UPDATED: Official John Higgins Receives Death Threats & Fake Business Reviews from Kentucky fans

[ThrowBones92]

I think it happens all the time. They have a stake into who wins or loses. Nobody monitors their gambling habits.

This isn't true at all. We get background checked every single year exactly for this situation. We are checked on all sports betting (not sure how they do it, but we undergo a background check every year). We are even discouraged from playing fantasy football and things like that, as I'm told that will show up on the check if money is exchanged.

 

[PRPcoach]

I would love to see the evidence you've found of this happening. If it's based on your "experience", then it's all conjecture. A coach may have treated me poorly in the past, but it has nothing to do with the way I'm going to interact and treat him the next time we cross paths. Any good official understands two things:
1) professionalism is a must - you don't hold grudges
2) its not personal, even if the coach tries to make it personal - if the coach makes it personal, you penalize and move on. 99.9999% of the time, coaches are trying to coach and win. Not show you up. If they show you up, you penalize, and you wash your hands of it.

Again, EVIDENCE is appreciated of the "proving a point" you see "way too often" at the NCAA level.

I didn't realize that Dick Bavetta was an Iowa fan! It's also funny that you talk about you and your fellow refs and the "no gambling" policy, yet your screen name is ThrowBones - which to me is an obvious reference to dice.

Seriously, however, I like hearing your input from the officials side. I know there is more to your job than meets the eye, and at the NCAA level (esp D1) you guys have to be mentally strong to not get influenced by numerous factors (coaches, fans, etc.)

My prior take IS based on personal experience. I have coached multiple HS sports for 20+ years now. At the HS level, there are unfortunately many officials that fit the description I spoke of - holding grudges, wanting to be the focus of the game, and letting outside influences cloud their judgement. I have tons of "evidence", but don't want to bore everyone.

Since we are talking about Iowa basketball - maybe I shouldn't have thrown the HS angle in.

 

[ThrowBones92]

I didn't realize that Dick Bavetta was an Iowa fan! It's also funny that you talk about you and your fellow refs and the "no gambling" policy, yet your screen name is ThrowBones - which to me is an obvious reference to dice.

Seriously, however, I like hearing your input from the officials side. I know there is more to your job than meets the eye, and at the NCAA level (esp D1) you guys have to be mentally strong to not get influenced by numerous factors (coaches, fans, etc.)

My prior take IS based on personal experience. I have coached multiple HS sports for 20+ years now. At the HS level, there are unfortunately many officials that fit the description I spoke of - holding grudges, wanting to be the focus of the game, and letting outside influences cloud their judgement. I have tons of "evidence", but don't want to bore everyone.

Since we are talking about Iowa basketball - maybe I shouldn't have thrown the HS angle in.

My screen name is not a reference to gambling with dice. It's a reference to Nebraska's Blackshirt tradition. I'd rather you ask something like that than to assume you caught me in an inconsistency of character, if that's what you were trying to do.

Although I don't work in HS officiating, I once did. And I won't argue with you on that front because I don't work in it anymore, but I have seen HS games where officials feel like they are an important part of the game and community, and they officiate with that paradigm. I can also see this being some weird power struggle that would happen at the HS level because coaching and officiating is much more "local" by nature. You see the same guys for 20 years and relationships (good and poor) develop. All of my comments are related to officiating at the D1/D2 level.

 

[ichawk24]

I have coached multiple HS sports for 20+ years now. At the HS level, there are unfortunately many officials that fit the description I spoke of - holding grudges, wanting to be the focus of the game, and letting outside influences cloud their judgement.

I have seen lots of HS coaches who are petty tyrants, hold grudges, think they run the world, want to be the focus of the game, let outside influences cloud their judgment, and think that every referee is a gambling degenerate out to get them.

I assume some of them are good people.

 

[TDJ7]

My prior take IS based on personal experience. I have coached multiple HS sports for 20+ years now. At the HS level, there are unfortunately many officials that fit the description I spoke of - holding grudges, wanting to be the focus of the game, and letting outside influences cloud their judgement. I have tons of "evidence", but don't want to bore everyone.
.

Smokey Barr comes to mind.

 

[Grizzly Adam]

Nice troll. Actually it's pretty ridiculous that you would say that. Which fanbase are you here from?

Only a degenerate would try and compare the Kentucky situation with the uni situation. GTFO

Don't take my post out of context, it was made before the threats were issued. Iowa fans harassed Higgins online and posted poor reviews of his business. My point is the guy is a poor ref and pisses off fan bases. And I am an Iowa born and raised, but that doesn't mean I wear the rose tinted glasses.

 

[~Keyser Soze~]

So how many arrests have been made so far?

 

[hawkeyeinmo]

So how many arrests have been made so far?

So how many arrests have been made so far?

NBA official Tim Donaghy is the only arrest I know of.

 

[~Keyser Soze~]

NCAA referee John Higgins receiving death threats from Kentucky fans

• Jeff Goodman
• Dana O'Neil
• http://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...-fans-following-loss-north-carolina-tar-heels

NCAA referee John Higgins met with law enforcement for more than two hours Tuesday March 28 after Kentucky fans sent death threats, repeatedly called his company's office and home -- despite an unlisted number -- and posted a barrage of false messages about his business on the company's Facebook page, sources told ESPN.

