Bob Knight's Latest Comments about College Officials

[Old School]

Originally Posted by mj

So you count every single time the ball is in the backcourt?

Yes, because the mechanics of the NCAA Men's rulebook tells me too. How is the ref going to call a 10 second violation and he never displayed a count? That's not going to go over too good.

What's wrong w/ being on the inside on a baseline throw-in if the spot is near the 3 point arc??

#1, the spot was close to the F/T lane and the ref was actually inside of the lane area on one of the inbounds. I couldn't believe it! One things for sure, seeing officials out there doing it wrong, gives me opportunity. I view the glass as half full. If I keep my nose to grindstone, keep trying to get better, seeing poor mechnaincs like this gives me hope. On the hand hand, if everybody is doing good, then I'm okay with having to wait my turn. With competition so stiff amoung DI officials. I just think we should never see poor mechanics on TV like that. Maybe it had a lot to do with the weather and flights being cancel, had to get a local NBA/FIBA guy to fill in.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by chartrusepengui

...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.

$$$ play a huge role also. Those top-level officials are making $1,500-$2,000 a game. For an official to cut back from 5-6 games/week to 3-4 games/week could cost that official about $3,000 a week. If an official is in such demand that the ACC uses him 2 times a week, the Big East 2 times, then throw in 1 or 2 mid-major games that coincide with their travel plans do you really expect that official to turn down those games so someone else can work?

[DC_Ref12]

Originally Posted by Old School

Yes, because the mechanics of the NCAA Men's rulebook tells me too. How is the ref going to call a 10 second violation and he never displayed a count? That's not going to go over too good.

Someone please get me some Pepto, cause I'm about to agree with Old School.

I do the 10-second count every time, no exceptions. I've been burned a couple of times by late traps in the backcourt after thinking the dribbler was free and clear. Each time, the coach was on me about not doing the 10-second count. Coaches watch you do your count. They notice if you are or not, and they hold you accountable.

Even if every time down the court there is no pressure, doing the count will demonstrate to coaches, players and fans that you're taking your job - and the rules - seriously.

Just my $0.02.

[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.

[iref4him]

Originally Posted by Whistles & Stripes

On the subject of officiating, Knight did not let a public reprimand by Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg stop him from blasting game officials who work five or six games a week.

"To have some guy 54 or 55 years old referee six times a week is a real disservice to the kids who are playing," said Knight, who was reprimanded last week for criticizing officiating in one of his games.

"They have plenty of other places they can go. They can go to the NBA, they can go to the NAIA, they can go to junior college, they can go to high school. For years, the NCAA has hidden behind individual employment contractors. I think that's all [baloney].

"You say, 'All right, if you're going to work in this league, this is how you're going to work. And if you don't want to work in this league, fine, you've got other leagues to work in.'"

Knight said he would support an effort to have the Big 12 hire its own officials who do not travel the country working different games in different leagues several nights a week.

"But these guys are so greedy, they end up trying to work these six games a week. And they're not capable of doing that," he said. "Check schedules and you'll rarely see where kids play three games a week. These kids are 19, 20 and 21 years old."

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

Thoughts anyone?

I agree with his point of view, but this is not new. The DI officials have been doing 5-8 games a week since I started in 1978. So he has a point, but nothing has changed in almost 29 years.

There is no set protocol for moving up. One conference does it one way others do it the other way. Until the NCAA has a set protocol for all officials, nothing is going to change.

The coaches are just as much to blame. They want the best or the officials they know working their games. Hypothetically, if Duke is playing UNC and Ed hightower is available, the assignor knows that Coach K would rather have him than someone new or he doesn't know. Then if Kansas is playing Oklahoma and Ed is avaiable, the assignor knows the coaches want him. Coaches don't like no one new. Working my way up into college, I have done and still keep doing scrimmages left and right so the coaches know me and I can get on the list. The assignor has to wait unitl the coaches feel comfortbale wiht me before I am assigned. Now at the lower levels NAIA, JUCO, and DIII - are sometimes different, but you still have to work all the scrimmages to get noticed.

I agree with Bobby, but it's the system he helped create. He doesn't have to Ed Hightower working his Texas Tech vs Texas A&M, but he would take him over me, even though I may be just as good as Ed (which I am probably not, but close). He could say Ed you travel to much, I am going with a local referee. Chances are in the conference games and rivalries, Knight would want Ed Higtower, Dave Libby, Jim Burr, etc. They are the known commodaties, I am not. But He can be the first coach to give us aspiring DI officials a shot, but he and many other coaches have not. It's just the system the coaches have helped to create.

