Higgins calls Big 12 most difficult league in the country to officiate

[JStanz51]

Guessing there won't be anybody shocked by what Hollywood had to say about the Big 12 on Monday.

Higgins calls Big 12 hardest league in the country to officiate - Cyclone Fanatic

Dec 28, 2018; Lubbock, TX, USA; Official John Higgins during the game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros at United Supermarkets Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports John Higgins has long been considered one of the best officials in...

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[Gunnerclone]

For all of Hollywood’s shenanigans he’s still the best ref out there imo.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Reminds me of the old Big East. Maybe not quite as rough, but very, very physical. He is a decent ref. There are far worse, as we have seen.

Hopefully the type of play the guys are used to isn't called differently in the tournament.

 

[Halincandenza]

Not surprising because Big 12 is the most physical conference in the country. Watching other conferences this year you see a much different game. Going to be interested to see how things are called in the tournament.

 

[FerShizzle]

idk... seems like the refs have let it get out of control. do your job and call a foul a foul. make the teams adjust. but they are worried about the optics of calling a ridiculous amount of fouls, having coaches talk mean to them, and getting booed.

 

[isufbcurt]

A foul is a foul no matter what league you are working on a particular night.

 

[FerShizzle]

there is a difference between 'physical teams playing tough' and intentionally disrupting freedom of movement to muck up the game. refs should be able to maintain freedom of movement while letting a little pushing and shoving go. and allow for tough finishes at the rim.

 

[HFCS]

If it's that hard to call fouls, please at least call every remotely close goal tend and then it can be corrected in review if you were wrong.

You're welcome for the tip that could make you insanely better at your job with no extra effort.

 

[cyfan92]

I'd love to crack down on this and allow for more player movement.. But we all remember how awful the first game was when 105440 fouls were called..

Not sure what the solution is

 

[HFCS]

there is a difference between 'physical teams playing tough' and intentionally disrupting freedom of movement to muck up the game. refs should be able to maintain freedom of movement while letting a little pushing and shoving go. and allow for tough finishes at the rim.

KU's fake championship share isn't because of physical play and fouls, it's because they turned off goaltending. Or at least in KU's games I saw, there could have been other reasons as well.

 

[JohnnyFive]

Not surprising because Big 12 is the most physical conference in the country. Watching other conferences this year you see a much different game. Going to be interested to see how things are called in the tournament.

Dan Dakich’s broadcasting career would roll over in its grave if it read this. We all know the Big 10 is the most physical conference in every sport. Come on now.

 

[NiceMarmot]

For all of Hollywood’s shenanigans he’s still the best ref out there imo.

This. No one commands the court better without taking over the game. Unlike Sirmons. Screw that guy.

 

[JP4CY]

I just want consistency.

 

[ClonesFTW]

For all of Hollywood’s shenanigans he’s still the best ref out there imo.

Definitely agree - love to give him crap but would prefer him on our games.

 

[GMackey32]

We'reAllTryingToFigureOutWhoDidThis.gif

 

[oldman]

I always like seeing him in the ref squad.

 

[JM4CY]

I just want consistency.

And I want to play with whip cream in bed with JLH.

 

[JP4CY]

And I want to play with whip cream in bed with JLH.

Boom Boom Boom Boom

 

[dafarmer]

It is really hard to officiate in the BIG XII when you have to make sure KU has to be Conference leader.

 

[CYdTracked]

Would rather the refs call a game tight from the start - a foul is a foul. Once teams start getting a couple players with 2 fouls early they will adjust and stop fouling so much. Didn't feel like there were a lot of games this year where 1 or both teams had like 2 or 3 guys each with foul problems throughout the game. With some consistency in calls you won't get some of these drug out hackfests that we've seen where it feels like its the schoolyard "no blood no foul" rule going on at times.

Also ticks me off when coaches like Self and Huggins just ride the refs all game for every petty thing and many times seems like they way the game gets called gets affected by it. Wish TJ would do some of this when we get hosed on obvious missed calls because the guy he is coaching against usually will.

There aren't many games where I feel the refs mistakes ultimately cost us but there have been times when a missed or blown call in a game that at the time maybe didn't feel significant when it happened winds up shifting the momentum. Not going to get into specific examples with that at we've had numerous threads already on some of the notorious calls we've been hosed on over the years. I'd just like to see more consistency and less intimidation about what name is in the jersey because there are times it looks obvious that teams like KU and WVU can get away with more than the teams they play because of the demeanor of their coach and the reputation that they play physical and refs maybe feel they would be blowing the whistle about every time down the court on them if they called it by the rule book.