Final Four Officials
 

I know we are a few weeks away and anything can happen but its fun to see who can pick the Final Four refs. What's everybodys thoughts. Any 1st timers going to get their chance?

MY bet is Jay Blias, Bobby Knight, and Steve Lavin

Funny stuff!

Billy Packer is looking for a job.

With John Adams taking over I think we are going to have a couple of first time Final Four officials.

Brian Kersey deserves a shot...IMO.

I'm going with Doug Shows.

I was just having this discussion with a buddy of mine this morning. I'm personally expecting to see a lot new faces working the Sweet 16 weekend. Particular favorites of mine are Mike Eades, Roger Ayers, and Dwayne Gladden.

BK has helped a lot of local officials here, it would be great to see him make a Final Four appearance.

Well the emails to officials working the men's tournament went out this afternoon. I personally know of 4 officials who got their emails and they are ecstatic since it will be their first to the dance.

These officials are under the age of 40, sticklers for mechanics, and constantly enforced everything that John Adams said was an "absolute." Throughout the season these officials would occasionally get some flack from the "veterans" for slowing down the game with the "two-hands on a player" or enforcing the "freedom of movement." I guess who ever was watching these officials games liked what they saw and awarded them justly.

I am extremely happy for these young officials.....and yes, they are from the West coast. ;)

Obvious choice
 

Jon Diebler. Partners? He doesn't need any stinkin' partners.

18 PAC 10 officials got invites. Very interesting skirmish in the ASU - UW game. Anybody else see it? Any opinions on how it was handled along with the intentional foul later and then the no call on the intentional contact by white #1?

dahoopref,

Would you mind expanding on what the absolutes were or a link to it?

Thanks, Ron

The contact by #1 was completely incidental IMO. He and the ASU player collided because the ASU player changed his course after being intentionally fouled.

[snipped from Final Message from 2008 can be found on eofficials.com]

4. FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT When a defender illegally contacts a dribbler, causes
him to trip and lose the ball, this must be called a foul! It is one of only two absolutes we
introduced this year and while we are doing a great job on the "two hands on the
dribbler" absolute, we have a long way to go with "tripping the dribbler".

[/snipped]

You can also find them in the pre-season videos put out by the NCAA on E-officials.com.

thanks.