Know your referees

[The Hip Zip]

These guys make all the difference. I hope that you will at least learn to put some names to the faces.Good ref info siteI have emailed the MAC's Associate Commish Bob Gennarrelli. In a polite email I simply stated my opinion on the performance of officials Jim Ferrari and Larry Scirotto and suggested that the MAC should examine the methods that they use to review and retain their officals. I thought it best to refrain to mention that I represented Akron fans. It is clear that the time has come for a couple of these guys to be let go. All of the MAC basketball teams work far too hard to let a couple of bad officails have the ability to tarnish their season with their incompetence.I encourage that all others do the same.Bob Gennarelli Associate CommisionerBGennarelli@mac-sports.com

[Dr Z]

I let complaining about mac basketball referring go about 5 years ago. Mac refs stink, they don't cheat for one team, they just stink. I have learned that I notice more about the game and the players when I don't focus on the referees. It helps me enjoy the game more. It might be sad, but it helped me.

[RootforRoo44]

I let complaining about mac basketball referring go about 5 years ago. Mac refs stink, they don't cheat for one team, they just stink. I have learned that I notice more about the game and the players when I don't focus on the referees. It helps me enjoy the game more. It might be sad, but it helped me.

It's not that they cheat for one team as much as they seem to have personal vendettas against certain players.

[Dr Z]

I let complaining about mac basketball referring go about 5 years ago. Mac refs stink, they don't cheat for one team, they just stink. I have learned that I notice more about the game and the players when I don't focus on the referees. It helps me enjoy the game more. It might be sad, but it helped me.

It's not that they cheat for one team as much as they seem to have personal vendettas against certain players.

No ref has a vendetta against anybody.

[Quickzips]

The biggest problem with MAC refs is that they overuse the whistle. I don't know what the reason is, physical nature of MAC play, poor use of discretion, general need to be in on the action more, but for whatever reason MAC games tend to spiral into long and drawn out free throw shooting contests. I think it is part of the reason that attendance around the MAC keeps going down. People go to basketball games to see action, guys running up and down the court, passing the ball, knocking down jump shots, driving through the lane for layups. I don't know of one person who enjoys watching free throw after free throw after free throw. I have no idea what it will take to fix it, but I would really like to see MAC refs "let 'em play" a little more.

[Hilltopper]

Bo Boroski Mike SanzereJerry Sauder My guess would be these three guys for Friday.

[GoZips]

One can only hope that the MAC offices select the three best rated officials for Friday's game.A lot is on the line Friday night besides an important contest. The conference is on displayshowing its two best teams to a national audience. Officials can make or break how a nationalaudience views this game. Big time conference fans hate "ticky-tacky" fouls. Let them play.Of course, that does not include allowing Chris Singletary rabbit punching marathon.

[Dave in Green]

Singletary's name is synonomous with foul.He ranks 28th in the country in fouls committed per game (3.462).He ranks 91st in the country in fouls drawn per 40 minutes (6.2).Fortunately, the fouls drawn is somewhat offset by a lower than average free throw percentage for a guard (62.9%).Singletary has a lot in common with running back Don Nottingham, the original Human Bowling Ball in football. He runs over people just like Nottingham did at Can't and in the NFL.Sometimes MAC refs call the foul on Singletary and sometimes on the players he's running over. But there's always a foul aroma around Singletary.

[The Hip Zip]

Bo Boroski Mike SanzereJerry Sauder My guess would be these three guys for Friday.

That was very close to my list if they stick with officials that have worked MAC games. I substituted Skiles for Boroski but the other two were the same. It is also possible that we just might get a big time crew given the fact that it is a Friday night game and there is no other action within 300 miles of us. I would not be surprised at all if JD Collins or TV Ted came in. IMO, Ted has become a better referee over the years. I have watched him do a couple of games this year and he did a very good job of letting them play.Also I want to clear the air a bit. I really believe that the bulk of the MAC refs are tolerable. I really only have a big problem with Ferrari and Scirotto. The performance of those two is far and away the worst of any officials that work our conference. I do not believe that they are biased, though Ferrari's performance at BG has me wondering. The two of them are just very inconsistant and whistle happy. I think that Quickzip nailed it well in his post.Hopefully the game will be settled by the players and we will not need to have a discussion like this again.

