I don't think I've ever seen such an incompetent officiating crew...

[RF2044]

...as what we were subjected to tonight. I don't know what was worse:

• That they allowed Pitt to mug Christmas indiscriminately
• That they only called about 1 out of every 7 fouls that Pitt was committing every time we had the ball
• That Roberson gets blasted in the face right in front of a ref, no call--only to have an enormous black eye
• That they let Pitt set that !@#$ bulls/it moving screen all game long with no call
• OR that in the last minute of the game, down one, they actually FINALLY call a moving screen... on us, away from the ball to rob us of a chance

Today's game epitomized everything that I hate about college basketball today. The refs had zero control of this game, and they let the inferior team get away with murder.

 

[AZOrange]

Oh come on. Elite 8 against Ohio state... I win.

 

[TinyManInside]

You didn't even mention the worst call of the game when they missed Robinson travel 3 times, then step out of bounds on Pitt's last play.

 

[memcorsu]

Dare I say it wasn't FAIR?

 

[Shark58]

Nova this year was worse

I will say that the refs, and the calls we haven't gotten, is the worst this year that I've ever seen

no, the refs aren't responsible for our record, nor have all the calls gone against us, but we have been hosed more times than not and the quality of the officiating makes me want to do something like this...

 

[Cootface]

Nova this year was worse I will say that the refs, and the calls we haven't gotten, is the worst this year that I've ever seen no, the refs aren't responsible for our record, nor have all the calls gone against us, but we have been hosed more times than not and the quality of the officiating makes me want to do something like this...

My only counterpoint would be that the refs are actually directly responsible for our record. They weren't great or even good today and likely didn't decide the game but they absolutely caused the Villanova loss. 100%. Without those last minute non-calls our record is different.

 

[Oakland]

LOL. What a great video. I need to watch that after every game.

Nova this year was worse

I will say that the refs, and the calls we haven't gotten, is the worst this year that I've ever seen

no, the r
/QUOTE]

 

[Oakland]

The traveling can not be questioned, it was obvious during the broadcast and even more apparent on replay, but I think the foot out of bounds was orange.

You didn't even mention the worst call of the game when they missed Robinson travel 3 times, then step out of bounds on Pitt's last play.

 

[SoBeCuse]

I'm not a guy who whines about officiating often but there have been some terrible calls against us this year and today was unbelievable. I actually only saw the last 9:00 of the game. Seems like the team got buried early with horrible 1H offense and giving Jones good looks (according to JB presser) but they had a chance to win it at the end if not for these freaking awful refs. Gotta admire this team's resolve and toughness.

 

[W'boro'Cuse315]

Only because I've yet to see it mentioned in any thread... Rak's moving screen simply overshadowed Gbinije's blatant carry/palm that was far too egregious to go uncalled. That play was a turnover either way.

 

[SWC75]

Nova this year was worse

I will say that the refs, and the calls we haven't gotten, is the worst this year that I've ever seen

no, the refs aren't responsible for our record, nor have all the calls gone against us, but we have been hosed more times than not and the quality of the officiating makes me want to do something like this...

That's got to be from some movie. That can't have actually happened in a game.

 

[Delmar]

These refs need new jobs. I hear there is an opening in public relations in the Syracuse athletic department. Spelling a must.

 

[Shark58]

My only counterpoint would be that the refs are actually directly responsible for our record. They weren't great or even good today and likely didn't decide the game but they absolutely caused the Villanova loss. 100%. Without those last minute non-calls our record is different.

or, like Mich & St J, we could not played like crap at the end.

agreed that it isn't even close with competent refs but that loss is still at least 50% on us

 

[Ghost]

Eh, Villanova was far worse, but:

1. The amount of abuse Rak endures is troubling. Why he bothers to play defense by fighting for position on the other end to front his guy, or get around him is beyond me. Clearly lowering your shoulder, repeatedly bashing yourself into the other players back. and tomahawking the arms intermittently is the way to go. Also, push off-alot if they put it on the floor. Except in the first 2 minutes of the second half. Rak needs to wise up.

