that he was informed that some higher ups with the NCAA relayed to the refs at half time of the UK - North Carolina game that they need to get their act together and their first half performance was not acceptable.
WOW Bombshell! Dick Gabriel just reported.....
- Thread starter BigSexyCat
- Start date
We were just talking about that.
Yet Higgins is reffing the Final Four?
That was reported after halftime of the game.. Sure some didn't know about it but some of us already knew it..
It was unacceptable because the refs were being too obvious that the fix was in place for UNCHEAT to win the game.
I didn't hear Gabriel say that but if you remember UNC was called for a few quick fouls in the second half.
It would make sense. It was too night and day in the 1st half compared to the 2nd half. Shame the damage was done at that point and Higgins get to officiate FF so per usual NCAA talking out both sides of their mouth
You probably can hear it on the Big Blue Insider podcast on WLAP whenever they post today's show.
"He responded well to direction given for the second half" or some BS could be used to justify it if they wanted to.
If that is true, then there's your case right there to FIX what is BROKEN! Change the rules so that erroneous calls can be overturned! (Remember the Wisconsin-Duke "Championship" Game debacle --- right after our own Wisconsin debacle --- when the head of officials sat back and knowingly let the officials make a potentially game-changing call in Duke's favor? When they could have intervened?)
If the higher ups KNEW this and chastised the crew at halftime, what does that say about the integrity of our game? You can't just "make it up" in the second half when you've got 4 starters in foul trouble and the wind knocked out of their sails. They couldn't play as aggressive as normal because they couldn't afford more fouls. I don't care if we got a lead later in the game, it doesn't change the fact that this happened. And it was wrong.
JUST. PLAIN. WRONG.
If the higher ups KNEW this and chastised the crew at halftime, what does that say about the integrity of our game? You can't just "make it up" in the second half when you've got 4 starters in foul trouble and the wind knocked out of their sails. They couldn't play as aggressive as normal because they couldn't afford more fouls. I don't care if we got a lead later in the game, it doesn't change the fact that this happened. And it was wrong.
JUST. PLAIN. WRONG.
You beat me to it. I would feel just a little better about the situation if the NCAA publicly booted him off the FF, but leaving him on the officiating crew tells me all I need to know.
Equivalent to a boxer falling down on a untouch punch.Not going to blame the boxer but I will the guy paying him (NCAA) Probably called and told them to make it look good.
Just a desperate overcompensation to try to make the officiating appear "balanced".
I haven't seen it mentioned on the board yet but for those who aren't aware, bets can be and routinely are, placed on halftime scores.I just keep thinking about that b/c the officiating was so very much different after halftime!
Clean it up in the sense it was far too obvious. Keep it in control just don't be so damn obvious. If the performance was unacceptable how the hell do you move the guy forward to the Final Four?
I have never ever heard of officials reprimanded at half time by their supervisor. If that is true, I'm blown away.
2 possibilities:
1- Could be the supervisor blamed the other 2 officials, not Higgins.
2- Could be a reaction to the attacks from UK fans (making a statement of support for all Officials against public pressure).
I am skeptical just for the simple fact that they are allowing Higgins to officiate the Final 4. That speaks volumes....
Have talked about this on the Higgins Missed Calls Thread, but Higgins has officiated in some way in every Final Four since 2010 except ONE: 2012.
I wondered if the other two refs talked to Higgins. What a joke if this is true.
Thanks to Jay Williams and a lesser degree Nantz and Raftery.
The higher ups could be people not directly in line to refs.
Thanks to Jay Williams and a lesser degree Nantz and Raftery.
The higher ups could be people not directly in line to refs.
Surprise surprise..the 2nd half was called much better and UK won the 2nd half 40-37..but the damage was already done. ****ing corrupt cheat$.
So are they going to let UK/NC replay the game? I didn't think so..if not..what difference does it make..what is done is done..
If they really admitted that, it makes it worse, not better. They are opening Pandoras box.
All the difference in the world. . . . a la Russian Figure Skating Olympics debacle, etc.
And it will keep being done if we don't stop it!
After Wisconsin I kept saying, "Not. Over. It." I'm sick and tired of saying that. Now I'm saying NOT AGAIN!
Yet there are those on this board telling others to take off their tin foil hats. This isn't an unsubstantiated conspiracy, all the proof one needs is on the game film. We were cheated.
Sounds like the NCAA just trying to cover their asses imo. Sure they're involved in some way too.
Higgins was given the final four because he did the job he was asked to do. Plain and simple. Don't mean shit that they were scolded at half time. My opinion, they were called at half and told to quit making it look so obvious. Won't change my mind. I don't need to see the sabotage video, I was saying from the beginning of the game live - my wife thinks I'm crazy, but I know I'm right.
As soon as I saw Higgins was calling the play in our game, I feared we would lose. We almost overcame anyway, and that's because we are/were legit.
As soon as I saw Higgins was calling the play in our game, I feared we would lose. We almost overcame anyway, and that's because we are/were legit.
I've posted this in a couple threads, but I don't had fans (tell me) from Oregon, Arizona, UCLA, South Carolina and yes, a couple fans from Uofl, all say at halftime, they knew the fix was in.
That speaks volumes
That speaks volumes
In the game thread at halftime, I blatantly said they'll be getting a call from their bosses to "tone it down" as the first half was so obvious. Lo and behold, they not only came out a bit differently (only to regress to poor calls towards the end when we were gaining momentum), but now there is this supposed Gabriel report.
I have a friend who is a diehard UNC fan. He lives in Pinehurst, UNC alum, donor to the program. We text during games, and it gets nasty when we play each other (UK/UNC). Earlier this year, I roasted him after the win (Vegas). At halftime if the EE game, he text me and says - "I'll take this whistle all game long." He whined a little in the second half early, but he knew.
As I said, when we were allowed to play, we took a lead. Period.
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