Keepin it real.

Rules.

Every sport has them.

Varying based on the nature of the competition.

No matter how detailed the rules become they are still applied by people, generally men though some women now. Based on what those people are able to see and remember of the rules, the games happen.

It's way too easy and cliche to rip officials for bad calls and seemingly simple mistakes but I'm a rube and I want to keep it real.

Refs screw up way too much. Even with the installation of review technology mistakes happen way too often on every level and in every form of sport.

I know that even in the NFL the officials aren't full time employees, which is just dumb, but if you're going to take the responsibility (and the pay) then it needs to be done well.

Just last night I was watching a college basketball game where the refs almost decided the game's outcome without second guessing.

I'll get into the specific's and more after the break!




The context and motivation happened late in the second half of a summit league tournament game between NDSU and IPFW. After a missed basket by the Bizon the ball went out of bound's and possession was awarded to Fort Wayne. Nothing new, that happens a lot but after showing the replay it was pretty obvious that the ball went out off a Mastodon player.
I want to give the benefit of the doubt to the official so they took a look at right? Wrong. After NDSU's coach and players asked for a review the official went with hubris and refused to do so. Then all of the other officials went with it. It's garbage.
We have review. Do your job, get the calls right.
But no, instead they just went with their gut or whatever.
Unrelated, but as a side note, NDSU was able to overcome the stupid call and make a big comeback in the game. Winning despite the officiating is something no athlete should have to deal with.

This is completely a rant, plain and simple.

Will it fall on deaf ears? yeah but that doesn't mean I'm any less motived to rant. Just gotta keep it real.

It's the responsibility of every official to do everything possible to make the right calls and have the game go correctly. Now I get and accept that every one makes mistakes. but go to replay then. We have good technology. Every game has camera's on it. Use them! Get it right! Get over yourselves!

Maybe there are too many rules. But that's not going to change. They probably all need more pay for the work that they do but that's not going to change too much either. So it comes down to them, because it's their choice to do the work. Do what it takes to get the calls right.