Controversy in Big East Tournament

[tornado]

This part I'll defend the Big East on: there is a difference between a player on the court chucking the ball with time still on the clock, and a cheerleader grabbing the ball and chucking it. If you're playing in the game, and the clock is running, you can chuck the ball halfway to the moon and it's legal. If you're not in the game, you can't do something with the ball to potentially interrupt the game.

There's plenty of other missed calls by the refs to get mad about than this potential technical.

the intent is what's judged when they call a "T" on this ..if the intent of your chucking is part of the game action -- sure it's ok..
but if your intent is clearly just to chuck the ball off the court so nobody else can get to it
..as I said if the cheerleader had waited 0.5 seconds later then chucked it -- he also would NOT have gotten the "T"

[BradleyJD]

The refs have taken themselves out of the Big East tourney...

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/news/story?id=6201265

[Da Coach]

I don't see how this solves anything or benefits anyone. I'd rather see them apologize for their mistakes, then get it right the next time. But I don't see any reason for them to pull themselves out of further games.
Is it a form of self-punishment, like a suspension? If so, then this should have been the action of the Big East comissioner, not the officials themselves.

[wily coyote]

99% of "T's" are whistled on players and coaches...less than 1% on cheerleaders or off-court personnel. If the player commits an act that deserves a T he will get it -- the refs actually have NO obligation to explani not follow any specific rules...it is a purely judgement call.

recall NOBODY but a few nearby heard what JT Durley said that got him T'ed up last Friday but the ref didn't hesitate a second and slapped him for it.


read the actual press release from the Big East Commissioner -- his exact statement was that the player did not get a technical for throwing the ball into the stands "because he thought the game was over". (it was definitely NOT over -- there was over a second remaining)

BUT -- how can that possibly be an excuse or an alibi - as we just saw last week -- the reason the cheerleader got the "T" was for the act of throwing the ball while time was still on the clock
Had the game actually been over -- the cheerleader also would not have gotten a "T" - so mistakenly thinking the game was over CLEARLY cannot be used as a defense yet that's exactly the defense this Commissioner grants the St. John's player!!! Terrible hypocrisy!!

T again I agree with your 1st paragraph 100%. I also agree 100% with the Commissioner no T should have been assessed. A violation as soon as it touches someone or something (walkway,person or empty seat) but no T. It is far from terrible hypocrisy. It is the rule that applies to that situation. Now the cheerleader different story. For him to come onto the court and throw the ball in the stands,he would need to be in the book and have a number on to be legal and legally in the game . The officials got what they deserved removed from the rest of the tourney.Clearly a terrible last 4.2 seconds by all three.

[tornado]

Tim Higgins......

http://statsheet.com/mcb/referees/tim-higgins..

FWIW there are some officials who become the story instead of just being the referee in a game that is the story...

and Tim Higgins is one of those guys - both hated and loved - especially by Big East folks...

Higgins announces his retirement...

http://blog.syracuse.com/orangebasketball/2012/05/veteran_ncaa_basketball_offici.html