Bob Knight's Latest Comments about College Officials

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by chartrusepengui

Just how do you get officials who are "actually qualified to work at a D1 level" if they start coming up through the ranks and never have a chance to work any D1 games due to the politics? Who should determine who is actually qualified? Everyone has an agenda! If some of the guys working 6 games a week jetting around the country cut back to 4 or even 5 games - it is going to open some slots for others that might already be "qualified".

They need to mentor in some new people using the members of the "qualified" crews. It should work that way from MS to Frosh to JV to Varsity to JUCO to D3 to D2 to D1 for the people who do the work and show the inititive and drive to become D1 officials - BUT we all know it doesn't work that way in all areas and politics play a huge role. It would help to get new guys and rest old legs and bodies.

But Knight does have a point - whether you like him or not. He may be an a$$ but he has been around and sure as he!! knows the game better than most! I am not a Knight fan per say - but I do respect his basketball knowledge and opinions - not always his practices.

I think there is this major myth in our society that people are hired on pure merit. College Student Applications are not based purely on merit. Why would you expect college officiating hiring to be based on that as well? Not to make a political statement, but do you really think that George W. Bush was the most qualified in the country to become President? If you know anything about Chicago Politics, people are being elected left and right based on who their parents were or who they are related. Officiating is not at all different in the way people are hired.

Peace

[jmkbball]

I guess I'm really old school. Bob Knight doesn't care about being politically correct and really doesn't need anyone to defend him -- so I won't.

For a few weeks each season, my schedule lets me work a bunch of days, perhaps as many as 12-14 games in a week because of high school tournaments -- we all do that to help out.

But, Knight's comments dealt with guys flying or driving long distances to work five or six major college games a week.
On those weeks that I have to fly to three or four cities for business and only have to sit through meetings -- I can't wait for the week to end. Like several others have said, I can't imagine traveling real distances to get to five or six games in a week.

Knight's comments and concerns are often rash but his reputation for graduating kids first, keeping his program clean and occassionally winning in spite of those odds, are just a few of the things that basketball was supposed to be about.

Take his comment today on the stupidity (at least for colleges) of the NBA rule that requires high school players to wait one year before being signed.
His comments will certainly make enemies -- probably more with coaches. I would guess however, that you would have a pretty hard time finding one exceptional freshman in any real classes in Austin this week/semester.

[WhistlesAndStripes]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I think there is this major myth in our society that people are hired on pure merit. College Student Applications are not based purely on merit. Why would you expect college officiating hiring to be based on that as well? Not to make a political statement, but do you really think that George W. Bush was the most qualified in the country to become President? If you know anything about Chicago Politics, people are being elected left and right based on who their parents were or who they are related. Officiating is not at all different in the way people are hired.

Peace

And as long as we're getting political about this, I think it's fair to say that some officials are hired based on their race.

Popcorn anyone?

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Whistles & Stripes

And as long as we're getting political about this, I think it's fair to say that some officials are hired based on their race.

Popcorn anyone?

Yes. And their gender, and their geographic location. And their job. And who they know.

Peace

[tomegun]

Originally Posted by Whistles & Stripes

And as long as we're getting political about this, I think it's fair to say that some officials are hired based on their race.

Popcorn anyone?

Would you like to be more clear about that statement?

Are you saying some officials are hired because they are black, white or other?

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by Whistles & Stripes

Thoughts anyone?

I agree with Bob Knight. I'd like to know how a 55 year old can do 6 games a week of the 2nd best basketball in the country. I do believe the officiating would be better if schedules were reduced.

[Red_Killian]

Gotta agree with Knight on this one. Traveling around the country a couple of days during the week and throw in the weekends to get to 5-6 games, in addition to their normal jobs and life issues, is enough to keep anyone, no matter their physical or mental shape from performing their best every night.

[Rich]

I agree with Knight here. There are a lot of qualified guys who never get a break cause Steve Welmer works 28 days in a row.

[SMEngmann]

My opinion is that Knight has a point, but the way he expresses it is outrageous. Also, his idea that the Big XII should exclusively hire its own officials is not feasible, nor is it really sensible.