[Dave in Green]

Surprisingly, when you measure the fouls per game called by all 27 refs who've worked MAC games this season, only 11 have called more fouls in MAC games than their average for all games while 16 have called fewer fouls in MAC games.Biggest statistical discrepancies against the MAC (MAC average/all games average +/-) are:David Walker ..... 41.7/37.8 +3.9Terry Wymer ...... 41.2/38.0 +3.2 Bill Ek ................. 40.2/37.0 +3.2You can check the list to see where your favorite ref ranks:StatSheet.com MAC Refs

[The Hip Zip]

Surprisingly, when you measure the fouls per game called by all 27 refs who've worked MAC games this season, only 11 have called more fouls in MAC games than their average for all games while 16 have called fewer fouls in MAC games.Biggest statistical discrepancies against the MAC (MAC average/all games average +/-) are:David Walker ..... 41.7/37.8 +3.9Terry Wymer ...... 41.2/38.0 +3.2 Bill Ek ................. 40.2/37.0 +3.2You can check the list to see where your favorite ref ranks:StatSheet.com MAC Refs

I did look into those very same numbers yesterday and was surprised at some of the figures. Perhaps they just save their worst for Akron games. Besides that, it's not the amount of fouls called, it's the number of bad calls that weighs most heavily in my mind.

[ZachTheZip]

Maybe it's our style of play. I don't think we play that much more physical than the rest of the MAC, and certainly not as much as Can't where they just barrel over the other team and then wonder why they got called for a foul.My guess is that the refs just don't see players like ours enough. They don't see lots of Zekes so they call over the back fouls when he rebounds above a guard because they think there's no way somebody could reach that far over somebody else without contact. They call traveling on Nikola seemingly out of habit. 75% of the blocked shots get called because they don't see enough of them during other games to realize that the blocks are clean. We're athletically out of place in the MAC and it hurts us.

[Z.I.P.]

Singletary's name is synonomous with foul.He ranks 28th in the country in fouls committed per game (3.462).He ranks 91st in the country in fouls drawn per 40 minutes (6.2).Fortunately, the fouls drawn is somewhat offset by a lower than average free throw percentage for a guard (62.9%).Singletary has a lot in common with running back Don Nottingham, the original Human Bowling Ball in football. He runs over people just like Nottingham did at Can't and in the NFL.Sometimes MAC refs call the foul on Singletary and sometimes on the players he's running over. But there's always a foul aroma around Singletary.

I always thought that was the definition of Jamie Bosley. Eh?

[Hilltopper]

Singletary's name is synonomous with foul.He ranks 28th in the country in fouls committed per game (3.462).He ranks 91st in the country in fouls drawn per 40 minutes (6.2).Fortunately, the fouls drawn is somewhat offset by a lower than average free throw percentage for a guard (62.9%).Singletary has a lot in common with running back Don Nottingham, the original Human Bowling Ball in football. He runs over people just like Nottingham did at Can't and in the NFL.Sometimes MAC refs call the foul on Singletary and sometimes on the players he's running over. But there's always a foul aroma around Singletary.

I always thought that was the definition of Jamie Bosley. Eh?

Bosley had a real knack for drawing fouls. He wasn't very tall, but he was fearless inside around the basket. He really knew how to use the backboard and all the angles to avoid getting his shot blocked. He may have been an a$$, but he was our guy so it didn't matter!

[zipboy]

I watched a little of Butler vs Valpo Friday night and saw Boroski doing the game. I think that he does a good job.Side note, back in the Hipsher era Ted Valentine was calling the game. Hipsher complains about a non call in the 1st minute, Valentine comes over and reams in, says he is not putting up with anything. Dan backed off the rest of the night.2 minutes later, Ted misses an obvious call and a fan in the floor seats yells that he traveled. Ted comes over and reams him. Another fan says something, and he threatened to throw him out there. It was a more subdued crowd than usual after that. Fast foward to later in the year or maybe the next season, and Ted is T'ing up someone in the sweet 16 or elite 8 game in the last minute after blowing another call. That is one guy I hope I never see officiate a game in person again.

[RootforRoo44]

I let complaining about mac basketball referring go about 5 years ago. Mac refs stink, they don't cheat for one team, they just stink. I have learned that I notice more about the game and the players when I don't focus on the referees. It helps me enjoy the game more. It might be sad, but it helped me.

