January 25, 2018
HOPE
GET ARRESTED
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THE WIZARDRY OF OS
Assistant Basketball Coach and Head Swimming Coach at Central High
I can’t remember a basketball box score with such wide differentials as LSU’s after beating Texas A&M Tuesday night.
Texas A&M outrebounded LSU 50-30 including 19 offensive rebounds. LSU only turned the ball over 7 times, while the Aggies had 20 turnovers. A&M’s post players made 17 of their 26 shots. The guards made 9/40 shots. LSU won by 12.
For those, who like many Louisiana sports fans, see basketball season as a 4-6 week window between football season and baseball season, allow me a week to summarize LSU basketball this year.
The Tigers were predicted to be terrible and finish last in the SEC. Those predictions were wrong. Will Wade did a great job of improving the roster through signing new players and improving the skills of those already on the roster. Duop Reath, Aaron Epps, and Skylar Mays have improved dramatically from last year. Tremont Waters is the type of talent you have to have to be successful in college basketball. Waters can get and make his own shot, while creating easy shots for his teammates.
Though LSU is improved, that does not mean LSU is destined for the Big Dance. While LSU has some height, their inside players are not naturally physical which is why LSU gets outrebounded by teams like Texas A&M and Georgia so badly. The good news is that Coach Wade and his staff are solving those issues with the recruiting class for next year. At the same time, it is clear that the current players on the roster have worked hard to maximize their abilities and they play with great effort.
Some Tiger fans have watched LSU this year, and responded to certain wins with an expectation that LSU is over some kind of hump and could have a miracle season. That is not the appropriate response. LSU is still the underdog in every game they play.
When the Tigers take an SEC team to the end with a chance to win, the appropriate reaction is to give the coaches credit for a great game plan and the players credit for executing. If LSU wins, it is a great win. If LSU loses in the closing minutes, it is a sign that the program is on the right track. If LSU gets blown out, be surprised because this team really competes, but it happens in basketball from time to time when the other team has significantly better players.
For some fans, that isn’t enough reason to show up and watch LSU play. Disappointingly, when I watch LSU play at home and make a play to seal a win (like Waters’ deep 3 against Texas A&M), many LSU fans don’t even get excited enough to stand up and cheer. A seated golf clap is all they can muster. Somehow great effort isn’t appreciated, only championships matter to Tiger fans. I guess that is the effect of the enormous success of the Bertman/Mainieri and Saban/Miles years. I grew up with LSU in the 80s and 90s. I appreciate the effort of this year’s basketball team.
HEY REF
I do have a confession to make; I watched both NFL Conference Championship games this past Sunday. In fact I have to say I enjoyed the AFC game quite a bit. But I couldn’t even make it to halftime of the Eagles – Vikings’ game. Combined they were the most football I’ve watched in perhaps ten years. And wouldn’t you know it many fans from across the nation are screaming the refs took Jacksonville’s championship away from them.
So to answer all those that feel pass interference shouldn’t have been called on Brady’s deep pass down the left sideline at the end of the fourth quarter let try and explain the rule. Pass interference the majority of the time is one penalty that’s dependent on an official’s judgement. It’s one of those tough calls that’ll tell you exactly what kind of an official is working the game.
Many times we hear the coaches yelling at us to “let the players play”. And I do agree with the coaches on this one issue because at the end of the day we as officials do want the players to decide who wins and who loses. And sure as the sun sets in the west as soon as we let the players play the coach whose team just gave up a score will then yell we’re not giving his team the same breaks as the other team. So, just when you think you’re on the same level with the coaches they bring you back to reality and you’re (Refs) trying to take the game away from his team.
As I watched the slow motion replay over and over I must agree with the official that threw his flag on the play. Now, before you get your panties in an uproar let me explain the rule so that you’ll be able to understand the rule. I’ll cut to the chase since the rule isn’t a hard one to understand or to call. The meat & potatoes of the rule goes something like this; neither player will impede an opponent’s path to a legal forward pass. All eligible “A” (offensive) players that are eligible at the snap and all “B” (defensive) players remain eligible to possess the ball during the down.
I looked up the definition to impede and it says; to retard in movement or progress by means of obstacles or hindrance; obstruct, hinders. So with that little bit of explaining watch the play again. You’ll notice that the defensive player used his body to obstruct and hinder the offensive player as he attempts to go downfield and around him but wasn’t allowed to due to the contact instigated by the defensive player. On paper it sounds as though pass interference is an easy enough of a rule to enforce.
Remember too you’ve got the luxury of sitting back with a beer or two already consumed and calling the play in slow motion and even freeze frame. For just a second put yourself in this official’s shoes where you’ve got to see the play, process the information, cross reference the action then in under two seconds make your ruling and either drop a flag or let the action go. Think you can do it? You might get it right the first time but these guys and all other officials have to be consistent and get it right every time.
I will never say the officials get it right all the time because we don’t, we are human and do make mistakes. And knowing what these guys go through each and every game I can say without hesitation they do their best and get the calls “right” the vast majority of the time.
And while we’re on the subject there’s something that bothers me every time I watch a game. The announcers come off as knowing the rules and criticize calls, rulings and so on when they are so far off base it’s laughable. One big thing I get annoyed with is when they say “There’s a late flag”! There’s no such thing as a “late flag” since some calls take a little extra time to process.
That little bit of extra time officials take in making a call is due to training and the mindset that “it’s better to take a little extra time to get the call correct rather than having to pick up the flag because you made an improper ruling”. So the next time you say an official doesn’t know the rules and/or made a bad calltry getting involved and try working a few games to get a taste of what we do. It’ll change your outlook completely and maybe you’ll learn the rules.
Till next week…
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