Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions
 

I am going to this tournament and wondering if anybody else is going. I would love to meet more people on here.

Is this year by personal invite only??? A friend of mine in the midwest who's a D1 official got an email from Joe Forte. I've been to Gibbons the last 2 years but i'm not in any NCAA conferences so I doubt Joe Forte has my name on his roladex.

When is the tournament?

For those who don't know, the reason I bring this up is that Bob Gibbons used to belong to John Guthrie and his interns. Well obviously that's not the case this year. Joe Forte is now responsible for assigning the Bob Gibbons Tourney.

Tom, the tournament is held every year on Memorial Day weekend beginning with games Friday evening and ending with championship games late Sunday afternoon. I finagled my way in 2 years ago with the help of friends in the system ;) and I attended again last year legally :)

For the price (previously only the price of your hotel room, this year add a $75 fee to that) Bob Gibbons is easily the best camp I've ever attended. Every game I worked, except one (i won't get into that long story), was observed by a D1 and/or NBDL ref who always provided helpful and pertinent feedback at half and after the game. Off the top of my head I remember being observed by Lorenzo Bronson, Mike Nance, and Roger Ayers.

Everyone is thrown together. You could be working with 2 other guys from your hometown one game and then with two D1 officials the next. First game I worked there 2 years ago I worked with now NBA ref Eric Lewis (I didn't know who he was at the time) with John Guthrie watching on the side. Last year I worked in Cameroon Indoor Stadium with now NBA ref David Guthrie with a top SEC observer on the sideline. The talent there is the best I've personally seen at any camp.

This year Joe Forte has added classroom instruction and video breakdown (maybe that's explains the new $75 fee). Haven't decided yet if I will try to get myself invited b/c I have my kids that weekend. I brought them with me 2 years ago but there were no classroom sessions so I was able to bring them with me everywhere I went. That was great b/c on the last day my kids got to sit on the floor of the Dean Dome for my last game. My oldest was able to have a couple shoot-arounds with Sean May (UNC players were table personnel in the Dean Dome). Needless to say UNC became my son's favorite team after that :eek: , just in time for their National Championship.

BadNewsRef hit the nail right on the head, and yes this year is invite only with $75 dollars extra for video breakdown and what not. I hope to see some of you there.

I got an invite yesterday, but there's no way that I'm gonna get hired for the Big South (b/c of my location, if not my talent), so I think I'm gonna pass, even tho $75 is a great rate.

Chuck,

To my knowledge it is not just for Joe Forte's conference, there are going to be other conferences there, plus where are you going to find such a cheap camp for the unbelieveable level of play you are going to referee. I think you should come, if not for anything but to be seen, for dirt cheap. I would truly like to meet you and as many people from the forum as possible.

Is this the BigSouth camp where they pick people up? Or is there another BS camp? Details please, thanks.

This is the first year under new management. Previously under John Guthrie this camp was one avenue to get under the SEC umbrella. Now that the SEC umbrella is no more, who knows. :confused:

I will be there, got the email yesterday from Joe Forte'.

Gibbon's Camp got me to Vegas last year and on into the SEC Developmental League. Of course it was short lived due to the issues that happened with Guthree's demise. But evedently I am on somebodies radar because I got the invite. Its only open to 85 officials, so I guess I was one of the 85 lucky ones. It great play and a good chance for both NBA & D1 officials to look at you.

I imagine more than 85 people rec'd invites, however the first 85 to send the 75 bucks get the spots.

I am sure and will be among the 85! But the funny thing is that it looked like there wasnt a distributed email, unless he is doing it one by one.

Or used BCC: and you can't see who else he sent it to.