Upon further review (A10 refs)

[Taj79]

As I noted in my observatins from GeeDub, I don't understand just how bad A10 refs can be. I guess it's likely a common lament shared by all teams in all conferences across the nation. But man are these guys bad.

In person, I couldn't understand the calls and on tape, it was even worse. A couple of examples .... in the first half, Kromah loses balance underneath his basket and while falling out of bounds. chucks a fastball at Loe, who is sprawled out in the lane. I think it hit him in the head or maybe it missed but a whistle sounds and the ref calls Mitchell for shoving Kromah out of bounds. This is when Mitchell almost got an early technical. In replay, Mitchell didn't even touch Kromah. Iknow a lot of it is perception but what do these guys see?

Later in first half, Evans has inside position on Armwood, and the lob over Armwood's head is being completed perfectly when the ref under the basket blows the whistle and hits Evans with an offensive foul for pushing off. No such contact occurred.

Later, Loe gets hatchet-jobbed right in front of our bench, then gets raked, and has the ball stripped and the whistle blows. But the foul is on Loe now after they've mugged him to get it in the first place. The same guy ignoring the mugging makes the ticky-tack make-up call on Loe.

Later first half, Glaze gets the offsenive rebound and Armwood comes over his head for the ball. Now i'm pretty sure over-the-back is enough but this was over-his-head. Call? Jump ball.

Second half, Smith gets the ball down low and turns hard, throwing a forearm into Ellis, knocking him into the basket stachion. I mean, did Cody embellish? Sure. But the embellishment made the foul all the more easier to see. No whistle. Layup good.

Late a GeeDub player drives and has the ball stripped by Ellis and it goes off the GeeDub player's foot. While waiitng for the bald guy to make up his mind which way to call it, the old guy in the back whistles a foul from in front of Lonergan and calls it on Ellis.

Twice, one with Jett and another with Evans, clean steals to go in for the uncontested layup and GeeDub players foul and grab from behind. Foul? Yes. Intentional? C'mon man what more do you need?

The gameplans seems to have been diagrammed ..... do whatever you can to see just what the refs call. If they don't call it, good for the offending team.

[mccarthyirish7]

As I noted in my observatins from GeeDub, I don't understand just how bad A10 refs can be. I guess it's likely a common lament shared by all teams in all conferences across the nation. But man are these guys bad.

In person, I couldn't understand the calls and on tape, it was even worse. A couple of examples .... in the first half, Kromah loses balance underneath his basket and while falling out of bounds. chucks a fastball at Loe, who is sprawled out in the lane. I think it hit him in the head or maybe it missed but a whistle sounds and the ref calls Mitchell for shoving Kromah out of bounds. This is when Mitchell almost got an early technical. In replay, Mitchell didn't even touch Kromah. Iknow a lot of it is perception but what do these guys see?

Later in first half, Evans has inside position on Armwood, and the lob over Armwood's head is being completed perfectly when the ref under the basket blows the whistle and hits Evans with an offensive foul for pushing off. No such contact occurred.

Later, Loe gets hatchet-jobbed right in front of our bench, then gets raked, and has the ball stripped and the whistle blows. But the foul is on Loe now after they've mugged him to get it in the first place. The same guy ignoring the mugging makes the ticky-tack make-up call on Loe.

Later first half, Glaze gets the offsenive rebound and Armwood comes over his head for the ball. Now i'm pretty sure over-the-back is enough but this was over-his-head. Call? Jump ball.

Second half, Smith gets the ball down low and turns hard, throwing a forearm into Ellis, knocking him into the basket stachion. I mean, did Cody embellish? Sure. But the embellishment made the foul all the more easier to see. No whistle. Layup good.

Late a GeeDub player drives and has the ball stripped by Ellis and it goes off the GeeDub player's foot. While waiitng for the bald guy to make up his mind which way to call it, the old guy in the back whistles a foul from in front of Lonergan and calls it on Ellis.

Twice, one with Jett and another with Evans, clean steals to go in for the uncontested layup and GeeDub players foul and grab from behind. Foul? Yes. Intentional? C'mon man what more do you need?

The gameplans seems to have been diagrammed ..... do whatever you can to see just what the refs call. If they don't call it, good for the offending team.

