CUSA Referee Conspiracy

[thetorch]

When I heard that Welmer was reffing the game tonight I thought it was a bad omen.

The 5 second call was something that I can't describe in words, or if I did they would be blocked out on this board.

This leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. There is no doubt in my mind that there was something behind that call. There have been too many times that an erroneous call has been made at the ends of games involving top #25 opponents. I can deal with a ref who calls a one sided game all game, but to pull something out of their hats like this on the final possession of a game is something totally different. In this league if a top 25 team is in a close game and there is an oppurtunity for the refs to affect the outcome in that teams favor it gets done. This just infuriates me and I cannot wait to get out of this garage league.

[davidnark]

Like many Billikens.com posters, I was watching the game without sound. Until I read your post Torch, I didn't know what the call was that gave the ball to Marquette with seconds remaining. Five seconds is absolutely preposderous. Fisher was in the lane driving to the hole when the call was made. Doesn't five seconds require that the player is not making a move toward the basket? Absolute BS!

[Schasz]

I listened to the MU feed and the MU announcers thought it was a joke, and they even mentioned it after the game as a bad call. A fine effort is sort of wasted because the zebras invent a call????

[thetorch]

I really hope Brad sends this to the league office to review.

There can only be two reasons for a call like this. Either the ref for some reason wanted to determine the outcome of the game on his own or he was so intimidated by the raucous crowd down the stretch that he could not concentrate on the play totally or felt hurried. Either way the referee that made the call has to be held accountable. I don't think he will be as I believe this is exactly what CUSA wants to happen.

[3star_recruit]

"In this league if a top 25 team is in a close game and there is an oppurtunity for the refs to affect the outcome in that teams favor it gets done. This just infuriates me and I cannot wait to get out of this garage league."

I've noticed this also. If CUSA is really serious about getting more than four teams in the Dance, the officlas have to treat all the teams with respect, not just the ones in the top 25. When Merritt started off the game with a spin move that barrelled over a Billiken defender and no foul was called, I knew we were gonna get screwed.

[slufanskip]

I said this in a previous post ... the Big 12 and most leagues favor the home team. CUSA with its wanna-be status does not want to lose their ranked teams. We do not get the advantage with calls even at home against Louisville, Cinci, or Marquette or Memphis if they are ranked.

That call was ridiculous and Brad needs to make a huge issue ... but I doubt CUSA cares ... we are leaving and they want us out.

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[Schasz]

Have been around since I have been following basketball and that's over 45 years now. Not saying its right, its just a fact of life. One thing nice about listening to the MU feed was even their announcers acknowledged the home cooking that the zebras gave them.

It's OK to feel bad for our guys because they did give it a great effort last night. I'm just hoping that we can finally beat Marquette when we get them back in St. Louis because they have been darn fortunate the last couple years, and we must have a split with them if we have any chance of challenging for a NCAA bid.

[kwyjibo]

I don't want to speculate on motives and I did not see the play, but . . .

In order to make a 5 second call at the time of the game it was called the ref has to want to make the call. A game that close, the ref should have been focusing on possible contact and if Josh looked to be "resetting" then he should put the player on the 5 count. The Marquette announcing team said BOTH it was a tight 5 count (i. e., the ref had to have been thinking about BEFORE it even happened) and Josh was moving toward the basket. NO way this should be called in any game (even if was against the Generals in Globe Trotters game).

Whether its ego or conspiracy it is a horrible call and not good for basketball in any way.

[Taj79]

... but to me, one of the biggest pains in commenting is when the announcers say (in any sport) "letting the guys play." That's fine ... providing its legal. If guys are clutching and grabbing to get an advantage, then they're not "playing." Same too with carrying and palming in crossover-dribbles. It gains an advantage.

But it sounds like in this case, the refs didn't let the players play the final minute. Someone, somewhere took a bullshat rule and used it not to "let the players play" and decide a very close and tight game. That's really the crap of it all. How many more five scond calls were made in the game? I'd guess none at this point.

