Tim Higgins?

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

Good article on Tim Higgins here.....

Basketballrefs.com

Just click on the link for the story.

I thought that Senator Kennedy passed away.

[tomegun]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Despite what anyone would like to be the case, every type of skill has a very few who are truly the best....the basic bell curve holds true in just about any endeavor. You've got a lot of average officials, a moderate amount of pretty good and fairly poor officials, and a few that are pathetic and a few that are outstanding.

The funny thing is that 80% of a group, when surveyed will think they are above average (several studies have shown this sort of inflated sense of a person's own abilities). But, that can't, in normal situations, be true. At least 30% of the officials are worse than they think they are....probably more as a few humble officials are actually better than average that don't think so.

THe real question is whether you want the best on the tournaments or those that are "good enough". The difference between the best and the "good enough" will not always be visible and will matter even less, but it will eventually matter.

The difference shows up in the number of mistakes. The best still make them, but make fewer (or smaller mistakes). Most time, such mistakes don't have any material impact...but if you make enough more, eventually one will happen in a situation that matters.

Many of the average officials would probably do a fine job on most of the games....but the odds of a problem increase. How "deep" you go really depends on the acceptability of the increased risk of an unfavorable situation.

Of course, determining the "best" is a difficult proposition...and an entirely different question.

Alrighty then...

[Nevadaref]

Tonight ESPN Classic showed the Big East conference tournament quarterfinal game between Pittsburgh and Georgetown played on March 6, 1986.

Seeing nothing better on TV, I decided to watch it for a few minutes. I noticed a few things.
1. The players were far less muscular, especially in the upper body than we see today.
2. First year of the shot clock. It was 45 seconds.
3. No three point shot. (NCAA adopted it nationally for the 1986-87 season.)
4. The C sometimes administered a FT.
5. Dick Vitale was one of the broadcasters.
6. Tim Higgins was one of the officials. He was MUCH younger, but I had no doubt due to the way that he moved and his signals.

For conclusive proof, I decided to search the internet for a copy of the box score. Here it is: http://www.bigeast.org/fls/19400/sta...B_OEM_ID=19400
Yep, there's his name.

[biz]

Higgins has been reffing college ball since the 70's and he was, along with Jim Burr, one of the original members of the Big East officiating staff when the conference formed in 1979-1980 season (the conference formed in May of 1979 after the hoop season ended).

There has never been a Big East basketball season that did not see Higgins or Burr on the floor working games in the conference. It's pretty amazing!

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by big jake

This new NCAA super needs his head examined, Higgins is still able to call any game that is played anywhere!!!!!!

I will just say this. Then why does Higgins get about 10 feet in front of the ball as the new trail? I only say this because those are not the mechanics and those are not acceptable by many. In other words, if I were to do this as a camper, I would get told about it.

Peace

[tomegun]

Like someone else said, there are so many good D1 officials out there. I like seeing athletic officials working deep into the tournament. I even think Karl Hess has slimmed down some and I wouldn't be surprised to see him work the championship game this year.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by big jake

This new NCAA super needs his head examined, Higgins is still able to call any game that is played anywhere!!!!!!

So can a lot of officials, why should Mr. Higgins get preference over the other qualified officials?

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by big jake

He is qualified and has many years of experience!!!!!!!

And??? You must be bored.

[Jurassic Referee]

Higgins is working the first NIT semi tonight.

Still a very good official imo but he does have mobility problems. He not only looks like a penguin but he's starting to run like one too. I can see where he might have a few problems in a fast-paced games.

As I said though, he can still do the job imo. And that's why he's out there tonight.

[Nevadaref]

He's had his 30+ years at the D1 level. Time to go be a conference supervisor and give someone else a chance. He would be a very valuable person at clinics, camps, and as an observer.

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

He's had his 30+ years at the D1 level. Time to go be a conference supervisor and give someone else a chance.

So, if you were a conference supervisor, are you telling me you would knowingly get rid of a known commodity, a great official, simply to make a spot available on the roster to "give someone a chance"? As a supervisor, you are paid to put the best officials out there on the floor, not simply give people chances.

Now, if you break down the tapes and see because Tim is struggling to get up and down the floor, he was out of position and missed "X" calls, while the other members of his crew missed less, then now you have a legitimate reason to remove him from the staff. To simply remove him because "he's had his 30+ years" might be a way to also see you lose your job as supervisor. My guess is, even though he might be slower than before, there are other areas of the game where he still excels, such as call selection and communication, and that's why supervisors continue to use him. When the negatives outweigh the positives, then I'm sure you will see him retire. But not simply because of a number, such as age or number of years officiating.

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

He would be a very valuable person at clinics, camps, and as an observer.

Isn't he already a valuable person at clinics and camps? Is being a clinician mutually exclusive to being a good D-1 official?

So, Nevada, since you've had your 10,000+ posts, isn't time you step down and give someone else a chance to be a pain in the a$$?

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

So, Nevada, since you've had your 10,000+ posts, isn't time you step down and give someone else a chance to be a pain in the a$$?

Ha!

Are you volunteering? Uneasy lies the head...

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Are you volunteering? Uneasy lies the head...

Naw, M&M has already won the Lifetime Achievement Award....and retired the trophy.

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Ha!

Are you volunteering? Uneasy lies the head...

See, therein lies the problem. Although I would really like to take his place, and I would really appreciate it if he stepped down based solely on his number of posts, unfortunately I just don't have the experience and knowledge he has when it comes to being the resident pain-in-the-a$$. So I am resigned to simply waiting my turn, and continuing to hone my craft until it is obvious that I am indeed better than him, rather than simply saying he is too old and it's just time to give someone else a chance.

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

Naw, M&M has already won the Lifetime Achievement Award....and retired the trophy.

I learned from a Very Old Master. He's taught me everything I know, but he didn't teach me everything he knows. Therefore, the LAA trophy must stay with him.

And, of course, I must include the obligatory: "shut up."