Officiating in CBB, especially the B1G, has really dampened my love for the sport.

[HawkBall23]

Another leg kick out draws a foul on a 3pt shot attempt - causing contact by defender trying to contest - this time ILL using it against IU. Foul awarded and not even any thoughts of a review. (you'll never guess who is one of the refs today, btw)

But its everything. Its all the absolute warzone hand-to-hand combat physicality allowed on defense on one end and then a ticky tack called at the other end of the floor. Or calling the game one way for a long time, and then changing it up with no warning or reason. The fact that refs 'have to' even up foul counts lets us know that they realize they have screwed up and aren't doing their jobs right, but yet it happens in way too many games. We see it with regularity across the board.

I find myself not understanding when announcers claim "I LOVE Big Ten basketball!". I'm like, why? Why do you like watching an offense have to scratch and claw their defenders just to get a few inches of separation, and the D still probably has a hand on jersey or shorts as O tries to run around a screen, etc?? Why is watching something that resembles more of rugby or wrestling more enjoyable than watching the freer flowing movement of person like basketball should be???


Just some of my frustration ranted out....

 

[SDHawkDoc]

Or Curbelo for illanoy getting tripped on a breakaway with no call followed by a very questionable flagrant foul call when indy started taking the ball the other way.
I still like watching B1G ball in spite of the crap officiating. But the officials negative impact on the game isn't making it better. Long past time for the league to have truly professional crews and hold them to tight scrutiny.

 

[Hausta01]

#0 for IU is one of the handiest defenders I have seen in a while

 

[JBo4Three]

I hear you. When I tune in to a BIG game I know it’s just a matter of time before the refs make a bonehead call. The call that sets me off is the one where the ref nearest the ball has no foul call but the ref clear across the court makes a foul call. I’m sorry, I don’t have one good thing to say about the BIG refs.

 

[HawkBall23]

I hear you. When I tune in to a BIG game I know it’s just a matter of time before the refs make a bonehead call. The call that sets me off is the one where the ref nearest the ball has no foul call but the ref clear across the court makes a foul call. I’m sorry, I don’t have one good thing to say about the BIG refs.

Or a ref standing right front & center of the play that has to make an 'OOB off of' decision, but still calls it wrong.

 

[BlackNGoldBleeder]

I pretty much have stopped watching B1G Ten basketball because of officiating. I check in to see how Iowa’s doing once in a while and that’s about it. It’s just complete trash and has been for a long time.

 

[LarryMullenJr.]

If they officiated basketball the way the game was SUPPOSED to be played, they wouldn’t be at the point we are where so many calls are questioned. So much of the crap that is allowed now: carrying, hand-checking, backing your defender down….that wasn’t basketball originally but it got allowed a little at first and then we end up where we are.

 

[The Deplorable Sleeping Dog]

I pretty much have stopped watching B1G Ten basketball because of officiating. I check in to see how Iowa’s doing once in a while and that’s about it. It’s just complete trash and has been for a long time.

They retain the same officials that engage in not only poorly officiated games but rigged games, like the recent Iowa/Rutgers game.

Don't watch much college ball anymore. Next to boxing this has to be the most rigged sport in the entire range of athletic competition. The Big Ten is the center ring in the clown circus.

 

[amahawk]

If they officiated basketball the way the game was SUPPOSED to be played, they wouldn’t be at the point we are where so many calls are questioned. So much of the crap that is allowed now: carrying, hand-checking, backing your defender down….that wasn’t basketball originally but it got allowed a little at first and then we end up where we are.

Also the step back 3 ! Traveling.

 

[HawkBall23]

They retain the same officials that engage in not only poorly officiated games but rigged games, like the recent Iowa/Rutgers game.

Don't watch much college ball anymore. Next to boxing this has to be the most rigged sport in the entire range of athletic competition. The Big Ten is the center ring in the clown circus.

I don't know if I'd go so far as to say I think the games/sport is outright "rigged", but its more that the officials are mostly overworked and/or just plain incompetent.

Remember this is just a 2nd or side job for most of these guys, so can't really blame them too much for not putting their everything into it. Its on the NCAA and/or conferences themselves to work on setting up full-time 'professionals' whose main & only real job - at least in the winter/early spring months - is officiating CBB games. Unfortunately, that might not be feasible. I really wouldn't know.