The law of inertia states that an object in motion will stay in motion until an outside force changes it, or an object at rest will remain at rest unless an outside forces changes it. The official system in place will stay in place until an outside force (referees united, coaches, and the NCAA) get together to change it. But for now, it will remain.

[Dan_ref]

Originally Posted by iref4him

The coaches are just as much to blame. They want the best or the officials they know working their games. Hypothetically, if Duke is playing UNC and Ed hightower is available, the assigor knows that Coach K would rather have him than someone new or he doesn't know. Then if Kansas is playing Oklahoma and Ed is avaiable, the assignor knows the coaches want him. Coaches don't like no one new...

I agree with Bobby, but it's the system he help create. He doesn't have to Ed Hightower working his Texas Tech vs Texas A&M, but he would take him over me, even though I may be just as good as Ed (which I am probably not, but close). He could say Ed you travel to much, I am going with a local referee. Chances are in the conference games and rivalries, Knight would want Ed Higtower, Dave Libby, Jim Burr, etc. They are the known commodaties, I am not. But He can be the first coach to give us aspiring DI officials a shot, but he and many other coaches have not. It's just the system the coaches have helped to create.

Exactly. The reason you see certain officials every night in different states is because their services are in demand by the coaches. Period. And to expect these succesful officials to give up a game or 2 a week to bring in fresh blood is not very realistic.

[Texas Aggie]

Coaches, including Knight, are hypocritical on this. They want the Welmers and Burrs, then complain about how many games they are working.

I'm surprised that nobody has picked up on what Knight is really saying: he's ONLY setting himself up an excuse if tech doesn't make the tournament and he can blame it on inconsistent calls. If you called Knight right now and ask, "do you want Welmer who's worked 6 out of the last 7 days, or do you want ____ who Knight isn't familiar with," who do you think he's going to pick?

All the stuff about newer guys deserving a chance (which I agree with; for the life of me, I can't figure out why every assignor thinks Tim Higgins is any good -- at least now) belongs in another thread.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by DC_Ref12

I do the 10-second count every time, no exceptions.
Just my $0.02.

Somehow I doubt that statement...so you are Lead as A4 shoots a long three. B5 rebounds and throws a quick outlet to B1 who races up the sideline...all of that took about 2 seconds max - and you counted? I don't think so...

[DC_Ref12]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

Somehow I doubt that statement...so you are Lead as A4 shoots a long three. B5 rebounds and throws a quick outlet to B1 who races up the sideline...all of that took about 2 seconds max - and you counted? I don't think so...

If you're asking if I've ever missed a 10-second count, yes, I have. Especially in an instance such as this one.

But, I do make a concerted effort to do the 10-second count no matter what the situation. And, I would consider missing the count in your example as a faux pas. A minor one, of course, but I try to be exact.

My point is that if you don't START the count correctly, you can NEVER finish it correctly or accurately. And you really never know what is going to happen in certain situations. As I said before, I could assume that the player with the ball is going to cross half court in plenty of time, but what do you do when the unexpected trap occurs, or the ball bounces of his foot and rolls away from him and the defense collapses or...or...or. Better to be safe than sorry.

ETA: I can understand what I implied by my earlier post. It should have read that I make a concerted effort to do the 10-second count every time, no exceptions. Sometimes you miss stuff, though. That's life.

[Junker]

I count every time in my high school games, even on a break away. I never count in my college games...but then I'm working on the women's side for now.

[Larks]

Anyone have a web link to the Knight article?

[tomegun]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

Coaches, including Knight, are hypocritical on this. They want the Welmers and Burrs, then complain about how many games they are working.

I'm surprised that nobody has picked up on what Knight is really saying: he's ONLY setting himself up an excuse if tech doesn't make the tournament and he can blame it on inconsistent calls. If you called Knight right now and ask, "do you want Welmer who's worked 6 out of the last 7 days, or do you want ____ who Knight isn't familiar with," who do you think he's going to pick?

All the stuff about newer guys deserving a chance (which I agree with; for the life of me, I can't figure out why every assignor thinks Tim Higgins is any good -- at least now) belongs in another thread.

You may be surprised about coach Knight. I think he would actually put his money where his mouth is and give someone new a chance. Keep in mind, that doesn't mean he isn't going to do his normal thing; I just don't think he would be totally against having a younger official work his games.
He could very well be one of those coaches that communication will not work with. If that is the case, what difference does it make to have a veteran official work his game? It might actually be better to have someone who will make the right call more often than someone who is just going to make the safe call.

[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.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by DC_Ref12

I make a concerted effort to do the 10-second count every time, no exceptions. .

I like that staement a whole lot better...And I agree with you!