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