Ed Hightower......

[shockerfanmas]

I actually got a kick out of watching Eddie Hightower work in the championship game, his dramatics were funny if nothing else. In fact, there are several posts on officiating.com not only about Hightower, but also about that non-call on a technical. The concensus there is that it should NOT have been a technical foul, because that is not a call that gets made in the NCAA very much. And you certainly would not call that in the championship game. As I was watching the game, I thought to myself "How do you not call that a technical?" Well I guess that's why those guys are doing D1 basketball, because they have good judgement.

As for Hightower, it's quite simple, there is a reason that he has worked the championship game for the last however many years.. because his judgement is exactly what it is supposed to be according to whoever assigns the officials for the NCAA tournament. It's not on us to make that call. If the NCAA says he's good enough, then he's good enough. For what it's worth, he's not the only guy that I've seen make some over the top mechanics on his calls. I've seen it in high school as well. Actually I've seen it at all levels. Apparently it just gets overlooked the higher up you get.

[owenc]

In fact, there are several posts on officiating.com not only about Hightower, but also about that non-call on a technical. The concensus there is that it should NOT have been a technical foul, because that is not a call that gets made in the NCAA very much. And you certainly would not call that in the championship game. As I was watching the game, I thought to myself "How do you not call that a technical?" Well I guess that's why those guys are doing D1 basketball, because they have good judgement.

Well I thought it should have been called too. It was just a little too over the top for me. Throwing down the ball, maybe not but throwing it so hard it bounces twice your height? That seems a bit much.

I agree it would have been unfortunate to have that happen in the championship game but that's really more on the player than the refs.

I thought the officiating was ok in general though. Probably a few ticky tacky things but generally they let them play.

The only exception I thought was Aldridge getting mugged under the basketball after the made shot. That should have been a technical. It was clearly intentional. Aldridge didn't play much after that ;-]

Chris

[shockerfanmas]

owen, I agree, I have always called a technical when a kids slams the ball down and it goes over his or her head. If it doesn't go that high, the kid usually gets a talking to. But that sucker bounced high. I'm glad they didn't call it though.

And are you talking about the play were Dorsey dunked and then got in the face of somebody? Was that Aldrich? Just want to make sure we are talking about the same play here

[owenc]

And are you talking about the play were Dorsey dunked and then got in the face of somebody? Was that Aldrich? Just want to make sure we are talking about the same play here

Yea, I think it was Dorsey. He smacked Aldrich pretty good. It was fairly early in the game. Probably meant to intimidate the freshman but pretty much dirty pool I thought. It might have worked though because they didn't leave Aldrich in for long.

Chris

[SubGod22]

Had he stared him down or started running his mouth while in Coles face you may have a case. With how it happened a no call was the correct call.

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

He was talking, but didn't look at Cole. The ref wasn't down there to hear it.

[SubGod22]

but didn't look at Cole.

And that's the key

[AndShock]

And are you talking about the play were Dorsey dunked and then got in the face of somebody? Was that Aldrich? Just want to make sure we are talking about the same play here

Yea, I think it was Dorsey. He smacked Aldrich pretty good. It was fairly early in the game. Probably meant to intimidate the freshman but pretty much dirty pool I thought. It might have worked though because they didn't leave Aldrich in for long.

Chris

I'm not for sure if it was intentional or not. I do remember rewinding it a couple times to see if it was after they showed the camera angle from under the basket. The Memphis player dunked it, and right when he turned around, Aldrich was there. I think he initially was going to get his team pumped up and ended up giving Aldrich a talking to after he bumped into him.

[owenc]

Had he stared him down or started running his mouth while in Coles face you may have a case. With how it happened a no call was the correct call.

I wasn't aware you could pound someone as long as you didn't say anything to them when you did it. He did him pretty wrong.

Chris

[SubGod22]

It wasn't near as bad as you're making out to be. What happened happens in many games. He turned after the dunk and Cole was there. I'm not saying it was a complete accident either but it wasn't bad, or flagrant enough to warrant a call.

[shockerfanmas]

If you want my personal opinion, and I could be completely wrong, it sure looked to me like as Dorsey went up, he got shoved in the back by Aldrich. Did anybody see it from the angles they showed? Not that we had a real good angle of it, but it sure did look like i saw Aldrich's hands extending as Dorsey went up

[The Mad Hatter]

It wasn't near as bad as you're making out to be. What happened happens in many games. He turned after the dunk and Cole was there. I'm not saying it was a complete accident either but it wasn't bad, or flagrant enough to warrant a call.

The fact is that neither player gave way to let the other player by. If you want to give a T to Dorsey for bumping Aldrich instead of going around him down the court, you might as well give one to Aldrich for stepping right into Dorsey's path and not getting out of his way.

On the first bump, Dorsey was turning and didn't know Aldrich was there. On the second, both were at fault because neither gave ground to and tried to occupy the same space. The result was a minor bump, and the officials correctly called nothing.

[Awesome Sauce Malone]

I remember that play.

Aldrich was shook. Come on Cole look that man back in the eye and tell him whos rock this is!

[Indy23]

I thought Hightower called a good game. That CDR ball slam happend right before Rose's FTs with like 10 seconds left. It would have been a game-changing call, and I'm more for letting the plays decide the winner instead of a foul call. Memphis was a little lucky there, though. It certainly could have been called.

I never thought Cole pushed Dorsey. Cole's not really a cheap-shot type of kid. If anything, Dorsey slowed up a little after he was about to lose control of the ball, and Cole put his arms up so he wouldn't run into him.

I am also biased.

[pinstripers]

I cannot understand playing under a different set of rules the last two minutes. Failing to make that call changes the game just as much as making that call changes it.