I have been watching the final 4 tourney and for the most part I believe the officiating has been very good. However early in the tourney I saw this rotund, out of shape ,official work a game and he made several really bad calls and didn't expect to see him assigned another game. He couldn't even keep up with the play as he waddled back and forth on the court. Well, guess what? There he was again in the FINAL!!! I couldn't believe it.
Just like the first game I witnessed, he again makes the worst block charge interpretation I have ever seen at that level. He also would pass on one right in front of him then next time call something on the exact same situation. Talk about lack of consistency!! I'm sure he had everyone guessing and confused after a while. I would have thought the selection committee could have found many better choices over all these games. Where I have reffed, a person in that shape with that kind of judgement and consistency would have difficulty getting High School games.

What no comments or replies? Is this guy some kind of political power or officiating Guru down your way that noone wants to comment????I'm sure most of you saw the same thing. Very strange. If we are going to criticize coaches , fans , commentators , we should be able to take criticism ourselves as refs.

You are talking about Gerald Boudreaux. He is a little overweight. Everytime I see him on TV, I do think that he is carrying some extra pounds. However, I disagree with everything else you wrote about him. For my comments on his tournament see the thread entitled, "Center's Call?"

I'm glad I didn't put his name in lights.

He was the crew chief, wasn't he?

And not the first time he's been in that position, either, unless I'm mistaken.

And I totally disagree with the block/charge thing. It was definitely a bang-bang play, but it was a good call.

Maybe, maybe not.
 

If you are saying was he the Referee, that is not something we know for sure. The Referee does not have to do the jump anymore. He could have been the guy that did the best toss.

Peace

I'm actually encouraged that Gerald receives such high profile assignments.

Too much emphasis is placed on how thin an official is.

For some reason, people who make these criticisms try to compare the officials with the athletes on the floor, when in many cases the officials are decades older. Same with baseball umpires, too.

Can the official get to where he needs to be? Can he officiate using good judgement? What else is really important?

Rich

I'll repeat a phrase here that I told a friend of mine the other day (a referee) that was criticizing the officiating in the tournament:

<b>There were <i>three</i> officials working Men's NCAA Basketball last night and <i>you</i> weren't one of them.</b>

What more is there to say really?

Pistol,
Yeah, he looked a little soft, but television puts 10 pounds on a guy and then there are those dang pants....
mick

RUT- Have to agree that was a great toss for the jump ball!

BRAD- Your absolutely correct- We were all watching the game on TV (unless you were there). Easy to be an Armchair referee.....NO Pressure...and maybe even a few brownpops!

AK ref SE

I hate it when people think that you need to be thin to ref.

A few extra pounds does not result in bad officiating.

Officiating at the NCAA final. Has to be doing something right.

Hard to believe that one official can pull the wool over so many people's eyes.

Hey Peter what's next.

People with bald spots/or long hair or long sideburns shouldn't be given an opportunity to ref.

If a short, overweight, waddling balding ref can make it to the NCAA finals it gives every ref out there the indication that call selection way more important than appearance.

Good job in the final guys.

>He also would pass on one right in front of him then next time call something on the exact same situation. Talk about lack of consistency!! I'm sure he had everyone guessing and confused after a while.

Yeah, I thought he was inconsistent too. After letting guys
tackle each other, he called the 5th on Langford when the
Syracuse guy fell over his own feet. I didn't even see contact, and I was rooting for Syracuse.

Joe,
Langford slid his lower body into the opponent while he was holding his hands straight up.
Dumb foul.
Good call.
mick

I do not think anyone made that the only factor.
 

I do not recall anyone saying you had to be a size 6 to officiate a basketball game. But the thinner and more athletic you look, the more likely you will be seen as able to get up and down the court and be in position. No different than the NFL combine. Your draft status is going to be based on raw numbers, whether you like it or not. Byron Leftwich is probably the most talented QB in the draft, but they are questioning his mobility and his size to be affective in the NFL.

If you want to suggest that this is the only factor, it is not. Just like everything else in life we are evaluated on many things. But my question to you is, how many other officials looked like him throught the tournament? So if we see one run-way model that is bigger and all the other models are much smaller, are we not going to notice a trend?

Peace

My question! If this same official was Thinner would our perception of the way he made calls have changed?

AK ref SE