What you think of Bobby Knight's comments about officials?

[jritchie]

Was watching interviews the other day and caught Bobby Knight's on ESPN, they were talking about the officials, surprise. He suggested that games would be officiated a lot better if our officials were more fresh for the games. He says some guys call 5 some 6 nights a week and are worn out by this and just barely make it through some games. He said that we should limit our college games to 2 maybe 3 at most a week to have better called games. What does everyone think about that? I know it makes a lot of sense in a way, but do we have enough officials to cover so many games if we limit them to just 3 a week? probably not possible.

[Adam]

Bobby Knight doesn't think his proposals through is an idiot.

[refguy]

Originally Posted by jritchie

Was watching interviews the other day and caught Bobby Knight's on ESPN, they were talking about the officials, surprise. He suggested that games would be officiated a lot better if our officials were more fresh for the games. He says some guys call 5 some 6 nights a week and are worn out by this and just barely make it through some games. He said that we should limit our college games to 2 maybe 3 at most a week to have better called games. What does everyone think about that? I know it makes a lot of sense in a way, but do we have enough officials to cover so many games if we limit them to just 3 a week? probably not possible.

Of course there are enough officials to do it. It would be one thing to do that many games in your own neck of the woods and be home every night. But these guys are flying somewhere new every day and then expecting to be fresh physically and mentally? It would be hard enough for a 30 something let alone the age a lot of these guys are. But everyone is an independent contractor and fill their calendars as they see fit. I guess the barometer is the observer's reports on their games.

[BktBallRef]

I couldn't care less what Bobby Knight thinks, says or does when he's alone in the bathroom.

I will say that the fact that one D-1 official worked a game every single day from November 14th until December 22nd is absolutely ridiculous. The human body can only do so much. Perhaps that partially explains why he's out for the rest of the year with a fractured foot.

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by refguy

But these guys are flying somewhere new every day

This may or not be true. I know that many times, they fly into a city and do two games there. For example, if you work the Big East and the Ivy League, you can fly into NYC and work St. John's one night and Columbia the next. That cuts down on the travel quite a bit. It's not always like that, and I know that you can find certain big dogs in a different town on many nights in a row. But it might not be as bad as you make it sound.

Originally Posted by jritchie

He said that we should limit our college games to 2 maybe 3 at most a week to have better called games. What does everyone think about that?

I think it's a great idea. The NCAA can hire the officials as employees, pay them $100k+ per year, with health insurance and retirement benefits. Then they can send them where they want as often (or not) as they want.

Oh, the NCAA isn't willing to spend that kind of money on officiating? What a shock!! That means that the officials are still independent contractors and can work as many games as assignors will offer them.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by jritchie

Was watching interviews the other day and caught Bobby Knight's on ESPN, they were talking about the officials, surprise. He suggested that games would be officiated a lot better if our officials were more fresh for the games. He says some guys call 5 some 6 nights a week and are worn out by this and just barely make it through some games. He said that we should limit our college games to 2 maybe 3 at most a week to have better called games. What does everyone think about that? I know it makes a lot of sense in a way, but do we have enough officials to cover so many games if we limit them to just 3 a week? probably not possible.

Officials are not responsible for assigning, supervisors and coaches often are. The supervisors might assign the games, but the coaches throw a fit if they see someone they do not like or that they feel is not "good enough." If you want to see more officials, then stop getting upset when you see a newer official or someone that you do not know very well. Case in point the game Welmer got hurt, it was clear that the Coach Izzo and Coach Self did not get on the senior of the officials about much of anything. If you do not give newer guys a chance, you will get the same officials over and over again. You are not giving the supervisors any incentive to use other officials.

Peace

[dahoopref]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Officials are not responsible for assigning, supervisors and coaches often are. The supervisors might assign the games, but the coaches throw a fit if they see someone they do not like or that they feel is not "good enough." If you want to see more officials, then stop getting upset when you see a newer official or someone that you do not know very well. Case in point the game Welmer got hurt, it was clear that the Coach Izzo and Coach Self did not get on the senior of the officials about much of anything. If you do not give newer guys a chance, you will get the same officials over and over again. You are not giving the supervisors any incentive to use other officials.

Peace

Great post. You could not have made a better post that makes sense.

[Scooby]

The thing is when Knight was coaching, there would be officials that work 5-6 games a week work his games. At that time he could stop, it a least for himself, and his team, by tell the assignor what he wanted. And for some reason he did not stop it.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Scooby

The thing is when Knight was coaching, there would be officials that work 5-6 games a week work his games. At that time he could stop, it a least for himself, and his team, by tell the assignor what he wanted. And for some reason he did not stop it.

Ah, but Bobby wouldn't have wanted it that way. He would have wanted Welmer, Higgins, Hightower, et al to be on his games and not the other less important games.

[Scooby]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Ah, but Bobby wouldn't have wanted it that way. He would have wanted Welmer, Higgins, Hightower, et al to be on his games and not the other less important games.

Exactly!

[mutantducky]

there really seems to be the same officials out there who do the games over and over again. Get some new blood in and yes there should be a limit of the number of games. 4 a week should be max.



----but yeah Knight is an idiot. I actually like Lavin better than him on tv.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by mutantducky

there really seems to be the same officials out there who do the games over and over again. Get some new blood in and yes there should be a limit of the number of games. 4 a week should be max.

Then you are going to have to hire officials and make them employees (Heath Insurance other benefits) which would cost the schools much more money than it does now. I personally do not care either way other than the new blood part, but then that means they would have to commit more to a larger staff. I do not see that happening.

Peace

[LeeBallanfant]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Officials are not responsible for assigning, supervisors and coaches often are. The supervisors might assign the games, but the coaches throw a fit if they see someone they do not like or that they feel is not "good enough." If you want to see more officials, then stop getting upset when you see a newer official or someone that you do not know very well. Case in point the game Welmer got hurt, it was clear that the Coach Izzo and Coach Self did not get on the senior of the officials about much of anything. If you do not give newer guys a chance, you will get the same officials over and over again. You are not giving the supervisors any incentive to use other officials.

Peace

Agree completely. The only time this becomes an issue is when there is a controversial call and the coaches/media then complain about the number of games an official is working.

Remember Jim Bain in the 90's working two conference finals in one day (he flew his own private plane to the 2nd game) and only because he made a controversial game deciding call in the 2nd game was there an issue with it.

[DonInKansas]

Why is it so different for college officials? Don't NBA officials work 5-6 nights a week? Most people work 5 days a week. I don't see the point.

[Nevadaref]

How about a sliding scale based upon age? (That ought to stir the pot. )

Official's age: Max number of games per week:
20s 5
30s 4
40s 3
50s 2
60s 1