One last comment from me tonight:

[allen phillips]

The refs were horrible in this game. Shameful, shameful. There were many bad calls but the worst was near the end of the game. We were bringing the ball up the court and the SC player knocked our player to the floor and the ball wound up into a tie ball and was given to the gamecocks. The ref was standing two feet away and no call, shameful, shameful.

 

[DonDiego]

Women's college basketball refs are the most incompetent of all incompetent refs.

 

[sccshortstop]

The refs were horrible in this game. Shameful, shameful. There were many bad calls but the worst was near the end of the game. We were bringing the ball up the court and the SC player knocked our player to the floor and the ball wound up into a tie ball and was given to the gamecocks. The ref was standing two feet away and no call, shameful, shameful.

That fat ref was sucking up to staley all night!

 

[chuckiepoo]

I hope you stayed close enough to enjoy the win!

 

[Phil-A-Man Jaro]

I don't usually complain about refs, but I thought they were trying to steal it from us at the end.
Those last couple of USC drives to the hoop that got foul calls, looked like little contact to me.

But yes, women's bball refs seem not great in general. But I think they're better than they used to be.

 

[Hangtyme24]

The refs have been beyond shameful all season, especially against us. There were two horrible calls on TK, especially the 5th foul. Zia Cooke slid across the floor with the ball and no travel was called. Boston threw elbows all night, but I'm glad we won!!

 

[Volinnooga]

You can't read a BB thread, men or women, without people complaining about the refs. It's mind numbing to think the refs are trying to steal a win from one team. I bet if you go on the SC board, or the board of any opponent we play, and their fans are similarly complaining about the refs. They miss some calls both ways and everyone tries to make it personal. Get over it and enjoy the win

 

[glv98]

You can't read a BB thread, men or women, without people complaining about the refs. It's mind numbing to think the refs are trying to steal a win from one team. I bet if you go on the SC board, or the board of any opponent we play, and their fans are similarly complaining about the refs. They miss some calls both ways and everyone tries to make it personal. Get over it and enjoy the win

Exactly. Why would they care who wins and why wouldn't any one of the dozens who would have to be in on the conspiracy blow the whistle on it, excuse the pun. It's a ridiculous notion that the refs are consciously trying to cheat.

That said, the refs in the women's games are inconsistent at best and are often terrible. Many obvious blown calls both ways the last few games, and naturally we key on the ones against us, such as Key's last foul. The announcers now even call out the loathsome calls routinely and show up bad refs with replays. Didn't use to do that.

One thing I've noticed is that bad refs often go with subconscious auto calls. Kasi is large and slow, so every close brush is a foul on her. Key blocks shots that no normal female player can block without fouling so they make phantom calls on her. My personal most loathsome call is when they auto call a foul every single time the offensive player falls. Must have been tripped, even if the defensive player was just standing there.

It's sheer incompetence, not intentional cheating. I can't understand why the league can't find a few folks out there who could do a better job.

 

[Hbg]

Exactly. Why would they care who wins and why wouldn't any one of the dozens who would have to be in on the conspiracy blow the whistle on it, excuse the pun. It's a ridiculous notion that the refs are consciously trying to cheat.

That said, the refs in the women's games are inconsistent at best and are often terrible. Many obvious blown calls both ways the last few games, and naturally we key on the ones against us, such as Key's last foul. The announcers now even call out the loathsome calls routinely and show up bad refs with replays. Didn't use to do that.

One thing I've noticed is that bad refs often go with subconscious auto calls. Kasi is large and slow, so every close brush is a foul on her. Key blocks shots that no normal female player can block without fouling so they make phantom calls on her. My personal most loathsome call is when they auto call a foul every single time the offensive player falls. Must have been tripped, even if the defensive player was just standing there.

It's sheer incompetence, not intentional cheating. I can't understand why the league can't find a few folks out there who could do a better job.

“Why would they care who wins?” Easy answer, they’re human

 

[tenecvol4]

The refs have been beyond shameful all season, especially against us. There were two horrible calls on TK, especially the 5th foul. Zia Cooke slid across the floor with the ball and no travel was called. Boston threw elbows all night, but I'm glad we won!!