Essentially, what Knight wants is a full time staff of officials, similar to what the NBA has, for the Big XII. For each conference to have its own set of full time officials exclusive to the conference is a horrendous idea. It's hard enough the way it currently is where there are multiple supervisors with their own ways of doing things, imagine how differently games could be called if there was no overlap from conference to conference. There is considerable money involved, but the only way that I think it would be possible to employ full time officials is if it were done on a nationwide basis throughout the entire D1 level. Additionally, the salaries that would have to be paid would, on a per game basis, have to be substantially higher.

In terms of whether officials can travel across the country and work 6-7 games a week, that depends on the individual. I think it can be done, but not necessarily at the highest possible level. I don't see how an official can work that many games and still put in the amount of time necessary to prepare to referee and to review tapes and fine tune their performance in order to get it to the peak level. At some level, there definitely has to be a dropoff, particularly if the official also has a day job.

[blindzebra]

He's absolutely right about the same guys working way too much.

There are several officials working triple digit games a season in multiple conferences from coast to coast.

I know an official here in Phoenix that left Phoenix on Sunday afternoon, worked in Washington state on Monday, Kansas on Tuesday, Texas on Wed, Florida on Thursday, flew to Oregon on Friday for a game on Sat, then worked a game in Southern Cal on Sunday. He did 113 games that season.

[boiseball]

I see so many good officials these days and I just have a hard time believing that these same few guys have to be flown all over the country. I would support a system that allowed more guys to get those opportunities. I think officiating is a challenge, but this is no rocket science. There are lots of capable guys who, once given a chance, would thrive in D-1 basketball.

[Terrapins Fan]

Personally, I like to work 5 or 6 days a week. I also like to work a few doubles say 2 or 3 a week. So for me, I'd like to do about 6 to 8 games a week. I don't like to do 3 games a day, but once in a while I will. I am 51 years old and in good shape ( round is a good shape right? , Just kidding I am 6'2" and 236 )

If I work 3 games a week, I don't feel as good going into each game.

It's not about the money for me, I love to referee. ( I do 2 or 3 church league games on Saturdays ) I do JV games and I got about 25 Varsity games this year.

BTW, even some of our local high school games will draw 2,000 fans. I did a JV games that had over 1,500 people watching.

[REFVA]

I'd like to know how a 55 year old can do 6 games a week of the 2nd best basketball in the country. I do believe the officiating would be better if schedules were reduced.

In general most of these officials are in great shape. I know in some conferences they expect you to be in great physical condition. the lot of officials at that level are not ripe to be picked. Their is a great demand for officials at the D2/3 in the east coast. So it's not unlike some officials working 6 days a week. At least at the mens side the officials I know take pride in staying in good mental, physical condition.So many of these official have been doing this for many years. It's bullcrap what Knight is saying. he has to blame someone for his 5 game skid.. You don't here that from Coach Krzyzewski.

[chartrusepengui]

Originally Posted by REFVA

It's bullcrap what Knight is saying. he has to blame someone for his 5 game skid.. You don't here that from Coach Krzyzewski.

You obviously have not been reading any of the articles re: Coach K and officials/officiating the past few years!!!!

I've seen too many games over the years where the K should stand for king of whiners!

[JRutledge]

I think he has a point, but it is not going to change. Unless you hire officials for a full time job, you are not going to be able to control who works where and when. I do not think the Big 12 or any conference will take on that task. This also means you would have to hire a lot of new officials to that level as well. Then you might have officials working games they are not prepared for in the coach's eyes and lose out on a tournament opportunity. It is not like only Tournament spots are determined by what you do in conference. That game you lose to a mid-major also plays a big role in who gets in and who is left out. There are literally millions of dollars on the line. I think if some newer officials "screw up" a game, Knight and other coaches might not be so happy with such a system. Also you have to understand Knight is a veteran coach who’s job is likely very safe. What is a coach who is just entering a league like the Big 12 think?

Peace