Desert Madness: Referees Help Arizona Win Home Games

Most of the time I strongly disagree with anybody who writes about the Washington Huskies; I disregard their comments, and feel like they are just trying to feel better about their losses and their teams that have performed poorly. However, in a recently posted article on Bleacher Report after Washington lost to Arizona in Tucson (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/614600-pac-10-referees-steal-the-show-again-on-national-tv-arizona-beats-washington), a Washington basketball columnist noted the refs giving a home-court advantage to the Wildcats.

Now, at first, I thought that this would be another homer article just trying to avenge a national spotlight loss. Upon further analysis, however, I actually have seen what these Washington fans were talking about. Though the game is still running, I know my Ducks will probably not win this game, though I would love to give them a fighting chance with over 3 minutes left down by 8. Still, there have been some very tough calls on the Ducks that Arizona seems to get called their way.

There has to be a reason behind Arizona being undefeated at home because while they do have some very good players, these refs seem to favor the home-crowd Wildcats. 

The head coach of the Ducks, Dana Altman, has been screaming at the refs the entire game, noting how Catron was being pushed and fouled around the whole game. While basketball is pretty physical inside the paint, some of the play by the Wildcats has been overly-physical for there not to be fouls called. 

Added to this note, a lot of the fouls called on the Ducks have been very questionable and pretty unreasonable. These fouls come on plays where the Ducks' will barely touch any part of the 'Cats bodies and get most of the ball.

The whole game, the Ducks have been getting knocked down on the ground and pushed around while the Wildcats are left standing with hardly any fouls being called on their teams. In fact, Catron was just called for another foul even though he didn't even touch the player at all, resulting in his 5th personal foul. This is just ridiculous now. 

So, for once, I will agree with my Husky brothers to the North, because I can finally see with my own eyes how bad these refs are favoring the home-court Wildcats. Arizona is a good team, no doubt, but at least give the opposing team a fighting chance.

Yes, this may be some whining on my part, but I didn't expect to win this game at all, and it really wouldn't have mattered. No matter what, the Ducks would finish 7th in the Pac-10 and still play their first game against Arizona State on March 9th in the Pac-10 tournament. 

Oh, and I just saw Gumby and a guy with a handlebar mustache. Arizona just might be my least favorite fan-base besides the Huskies to the North.