It was mentioned on the Williams/Blum Sunday podcast but there are a total of FIVE new referee crews in the B12 this year. It was mentioned that a couple guys retired and another moved to the B10 but that seems like absurd turnover to me. For how much is invested in the product, you would think that finding and keeping higher tier officials would remain a priority for the league. I am sure other football leagues don't believe they have the best officiating either but it seems like this has been an issue for years for the B12. Is it lack of training, compensation, location, leadership, resources, or now more recently, stability of the league? Any insight is appreciated.
Big 12 Referees
- Thread starter Londo
- Start date
I have zero insight, but I sure hope the new Big12 does a much better job selecting and training refs. Football and basketball both.
Maybe with OuT gone the dynamic will be much more on getting it right, rather than getting it "right".
Maybe with OuT gone the dynamic will be much more on getting it right, rather than getting it "right".
The calls in that game on Saturday were unconscionable. Specifically, the head referee and replay officials; both of which should be demoted. A replay official being afraid to overturn a refs bad call is disgusting on the level of cops covering for other bad cops. Just sickening.
The systemic officiating problems are starting to trickle up at this point.
Too many young guys quitting right after they get in due to a combination of parents and 'good ol' boys' network that runs high school officiating. The only guys that stick it out are the guys that are either painfully unaware of how bad they are or the guys that have the arrogance to think they're always right. It's the perfect storm and it's only going to get worse no matter how much you pain them or how much you try to train them.
Football is already starting to see it because it's more physically demanding while basketball is just on the horizon of a catastrophe because the average age of DI officials is creeping towards 60.
Too many young guys quitting right after they get in due to a combination of parents and 'good ol' boys' network that runs high school officiating. The only guys that stick it out are the guys that are either painfully unaware of how bad they are or the guys that have the arrogance to think they're always right. It's the perfect storm and it's only going to get worse no matter how much you pain them or how much you try to train them.
Football is already starting to see it because it's more physically demanding while basketball is just on the horizon of a catastrophe because the average age of DI officials is creeping towards 60.
I've always made the (lame) joke about a TV Weatherman being the only profession you can be terrible at and still keep your job.
I've now added B12 Ref to that. Maybe even more so than TV Weatherman, because at least the Weatherman has to answer to his boss and viewers. B12 Refs are totally unaccountable for their actions.
I've now added B12 Ref to that. Maybe even more so than TV Weatherman, because at least the Weatherman has to answer to his boss and viewers. B12 Refs are totally unaccountable for their actions.
alright man, calm down. One is a ******* game and the other kills people
The last couple of years I have caught late-night games out west and saw officials who did games in the Big 8. As in, Hilton-during-Johnny's-heyday Big 8.
Oh yeah. It's getting ridiculous.
I know opinions vary on him but I think Gerry Pollard is terrific. However, the fact they were bragging him up as a 'younger official getting his first Final Four' when he's 57 should be sending red flags all over the place.
Of your truly elite group, John Higgins is 56, Roger Ayers is 62, Brian O'Connell is 63, Doug Sirmons is 51, Doug Shows is 53 Verne Harris is 54, Randy McCall is 64. Ted Valentine is still doing games at 68.
When your 'young' guys are Kipp Kissinger at 43 and Bo Boroski at 45 you are bleeped in decade.
