Butler a Dirty Team?

**Ficklone02** · 04-05-2011, 12:29 PM

This article confirms I am not the only one that feels this way. Funny thing, I never noticed this until the game last night where I felt they were way way over the line. I wanted to root for them until I just could not agree with their tactics any longer. So, by the end of the game I was happy UConn won.

Butler's defense: Dirty little secret? Hard-nosed play? - NCAA Division I Mens Basketball - CBSSports.com

**wxman1** · 04-05-2011, 12:32 PM

Nothing wrong with hard nosed.

I thought that the refs were being a little weird in their calls. All of the calls they made were right but they would let A LOT of contact go on the inside and then call hand checks and little stuff outside.

**isufbcurt** · 04-05-2011, 12:39 PM

They play hardnosed and get in your face, hence the reason I cheer for them. They make you earn it with their defense and if thats dirty then sign me up!!!

**The_Architect** · 04-05-2011, 12:40 PM

I was talking with a coworker this morning about this and we both agreed there were at least 2 or 3 times during the game last night that a Butler player would shove a UCONN player going for a rebound. I'm not talking just shoving to get position but shoving as if you are trying to push someone to the ground. It was very obvious and at one point you could very clearly hear a UCONN player say "what the **** was that!?" after being shoved to the floor. I can't believe they were never whistled.

**Ficklone02** · 04-05-2011, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by isufbcurt

They play hardnosed and get in your face, hence the reason I cheer for them. They make you earn it with their defense and if thats dirty then sign me up!!!

Ha, how did I know you would disagree. I'm all for hard-nosed, but not cheap tactics.

**CyJack13** · 04-05-2011, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by The_Architect

I was talking with a coworker this morning about this and we both agreed there were at least 2 or 3 times during the game last night that a Butler player would shove a UCONN player going for a rebound. I'm not talking just shoving to get position but shoving as if you are trying to push someone to the ground. It was very obvious and at one point you could very clearly hear a UCONN player say "what the **** was that!?" after being shoved to the floor. I can't believe they were never whistled.

Yeah saw that too. And every time it happened on the UConn baseline so it was the same ref who didn't make a call. I don't think Butler is a dirty team though, those were just out of frustrations, and it would be very hard not to be frustrated when you have a night like they had.

**khaal53** · 04-05-2011, 12:41 PM

Meh. The onus is on the officials to make the calls, not Butler.

(Thanks to Aclone for pointing out my lack of spelling ability)

**jbindm** · 04-05-2011, 12:43 PM

Yeah, I don't buy it. Consider the source of the complaints in the article - Horizon League teams who have spent the last few years looking up at Butler in the standings. Sour grapes + a sportswriter trying to fill space = garbage.

**Ficklone02** · 04-05-2011, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by The_Architect

I was talking with a coworker this morning about this and we both agreed there were at least 2 or 3 times during the game last night that a Butler player would shove a UCONN player going for a rebound. I'm not talking just shoving to get position but shoving as if you are trying to push someone to the ground. It was very obvious and at one point you could very clearly hear a UCONN player say "what the **** was that!?" after being shoved to the floor. I can't believe they were never whistled.

Exactly. That's a flagrant foul, and one of them (which I believe you have referred to) was right in front of the official on the baseline. How is it the officials allow them to do this? I have no idea, but it seems they have the officials in the bag.

**heitclone** · 04-05-2011, 12:51 PM

You can debate every call, in basketball anything the refs allow is legal. I watched every Butler game during the tournament and never once thought anyone was out to cheapshot or hurt someone. I do agree though that last nights game was very inconsistent from a ref standpoint. Both teams had phantom fouls called where theres virtually no contact while the play inside was very, very physical.

**cyclonetrent** · 04-05-2011, 12:52 PM

**isufbcurt** · 04-05-2011, 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by khaal53

Meh. The ohnus is on the officials to make the calls, not Butler.

Exactly, you do what you can until you get whistled.

**The_Architect** · 04-05-2011, 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by cyclonetrent

That exact same thing happened at least 3 different times last night.

**Ficklone02** · 04-05-2011, 01:00 PM

Originally Posted by heitclone

You can debate every call, in basketball anything the refs allow is legal. I watched every Butler game during the tournament and never once thought anyone was out to cheapshot or hurt someone. I do agree though that last nights game was very inconsistent from a ref standpoint. Both teams had phantom fouls called where theres virtually no contact while the play inside was very, very physical.

There's no disagreeing that if the foul is not called, its legal. My view of it though, is if something like this is ignored it will never be corrected. Perhaps the ncaa will receive enough discussion on this topic to make them look at this and enforce different officiating. IMO, that game last night was not the way basketball was meant to be played.