longtimefan
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I
A good friend who was working for NBC (they had the tournament in 1980) was able to get a group of us excellent seats--front row, courtside. During pre-game warm-ups, I looked across the court and saw Turner, and groaned. Booker Turner was known for two things--he was a big part of UCLA's home-court advantage, and he was a pretty lousy ref. One of the other guys asked what the problem was, and I responded (probably too loudly) that I recognized Turner, and that he was known to be incompetent. A fellow sitting among the suits at a temporary table in front of us swiveled around and looked at me in a quizzical/not-very-friendly way.
So the game proceeded, and Turner made the phantom T call that changed the game and ended the careers of Louie and Bouie.
Comes the second game--Georgetown vs. Maryland--and, lo and behold, who's one of the officials? The guy sitting in front of us during the first game who gave me the look. I wondered then, and I still do occasionally, whether he disapproved what I said, or just the fact that I said it aloud.
If you have a few minutes, I'll give you a story about that SU-Iowa tournament game.Booker Turner. A pac 12 ref who called a T on JB in the Iowa game that turned the game. He also reffed the Navy game.
A good friend who was working for NBC (they had the tournament in 1980) was able to get a group of us excellent seats--front row, courtside. During pre-game warm-ups, I looked across the court and saw Turner, and groaned. Booker Turner was known for two things--he was a big part of UCLA's home-court advantage, and he was a pretty lousy ref. One of the other guys asked what the problem was, and I responded (probably too loudly) that I recognized Turner, and that he was known to be incompetent. A fellow sitting among the suits at a temporary table in front of us swiveled around and looked at me in a quizzical/not-very-friendly way.
So the game proceeded, and Turner made the phantom T call that changed the game and ended the careers of Louie and Bouie.
Comes the second game--Georgetown vs. Maryland--and, lo and behold, who's one of the officials? The guy sitting in front of us during the first game who gave me the look. I wondered then, and I still do occasionally, whether he disapproved what I said, or just the fact that I said it aloud.