Facts:
I miss Ted Valentine. Not because he was good, decent, mediocre, or even deficient at his job, but because he was the best the Big Ten had to offer. He was one of a dying breed: A referee who would call the game as he saw it and did not let anything impact that. He'd even mock you if you tried to influence him, as an official on live television. "TV Ted", we mocked him.
Every other official:
I'm vomiting as I type this: 17-1 FT discrepancy in the second half. Minnesota shot 17 free throws in the second half, Purdue shot 1. Scholars in the College of Technology (or whatever dumbass name they have now) tried to enter these numbers in the historic college basketball database and their computers exploded. Did Purdue have an officiating advantage in the first half? Sure. I saw a bump or two not get called. A charge called on Minnesota may have been a minor extension of the arm. Did Pitino bitch at the refs at halftime to get them to flip the script to make it a "fair" game? I have no evidence, but yes.
Let's throw Michigan State into this angry rant. Tom Izzo is a hall-of-fame coach only because he has mastered this. He plays the officials like a fiddle, and that's how he wins games (plus a roster filled with 5- and 4-star players specifically scouted and recruited by him/Painter). Painter doesn't do that. He's too "proud" and "respectful" to try to work the officials in his favor. **** that, we should be bitching at refs like a midwestern mother who received a medium-rare steak at a restaurant when she clearly ordered medium. Because that gets you a $10 gift receipt! Every time! Izzo is every single "Karen" you've ever met in your life, with that awful Reba McEntire haircut, those oversized sunglasses, those way too sharp eyebrows. That's Tom Izzo personified into a human college basketball coach.
Purdue is going to win the National Championship. I base this on two factors I have no real, unbiased, objective opinion about:
It has yet to be reported on today's instant-gratification, social media culture (#FreeAuntBecky) but tonight's referee crew has actually pressed charges against Grady Eifert. He sneezed in their general direction. *Full House audience laugh track*
Conclusion: College Basketball is nothing but a game. It has no direct influence in my life. I'll be paid the same in two weeks, my lady friend will talk about something else, the government will be stealing a portion of my paycheck that should be going directly to Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign. But win or lose, the refs will **** Purdue. Every time.
- Complaining about officiating is for losers.
- We lost, making us losers.
- I've had a few daddy sodas.
I miss Ted Valentine. Not because he was good, decent, mediocre, or even deficient at his job, but because he was the best the Big Ten had to offer. He was one of a dying breed: A referee who would call the game as he saw it and did not let anything impact that. He'd even mock you if you tried to influence him, as an official on live television. "TV Ted", we mocked him.
Every other official:
- "Ooh, I've called too many fouls on one team and the coach is angry at me, I need to even it out."
- "The coach just got a technical foul? I'm going to rule in his favor to reward him for grit."
- "It's a critical point in the game, I'm going to 'let them play' even if a player pulls out a switchblade and stabs the opposing team which really only benefits one team."
I'm vomiting as I type this: 17-1 FT discrepancy in the second half. Minnesota shot 17 free throws in the second half, Purdue shot 1. Scholars in the College of Technology (or whatever dumbass name they have now) tried to enter these numbers in the historic college basketball database and their computers exploded. Did Purdue have an officiating advantage in the first half? Sure. I saw a bump or two not get called. A charge called on Minnesota may have been a minor extension of the arm. Did Pitino bitch at the refs at halftime to get them to flip the script to make it a "fair" game? I have no evidence, but yes.
Let's throw Michigan State into this angry rant. Tom Izzo is a hall-of-fame coach only because he has mastered this. He plays the officials like a fiddle, and that's how he wins games (plus a roster filled with 5- and 4-star players specifically scouted and recruited by him/Painter). Painter doesn't do that. He's too "proud" and "respectful" to try to work the officials in his favor. **** that, we should be bitching at refs like a midwestern mother who received a medium-rare steak at a restaurant when she clearly ordered medium. Because that gets you a $10 gift receipt! Every time! Izzo is every single "Karen" you've ever met in your life, with that awful Reba McEntire haircut, those oversized sunglasses, those way too sharp eyebrows. That's Tom Izzo personified into a human college basketball coach.
Purdue is going to win the National Championship. I base this on two factors I have no real, unbiased, objective opinion about:
- Either Carsen Edwards sat down with his advisors and decided "I'm going to shoot like 10% over the last 3 weeks before the tournament," or an injury is clearly bothering him. He's the toughest guard we've possibly ever had, so "just play through it" - gee, I wonder why he didn't think of that. Another week of rest is probably good for him. He'll be back because that's what legends do.
- The Big Ten refs can no longer do us any harm. We keep hearing about star recruits not wanting to play in the Big Ten because once the ball is tipped off the game basically turns into a vicious cockfight. Well now we don't have to. I believe it cannot possibly get any worse than this, so it's all smooth sailing from here.
It has yet to be reported on today's instant-gratification, social media culture (#FreeAuntBecky) but tonight's referee crew has actually pressed charges against Grady Eifert. He sneezed in their general direction. *Full House audience laugh track*
Conclusion: College Basketball is nothing but a game. It has no direct influence in my life. I'll be paid the same in two weeks, my lady friend will talk about something else, the government will be stealing a portion of my paycheck that should be going directly to Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign. But win or lose, the refs will **** Purdue. Every time.