Reading this makes my blood boil. Infuriating.

[Basketbill]

Not sure about any of those as I did not record that game, but SLU ought to send a pic of the block call on Cody when he got elbowed in the face, think it was SJ game, when the horrible ref said he was still sliding. He was not, and Galloway led with his elbow.....

[Bobby Metzinger]

The last two games have been the worst officiating I've seen in my 30 years on this planet.

I think the sequester really hit the A-10 officiating coffers the worst. Who are these guys? Replacement officials of the replacement officials?

[bonwich]

Then there was the case of the mid-court collision (Loe?) during the St. Joe's game when both players went to the floor and no whistle was heard. Within a minute, however, they called a hand-check.

[Bobby Metzinger]

Then there was the case of the mid-court collision (Loe?) during the St. Joe's game when both players went to the floor and no whistle was heard. Within a minute, however, they called a hand-check.

I think that was Mitchell going up for a 50-50 ball that he was called for. The Fetz was like a Watts Lite after that call.

[BACKHANDtheRICAN]

I think that was Mitchell going up for a 50-50 ball that he was called for. The Fetz was like a Watts Lite after that call.

Actually the 50/50 ball at Bulter where Mitchell intercepted the pass was en route to a fast break layup but was whistled for a foul resulted in backhand's fist through his coffee table. It was a very close game and a crucial call at the time.

[moytoy12]

Actually the 50/50 ball at Bulter where Mitchell intercepted the pass was en route to a fast break layup but was whistled for a foul resulted in backhand's fist through his coffee table. It was a very close game and a crucial call at the time.

your coffee table must be a cardboard box.

[Bobby Metzinger]

Actually the 50/50 ball at Bulter where Mitchell intercepted the pass was en route to a fast break layup but was whistled for a foul resulted in backhand's fist through his coffee table. It was a very close game and a crucial call at the time.

You're right. My mistake. That was absolutely horrible....

Isn't your coffee table an actual coffee table book about coffee tables?

[jbizzle09]

Actually the 50/50 ball at Bulter where Mitchell intercepted the pass was en route to a fast break layup but was whistled for a foul resulted in backhand's fist through his coffee table. It was a very close game and a crucial call at the time.

That might be the worst call I've ever seen live. I was willing to bet after that whistle that the Bills were going to lose.

[Pistol]

Actually the 50/50 ball at Bulter where Mitchell intercepted the pass was en route to a fast break layup but was whistled for a foul resulted in backhand's fist through his coffee table. It was a very close game and a crucial call at the time.

That was unreal. Felt like we were at Duke. I've never seen that called before.

Question 1: The A10 might not be alone; does anyone remember the refs from the New Mexico game last season?

Question 2: If we get in this new conference, are we confident the refs will be better?

[DeSmetBilliken]

Over the last few weeks, I've heard several fans of Big 10 teams (Illinois to be specific) complaining about how bad the refs in the Big 10 were. They complain about Ed Hightower and say he's terrible. My general response is to laugh, then explain to them that they have no idea how good they have it, and that they have no idea what kind of garbage officiating takes place outside of the Big 10.

As a side note on Hightower, apparently he is/was on the Board of Trustees for the SIU system. Governor Quinn tried to remove him and 2 others last week,but I don't think that was successful. Also heard during the Butler game that Hightower is a SLU alum and donor to the university, thus why he can never ref our games.

[Cowboy]

-the refs are bad and getting worse, but why does someone want to be a ref? ok they get a nice check, but they are abused by fans and coaches and more and more players, if I run the NCAA I have a zero tolerance for abuse of the officials, zero, from fans, coaches and players, no more hysterics, no more tantrums, no more cursing, and encourage state athletic associations to follow this lead, it may take a bit of time, but I think the quality of officiating would improve

-I also have a team of retired refs who review games and use video to show the officials how to correct the mistakes they are making

-just complaining isn't going to change anything

[jimbofive]

your coffee table must be a cardboard box.

might be made of an intricate weave of lightly soiled single-ply toilet paper and overcooked ramen noodles.

