Bob Knight's Latest Comments about College Officials

[WhistlesAndStripes]

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?

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by Whistles & Stripes

Thoughts anyone?

Just the usual. Knight is an a-hole.

Depending on what activities these refs are undertaking the rest of the day, five or six basketball games is not excessively taxing. Maybe chubby Knight is projecting his own physical inadequacies on others.

[btaylor64]

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?

My thoughts are that he is exactly right.

[Bad Zebra]

In his own misguided way, he might have a point. If (and that's a big IF)there really are guys working six nights a week, that's probably too much. You have to figure there is some serious travel involved as well. Not sure what kind of shape everyone else is in, but I'd find it difficult to fly all over the country and give it my best 5 or 6 times a week.

[WhistlesAndStripes]

Originally Posted by GarthB

Just the usual. Knight is an a-hole.

I'm not looking for opinions about the General himself, just opinions on the comments he made, such as, is that many games too many in a week? How many is NOT too many, especially for the guys that travel around a lot in D1.

What about for HS? How many games is too many in a day, week, or weekend?

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by Whistles & Stripes

I'm not looking for opinions about the General himself, just opinions on the comments he made, such as, is that many games too many in a week? How many is NOT too many, especially for the guys that travel around a lot in D1.

What about for HS? How many games is too many in a day, week, or weekend?

I included my opinion on that matter.

If an official is in proper shape, and depending on what activity he participates in the rest of the day, 5-6 games a week is not overly taxing on either his mental or physical attributes.

If, however, he is out of shape and stressed out from daily activities, it probably is. If, at that level, an official has allowed himself to get that out of shape, he should switch to volleyball or tennis.

[stmaryrams]

Actually hiring Big 12 only officials would not be a bad idea. Could pose a problem at tournament time. Honestly working 5 to 6 days a week with cross country travel could be an issue for anyone no matter how good of shape and stress free they are. There will always be an issue with getting additional officials who are actually qualified to work at a D1 level.

[stmaryrams]

Actually hiring Big 12 only officials would not be a bad idea. Could pose a problem at tournament time. Honestly working 5 to 6 days a week with cross country travel could be an issue for anyone no matter how good of shape and stress free they are. There will always be an issue with getting additional officials who are actually qualified to work at a D1 level.

[Old School]

I agree with Knight too, but in a different way. With all the talented officials that we have out here, why is it the same older guys night in and out working these games? We still have blunders, even with the senior guys. I watched a game the other day where one official doesn't count in the backcourt coming up, like it's the NBA, and another official lined up to the inside of the player when inbounding from the baseline. How the hell does these guys get to be a DI officials?

I would like to know why the pool is not bigger. Not enough opportunity is being filtered down in the officiating ranks if you ask me, imho. I do believe that the guys working DI is greedy with respect to working as many games as possible to help pay the bills. If a guy is working 6 to 8 games in a week, traveling around as such. That reminds me of the mind thought of the career AAU official working as many weekend games as they can get. It's all about the money with them. Maybe these career DI officials are thinking the same way.

Ultimately, the problem lies with the assigners who are controlled by the coaches, which is why DI coaches are so powerful, and you don't see coaches getting deserved technicals. For ex: Florida vs Arizona (I believe), Noah went to inbound the ball, after what I thought was a made basket, I could be wrong on this part, but the coach wouldn't give him the ball. That's a damn T in my game if it's after a made basket. Instead, the referee's went after the player and the coach dropped the ball as if he didn't do anything wrong.

[zebraman]

If they hired a bunch of new guys, Knight would be complaining that the talent pool of officials was too diluted. He's never happy unless he's miserable.

The conference assignors hire the guys that they have confidence in.

[mj]

Originally Posted by Old School

I watched a game the other day where one official doesn't count in the backcourt coming up, like it's the NBA, and another official lined up to the inside of the player when inbounding from the baseline. How the hell does these guys get to be a DI officials?

So you count every single time the ball is in the backcourt? What's wrong w/ being on the inside on a baseline throw-in if the spot is near the 3 point arc??

[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.

[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

[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.