Higgins worked Sunday's Elite Eight game between Kentucky and North Carolina, which the Tar Heels won 75-73 on Luke Maye's buzzer-beating jumper. The Wildcats were whistled for 19 fouls, including two each on Malik Monk, De'Aaron Fox and Bam Adebayo in the first half, a fact that Kentucky coach John Calipari didn't let go unnoticed.

"You know, it's amazing that we were in that game where they practically fouled out my team," Calipari said. "Amazing that we had a chance."

Kentucky fan websites and message boards identified Higgins as making incorrect calls against the Wildcats. Calipari's statements, message board chatter and their own fury prompted some Kentucky fans to write false and damaging messages on the Facebook site of Higgins' company, John Higgins Weatherguard Inc., as reported by several outlets Tuesday.

But the nastiness went well beyond those posts. Sources said the phones at Higgins' home and business, also known as Rooferees, have been "ringing off the hook" since the game, with angry Kentucky fans calling to complain and some even going so far as to make death threats.

That prompted a meeting with law enforcement.

"We appreciate the passion that fans bring to college basketball," NCAA vice president Dan Gavitt said in a statement issued Wednesday. "But the behavior of some fans toward John Higgins that has been reported publicly after last weekend's regional final is not appropriate.

"John is one of the most experienced and qualified college referees in the country, evidenced by his many years of officiating during March Madness, and for some fans to not only question his character but also criticize his private business is unfortunate. While we understand it's nearly impossible to officiate a game without fans getting upset about a call, it's also important that behavior during or after a game reflects the same standards of good sportsmanship that we encourage of our coaches and student-athletes."

On Wednesday, Kentucky released a statement promoting good sportsmanship by Wildcats fans.

"While we were all disappointed to see a memorable season end on Sunday and we appreciate the support our fans showed our student-athletes all year, we encourage our fans to demonstrate good sportsmanship to everyone and discourage any other kind of behavior," the statement said.

Higgins declined to comment when reached by phone, but sources said the official will work the Final Four in Glendale, Arizona.

A Omaha, Nebraska a detective has released findings from the investigation involving referee John Higgins and the potentially threatening messages Higgins received from Kentucky fans following UK’s Elite Eight loss to North Carolina.

After spending 80 hours examining countless written posts and over 800 voicemails, Sarpy County Sheriffs Detective Matt Barrel found seven messages that could be considered a crime. All of the messages included some sort of violent threat. Heavily edited for WOWT-TV viewers, here is what remains:

1. “You should put a gun in your mouth and blow your own fricking brains out.”

2. “If I ever see you in person I’m going to smack the taste out of your fricking mouth.”

3. “You’re going to pay buddy.”

4. “You enjoy your life before somebody kills you.”

5. “Hey you hear that garbage truck in the background? Wish you were in it personally you **.”

6. “I hope to hell John Higgins falls off a roof and spends the rest of his life in a wheelchair.”

7. “I hope you all get in a plane crash and die.”

The detective has made copies of the voicemails, attached transcripts and his report and sent them to the originating jurisdictions, “primarily in Kentucky.” Prosecutors from those jurisdictions will decide whether or not to press charges.

http://www.wowt.com/video?vid=426051243

 

[hawk-i bob]

When Jackie Robinson got death threats for breaking the color barrier in MLB some of the idiots put a return address on the envelope. Racist are the dumpest people on the face of the earth. And they are all over the place. F'n Idiots.

I hope they throw the book at them.

 

[~Keyser Soze~]

When Jackie Robinson got death threats for breaking the color barrier in MLB some of the idiots put a return address on the envelope. Racist are the dumpest people on the face of the earth. And they are all over the place. F'n Idiots.

I hope they throw the book at them.

I hope they throw the book at them can be construed as a death threat according to this case. Be careful, they will disparage the entire fanbase and write stories about Iowa fans threatening people.

 

[hawk-i bob]

I hope they throw the book at them can be construed as a death threat according to this case. Be careful, they will disparage the entire fanbase and write stories about Iowa fans threatening people.[/QUOT

got nothing for ya.......but maybe some day...keep that Calipari alarm clock on.

 

[HerkyHopeful]

A Omaha, Nebraska a detective has released findings from the investigation involving referee John Higgins and the potentially threatening messages Higgins received from Kentucky fans following UK’s Elite Eight loss to North Carolina.

After spending 80 hours examining countless written posts and over 800 voicemails, Sarpy County Sheriffs Detective Matt Barrel found seven messages that could be considered a crime. All of the messages included some sort of violent threat. Heavily edited for WOWT-TV viewers, here is what remains:

1. “You should put a gun in your mouth and blow your own fricking brains out.”

2. “If I ever see you in person I’m going to smack the taste out of your fricking mouth.”

3. “You’re going to pay buddy.”

4. “You enjoy your life before somebody kills you.”

5. “Hey you hear that garbage truck in the background? Wish you were in it personally you **.”

6. “I hope to hell John Higgins falls off a roof and spends the rest of his life in a wheelchair.”

7. “I hope you all get in a plane crash and die.”

The detective has made copies of the voicemails, attached transcripts and his report and sent them to the originating jurisdictions, “primarily in Kentucky.” Prosecutors from those jurisdictions will decide whether or not to press charges.

http://www.wowt.com/video?vid=426051243

Probably a couple of those who left messages were Kentuckuh prosecutors!