Open Mic: Let's Face It, All Officiating Is Awful and All Officiating Is Great

Every year around the postseason for each sport, qualms about the officiating come up.  Apparently the officiating has gotten so "bad" in each sport that it is now a topic worth writing about.  

Let's face it though, officiating is awful in every sport, rather officiating has its awful moments in every sport.  But, officiating is also great in every sport, rather officiating has its great moments in every sport.

Plenty of times, the fans, the media, and the players cry out that the officiating decides the games.  What side are those players, fans, and media on most of the time though...the losing side.

Granted though, there are those select moments in sports history where both sides agree to the fact that the officiating was awful and it decided the game.  

Who can forget the most recent UCLA versus Stanford game.  This is one of the few instances in sports history where there is an agreement by both teams that the officiating decided that game.  Several UCLA players even came out in the post game press conference and said something to that effect.  

Even the referee Kevin Brill was unsure of his call telling Pac-10 Officials Coordinator Bill McCabe, "I cracked the whistle.  Was it too soon?  He had body contact, but it's not a strong call, it's not an incorrect call, and that doesn't make it wrong.  But I want solid calls."  Clearly a game decided by officiating.  

UCLA wins.

Another instance that will be mentioned only in brief due to the massive prior media coverage is the NBA officials caught gambling on the same games they were officiating in the postseason just one year ago.  Massive attention was drawn and officials were suspended.

But in reality, what was done?

Progress is marked by distinctive achievements made towards improvement. Thus far the only sports league that truly has made progress towards officials making less of an impact would be the NFL.  Every offseason the public hears of new rule changes made by the owners.  

Just this offseason the force out rule was done away with.  An excellent progressive move by the NFL because let's face it, the force out rule was a completely subjective rule with no objectivity. Would the player have landed inbounds?  Well, if it's T.O., Marvin Harrison, or Chad Johnson, for sure they would have landed in bounds.  

But what if its Reggie Brown, Dwight Clark, or Nate Burleson, well that's just questionable. And third stringers like Anthony Gonzalez are right out.  Now perhaps that's a bit of hyperbole but the point is made.

With the reintroduction of instant replay as well, the NFL has put a check on its officials and has let them know that they are not all powerful.  The officials in the NFL have to answer to the coaches when it comes down to questionable calls.

That's enough on the best.  Now its time for the worst.  

NCAA BASKETBALL OFFICIALS ARE THE WORST OFFICIALS IN ALL OF SPORTS HISTORY.  

Using merely that last March Madness NCAA tournament as evidence a plethora of blown calls, missed calls, questionable calls, game deciding calls, and just outright wrong calls can be found.  The NCAA officiating crews are in serious trouble and something needs to be done.  Never in sports history have fans been so displeased as when watching several games and seeing multiple awful calls in each.  That's what watching college basketball has become.

What has the NCAA done?  Nothing.  Plain and simple.

Maybe the NCAA should follow the NFL's lead.

Peace out.