So that's 1-4 in the NCAA Tournament with Higgins officiating

[StevieJFTW07]

ALL four losses ending in heartbreak fashion and all were controversial..'05 to Michigan St., '11 to UConn, '15 to Wisconsin, and now '17 to UNC. For those of you who don't think the NCAA is corrupt as can be, get your heads out of the sand. Horrible..and very obvious.

 

[StevieJFTW07]

And the LONE win..a rough and bang em/bruise em football style game against freaking Cornell !! Lol..yeah, those IVY league teams are some hard hitting basketball style playing mf'ers..lol..yeah..right. More horrid and corrupt officiating from Higgins. That game took it's toll on UK just before having to play WVU. Of course Cornell was going to muck it up and play prison ball after they saw Higgins was going to allow them to.

 

[FilsonCat]

I legitimately think folks need to start looking into referee finances and connections. I'd start with Higgins and Ayers and go from there.

 

[loucatfan]

I legitimately think folks need to start looking into referee finances and connections. I'd start with Higgins and Ayers and go from there.

Higgins mainly refs in the Big Twelve whose head of Officials is Shaw who screwed us very badly in John Wall's last game. At Halftime in that game Shaw followed Wall off the court screaming and taunting him "one more word out of you and I'm going to T you up." Trying to provoke Wall. Never seen a ref do that to a kid but I did see it that night. They just don't like us. Not much we can do about it. We really do have to have an overwhelming team. Win the number one seed and be able to win each game by twenty to have a chance.

The NCAA has shown it's corrupt by even allowing UNC to play after the biggest scandal in sports history. All because of John Skipper and ESPN and Mark Emertt still wanting to get even over Jones coming here.

We really don't have anything to lose and much to gain to spearhead the movement to do away with the NCAA and have the power five conferences have their own sports exclusively. We would still have to put up with Skipper but not Emertt. Maybe if enough people keep cutting the cord and leaving ESPN we won't have to worry about Skipper either.

 

[drainthatub]

Something is up with the guy. No doubt about it.

 

[CapnBlubs]

It's sick. Excellent post.

 

[4UK]

ALL four losses ending in heartbreak fashion and all were controversial..'05 to Michigan St., '11 to UConn, '15 to Wisconsin, and now '17 to UNC. For those of you who don't think the NCAA is corrupt as can be, get your heads out of the sand. Horrible..and very obvious.

Forget the Michigan St. game, but since Cal's been here, that means he has called an Elite 8 game and two National semifinals that we've been in. Doesn't that seem like a lot to have the same guy in such high profile games? Maybe it's not; maybe it's common. But it just seems off. Any other team get the same official so often in big games?

So in Cal's tenure, we are 26-6 in the NCAA Tournament, and we are 0-3 in games officiated by Higgins. That's crazy.

 

[StevieJFTW07]

Forget the Michigan St. game, but since Cal's been here, that means he has called an Elite 8 game and two National semifinals that we've been in. Doesn't that seem like a lot to have the same guy in such high profile games? Maybe it's not; maybe it's common. But it just seems off. Any other team get the same official so often in big games?

So in Cal's tenure, we are 26-6 in the NCAA Tournament, and we are 0-3 in games officiated by Higgins. That's crazy.

We're 1-3 in Higgins called games in the NCAA Tournament since Coach Cal has been here..we did beat Cornell in the Sweet 16 in 2010. But that's FOUR high profile/big games he has officiated UK..unreal. A Sweet 16, Elite 8, and TWO Final 4s. And ALL of them were horribly officiated by Higgins.

 

[CapnBlubs]

We're 1-3 in Higgins called games in the NCAA Tournament since Coach Cal has been here..we did beat Cornell in the Sweet 16 in 2010. But that's FOUR high profile/big games he has officiated UK..unreal. A Sweet 16, Elite 8, and TWO Final 4s. And ALL of them were horribly officiated by Higgins.

It isn't a coincidence. But because conspiracy theorists always sound crazy, they get away with whatever they want to do.

Conspiracy theorists aren't ALWAYS wrong.

 

[4UK]

Cal's winning percentage at UK is 83 percent overall; it's 37.5 percent in games Higgins calls. Cal's winning percentage at UK in the tournament is 81 percent overall; it's 25 percent with Higgins as an official.

Numbers don't always tell the truth. But these jump off the page.

 

[CapnBlubs]

Cal's winning percentage at UK is 83 percent overall; it's 37.5 percent in games Higgins calls. Cal's winning percentage at UK in the tournament is 81 percent overall; it's 25 percent with Higgins as an official.

Numbers don't always tell the truth. But these jump off the page.

