After having read the head coach's statement on what happened in the game, it becomes more evident that, unfortunately, the lack of sportsmanship and accountability is not an issue that is isolated on that team to OJ Mayo. Very disappointing.

Is there anyone at that school and team who is able to look at OJ Mayo's behavior and say "this is not acceptable"? Even if they are convinced that Lazo had it in for Mayo, did Lazo make Mayo taunt his opponent? Did Lazo make Mayo strut past his opponent (who may or may not also have shared some responsibility here)? Did Lazo make Mayo turn and stare down his opponent? Did Lazo make Mayo circle the court and then walk back into the center court area to stare at opponents in an attempt to intimidate them? Did Lazo make Mayo follow him to the scorer's table? Did Lazo make Mayo push away the first teammate who reached him (Mayo) after Lazo's fall? Did Lazo force Mayo to assume the innocent victim language in his (Mayo's) post-incident interviews?

I would like to see the school or someone in leadership say: "No matter what someone else has done, we are concerned with what our player did and it was not acceptable." I don't sense that is coming....

I agree 100%. Good post.

JRut is right. To the NC officials: Work the game. 1st sign of unsportsmanlike conduct? Whack away. That supports your fellow officials.

Unfortunately, Lazo's tumble has hurt the officials' case. Whatever happened, the videotape looks bad. And the affidavits of his 2 partners to the WVSSAC certainly don't help present the image of a united crew.

Like everyone else, having a 2nd official call the 2nd T would've been helpful and a double T would've been preferable.

Good lesson to all aspiring top level HS officials. A great game in front of 9,000 fans can go to Hades fast. Should've been a great moment for all 3 stripes. Instead, I bet all 3 of them wish someone else worked the game. Stay in the game long enough, and you'll get one of these and it'll make you rethink you're enjoyment and commitment to the game - especially when you read the comments by the fans, that ridiculous statement by the HHS coach, and the absurd but successful legal wranglings that once again prove accountability, respect, and sportsmanship are a lost art form to many.

Pathetic all the way around...

Just made another observation (and now I'm going to stop watching that videotape!):

Especially in the myspace video (link on the second page of this thread), you can see that the Capital players are all headed toward the bench after the second T. After the Fall, one Capital player steps toward where Lazo lay and team personnel/adults grab that player back and you never see another Capital player in the screen. Lots of green jerseys milling around, but it looks like Capital has its team under control.

Based solely on the videotape evidence we've seen (which I recognize does not portray the whole picture), I thought I'd at least like to shine a ray of light on something that appears to be handled well. Good job, Capital.

I disagree completely with that. <b>All</b> officials have a dog in this fight imo.

how do they not have a dog in the fight

a fellow official ejected a player who apparently was an azz and bumped him -- he gets to play and just because of location they dont have a dog in the fight.

this is the kind of lack of unity I talk about. grow some gonads and stand up for your job/hobby/prefession whatever you call it.

Actually, the statement that the NC officials have no dog in this fight is right on. Do these guys have anything to gain? I doubt it. Does this kid have anything to gain? Sure, he just showed the world he is more important than anyone else in the game at this level.

The guys working this game will be scrutinized beyond reasonability. They have two choices. Let the players go and risk the game getting out of control (obviously, the coach is useless) or call a tight game and get blamed for "picking on" the next Lebron James no matter how accurate the calls. Of course, a third option is to make sure all the fouls even out, but that wouldn't be right either.

I think you are correct that the officials shouldn't call off. IMO, what should be done is the association notify the organizer of the game that they will not be able to accommodate their request for officials.

The messenger might then want to suggest s/he call the judge who issued the temporary injunction (which is probably not effective in another state) to send three officials down to cover the mess the court created. :D Just kidding, but I would love to see that judges reaction to such a statement.

Those who know me from other boards are aware I'm not a basketball guy, barely a fan at times. However, I am a fan of sports officials, common sense and sportsmanship. From what I've read, it seems two of the three have left the building on this one.

i thought the same thing -- have the judge officiate the damn game

Lack of unity? Can we quit the hyperbole for just a second here? If we were not discussing this here, I would not even know the circumstances. It is not my job to stand by every single official when I do not know the circumstances (and likely the officials working the game have little knowledge of the circumstances) and when the state issued a punishment. The court told them to he could play, not the officials. The state even enforced their rules.

The only person the officials would hurt would be themselves and the assignor who would have to scramble to get replacements at the last minute (which might be harder than you realize). Walking away from the game is not going to change the court's decision or the outcome.

What I would do is OJ and other teammates would be on very thin ice. They better not complain about any calls or taunt any players. I would also feel the same way about the other team because they might try to get under OJ's and his teammates skin. I would be a big part of my pre-game and if OJ decided that he did not want to play along, he would not be around to finish the game.

Peace

From an assignor's point of view, I disagree also.

All this does for an assignor is:
1) lose him greatly-needed officials because they see this crap and say "t'hell with it, it just ain't worth it anymore".
2) wonder if you're inserting yourself into another area's bidness.
3) makes him put his officials on the hot plate. The officials tonight are gonna be scrutinized big time. If Mayo and his dickhead of a coach come out in what looks like their usual "I'm bigger than the game" mode, do the officials back off their normal tolerance of unsporting actions a little so as to not make waves? Don't wanna look like the last crew that couldn't handle the pressure, right? Or do they call their game as usual and nail Mayo or anybody else if they gets out line, knowing that a whole state of fanboys along with Fanboys International are gonna be hollering for their azzes too if they do?
4) maybe this gets him labelled as an assignor who just worries about his own fees rather than whether he's putting his people into a bad situation.

Imo, it's a no-win situation for an assignor too. Personally, I'd tell 'em in a NY minute to go get their officials somewhere else, and let the chips fall where they may. This is high school basketball, not a D1 major conference where you <b>have</b> to have officials out there, no matter what.

You're completely right that it ain't gonna change anything, but at least I'd know that I tried to do something about it, even if was just a meaningless gesture.

JMOPOO....just my own pissed-off opinion.......:)

Here is the problem with what you are saying. Not all assignors are the same. You might be OK with the officials turning games back, but I have worked for and work for people who do not take too kindly to that kind of thing. Even if you are turning back games for very valid reasons I have had assignors get upset with me and others for reasons I cannot fully explain. You might tell the people you assign for to "go F yourself" but I know many assignors who would not do that.

Peace

something funny just happened that I thought you all would like to hear

I just went to the WC to drop the cosby kids off by the pool and lo and behold there was a printout of the "Mayo allowed to play" article on the floor...

who the @#$@# in this building besides ME knows and cares...

After reviewing the video from YouTube, I'd like to point out that you can't see below the waist when the bump occurs. Rather then a bump, there may have been some tripping involved here. Whether that is able to be determined as intentional or what is up to interpretation.

This KID seemed to be strutting around looking for trouble. I would love to know what was said when he came back to mid court.

Then again, just reinserting himself into a confrontational situation is enough to dump him, IMO.

AFA bump or trip, it doesn't really make any difference how it occured and whether it was intentional or not. The player shouldn't be trailing the official to the table. For that matter, the POS coach should have been out there babysitting his player.