This link to Deadspin has a video from last night’s UConn @ Marquette game that you will find interesting.
Officials mutilated the start of an overtime period last night in Milwaukee, casting doubt on the outcome of what would eventually be a 82-76 Marquette victory over UConn and tarnishing the already-black reputation of referee Karl Hess.
Hess, last seen in this space ejecting former NBA players Tom Gugliotta and Chris Corchiani from the stands, lined the teams up in the wrong direction to start overtime—which was then complicated by a Marquette goaltend on a UConn shot.
After several minutes of debate, the goaltend was waved off (as UConn had been shooting at their own basket) and Marquette awarded the ball on the alternating possession. The opening tip blunder notwithstanding, did Hess and his fellow officials follow the right procedure to right the ridiculous wrong? No, says NBC Sports’ Rob Dauster. His interpretation of the rules (and we’re inclined to believe it) states UConn’s basket should have counted, since it occurred before referees recognized the mistake. Color us unsurprised Karl Hess made a bad situation worse. [ESPNU]
First, how dare Deadspin think that Karl Hess has an already black reputation? Don’t they know that John Clougherty, other ACC officials and new media lord Dan Dakich think Hess hung the moon? If you are wondering why/how I loop Dakich into this then I encourage you to click here. (You can click here for even more.)
Second, why do say that Hess screws up ‘another’ Big East game? Take a look at this one that highlights King Karl’s work schedule last year right before he clearly lost all of his mental faculties during Florida State’s visit to Raleigh.
Last night’s events are explained exceptionally well in this edition of ‘Fire this moron”. (I can only imagine how Dakich would endorse throwing that author out of any game that he attends) I love this guy’s writing style and sarcasm. Reminds me of SFN.
And as Rob Dauster was first to note after the game, the rule book confirmed that suspicion –
From Rule 5, Section 1, Article 3:
“When the official(s) permits a team to go in the wrong direction, and when the error is discovered all activity and time consumed shall count as though each team had gone in the proper direction. Play shall be resumed with each team going in the proper direction.”
and the Big East commissioner of officiating did the same:
@JeffEisenberg: Big East coordinator of officiating Art Hyland confirmed referees erred nullifying the two points UConn scored to start OT at Marquette.
Hess copped to the screw-up, too, but in so doing offered the most curious interpretation of the word “everything” I’ve ever seen, telling reporters that the crew “did everything right,” except, of course, for crediting UConn with two points on Wilson’s goaltend. This is akin to saying that you “did everything right” for Christmas dinner, except you forgot to thaw the turkey and people were forced to eat pretzels for the entire meal.
Fire this moron.
Allow me to share this from 2009 so that we are clear with the world that our frustration with Karl Hess goes far beyond last year’s Corchiani and Gugliotta situation. (And, it is always nice to get a reminder of how awful NC State’s ‘leadership’ was BY – “Before Yow”.)
Stop me if you have heard this one. Karl Hess officiates an ACC game, a grotesque number of fouls get called, the game is brought to a crawl and at least one key player is handcuffed changing the outcome of the game. If you have watched any ACC basketball you have seen a Karl Hess officiated game go exactly this way. NC State’s Tracy Smith apparently had enough during the Pack’s loss to Wake Forest and let the media know than in his postgame comments:
The refs, I don’t think they did a good job tonight, I think they favored Wake Forest all the way but that’s ACC basketball. You’ve got to play through that.
I felt like there was too many touch fouls. It’s a man’s game, I mean there’s going to be touching and hitting, you can’t call every little touch foul.
As soon as I read that the first thing I thought was not how much trouble Smith would be in but rather “I bet Karl Hess was the referee.â€
Smith, for his trouble, won’t be playing in NCSU’s next game against Arizona but not because of anything the ACC did. NC State decided to suspend its star player over his criticism of ACC officials.
Wow, way to stand by your player there Wolfpack. What is worse is they trot an apology out from Smith but no one else from NCSU commented. Seriously, Smith had a point. There were 42 fouls called in the game and he was obviously frustrated by foul trouble. Granted criticizing officials is taboo but in my opinion NCSU should have the balls to force the ACC’s hand and have them hand down the penalty. Much the same way a coach might get a technical to protest poor officiating, NCSU should have informed John Swofford that they stand by their player and will accept any suspension handed down, if for no other reason, than to make a point. Instead Lee Fowler and The Easy Button cowered before the ACC choosing the bench their own player rather than makes some waves.
Nothing says “enabler†like doing the dirty work of the league whose officials royally screwed you for them.