Hollywood Higgins

[ianoconnor]

Pretty interesting read from Seth Davis. I can't imagine being on the road like that.

http://www.campusrush.com/ncaa-basketball-most-recognized-referee-john-higgins-1576144454.html

 

[Hoiball92]

wow "4,800 miles traveled over three days"

 

[ExCyment]

He tossed mad Fran? I like him more now. Didn't know he was from Omaha.

 

[Cyclonepride]

$3000 per game? I think I'd be willing to travel constantly for three or four months for that! Plus, who knows what games at KU pay?

 

[ruxCYtable]

$3000 per game? I think I'd be willing to travel constantly for three or four months for that! Plus, who knows what games at KU pay?

They have to pay their own travel out of that and a lot of it is short notice so they get gouged on airfare sometimes. Rick Hartzell told me once his goal was to clear $1000 a game after travel expenses.

It's quite the life. I think there's about a 99% divorce rate.

 

[danielyp29]

Frequent flyer and hotel rewards cards and programs probably help them out a bit

 

[Cyclonepride]

They have to pay their own travel out of that and a lot of it is short notice so they get gouged on airfare sometimes. Rick Hartzell told me once his goal was to clear $1000 a game after travel expenses.

It's quite the life. I think there's about a 99% divorce rate.

Never thought of that. Yeah, that makes it not quite as intriguing.

 

[BikeSkiClone]

Still, even if he only clears $1000/game, he's at $59k already with a lot of games still to ref. If you can handle the stress of being yelled at all night long, lots of travel, etc., probably worth it to be part of (what I'm assuming is) his favorite sport.

Sidenote: I looked up his Weatherguard company and the website if www.rooferees.com Clever, Mr. Higgins...clever.

 

[alarson]

They have to pay their own travel out of that and a lot of it is short notice so they get gouged on airfare sometimes. Rick Hartzell told me once his goal was to clear $1000 a game after travel expenses.

It's quite the life. I think there's about a 99% divorce rate.

Still amounts to 80-90k for 3 months of work when you're reffing that many games, which definitely isnt bad.

 

[IcSyU]

Still amounts to 80-90k for 3 months of work when you're reffing that many games, which definitely isnt bad.

Depends what stage of life you're at. I wouldn't be interested if I had kids under 18.

 

[Farnsworth]

They have to pay their own travel out of that and a lot of it is short notice so they get gouged on airfare sometimes. Rick Hartzell told me once his goal was to clear $1000 a game after travel expenses.

It's quite the life. I think there's about a 99% divorce rate.

Even on short notice, spending 2k for a day of travel within the US with hotel seems lik an awful lot.

 

[Farnsworth]

Very interesting read, I don't hate him as much now, but just a little less.

I'd be interested to hear more about the life of refs.

 

[DSMCy]

He tossed mad Fran? I like him more now. Didn't know he was from Omaha.

I believe that one happened at UNI. A memory I won't forgot.

 

[1Nation]

You can also ref whatever games you want, maybe you only accept assignments within a local driving area. Let's say a ref lives in San Francisco, look at all of these Division 1 options within 3 hours. Higgins chooses to travel that much, sounds like a decent night job to me.

In Bay Area:
Stanford
Cal
St. Mary's
U of San Francisco
San Jose St
Santa Clara University

Within 2 Hours:
UC Davis
Sacramento St

Within 3 Hours:
Fresno St

 

[JWIL4CY]

I believe that one happened at UNI. A memory I won't forgot.

I'm pretty sure that's the game that resulted in the creation of the big 4 classic.

 

[alarson]

Depends what stage of life you're at. I wouldn't be interested if I had kids under 18.

True, though it could be a trade-off. A few months where you dont see family much followed by being able to have a lot more time than with a normal job.

 

[kingcy]

Don't they stay in the same area close to home a lot though. ISU gets a lot of the same refs, so I just figured they were from near by. Higgins can do games in Ames, IC, at Kansas and Nebraska and be home at night saving a lot of travel expense

 

[1UNI2ISU]

He takes a lot of crap, but he's the best. He wouldn't get the games he does if he didn't.

My favorite Higgins moment, even more than tossing Fran in Cedar Falls, was during a UNI/Wichita game in 2010 (UNIs Sweet 16 team). Our seats are 4 rows up in the middle section of the McLeod Center, kind of right behind the visitor bench. Gregg Marshall had been complaining about a travel not called on Adam Koch and had been yelling at Scott Thornley about it. There was a stoppage and Higgins had heard enough and walked over to try to get Marshall back in the box and to calm down.

Higgins--Gregg, it's over. I don't know if we got it right or not, but its over. Get in the box.

Marshall--You missed it. He slid the pivot.

Higgins--Like I said Gregg, it's over get in the box. Get in the box.

Marshall continued to stand there, didn't say anything, but was well out of the box.

Higgins--Gregg, get in the box. Get in the box Gregg. Get there. Really, Gregg? All right.

T

I love our seats because with how the McLeod Center is built you can hear a lot of those interactions. Kipp Kissinger once told Mark Phelps to 'Shut the f*** up'. I wish fans got to hear more of those interactions. It would be good for the game and good for perception.

 

[clone26]

I met Randy Heimerman this summer as he coordinates all umpires for baseball / softball for the CIML in addition to officiating college hoops. He had some good stories on Bob Knight, Larry Eustachy and Matthew Dellavedova.

 

[goclones69]

Great article about Hollywood Higgins. I always like when he refs our games because I know the game will be well officiated and under control. Didn't know he was 54. He looks a lot younger IMO