Dodds and Ends

If you didn't get enough of the officiating agenda that seems to be emerging in the NCAA Tournament http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/10730844, then take a look at these pictures from Saturday's UCLA-Texas game. They clearly show Aggies guard Donald Sloan being fouled as he goes up for the tying shot with seconds to spare.

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2008-03/37063269.jpg

http://media.scout.com/media/image/53/532752.jpg

In both pictures you can see UCLA's Josh Shipp reaching across Sloan's body and grabbing the guard's right wrist. Another Bruins player, who appears to be Darren Collison, is hitting Sloan's right elbow.

I'm shocked more wasn't made of this. A&M coach Mark Turgeon has proved himself to be a world-class whiner this season. This time he had a legit claim and just seemed to accept this railroad job. And where was the media to ask the question of Sloan whether he was fouled? I've seen accounts where it was described that Sloan's shot was "swatted away" or that Shipp "blocked" the shot.

What was everyone watching? Unless the photographs you're opening have been photoshopped (and they haven't) this is the biggest travesty of the tournament. The officials couldn't even get the final score right. They late changed the final from 53-49 to 51-49.

Yo, Bill Byrne (Texas A&M AD), I've got Hank Nichols' (NCAA supervisor of officials) cellie if you want it.

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Are you guys serious with this? If you had photos of every such incident that didn't get a foul called, you'd have dozens, possibly hundreds, over the course of a season. Possibly within this game itself, there were a number of calls -- on both teams -- that should have been made. How is this missed call the 'biggest travesty of the tournament'? It was a missed call, JUST LIKE ALL OTHER MISSED CALLS. Every call could sway the outcome of the game; this one was not more likely to sway a game than any other call in any other game that was missed.

This is the nature of the sport; you accept the call that was made. If you don't like it, don't watch college basketball. Maybe one day we'll live in a world where every play is reviewed by photos and video after each and every possession just to make sure that all the right calls were made. I can't think of anything I'd like to see more than a 15-hour basketball game, dominated by officiating. But at least we'll know every call was the right one.

More NCAA officiating controversy

Thanks Dennis for speaking out on this. Not only did the officials miss the last foul and allow the dunk with time expired, there were 2 missed possession calls that were given to UCLA. The officials were determined to give UCLA the game. The NCAA can't do anything about this, but the officials should never work again. The Aggies covered the spread so the calls made no difference for those who think that gambling had anything to do with the outcome.

These officials shouldn't work a game above high school. The old guy was consistently out of position and let the crowd influence his calls.

popopapa Reputation: 64 Level: Pro Since: Dec 3, 2006	Posted on: March 24, 2008 12:21 am Score: 62 More NCAA officiating controversy your links didnt work. Could it be they are not legit. aTm got the benefit of most of the officiating all game. If anyone should complain it should be UCLA. Don't focus on one play being the travesty, focus on the whole game. They are all meaningful plays. [ Reply to Comment ]
jenerationx Reputation: 0 Level: Amateur Since: Mar 24, 2008	Posted on: March 24, 2008 3:36 am Score: 30 More NCAA officiating controversy Are you guys serious with this? If you had photos of every such incident that didn't get a foul called, you'd have dozens, possibly hundreds, over the course of a season. Possibly within this game itself, there were a number of calls -- on both teams -- that should have been made. How is this missed call the 'biggest travesty of the tournament'? It was a missed call, JUST LIKE ALL OTHER MISSED CALLS. Every call could sway the outcome of the game; this one was not more likely to sway a game than any other call in any other game that was missed. This is the nature of the sport; you accept the call that was made. If you don't like it, don't watch college basketball. Maybe one day we'll live in a world where every play is reviewed by photos and video after each and every possession just to make sure that all the right calls were made. I can't think of anything I'd like to see more than a 15-hour basketball game, dominated by officiating. But at least we'll know every call was the right one. [ Reply to Comment ]
CincinnatiBruin Reputation: 97 Level: Superstar Since: Mar 26, 2007	Posted on: March 24, 2008 7:41 am Score: 90 More NCAA officiating controversy Hey Dennis, lose some coin on this one? [ Reply to Comment ]
mmmvegas Reputation: 77 Level: Pro Since: Sep 14, 2006	Posted on: March 24, 2008 8:44 am Score: 72 More NCAA officiating controversy Thanks Dennis for speaking out on this. Not only did the officials miss the last foul and allow the dunk with time expired, there were 2 missed possession calls that were given to UCLA. The officials were determined to give UCLA the game. The NCAA can't do anything about this, but the officials should never work again. The Aggies covered the spread so the calls made no difference for those who think that gambling had anything to do with the outcome. These officials shouldn't work a game above high school. The old guy was consistently out of position and let the crowd influence his calls. [ Reply to Comment ]
CincinnatiBruin Reputation: 97 Level: Superstar Since: Mar 26, 2007	Posted on: March 24, 2008 9:43 am

Dennis Dodd

More NCAA officiating controversy

More NCAA officiating controversy

More NCAA officiating controversy

More NCAA officiating controversy

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