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Last night's game is a prime example of the NCAA abrogating what should be one of its primary responsibilities.

Roar More

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Aug 19, 2004
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They profess to have all these rules to ensure fair play and a level playing field, yet they permit conferences to have their own referees. Referees in all sports should be NCAA employees, not beholding to conferences and different interpretations of rules. (See Big 10 and holding.)
 
Okay, how does it happen? Emmert snaps his fingers and it's done? Uh, uh, doesn't work that way. He needs to get the votes, especially from P-5 schools, and more particularly in football where he has very little leverage. And th move won't be popular among smaller schools who are more reliant on NCAA distributions for revenue.
 
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Having national NCAA refs instead of conference refs is long overdue. If that can't happen then all non-conference games need to use refs from an outside conference that isn't participating in the game. Letting SEC or Big 10 refs call a game like last night's is just inviting criticism, even in situations where the refs seemingly do a good job.

It reminded me of the Dick Honig Michigan games. Dick was born in Michigan, attended UM, coached sports at UM and even owned a UM memorabilia store. It's clear to the world that Dick would be extremely likely to have an affinity for UM. And yet somehow he was allowed to become a ref not only for Big 10 games, but for UM games. That's ridiculous from the start no matter what happens on the field. Conflicts of interest like that should be an immediately disqualifier when assigning ref crews.
 
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Just have ACC or Big 12 Refs do these inter conference games
 
Having national NCAA refs instead of conference refs is long overdue. If that can't happen then all non-conference games need to use refs from an outside conference that isn't participating in the game. Letting SEC or Big 10 refs call a game like last night's is just inviting criticism, even in situations where the refs seemingly do a good job.

It reminded me of the Dick Honig Michigan games. Dick was born in Michigan, attended UM, coached sports at UM and even owned a UM memorabilia store. It's clear to the world that Dick would be extremely likely to have an affinity for UM. And yet somehow he was allowed to become a ref not only for Big 10 games, but for UM games. That's ridiculous from the start no matter what happens on the field. Conflicts of interest like that should be an immediately disqualifier when assigning ref crews.
I think Honig was the guy Joe chased down into the tunnel.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong but basketball officials aren't tied to a conference are they? I know some do more of one conference then another but thats more logistical I would think.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong but basketball officials aren't tied to a conference are they? I know some do more of one conference then another but thats more logistical I would think.
They are assigned by each conference until you get to the postseason, at which point the NCAA takes over the assigning.
 
The one reason that you likely have conference officials is simple: Travel.
I assume due to costs. But NCAA football isn't the small time sport it was 30 years ago, it's an industry worth billions now. It's beyond time for the NCAA to put on their big boy pants and treat it like the major sport that it is, which includes addressing this conference ref affiliation nonsense.
 
I assume due to costs. But NCAA football isn't the small time sport it was 30 years ago, it's an industry worth billions now. It's beyond time for the NCAA to put on their big boy pants and treat it like the major sport that it is, which includes addressing this conference ref affiliation nonsense.

Votes aren't there for it to happen. P5 conferences aren't going to allow the NCAA to encroach on one of their perquisites and the smaller schools won't like the revenue loss.
 
Having national NCAA refs instead of conference refs is long overdue. If that can't happen then all non-conference games need to use refs from an outside conference that isn't participating in the game. Letting SEC or Big 10 refs call a game like last night's is just inviting criticism, even in situations where the refs seemingly do a good job.

It reminded me of the Dick Honig Michigan games. Dick was born in Michigan, attended UM, coached sports at UM and even owned a UM memorabilia store. It's clear to the world that Dick would be extremely likely to have an affinity for UM. And yet somehow he was allowed to become a ref not only for Big 10 games, but for UM games. That's ridiculous from the start no matter what happens on the field. Conflicts of interest like that should be an immediately disqualifier when assigning ref crews.

Honig by all definitions is a booster. Big Ten refs admitting meeting (hanging out) with him when they are doing a game in AA. Think about it, refs hanging out with a booster of a team they are officiating
 
Honig by all definitions is a booster. Big Ten refs admitting meeting (hanging out) with him when they are doing a game in AA. Think about it, refs hanging out with a booster of a team they are officiating
And according to wikipedia (questionable source):
Honig is still involved with the Big Ten Conference in a supervisory role and operates instant replay during games.

Honig shouldn't be allowed to touch anything pertaining to the Big 10 given his affiliations with UM. Yet he's been allowed to do so for more than 20 years.
 
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