Eddie Hightower.... he's back

[The Deplorable Sleeping Dog]

Talking about Bain and his Calls in the Purdue game brings back memories of phone call with Mr. Duke the week after the game. Long story but very interesting. As far as Lute Big Ten officiating was one of the reasons he left…along with Bobby wanting to move and the obvious ability to recruit at AU.

George and Dr. Davis detested the Big Ten officials. Heard both from the horse's mouth. The Big Ten officiating has been scandalous for more than 40 years.

Although I think the average official is probably less fully honest than the 70s and 80s, just the ease of gambling and generational changes that create unconscious entitlement to what someone wants alone work against sainthood. But I also think the vast and instantaneous global exposure of the really really dishonest shit, like Bain's series of calls or the three game officiating spree at the end of 81, get too much attention and the Big Ten simply cannot cover it up or ignore it like they could the Bain thing or the three game atrocities at the end of 81.

Scriotto (sp?) is about as close as it gets to the old time hitmen. Carstensen and one of the Eads (sp?) are pretty blatant.​

 

[slipHawk]

The best officials are the least seen, but keep the game from getting out of control, if tempers flare. Can't remember names anymore, but the tall ball guy who has officiated a lot of Iowa B1G games is a pretty good official.

Case in point?

 

[The Deplorable Sleeping Dog]

The best officials are the least seen, but keep the game from getting out of control, if tempers flare. Can't remember names anymore, but the tall ball guy who has officiated a lot of Iowa B1G games is a pretty good official.

Spot on! Helmet sticker.

Everyone here knows the guy you reference. Probably no one remembers his name because he's never done anything so outlandishly bad it becomes memorable. Hell I've been beating this drum for 40 years and yet I cannot remember the name of most officials because...they just blend into the game. They make mistakes, that probably make most of us pissed, but after a couple hours you kind of forget because arguable calls and some plain human error calls are going to happen, just like unforced turnovers and air balls.

But when those errors become a pattern, especially a pattern over several years, effecting the same teams in the same way (good or bad) you have a problem. The Big Ten's issue is they've had the problem for decades and have never addressed with anyone.​