To tri-star and others ... isn't that hash mark on the sidelines supposed to be the coach's restriciton area as well as the five second line. In other words, if you're just patsying around out there beyond the line and someone is on you, isn't that then a five-second call? How does one get it called on making an entry into the lane?

We didn't lose. We just ran out of time. Sometimes that happens.

Molitor and Eckersly in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Welmer and Martz in the Idiots Hall of Fame as well.

[3star_recruit]

I'm still wondering how Steve Novak have enough time to dribble into the lane, stop, pivot left, pivot right, pivot left again and throw up an off balance shot without being called for a three second call. These type of garbage calls and non-calls were going on all night against the Billikens.

[billiken_roy]

torch said, "I cannot wait to get out of this garage league."

what scares me is the picture that is starting to form that louisville, cincy and depaul walk at the end of this year and we are banished to a year in the remnants in a year when we will probably have a pretty decent team. a one team bid conference is a scary thought.

[Schasz]

There was an article in the Tampa Trib this week about the teams from CUSA trying to leave CUSA next year for the Big (L)East...if that's the case then UNCC and SLU need to leave for the A10 next year too!

[Bluecrewwebmaster]

5 seconds my ass...terrible call...did it look like Diener switched pivot feet on his last shot too? It seems every time we go out on the court, we are playing two foes, the opposing team and the referees. GIVE US A BREAK!

[waterboy]

Back in my day, it used to be that referees were employed by the conference, kind of like the college football officials are today. I am not sure if that is true now or not. And, obviously, basketball officials are sometimes employed by multiple conferences.

What is happening now is similar to what happened when the MCC dissolved and the Billikens and Marquette were about to bolt to the "old" Great Midwest Conference. It was, at that time, in the referees best interest to align themselves with the better conference and increase their stature. Coaches, I think, have a "say" in which referees are brought on board.

I remember this, because I thought it strange at the time, but it was from the horse's mouth. This is about 12-13 years ago. Welmer was an MCC ref that had just worked a conference game involving the Billikens. Before the game, he shook Grawer's hand and said "remember me for the new conference." It was, obviously, a step up from the MCC to the GMC. My memory fails me as to if we received favorable calls or not, but we won the game.

I did not see the game last night and did not see the call. Welmer's stature at this point is obviously big time. However, if it were another ref, maybe he would like to be a part of the new Big East;)

I guess, the bottom line is draw your own conclusions........

[thetorch]

Anights sleep and this defeat is still with me. With a road win at Marquette an NCAA bid would be very likely. Without it we are a bubble team in regards to any postseason play. This refs call will cost us our season.

[billiken_roy]

interesting post. makes sense. auditioning for big east games.

[BillsWin]

Personally I hate (and this goes for all sports) that the officiating changes depending on

1. who is at home,

2. who is winning the game and / or

3. the time left in the game.

If it is a foul in the first minute of the game for ABC, then it is a foul in the last minute of the game for either ABC or XYZ...

ERRR... That just gets my goat...

[Basketbill]

it was an official named Terry moore. The thing about this call that bothers me is how out of character it was for the whole game.

I watched this game on tape, tonight for the first time and had a heads up about this call. My expectation was that there would be a guy gaurding josh, close to midcourt....the fact that he was moving to the basket was in the lane it ridiculous. If that were the case Tyus Edney should have been called for five seconds.

Seriously, again this was so out of character that it makes me question the character of the official who called it and the officials who let it stand. Welmer should have question Moore about this.

Perhaps Mr Moore know pete rose!

[Major Majerus]

You get the whole game in the lane, if you need it, as long as you are working for your shot. 3 seconds doesn't apply unless you are in the lane that long without possession or if you hold it that long - working for a shot, or whatever, and then pass it out.

[Major Majerus]

The replays all clearly showed Diener's push to the back of Reggie as he completed his layup with a few seconds to go. Count the basket and send Reggie to the line - if he scores, Brad's had a chance to talk to the other team members about the last second defense, and there's a lot more pressure on MU. The refs stole this one from us, and it started early...