The question is why does he always call big/difficult games? The ones where it's more believable that he wasn't screwing us?

To me, that's what is more "statistically significant" - the assignments.

I warned my nearly 70-year-old father before the game not to expect too much with Higgins running the show.

 

[YourPublicEnemy]

I legitimately think folks need to start looking into referee finances and connections. I'd start with Higgins and Ayers and go from there.

I love that skeptics think Tom Donaghy was just some lone rogue scumbag official that was crooked. Um I have no doubts it's a major issue that the NBA and NCAA don't want looked into. They're just like corrupt DC scum.

 

[CapnBlubs]

I love that skeptics think Tom Donaghy was just some lone rogue scumbag official that was crooked. Um I have no doubts it's a major issue that the NBA and NCAA don't want looked into. They're just like corrupt DC scum.

Isn't it insane?

What's more believable:

1) People make money in whatever corrupt ways they can?

OR

2) People are awesome and pure all the time?

Anyone who believes it's #2 are full of #2

 

[YourPublicEnemy]

Isn't it insane?

What's more believable:

1) People make money in whatever corrupt ways they can?

OR

2) People are awesome and pure all the time?

Anyone who believes it's #2 are full of #2

I'm also supposed to believe that you can get to that level of officiating and be that horrendous not intentionally?

 

[Wall Knight Teague]

It sucks. What sucks even worse is that absolutely nothing will change.

 

[minjo]

Cal's winning percentage at UK is 83 percent overall; it's 37.5 percent in games Higgins calls. Cal's winning percentage at UK in the tournament is 81 percent overall; it's 25 percent with Higgins as an official.

Numbers don't always tell the truth. But these jump off the page.

Enry Iggins Just-You- Weit,
You might think you take money and it is just fine, but GOD will punish you soon. You better spend it fast, cause you don't have much time,
We shall write your epitaph, HERE IS NOT RESTING A CHEATER

 

[YourPublicEnemy]

What I would honestly propose.

1) Coaches should be allowed to challenge anything. No rules on what it is or put stipulations on times when you can do it. No matter what it is, a coach should get maybe two challenges a game and an independent official outside of the NCAA to oversee video replay with a rule book.

2) All referees are mandated to talk to the media. All of them. No more being a total puss who's not held accountable.

3) Auditing of finances for officials. What's to stop an official from being paid off?

4) This is a big one. A coach should be allowed to put one or two (or three) officials that the program does not want officiating their games. It would be like removing a biased judge or juror.

 

[Mojocat]

Cal wins about 82% of his games at UK. Accept when Higgins referees, and then he wins about 33% of his games. I'm no rocket scientist, but that's statistically significant.

Look, we all know that whining about referred is the refuge of losers. People always complain about officiating. It's a damned cliche. But here's the thing. Fans are almost always wrong doing that. They have a bias, and see the game through the lens of a fan with a particular rooting interest. So the calls against, you remember, and the bad calls in your favor don't make an impression. Fans are almost always wrong. But not always. Either thru incompetence or corruption or personality conflict, sometimes officiating is, lack of a better word, unfair.

Donaghy:

"Studying under Dick Bavetta for 13 years was like pursuing a graduate degree in advanced game manipulation. He knew how to marshal the tempo and tone of a game better than any referee in the league, by far. He also knew how to take subtle — and not so subtle — cues from the NBA front office and extend a playoff series or, worse yet, change the complexion of that series.

...Bavetta went on to inform me that it wasn't the first time the NBA assigned him to a game for a specific purpose. He cited examples, including the 1993 playoff series when he put New Jersey guard Drazen Petrovic on the bench with quick fouls to help Cleveland beat the Nets. He also spoke openly about the 2002 Los Angeles–Sacramento series and called himself the NBA's "go-to guy."

I don't believe in conspiracy theories, generally. I don't think all referees are corrupt or incompetent. I'm just saying the easiest thing in the world to do is influence the outcome of a basketball game, if one wanted to do so for whatever reason....

 

[StevieJFTW07]

What I would honestly propose.

1) Coaches should be allowed to challenge anything. No rules on what it is or put stipulations on times when you can do it. No matter what it is, a coach should get maybe two challenges a game and an independent official outside of the NCAA to oversee video replay with a rule book.

2) All referees are mandated to talk to the media. All of them. No more being a total puss who's not held accountable.

3) Auditing of finances for officials. What's to stop an official from being paid off?

4) This is a big one. A coach should be allowed to put one or two (or three) officials that the program does not want officiating their games. It would be like removing a biased judge or juror.

I agree. Amazing how a poster in a thread can come up with an easy and fair solution..yet the NCAA is too stupid or too corrupt to put it into place. Smh.

