Seeing as how Bobby Knight manages to uncork a new, absolutely stupid idea about how to change college basketball once a week, I figured I might as well join in the fun.

My idea may be brilliant.

As they say, it's a fine line between the two.

I say let's introduce an instant replay challenge in the tournament. That's right. A "challenge." Each team gets to challenge a call, once per game.

That's it. Any call you want, including NON-CALLS.

How can that be?

Well, take for example the finish in the Texas A&M vs. UCLA game. When A&M's Donald Sloan drove past his man and rose up for a shot to tie the game, a pair of Bruins defenders rose with him to (seemingly) BLOCK the shot and send the ball careening into the backcourt where time would expire.

Seemingly.

Now, you can see these two photos (and I'm sure there are more) which show CONCLUSIVELY that Sloan was in fact, HAMMERED on the play!

Of course, when I saw the play live, I screamed "FOUL!" instinctively from my recliner.

(I do this often, usually followed by: "Ho ... ho ... Hold up! Ball!" This is met with confused looks of insanity from my wife and kids. Obviously, THEY have never had to wait 45 minutes to get in a "run" at the local Y.)

How did I know it was a foul? Well, a few ways. One, I was once a certified Virginia State High School basketball referee (Hey, how 'bout that ...). I had refereed all four years in college for intramurals, and prided myself on doing some of the most intense frat league games where you get hazed all game long by the pledges who have been sent for JUST that reason -- to make your life miserable. I also did any number of A-League games in college where it was not uncommon at all to see reverse dunks and alley-oops.

Having worn "the lanyard of shame" as we refs like to sometimes call it, I developed that unscientific art of determining what is usually a foul and what is not.

On a play like Sloan's, it happened so fast that it was not an easy call to make, but not impossible. While the refs may not have seen with clarity both Shipp's arm raked across Sloan's shooting arm, and Collison's hand on his elbow, the first thing you needed to access as a ref is this: "Was a clean block in that circumstance likely?"

Answer: No, not really. Especially not when you saw Shipp's body in relation to Sloan's.

 Page 1 of 2 (view all on one page)

Next >>

3 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review.

Recent Talkbacks ...

Posted by dotherightthing on March 25, 2008 at 11:14 p.m. (report)

Steve, you are absolutely CORRECT! Donald Sloan was hammered and hacked (CLEAR as a bell). He most likely would've tied the game..at least. Texas A&M would've most likely ended up winning; as they deserved! In all probability, if the Aggies wouldn't have won the game outright...it would have gone to OT and they would've won it there! As it stands, Texas A&M got royally hosed and the refs know they screwed them! Talk about dishonest and fixing a game!!!

Posted by Fan on March 25, 2008 at 12:19 p.m. (report)

Great idea. NBA too.

Posted by ccmerz on March 25, 2008 at 12:17 p.m. (report)

Okay, Czabe. You're nuts.