorer's table about the situation. Everyone knows Calhoun has a penchant for rough language and is known to work the officials, but on Friday night he was particularly bad. After watching the game in person, I watched again on TiVo and the game broadcast missed about 75% of his theatrics. My own personal opinion is that they would've tossed him if it was a regular season contest. Calhoun was much less animated on Sunday, and I think the crew had a lot to do with that.

[rulesmaven]

Originally Posted by ShadowStripes

[As an official I agree with you, but those words were coming from tournament officials. I don't know who was there specifically to watch the officials, but there was discussion up and down the scorer's table about the situation. Everyone knows Calhoun has a penchant for rough language and is known to work the officials, but on Friday night he was particularly bad. After watching the game in person, I watched again on TiVo and the game broadcast missed about 75% of his theatrics. My own personal opinion is that they would've tossed him if it was a regular season contest. Calhoun was much less animated on Sunday, and I think the crew had a lot to do with that.

Well, then other than being uncomfortable for that one game, that sounds as though it turned out to be a good situation, and could be an even better one if more is said to Connecticut after the tournament. I don't know enough about Calhoun to know whether he will take the stuff to heart -- I get the sense from what I've seen that this was a particularly frustrating year for him -- but if he doesn't, he'll only have himself to blame in the future. I bet you're right that he would have had a shorter leash during a regular season game. I don't have a problem with that, though. A travel is a travel whether in exhibition or in the final, but I think the T is an area where we want more officials' discretion about situation. The problem in the Washington/Connecticut game, as I saw it (on tv) was that Calhoun's behavior started to spread. Romar eventually got into the act, and they had let enough go with Calhoun that they were kind of hamstrung at that point. I don't know whether Adams and Higgins work together that much, but watching on tv, it seemed as though their styles of dealing with the coaches were a little contrasting.