 

[StevieJFTW07]

Cal wins about 82% of his games at UK. Accept when Higgins referees, and then he wins about 33% of his games. I'm no rocket scientist, but that's statistically significant.

Look, we all know that whining about referred is the refuge of losers. People always complain about officiating. It's a damned cliche. But here's the thing. Fans are almost always wrong doing that. They have a bias, and see the game through the lens of a fan with a particular rooting interest. So the calls against, you remember, and the bad calls in your favor don't make an impression. Fans are almost always wrong. But not always. Either thru incompetence or corruption or personality conflict, sometimes officiating is, lack of a better word, unfair.

Donaghy:

"Studying under Dick Bavetta for 13 years was like pursuing a graduate degree in advanced game manipulation. He knew how to marshal the tempo and tone of a game better than any referee in the league, by far. He also knew how to take subtle — and not so subtle — cues from the NBA front office and extend a playoff series or, worse yet, change the complexion of that series.

...Bavetta went on to inform me that it wasn't the first time the NBA assigned him to a game for a specific purpose. He cited examples, including the 1993 playoff series when he put New Jersey guard Drazen Petrovic on the bench with quick fouls to help Cleveland beat the Nets. He also spoke openly about the 2002 Los Angeles–Sacramento series and called himself the NBA's "go-to guy."

I don't believe in conspiracy theories, generally. I don't think all referees are corrupt or incompetent. I'm just saying the easiest thing in the world to do is influence the outcome of a basketball game, if one wanted to do so for whatever reason....

Well..there ya have it. It's rampid in college basketball and college sports in general..also in all major sports.

 

[CapnBlubs]

Cal wins about 82% of his games at UK. Accept when Higgins referees, and then he wins about 33% of his games. I'm no rocket scientist, but that's statistically significant.

Look, we all know that whining about referred is the refuge of losers. People always complain about officiating. It's a damned cliche. But here's the thing. Fans are almost always wrong doing that. They have a bias, and see the game through the lens of a fan with a particular rooting interest. So the calls against, you remember, and the bad calls in your favor don't make an impression. Fans are almost always wrong. But not always. Either thru incompetence or corruption or personality conflict, sometimes officiating is, lack of a better word, unfair.

Donaghy:

"Studying under Dick Bavetta for 13 years was like pursuing a graduate degree in advanced game manipulation. He knew how to marshal the tempo and tone of a game better than any referee in the league, by far. He also knew how to take subtle — and not so subtle — cues from the NBA front office and extend a playoff series or, worse yet, change the complexion of that series.

...Bavetta went on to inform me that it wasn't the first time the NBA assigned him to a game for a specific purpose. He cited examples, including the 1993 playoff series when he put New Jersey guard Drazen Petrovic on the bench with quick fouls to help Cleveland beat the Nets. He also spoke openly about the 2002 Los Angeles–Sacramento series and called himself the NBA's "go-to guy."

I don't believe in conspiracy theories, generally. I don't think all referees are corrupt or incompetent. I'm just saying the easiest thing in the world to do is influence the outcome of a basketball game, if one wanted to do so for whatever reason....

That whole thing is putting it mildly.

Again...what is more likely?

1) People with massive earning potential do whatever they can to make that money, regardless of morality?

2) People are just awesome and pure and refuse those opportunities?

 

[Mojocat]

Mike DeCourcy, The Sporting News:

"There were some curiosities, though, particularly with the first-half officiating. On three occasions, official John Higgins observed action and did not blow his whistle to call a foul on Kentucky until the outcome of the play turned in UK's favor.

DeCOURCY: Maye's shot has UNC walking on air out of Memphis

The most notable of these occurred with Carolina attacking its goal just before the four-minute mark. UNC point guard Joel Berry was unable to control a poor pass, and Wildcats forward Derek Willis reached to the floor attempting to grab the ball. Berry lifted his hand trying to gather the ball and struck Willis’ wrist. The ball deflected high in the air and was retrieved by UK center Isaac Humphries. Higgins’ whistle blew right then."

Some curiosities. When you've got a national columnist commenting on John Higgins, it's not just the whine of losing fans...

 

[SilentsAreGolden]

Jay Williams also commented on it. The UK fans that tell us to stop blaming refs need to wake up and accept that certain refs have clear agendas against us or Cal. Higgins tops that list.

 

[the nail at the foul line]

Mike DeCourcy, The Sporting News:

"There were some curiosities, though, particularly with the first-half officiating. On three occasions, official John Higgins observed action and did not blow his whistle to call a foul on Kentucky until the outcome of the play turned in UK's favor.