 

[The Deplorable Sleeping Dog]

I don't know if I'd go so far as to say I think the games/sport is outright "rigged", but its more that the officials are mostly overworked and/or just plain incompetent.

While also true this does not explain one sided games where one team is consistently gaining advantages from the officials.

The Iowa Rutgers game is a classic example. That crew was working Iowa like drug mules. The double standard wasn't fatigue or incompetence-that leads to mistakes both ways. The "mistakes" only went one way, and in a big way. That's what dishonesty looks like.

 

[walleye hunter16]

While also true this does not explain one sided games where one team is consistently gaining advantages from the officials.

The Iowa Rutgers game is a classic example. That crew was working Iowa like drug mules. The double standard wasn't fatigue or incompetence-that leads to mistakes both ways. The "mistakes" only went one way, and in a big way. That's what dishonesty looks like.

This is where I have a problem with Fran getting pissed at the zebras.
I like the fire, the fight for his guys and most times he is completely correct BUT jumping on them will get you on the bad end of the calls.
Bias is real we all do it but don't seal your fate before you get started.

 

[The Deplorable Sleeping Dog]

This is where I have a problem with Fran getting pissed at the zebras.
I like the fire, the fight for his guys and most times he is completely correct BUT jumping on them will get you on the bad end of the calls.
Bias is real we all do it but don't seal your fate before you get started.

I think Iowa has long been under Lute's shadow, he rocked the boat and it created an institutional hostility for the conference and especially with the officials because he really rocked that little slice of largely unnoticed game rigging.

That animosity just drifts from generation to generation. It's part of the institutional identity of the Big Ten. Fran might alienate some new crooked refs but some of the worst cheating happened to Dr. Davis, the nicest guy other than maybe Lick to coach Iowa in my memory. Lick's teams took some brutal beatdowns from the officials but, in all fairness, they took some brutal beatdowns from most of the opponents too. Kind of like the police framing a guilty man.

 

[kceasthawk]

Or Curbelo for illanoy getting tripped on a breakaway with no call followed by a very questionable flagrant foul call when indy started taking the ball the other way.
I still like watching B1G ball in spite of the crap officiating. But the officials negative impact on the game isn't making it better. Long past time for the league to have truly professional crews and hold them to tight scrutiny.

I don't understand why they put the "flagrant" call in at all. Its simply the basketball equivalent of the targeting rule. The number of times I've seen guys get smashed in the head, (when contact above the shoulders is supposed to be prohibited), and they review it, and then say its just a common foul? Its mind boggling...

 

[The Deplorable Sleeping Dog]

Like the direct head shot in the last game? The Hawk was hit directly across the forehead and it wasn't called after the same replays we had. The officials were in position and watched replay. They didn't see something other than what actually happened, that is just magical thinking. They saw what happened, didn't make the call because that was not part of their game plan. That's dishonest, everyone knows it and the Big Ten doesn't care.

 

[The Deplorable Sleeping Dog]

I don't understand why they put the "flagrant" call in at all. Its simply the basketball equivalent of the targeting rule. The number of times I've seen guys get smashed in the head, (when contact above the shoulders is supposed to be prohibited), and they review it, and then say its just a common foul? Its mind boggling...

Its not mind boggling, its indecent, unfair and probably criminal.

 

[Bro D]

Basketball officiating on any level is so bad

 

[unclesammy]

Also the step back 3 ! Traveling.

Or on a fast break when it inconvenient to dribble, they just take 3 or 4 steps.

 

[FWIW4922463]

This thread is SO spot on. Basketball used to be such a great game of quickness and finesse. Not it's just legalized mugging, but in Iowa's case, only the other guys are the muggers. Iowa has never played the so-called "physical" style that most other teams play.

BTW: I was wondering again the other day about why we still have three officials. For decades now, it has been proven, game after game, that three is definitely not better than two. Go back to two officials, and you have the opportunity to get rid of one-third of the refs . . . a chance to dump the worst of the worst. Why not?

And I'm also thinking about former Iowa Coach Ralph Miller who, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in the late 1960s--it's in the history books--suggested that refs should be stationary, like tennis or volleyball refs. One sit about 10 feet up on one sideline at the free throw line extended, and the other on the opposite sideline at the free throw line extended. I don't know that any level of basketball anywhere in the world has tried that, but somebody should--maybe some AAU programs. How could it possibly be worse than what we have?