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.

[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.

[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??

[Ignats75]

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?

Bob Knight is alot of things. I think, on this issue, he might be right but just has no capability of delivering the message with any class.

As for high school, I usually do 4 or 5 high school games a week. One a day and two on Saturday (1:00 and 6:00) didn't seem to affect me. One Saturday, I did do a 9:30 Freshman Boys game, jumped in my car to do a 1:30 Girls JV after driving about 35 miles through the middle of town and then jumped in my car to travel another 15 miles to do a freshman/JV girls doubleheader. I wasn't physically tired as much as I was mentally drained at the end of the day. That was too much. But when an assignor needs a favor, and then another does too, I always say yes.

[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.

[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.

[ChrisSportsFan]

Originally Posted by stmaryrams

There will always be an issue with getting additional officials who are actually qualified to work at a D1 level.

No it's not, there's tons of phenomenal officials working at the D2, D3 and JuCo levels who are just waiting for their break. I do not put myself in this group although I have worked with some who are ready.

[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.

[chartrusepengui]

Originally Posted by stmaryrams

There will always be an issue with getting additional officials who are actually qualified to work at a D1 level.

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.

[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?