Yeah-- win Cooke slid across the floor I thought surely thats a travel and Keys last foul was the worst call of the night

 

[allen phillips]

You can't read a BB thread, men or women, without people complaining about the refs. It's mind numbing to think the refs are trying to steal a win from one team. I bet if you go on the SC board, or the board of any opponent we play, and their fans are similarly complaining about the refs. They miss some calls both ways and everyone tries to make it personal. Get over it and enjoy the win

You are right about that. I do not think that the refs consciously give a team a break to see them win. I do think the refs unconsciously give a highly rated team the call because they believe they automatically do things right when the less talented teams don't. If that makes any sense. However, there are many refs out there that are just incompetent. We saw that last night.

 

[LVsinceJV]

You are right about that. I do not think that the refs consciously give a team a break to see them win. I do think the refs unconsciously give a highly rated team the call because they believe they automatically do things right when the less talented teams don't. If that makes any sense. However, there are many refs out there that are just incompetent. We saw that last night.

Agreed. Giving the higher ranked team the benefit of the doubt on calls seems to be the way of the world, sadly.

 

[UT Challenger]

You can't read a BB thread, men or women, without people complaining about the refs. It's mind numbing to think the refs are trying to steal a win from one team. I bet if you go on the SC board, or the board of any opponent we play, and their fans are similarly complaining about the refs. They miss some calls both ways and everyone tries to make it personal. Get over it and enjoy the win

It's one thing to complain about the refs when you lose but when you have 95% of the members on here complaining about the refs when you win is bad. We have not got many calls to go our way all year especially late in a tight game. There will be 1 member on here that will break down every foul we got called for and tell you that it was the correct call but I did not see any posting last night or today from this member yet.

 

[Hallie]

Refs are bad everywhere anymore ..I didnt watch game ..I dont watch fake ball ...

 

[madtownvol]

Exactly. Why would they care who wins and why wouldn't any one of the dozens who would have to be in on the conspiracy blow the whistle on it, excuse the pun. It's a ridiculous notion that the refs are consciously trying to cheat.

That said, the refs in the women's games are inconsistent at best and are often terrible. Many obvious blown calls both ways the last few games, and naturally we key on the ones against us, such as Key's last foul. The announcers now even call out the loathsome calls routinely and show up bad refs with replays. Didn't use to do that.

One thing I've noticed is that bad refs often go with subconscious auto calls. Kasi is large and slow, so every close brush is a foul on her. Key blocks shots that no normal female player can block without fouling so they make phantom calls on her. My personal most loathsome call is when they auto call a foul every single time the offensive player falls. Must have been tripped, even if the defensive player was just standing there.

It's sheer incompetence, not intentional cheating. I can't understand why the league can't find a few folks out there who could do a better job.

Exactly. And then throw in inexplicable inconsistency and voila, a recipe for disaster.

 

[savannahfan]

You are right about that. I do not think that the refs consciously give a team a break to see them win. I do think the refs unconsciously give a highly rated team the call because they believe they automatically do things right when the less talented teams don't. If that makes any sense. However, there are many refs out there that are just incompetent. We saw that last night.

The more "highly rated team/player" This is much like umps giving "star" pitchers a big wide strike zone. Star players/teams have and will always get the better calls.

 

[glv98]

I do think the refs unconsciously give a highly rated team the call because they believe they automatically do things right when the less talented teams don't. If that makes any sense. However, there are many refs out there that are just incompetent. We saw that last night.

Easy answer, they’re human

Subconscious ref bias is totally a thing bc as revealed above, the refs are human. When I coached my daughter's softball team, I had one of the fastest girls I've ever seen as a leadoff hitter. And she never, ever got a close call her way at first. Ref subconscious bias said "nah no 12 yr old girl could have beaten out that pissy lil hit." When their eyes fail them, or they question their own eyes, they definitely fall back on subconscious "what would that player/team have been capable of" bias.

Thing is, that's kids softball. Supposed to be as refs move along to higher levels its because their eyes win the battle most of the time. Got to be some ref candidates out there capable of that.

 

[bigorangepoppa]

I didn't see the first half of the game, remembered it was on and started watching at halftime. I did see what I thought were questionable calls, but that isn't anything unusual. The one that I saw was the non call when Horsten went in for a layup, was knocked down by a SC player and slid into the corner of the padding of the goal. Ref was standing right there and watched the whole thing and never blew the whistle. Ridiculous!

 

[VA_VOLFAN]

I didn't see the first half of the game, remembered it was on and started watching at halftime. I did see what I thought were questionable calls, but that isn't anything unusual. The one that I saw was the non call when Horsten went in for a layup, was knocked down by a SC player and slid into the corner of the padding of the goal. Ref was standing right there and watched the whole thing and never blew the whistle. Ridiculous!

