Are the Big Ten refs really as bad as we think?

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GortonsFisherman011

GortonsFisherman011

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Just want some other opinions on this. Having seen mostly b10 officiating it's easy to say they are absolutely brutal, but are they this bad elsewhere too? Or are the big ten refs the worst in the nation? Some of the calls during the last game really make you wonder.
 

I don't know. Historically, Big 10 officials let the players play the game, often resulting in very physical play. I think this probably isn't the case as much as it used to be.

However, we do have 2 of the biggest referee divas in the world in Hightower and Valentine. When fans go to watch the games they officiate, you understand that you are paying to watch those two make calls, not your favorite team play.
 

I don't know, but the Gophers have had some pretty shitty refs this season, even in the non-conference games.
 

Is there a referee roster online somewhere with pics? I'm not sure what all the ref's names are
 



ShowinGoldyLove said:
I don't know. Historically, Big 10 officials let the players play the game, often resulting in very physical play. I think this probably isn't the case as much as it used to be.

However, we do have 2 of the biggest referee divas in the world in Hightower and Valentine. When fans go to watch the games they officiate, you understand that you are paying to watch those two make calls, not your favorite team play.
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The whistles seem to blow constantly, stopping the flow of the game. The players have not been able to "play the game" without constant interruption for many years.

If you watch other conferences, it seems they allow the teams to continue play without the constant barrage of whistles.

Gophers vs MSU: First half, fouls were MSU=6, MN=2. I turned to the lady next to me and said there would be a few whistles quickly against MN. Within 90 seconds, 2 more fouls on MN.

So predictable, it is getting to the point of funny.
 

I don't think refs cost us the game, but they were TERRIBLE at Michigan State.

The game was just not managed well, and they were making calls they were not even in position to see. It was bad both ways if you ask me.
 

As SGL pointed out there are a couple hot dogs in the group, but as a whole I have no problem with Big 10 officials, save for Mike Sanzere. Fortunately, we haven't seen much of him at The Barn this season.
 

I'm a HS basketball referee that has worked quite a bit of 3-man officiating. While I don't claim to be an expert at it, I did notice the following about yesterday's game.

-At first, when I only saw two guys up top during the warmups, I was beginning to doubt the league's sanity. 2 guys to cover a Big Ten game? Heck, I've had boys JV games where I would have liked to have a third man. The third guy must have been sick and didn't want to come up until the last possible moment.

-There did seem to be a higher amount of reaching for calls that were out of their jurisdiction yesterday than normal.

-When inbounding on the baseline, all three guys were standing on the wrong side of the player. When lead is inbounding the ball on the baseline, one of our cardinal rules is to NEVER stand between the inbounder and the basket. All three guys were doing it all day yesterday.

-The one thing that absolutely drives me up the wall about 90% of BCS-conference NCAA refs is their signaling. One of the first things that we are told to learn is how to properly signal the table. Some of the signals I've seen resemble the Hokey Pokey more than a foul signal, with block fouls being the biggest chronic offender.

I've heard it said that referees are watching a totally different game than the rest of the crowd, and to some extent that is true.
 



We wonder if maybe the game itself has progressed beyond what most refs, Big Ten or not, can control: faster, much more physical, craftier. The pushing and shoving in the post is brutal; the flops and other acting techniques are a constant; the speed and athleticism of so many players is great to watch but hard to officiate. Our section of rabid fans still loves to scream at the refs, but, in calmer moments, we discuss how difficult the refs' jobs have become. A solution? More training? Younger refs? Better pay? Tough to know.
 

Officiating is a bitch of a job. Even the best in the business aren't very good at it. That's the problem. It is too tough. As an example:

First, people complain that there is too much banging, it is too physical.

TwoFans said:
The pushing and shoving in the post is brutal.
Click to expand...

So, you blow the whistle to tighten it up and you get this:

TruthTeller said:
The whistles seem to blow constantly, stopping the flow of the game. The players have not been able to "play the game" without constant interruption for many years.
Click to expand...

So, which do we want? Whistles to blow to clean up the physical play OR do we want to let them play so as to not disrupt the flow of the game? See, that's why even the best in the business aren't very good. It is a nearly impossible job to do well.
 

As a former HS referee, I and my partner(s) always started the game calling things tightly, then kept calling the game by how the players played. It was better for the game to call tight to start with and gradually loosen up than it was to start loose and then tighten up. The latter process resulted in more games getting out of control. But that does not mean we called perfect games, but the flow of the game came to the teams who adjusted.
 

tjgopher said:
Officiating is a bitch of a job. Even the best in the business aren't very good at it. That's the problem. It is too tough. As an example:

First, people complain that there is too much banging, it is too physical.



So, you blow the whistle to tighten it up and you get this:



So, which do we want? Whistles to blow to clean up the physical play OR do we want to let them play so as to not disrupt the flow of the game? See, that's why even the best in the business aren't very good. It is a nearly impossible job to do well.
Click to expand...


Disagree. Some of the angst towards ref's is for their inconsistency and "makeup" calls. Call the damn game consistent, no need to "make up" for one team having more fouls than the other - just to make it fair.

Some ref's are respected - Steve Welmer, for example, is a good one, imo. Mike Sanszere, Ed Hightower are not. Sanzere is simply the worst example of all time. He is constantly stopping the flow of the game iwth his whistles. Hightower is an ass, want the focus on him and not the game - he should be fired, imo.

It is not that difficult to call a consistent, fair game. It happens all over - we just dont get to see much of it. And if they cant call it consistently, they should be relieved of their duties.
 



Hightower did the Oklahoma-Arkansas game last week and both radio crews ripped him raw and often.
 

I thought that the officiating of the game was very inconsistent and that made it difficult for us to get into a rythem on offense.

Did anyone notice how slow the one ref was mopping? Jeez that took 5 minutes.
 

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