Shoes
 

In the Iowa-Wisconsin game there's an official wearing a shoe with a white Nike swoosh on the side. Has their policy changed to allow a shoe that isn't all black? Or could something happened to his other shoes? Just curious.

One supervisor in Michigan sent a message out to his staff that shoes are to be all black in color. I do not know of any other changes.

All I know is Ed Hightower cannot make a call without it being very dramatic and calling it over and over. He is the official I notice the most who seems to want to make sure everyone knows he is "in the house." Hillary and Valentine will make the same call and not make themselves so noticable. Most officials will sometimes, but Ed does it MOST of the time. I wish he remember, it is not about us, it is about the game.

I've wondered the same thing as I have season tix to my alma mater (Big 12 school) and have seen the same official several time this year with the white swoosh...

Seemed quite odd and unprofessional to me, but that's JMO...

Hightower had a poor game...he had two calls on Wisconsin and ruled no shot, when both times the Iowa player had not only gathered his dribble, but took a step before contact...Ed needs to review continuation.

As for Teddy's shoes, they were likely these:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y24...zebra/4c_1.jpg

I wear the same shoes.
 

I also have another Nike with silver stripe I wear. No complaints...:D

I love comments like this. I wish I had a bingo card whenever I see them so I could play along:

-- It's not about us
-- It's about the game
-- Think of the children
-- etc.

Hightower is an officiating legend. I find it amusing that people criticize him and speak down like they're watching some random JV HS game somewhere.

And saying Valentine doesn't get noticed means you haven't watched a lot of Teddy V over the years. This was as good a crew as you're going to get on a Big 10 game.

The nonsense about a stripe on the shoe should be on the bingo card, too. These guys are wearing whatever shoe is most comfortable and helps them hurt less after games. Period. Just cause some supervisor thinks it's important doesn't mean others do -- or even notice.

Rich, you are way off base with my comments. Ed is a very good official, but over the years, it seems as if he is getting more dramatic. Yes, Ted gets dramatic, but not as OFTEN as Ed. I just think he is overdramatic too often. On big calls, yes, sell it with authority, but they are not all that big.

I agree with you on the shoes, no biggy to have one stripe or swoosh.

I have seen plenty of Big 10 BB over the years and the only better crew, IMO, is to have Steve Welmer instead of Hightower.

You must be talking about his 4-hip-bang block call. I'm happy to see guys throw in a bit of individuality and fire.

The Steve Welmer drinking game requires one to drink every time Steve tugs on his pants.

I think he went with 5 today, on the block call against WI when Haluska was shooting in the paint. It was a bid odd, as the arena was pretty quiet at the time, no one hit the floor, and it wasn't a drive to the basket.

And I'm going to see what my partners say at my next pregame, when, in discussing the procedure for going for help on OB calls, it goes something like this:
Partner: "If I'm lead and need help on the baseline, I'll blow the whistle, raise my hand, and come find you - step out and make eye contact,"
Me, interrupting: "And I'll come running through the players from my outside position, all the way to the baseline, pointing the direction repeatedly and blowing my whistle repeatedly as I'm running down there. Sound good?":D

He's funny to watch. My wife was in the next room when that hip-banger call happened, and upon hearing him yell his "block" repeatedly, she yelled in, "Is that Hightower?" (She hadn't previously been paying attention to the game at all.) Funny stuff.

Helluvan official, to be sure. Just funny to watch sometimes. I'm still amazed at how his facial expression never ever changes, no matter what he's calling/doing. Seriously amazing. I have no idea how he does that.

That'd make for a quick night.

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I like those shoes. I'd wear them.

And the "block! block! block! block! that followed each time he banged his hips.

Great observation of Welmer. :D

Great post HawkeyeCubP!!

I was working a boys varsity Christmas tourney in Illinois and I had one as the lead where A1 tried to drive baseline and B1 just didn't quite get there before A1 was airborne. Right in front of me and it was a helluva collision. I gave it a 3-hip-bang block (with the BLOCK! BLOCK! BLOCK!.....count it!) and it was out before I even realized what I was doing.

But 4 or 5? Now that's a SELL! :D

Done it myself in big games and big plays, and it does sell the call. Ed is just a little to much for my taste.

JMO, but I think they're fugly. I hate the bumpy texture on them.