DeCOURCY: Maye's shot has UNC walking on air out of Memphis

The most notable of these occurred with Carolina attacking its goal just before the four-minute mark. UNC point guard Joel Berry was unable to control a poor pass, and Wildcats forward Derek Willis reached to the floor attempting to grab the ball. Berry lifted his hand trying to gather the ball and struck Willis’ wrist. The ball deflected high in the air and was retrieved by UK center Isaac Humphries. Higgins’ whistle blew right then."

Some curiosities. When you've got a national columnist commenting on John Higgins, it's not just the whine of losing fans...

The Willis call was after we secured the ball and extremely fishy.

 

[musrat59]

I think most of us who have been around for awhile knew we were in trouble when we found out that Higgins was going to be one of the officials.

 

[morgousky]

And isn't our one win with him officiating against Cornell, and it was a tough one to win?

The guy needs to be dissected. Hope some people are now aware and digging.

 

[Sawnee Cat]

I think most of us who have been around for awhile knew we were in trouble when we found out that Higgins was going to be one of the officials.

Yep, we said even before the first tip off. We knew it would take a miracle to over come his bias

 

[4UK]

Here's even more fuel for the fire.

Since Cal has been here, UK has played in 13 games in the Elite 8 or Final Four. In games that Higgins doesn't officiate, our record is 8-2. In games he does officiate, it's 0-3.

So that shoots down the argument that "Well, Higgins just gets the big games, and Cal chokes or gets out coached in those games." No. Essentially we win 80 percent of our big games when he Higgins isn't in the gym, which is AMAZING. And we don't win a single one when he is. But I'm sure that's just a coincidence.

 

[RMorris33]

For those asking if Higgins just gets assigned to big games -- he's the only common official out of the 3 questionable tournament losses (2011, 15 and 17). No other ref worked more than 1 of those games. Seems legit

 

[CapnBlubs]

Here's even more fuel for the fire.

Since Cal has been here, UK has played in 13 games in the Elite 8 or Final Four. In games that Higgins doesn't officiate, our record is 8-2. In games he does officiate, it's 0-3.

So that shoots down the argument that "Well, Higgins just gets the big games, and Cal chokes or gets out coached in those games." No. Essentially we win 80 percent of our big games when he Higgins isn't in the gym, which is AMAZING. And we don't win a single one when he is. But I'm sure that's just a coincidence.

Craziness, but haven't we only played 12 such games? So, 7-2 and 0-3?

2010 E8 (loss - no Higgins)
2011 E8 W
2011 F4 (loss - Higgins)
2012 E8 W
2012 F4 W
2012 CH W
2014 E8 W
2014 F4 W
2014 CH (loss - no Higgins)
2015 E8 W
2015 F4 (loss - Higgins)
2017 E8 (loss - Higgins)

 

[MadaboutBlue]

The call on Willis was huge. After a slow start, we were on the verge of regaining the momentum. Monk had just made a big shot, and next play being a turnover would have been a huge momentum push. Even more telling, the foul wasn't called until the ball was safely in Humphries hands. Not much else to say about that.

All organizations, big or small have thier darlings, and North Carolina is a darling of the NCAA. There are connections that we sitting in our offices and homes can only guess at. UNC has been the poster child for achieving success "the right way" which is euphamistically tied to "The Carolina Way". In 2013 Dean Smith was awarded the Medal of Freedom by Obama. They don't worry about the narrative-they wrote the narrative with themselves as the heros.

Point being they will almost always be protected on the biggest of stages. A ref might get confused or befuddled in the heat of the moment and make a call against them here and there, but that's the exception.

 

[4UK]

Craziness, but haven't we only played 12 such games? So, 7-2 and 0-3?

2010 E8 (loss - no Higgins)
2011 E8 W
2011 F4 (loss - Higgins)
2012 E8 W
2012 F4 W
2012 CH W
2014 E8 W
2014 F4 W
2014 CH (loss - no Higgins)
2015 E8 W
2015 F4 (loss - Higgins)
2017 E8 (loss - Higgins)

Yes, you are correct. I was thinking of UCLA as an Elite 8 game (which it easily could have been).

 

[Trabell]

ALL four losses ending in heartbreak fashion and all were controversial..'05 to Michigan St., '11 to UConn, '15 to Wisconsin, and now '17 to UNC. For those of you who don't think the NCAA is corrupt as can be, get your heads out of the sand. Horrible..and very obvious.

 

[Sawnee Cat]

The call on Willis was huge. After a slow start, we were on the verge of regaining the momentum. Monk had just made a big shot, and next play being a turnover would have been a huge momentum push. Even more telling, the foul wasn't called until the ball was safely in Humphries hands. Not much else to say about that.