2. Cooney at one point seemed exasperated that they wouldn't call the moving screen on Pitt and talked to one of the officials about it. Apparently they took it under advisement and about an hour later called Rak for a moving screen. Well done, TC.

The Pitt player pretty much drove TC down to the foul line and had him wrapped up on the possession where he finally broke down and talked to the official. He begged the official to no avail...well, see above.

3. Did anyone else notice that it looked like Ron Patterson was talking to the official as he left the court after the game? Not aggressively, but was walking off saying something pretty clearly.

4. That travel was impossible to miss at the end - also looked out of bounds, but in full speed that aspect was hard to tell for sure. The travel was not.

5. Again, officials call nada in the first half, open the second half call some light contact on Rak, and then let it all go again. It's as if they all go to the same school of how to be horrible officials. Okay, boys, let them molest him in the first, then we'll send a message in the first minute of the second half, then let him molest the out of him again. Rise, wash, repeat. It's nonsense.

Once again I'm going to advocate for letting the players call their own fouls...I'm 93.28% certain you would see a better officiated game.

 

[Shark58]

That's got to be from some movie. That can't have actually happened in a game.

its on the internet and everything on the internet is always true

 

[Ghost]

That's got to be from some movie. That can't have actually happened in a game.

Boozer apologized after - he felt pretty bad. The shocking thing is the ref took that punch very well. I think he was even laughing it off about 2 seconds later. Tough fellow.

 

[Shark58]

Boozer apologized after - he felt pretty bad. The shocking thing is the ref took that punch very well. I think he was even laughing it off about 2 seconds later. Tough fellow.

another angle

 

[AZOrange]

I really hope ACC teams are sending these tapes in...

 

[SWC75]

I really hope ACC teams are sending these tapes in...

JB, on his show, has said that young coaches tend to do that but it doesn't do any good. "They just think you're a complainer."

 

[ottodaorange]

Pittsburgh has played this way for years and the refs have always let them get away with it. They call it "clutch and grab defense." Well maybe they changed the rules, but isn't clutching and grabbing by definition a foul?

 

[SWC75]

Pittsburgh has played this way for years and the refs have always let them get away with it. They call it "clutch and grab defense." Well maybe they changed the rules, but isn't clutching and grabbing by definition a foul?

Pittsburgh is a great "clutch" team.

 

[Madbiker]

There is a systemic problem with college officiating. There are many teams that play a "very physical" style (the grab, push, shove) all game long as a matter of strategy. I call it the old John Thompson Georgetown strategy because they were the first I can recall doing it and the best at it. The strategy is basically to commit a foul or multiple fouls on every defensive possession. The refs are not going to whistle 70 fouls. They will only whistle 15-20 against that team during the course of the game. They end up allowing it because otherwise there wouldn't be a game. So they get away with 50 uncalled fouls. Coaches like Thompson, Dixon, Pitino realize that and take advantage of it.

 

[UnderHisOwnPower]

...as what we were subjected to tonight. I don't know what was worse:

• That they allowed Pitt to mug Christmas indiscriminately
• That they only called about 1 out of every 7 fouls that Pitt was committing every time we had the ball
• That Roberson gets blasted in the face right in front of a ref, no call--only to have an enormous black eye
• That they let Pitt set that !@#$ bulls/it moving screen all game long with no call
• OR that in the last minute of the game, down one, they actually FINALLY call a moving screen... on us, away from the ball to rob us of a chance

Today's game epitomized everything that I hate about college basketball today. The refs had zero control of this game, and they let the inferior team get away with murder.

It's such a pattern, that it would seem the ACC has issued "Points of emphasis" to officials to call Syracuse games in such a way that helps the league maximize the number of teams that will make the big dance. I didn't see any of the game at all, but followed online. It was clear to me that shooting 19% in the first half, combined with giving up 9 points in the last minute to end the half is what did them in. But seeing these replays and reading the board, you have to put officiating near the top of the list for having an impact on the result. I mean that travel, What could an official have been looking for/at on that play. Good grief.