[billiken_roy]

hightower indeed got his doctorate in education from saint louis university.

he has refereed games at slu in the last decade or so and was already a doctor by then. so i dont think that is the reason he doesnt ref our games. my guess is he doesnt because he gets paid far more to ref big ten, big 12 games then the a-10 would pay him.

i believe there are few if any great refs anymore. and imo the biggest reason is the trend over the last 20+ years to "no harm no foul" which has created such an inconsistent air about the calls. the solution is simple CALL EVERYTHING.

[BilliKat]

As I noted in my observatins from GeeDub, I don't understand just how bad A10 refs can be. I guess it's likely a common lament shared by all teams in all conferences across the nation. But man are these guys bad.

In person, I couldn't understand the calls and on tape, it was even worse. A couple of examples .... in the first half, Kromah loses balance underneath his basket and while falling out of bounds. chucks a fastball at Loe, who is sprawled out in the lane. I think it hit him in the head or maybe it missed but a whistle sounds and the ref calls Mitchell for shoving Kromah out of bounds. This is when Mitchell almost got an early technical. In replay, Mitchell didn't even touch Kromah. Iknow a lot of it is perception but what do these guys see?

Later in first half, Evans has inside position on Armwood, and the lob over Armwood's head is being completed perfectly when the ref under the basket blows the whistle and hits Evans with an offensive foul for pushing off. No such contact occurred.

Later, Loe gets hatchet-jobbed right in front of our bench, then gets raked, and has the ball stripped and the whistle blows. But the foul is on Loe now after they've mugged him to get it in the first place. The same guy ignoring the mugging makes the ticky-tack make-up call on Loe.

Later first half, Glaze gets the offsenive rebound and Armwood comes over his head for the ball. Now i'm pretty sure over-the-back is enough but this was over-his-head. Call? Jump ball.

Second half, Smith gets the ball down low and turns hard, throwing a forearm into Ellis, knocking him into the basket stachion. I mean, did Cody embellish? Sure. But the embellishment made the foul all the more easier to see. No whistle. Layup good.

Late a GeeDub player drives and has the ball stripped by Ellis and it goes off the GeeDub player's foot. While waiitng for the bald guy to make up his mind which way to call it, the old guy in the back whistles a foul from in front of Lonergan and calls it on Ellis.

Twice, one with Jett and another with Evans, clean steals to go in for the uncontested layup and GeeDub players foul and grab from behind. Foul? Yes. Intentional? C'mon man what more do you need?

The gameplans seems to have been diagrammed ..... do whatever you can to see just what the refs call. If they don't call it, good for the offending team.

Idk how you didn't mention the two that I found to be the worst.. they were beyond confusing becuase they made NO snese.

When Mr. Dwayne Evans was shooting the free throw, with the lane violations. He made the shot. but instead they called a double foul, that apparently cancels each other out.. and also cancels Evans made ft. WTF was that?

The other was the over and back that MIKE McCALL was pushed over halfcourt. Even the dumbshot announcers said "wow great forced turnover there, (dont remember who it was) used his force to get him to cross over the halfcourt line" (not exact quote, but essentially)

My dad, broham, three sisters and all the husbands were all just going batshot crazy watching that game!

[Taj79]

@Kitty --- the list above is what I remembered sitting a work today. It was near impossible to remember them all. Did you have the GeeDub announcers too? Equally bad and fair at the same time. They have to pump the buff and blue and I get that but jeez. Kromah was trhe offender on the McCall no call.

As for the Evans free throw, it was explained as a double lane violation but the brute on the inside pulled Manning (I believe) with him. And Garino violated the lane too but pushed Manning in as well. The call was double lane violation, wave off the shot, jump ball with possession arrow giving it to the Bills.

Still, in just about all cases, the game plan is still the same ----- hack away and make the refs make the call. Lonergan knew he had no chance with no superior talent so he did what he had to do. He hung around long enough, as evidences by his words ....." up three with seven minutes and three timeouts to go." Really can't fault the game plan but like roy says, if they'd call the game correctly and cut this crap early, we could see a good basketball game for a change.

And here comes Thug City on Wednesday night. You've got Taylor, Philmore, Robinson and Martin. If three of the four are around for the final horn, I'll be stunned. But it is their house.