All organizations, big or small have thier darlings, and North Carolina is a darling of the NCAA. There are connections that we sitting in our offices and homes can only guess at. UNC has been the poster child for achieving success "the right way" which is euphamistically tied to "The Carolina Way". In 2013 Dean Smith was awarded the Medal of Freedom by Obama. They don't worry about the narrative-they wrote the narrative with themselves as the heros.

Point being they will almost always be protected on the biggest of stages. A ref might get confused or befuddled in the heat of the moment and make a call against them here and there, but that's the exception.

This nails it. Nothing is new when it comes to North Carolina. Go back and check 1977. Final score 79-72 UNC. The Tar Heels' foul shooting beat Kentucky. Carolina made 33 of 36 foul shots, all 16 in the second half. The Tar Heels scored their last 14 points on foul shots, 12 of them in one-and-one situations. UK had 16 for the entire game and hit 12.

UK was a better team and ranked higher but Dean Smith cried the entire game to his ref buddies and they listened to him. . No doubt we should have won a title that year.

 

[MadaboutBlue]

UK was a better team and ranked higher but Dean Smith cried the entire game to his ref buddies and they listened to him. . No doubt we should have won a title that year.

YUP. The great, alrighty, medal of freedom winning, sent from heaven to save the basketball world, Dean Smith was in reality a sanctimonious, hypocritical, crybaby who was in all likelihood the architect of the single biggest academic fraud in all of sports. Give me 50 Woody Hayes any day. At least there was truth in advertising-you knew what you were getting.

 

[Kristoffvernard]

Forget the Michigan St. game, but since Cal's been here, that means he has called an Elite 8 game and two National semifinals that we've been in. Doesn't that seem like a lot to have the same guy in such high profile games? Maybe it's not; maybe it's common. But it just seems off. Any other team get the same official so often in big games?

So in Cal's tenure, we are 26-6 in the NCAA Tournament, and we are 0-3 in games officiated by Higgins. That's crazy.

Full disclosure, I'm a UL fan. I came on here to read fan reaction to Higgins.

The simplest explanation is most often the correct one. UK always goes deep in the tournament. Higgins is consistently rated highly by the NCAA under whatever bizarre scoring system it uses to rank officials. Since UK always goes deep, its late tourney games are always officiated by the same guys, i.e. the guys with high rankings by the NCAA. So that explains why Higgins calls so many UK NCAA games.

I can't recall any of the other UK games he's officiated, but the calls in the first half on Sunday were insanely bad. So, that leaves 3 possibilities:

1) Higgins is bad at his job
2) Higgins is on the take
3) Higgins doesn't like Cal and/or UK and that influences his calls.

We know #1 probably isn't true, because he's consistently receiving high rankings from the NCAA. If #2 is the case, he's horrible at fixing games, because not only did UNC fail to cover, but his calls were so insanely bad that its become a national story which is not how one surreptitiously affects the outcome of games. That only leaves option 3. He's got a bias and it shows.

 

[qwesley]

Here's even more fuel for the fire.

Since Cal has been here, UK has played in 13 games in the Elite 8 or Final Four. In games that Higgins doesn't officiate, our record is 8-2. In games he does officiate, it's 0-3.

So that shoots down the argument that "Well, Higgins just gets the big games, and Cal chokes or gets out coached in those games." No. Essentially we win 80 percent of our big games when he Higgins isn't in the gym, which is AMAZING. And we don't win a single one when he is. But I'm sure that's just a coincidence.

Didn't betting line move in the last day toward UNC?

 

[qwesley]

Full disclosure, I'm a UL fan. I came on here to read fan reaction to Higgins.

The simplest explanation is most often the correct one. UK always goes deep in the tournament. Higgins is consistently rated highly by the NCAA under whatever bizarre scoring system it uses to rank officials. Since UK always goes deep, its late tourney games are always officiated by the same guys, i.e. the guys with high rankings by the NCAA. So that explains why Higgins calls so many UK NCAA games.

I can't recall any of the other UK games he's officiated, but the calls in the first half on Sunday were insanely bad. So, that leaves 3 possibilities:

1) Higgins is bad at his job
2) Higgins is on the take
3) Higgins doesn't like Cal and/or UK and that influences his calls.

We know #1 probably isn't true, because he's consistently receiving high rankings from the NCAA. If #2 is the case, he's horrible at fixing games, because not only did UNC fail to cover, but his calls were so insanely bad that its become a national story which is not how one surreptitiously affects the outcome of games. That only leaves option 3. He's got a bias and it shows.

Sure it is option 3, that is his rep. And just look at the guy, he screams "large ego".