It's not that they cheat for one team as much as they seem to have personal vendettas against certain players.

No ref has a vendetta against anybody.

Believe what you want....ive heard it from a few players mouths myself.

[mes102]

I let complaining about mac basketball referring go about 5 years ago. Mac refs stink, they don't cheat for one team, they just stink. I have learned that I notice more about the game and the players when I don't focus on the referees. It helps me enjoy the game more. It might be sad, but it helped me.

It's not that they cheat for one team as much as they seem to have personal vendettas against certain players.

No ref has a vendetta against anybody.

So you're telling me there's only one "Tim Donaghy" out there?

[akzips10]

I am not trying to say that human emotion doesnt play a role in some refs calls sometimes or there is only one Tim Donaghy out there, but for most of these guys at this level this is a job/career. The idea that refs are jeopardizing their ability to be assigned and move up to bigger better paying games in order to stick it to a player/coach/team would be counter productive to the whole process. I myself am a referee and have been to the camps and trainings for officials at the collegiate level, it takes a lot of hard work, effort, sacrifice,and years to get to the division 1 level. I can honestly say that I think it is a bit comical for people to think that officials are "cheating". I would agree with a few previous posts that allow for bad calls and an adjustment to athleticism. Simple facts of the game, all officials blow calls. Officials call what they think they saw and if you are not used to seeing an athletic 7 footer it could happen, definetly not an excuse, a bad call is what it is, simply agreeing with a previous explanation.

[Hilltopper]

I am not trying to say that human emotion doesnt play a role in some refs calls sometimes or there is only one Tim Donaghy out there, but for most of these guys at this level this is a job/career. The idea that refs are jeopardizing their ability to be assigned and move up to bigger better paying games in order to stick it to a player/coach/team would be counter productive to the whole process. I myself am a referee and have been to the camps and trainings for officials at the collegiate level, it takes a lot of hard work, effort, sacrifice,and years to get to the division 1 level. I can honestly say that I think it is a bit comical for people to think that officials are "cheating". I would agree with a few previous posts that allow for bad calls and an adjustment to athleticism. Simple facts of the game, all officials blow calls. Officials call what they think they saw and if you are not used to seeing an athletic 7 footer it could happen, definetly not an excuse, a bad call is what it is, simply agreeing with a previous explanation.

I was just joking about them covering their bet in Vegas. I would just like to see some more consistent calls.

[Dave in Green]

I am not trying to say that human emotion doesnt play a role in some refs calls sometimes or there is only one Tim Donaghy out there, but for most of these guys at this level this is a job/career. The idea that refs are jeopardizing their ability to be assigned and move up to bigger better paying games in order to stick it to a player/coach/team would be counter productive to the whole process. I myself am a referee and have been to the camps and trainings for officials at the collegiate level, it takes a lot of hard work, effort, sacrifice,and years to get to the division 1 level. I can honestly say that I think it is a bit comical for people to think that officials are "cheating". I would agree with a few previous posts that allow for bad calls and an adjustment to athleticism. Simple facts of the game, all officials blow calls. Officials call what they think they saw and if you are not used to seeing an athletic 7 footer it could happen, definetly not an excuse, a bad call is what it is, simply agreeing with a previous explanation.

I really appreciate hearing the viewpoint of someone who actually refs. I'm sure it isn't an easy job. I don't expect perfection from refs any more than I would from any other person. The frustrating things to me are seeing an apparent change in how fouls are called between the first and second halves, a steady parade of trips to the foul line spoiling the flow of an otherwise enjoyable game, or a close game hinging on questionable judgment calls.The other side of the coin is that we fans often make bad judgment calls. For example, I was always under the impression that there were many more fouls called in the second half of Zips games than in the first half. But when I analyzed first and second half box scores, I found a number of games where there were more fouls called in the first half. And in the games where more fouls were called in the second half, it was typically only three or four more fouls called. That could be explained by deliberate fouls near the end of a game when the team that's behind is trying to get the ball back.Now I'm thinking that we fans just may be more sensitive to fouls called in the second half, because we're worried about our players getting closer to fouling out or the fouls seem to be hurting the Zips from trying to hold a lead or come from behind as the end of the game gets closer.The most important thing is for the refs to try their best not to unnecessarily disrupt the flow of the game and to let the players decide the outcome.