Mean to the referees

[rlh]

I have been calling games on radio and TV since 1971, and have been a rabid fan since I was a little boy in the '50's. In addition, I was a high school ref for a while several years ago and I can truthfully say that I have never seen a ref intentionally blow a call. I don't always agree with the interpretation, but I do believe that the call that is made is what the ref thinks he saw....The problem I have and the problem with the Mid-Con is not being in the right position, not knowing the rules well enough and not being consistant in what you are calling.....the new handcheck rule (actually it's not new, just a point of emphasis this year)....forget it when you play a Big 10 school at their place...although it was called all over the place in our exhibition games. I wish there were some way that officials could be held accountable for consistancy in the regular season and the tournmant, but it doesn't work that way....also, in most cases what the crowd yells or says have very little if any influence on officials...so I say, let the Maniacs and the VUCRU yell.....

[orumom]

If you are following my lead, you might still be too hard on the refs. I know sometimes my husband will lean over & say, "that wasn't really a bad call." I know I make Voice & our usher chuckle a lot.

[rlh]

There's a difference between a bad call and a call made at a bad time against our team....we all have those...but 99% of the time when we look at the replay, the officials got it right...darn it !!!!

[Stl VU Fan]

The only 2 things that have ever bothered me on this subject:

1. I'm often a "visiting team" fan and there is nothing worse than watching your team struggle against the Illini at Assembly Hall, against the Wildcats at McHale Arena, against the Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse, etc. and listening to the home town fans holler bloody murder at every single call that goes against the home team. Especially last year at Assembly Hall, when the Illini were kicking the crap out of us. It's really a lot like pouring salt into an open wound.

2. At Valpo home games and when I sit with Valpo fans at the Mid-Con tournament or at Western Hall, I am similarly embarrassed by VU fans who do the same thing (there's a handful) and by VU fans who still think that just touching the other player is a foul (a larger group).

As a visiting fan, you want to grab the PA system during a timeout and yell, "What? Beating the crap out of us isn't enough for you, you want us to pee our pants for you too?????"

[maniac prez]

OK, all this talk about the Maniacs having no basketball IQ is slightly insulting!!! Many of the Maniacs, including myself, have played basketball our whole lives and I would like to think that I know a little bit, and not just about basketball, but about sports in general. Let me ask you, what do student sections do at any football or basketball game at any other school? They yell their stinkin guts out at the ref for doing anything against their team, whether they saw it themselves or not! Many times I sit there and go "wow that was a stupid foul" and I don't really say anything, but, with our MidCon refs, many of the fouls they call are questionable, and they are out of position ALL the time, so most of the time, we have a reason to complain. Refs at the Mabee have it soooo easy, no one gives them crap for anything 95% of the time, it's easier than most highschool gyms (given those gyms have psycho parents whose kids never do anything wrong...) so I really don't understand why this is such a big deal. I promise that there are a few calls a game that we don't really say much about, but most of the time we object to some extent, and when the ref really blows one, thats when we really let em know.

[JoeyO]

As well you should let them hear it. I think the constant berading is a good way to work the refs. Keep giving it to them!

[maniac prez]

MabeeJ

You know we're gonna keep representin!

[oruvoice]

I'm not going to get on my soapbox, other than to say...

Why the Maniacs and all students don't get in their seats 30 minutes before tip-off to support our team and 'razz' the other team, I just don't understand???

[orumom]

Our point was to remind you that there are enough truely bad calls to focus on without confusing the issue when it was just a call we didn't want.

I would like to see you get on the refs for more 3 second lane violations. They hardly ever call them.

Teach them to count!!! When they let our guest camp out in the lane, anyone could score eventually, maybe even me.

[Bogus Smith]

I would like to see you get on the refs for more 3 second lane violations. They hardly ever call them.

Actually a great idea for a new Maniac chant, Mom!! Have a section of the group responsible for watching the lane and when they see that the opposing team is consistently camping out in the lane, start counting to three for the referees and going crazy when they hit "three"!

You have to understand the rules for what is "in the lane" in order to make your count credible with the ref and opposing team (e.g., the Maniacs tasked with this would need to read and comprehend the rules), but would probably put the other team on edge trying to figure out more of whether they were in the lane than preparing for an inbound pass.

[tbone77]

I nominate Bogus for Director of Eagle Psycological Warfare Dept.

[tmh8286]

Bogus Smith - ORU PsyOps officer.

[Bogus Smith]

As a "hero" of mine used to say, Basketball is 90% mental - the other half is physical.

[Dr. Cornelius]

Mabee was practically a home game for most visiting teams until the Maniac's inception! If anything there AREN'T ENOUGH people screaming at the refs.

Mabee is the probably the only homecourt in college basketball where absolutely zero home cook'n occurs. If staying on the refs gives ORU an actual home advantage I'm for it. I've never heard anything at Mabee that would be considered inappropriate... except when TU fans visit, then you hear the usual Jesus comment.

If you want to hear fans "being mean" to refs/opposing teams try watching any Philly area basketball! If you think Mabee is rough on the zebras the chants at the recent OU/Nova game would have floored you.

[orumom]

I want people yelling at the refs to, but only when it's appropriate. Why look like a bunch of idiots when the call was obviously right? The refs make enough bad calls during a game. Just jump on them when they screw up. Screaming "what!" after every single call is ridiculous.

[orumom]

The refs hear us. It isn't uncommon to have one make eye contact when I yell at them.

[Guest Maniactb]

To tell you the truth, most of the maniacs have sports backgrounds. Most of us played highschool basketball. We know the game. If you have been to other college games, or even to highschool games you'll notice the difference in how fans treat the refs. Like other people have said, you take the maniacs out of the game and the mabee center is almost neutral ground. Willing ever call your way is just a way of showing your team you are behind them the whole way. Now if it is something completely obvious, you won't hear us because that would be stupid. But most of the calls I have seen are very questionable. And if there is even a slight bit of doubt, were going to yell... come on now, what do you think we show up for? To pat the refs on the back every time they send a questionable call the other way?

[Bogus Smith]

I want people yelling at the refs to, but only when it's appropriate. Why look like a bunch of idiots when the call was obviously right? The refs make enough bad calls during a game. Just jump on them when they screw up. Screaming "what!" after every single call is ridiculous.

Mom, I hear what you're saying, but part of the game is trying to put doubt in the minds of the people in authority (i.e., the referees). Since this IS a game and not "real life" (except for us ORU fans), the more doubt you can plant on a call that doesn't go the way you want it, the better your chances of getting the call you want the next time.

Our jobs as fans is to make sure that we get the calls that we're due AND get all the calls that we can get that are questionable (i.e., charge vs. block, walk vs. a really great move, etc.). It's human nature to accommodate and make people happy (human nature for normal people, that is), therefore, the referees will make bang-bang calls which they think are correct and sometimes they may see it the way of least resistance.

Do you ever wonder what coaches say to referees when calls go against them that are close? I was taught to ask the official "what did you see?" Make the official explain their call and don't be judgemental. After they tell you their side of the story, then you can tell them what you saw and why you're correct and ask the official to work harder next time. If they are a good official they will smile and remember what you said. If they're insecure, you'll get a "T"!!