Horston got away with one on Boston i’ll admit but that foul on Horston and Walker got fouled when she was trying to dribble out of the press and then cooke slid across the floor

 

[Twinsbornoncampus]

I have noticed that Tennessee does not get the home court calls as other teams seem to get. Key was called on two fouls that did not happen and ref was less than 10 feet away whe he called. I think the league should really start to review the performance of their refs as it seems the womens game is gaining in popularity, but to really put out a quality product refs need to be held accountable for some pitiful calls. Maybe not intentional, I do not know but it irks me to see how they just took Key out of the game with bad calls.

 

[Coach Jumper]

I have noticed that Tennessee does not get the home court calls as other teams seem to get. Key was called on two fouls that did not happen and ref was less than 10 feet away whe he called. I think the league should really start to review the performance of their refs as it seems the womens game is gaining in popularity, but to really put out a quality product refs need to be held accountable for some pitiful calls. Maybe not intentional, I do not know but it irks me to see how they just took Key out of the game with bad calls.

I believe this is/will change, as Coach K continues to improve on the aspect of "working the refs", as she has already improved upon

 

[teacherdean]

You can't read a BB thread, men or women, without people complaining about the refs. It's mind numbing to think the refs are trying to steal a win from one team. I bet if you go on the SC board, or the board of any opponent we play, and their fans are similarly complaining about the refs. They miss some calls both ways and everyone tries to make it personal. Get over it and enjoy the win

It happens in the pros and in men"s basketball, superstars sometimes get away with things that other players do not. Michael Jordan use to sometimes palm the ball but it was rarely called. I never believe that refs are a fan of one team or the other, or invdividual players, some just suck worse than others while others are good at their job. Women refs have improved a lot over time.

 

[PRG]

I have noticed that Tennessee does not get the home court calls as other teams seem to get. Key was called on two fouls that did not happen and ref was less than 10 feet away whe he called. I think the league should really start to review the performance of their refs as it seems the womens game is gaining in popularity, but to really put out a quality product refs need to be held accountable for some pitiful calls. Maybe not intentional, I do not know but it irks me to see how they just took Key out of the game with bad calls.

The last foul on Key .... you could see Boston use her chicken wing wrapped around Key !!!! And then fell down ! This type of holding a defensive player with your elbow hooked around their body is at best a High School move ..... NOBODY GETS AWAY WITH THIS NOW ???? Maybe these were high school refs ?

 

[firedog28]

I'm 74 yrs. old and never seen a BB game the refs didn't mess up somehow.Even bias has entered the fray at times.Best thing to do is watch the games and try to ignor bad refs,let the coaches deal with that and be happy!

 

[Voluble2]

Exactly. Why would they care who wins and why wouldn't any one of the dozens who would have to be in on the conspiracy blow the whistle on it, excuse the pun. It's a ridiculous notion that the refs are consciously trying to cheat.

Power.

It corrupts, and it attracts the corrupted or corruptible.

Some people become refs because they are petty little bitches who like showing everyone who is boss. Others because they like to be the center of attention.

Those are just a couple of obvious reasons.

There have also been multiple scandals where refs were being paid. That is less likely in women's basketball because no one really cares enough to bet on it. But it has happened at every level of men's basketball. Other times there is a tacit agreement to protect the rankings of certain teams because huge amounts of money are involved such as in SEC football. Or it could be political with refs effectively cancelling coaches and programs who they feel do not subscribe to the correct orthodoxy on one issue or another.

But just liking or disliking a particular program or coach is more than enough motivation. We live in a world where people become nurses or doctors because they want to be serial killers, pedophiles seek out professions which interact with children etc... Refereeing with bias because you like the feeling of power is small potatoes compared to that and yet all of those things happen constantly. It would be naive to think that there aren't people who enjoy determining who wins or loses, or seeing what they can get away with.

No, the far more difficult question is how could a human being officiate without bias? Such a thing is not possible.

Also, there are psychological effects such as the tendency to see only what you look for and miss other obvious things as a consequence. Most of you have probably seen the experiment where people are told to count how many times the players in white jerseys pass the ball to each other, and everyone who watches the video with that in mind misses the guy in the gorilla suit who waltzes through the group of players and waves at everyone. This is because the viewers are intent on looking for what they have been told to look for.

Of course, it would also help if we didn't recruit most of our referees at the Alcoholics Anonymous Chapter which meets on the campus of Gallaudet University.