[Captain Backdoor]

Let me say this. I appreciate you taking up for the referees. Usually on forums like this, they have nobody on their side. There are MANY GREAT referees across the state. Certain regions are better than others.

With that said, it would be blindingly inaccurate to say that there are not referees out there that try to help Kentucky teams beat out of state teams.

I remember a Nationally ranked team a few years back came into an area VERY close to Somerset/Rockcastle/Laurel/Clay area, maybe even IN one of those areas, that caused this team from Florida (that lost less than 4 games TOTAL to NATIONALLY RANKED teams and their average margin of victory was over 30 points) to ALMOST lose to a team that WASN'T EVEN COMPETITIVE in the region. These officials called 3 walks in a row. Two of the walks they called were against players that DIDN'T HAVE THE BALL.

Also two personal fouls (NOT TECHNICALS) were called on players who were on the bench!

Eventually, this Florida team was losing by 3-4 points and their star player (I think he ended up going to Duke) shot two straight 3's from a step inside half court to win. (The previous 2-3 possessions were the times they called walks, so he had to shoot far away or they would have probably called a walk.)

It made me sick to watch it! I think a team that was NOT involved in the game but was taping it for scouting, turned it into the KHSAA and I have not seen two of the referees since. I don't think they were removed, but I have not seen them since.

That is a VERY rare case, but it was CERTAINLY an example of officials trying to help a KY team win this game and play a KY team for the championships of this tournament.

Let me wrap this up by saying, MOST officials are good and they DO care if they have done well or not. I know an official from the 13th region that watches his games on WAZOO sports and tries to find his mistakes. That is an honorable official.

Also, let me thank everyone for keeping this thread fairly respectable. I have seen threads like this on other forums CLOSED WAAAAAY before this. I believe this is a good thread and people are respecting each other AND officials. Just remember the referees are HUMANS, MOMS/DADS, HARD-WORKERS and LOVERS of the GAME. They would not go through the abuse if it was not for the love of the game.

You wouldn't happen to be talking about the McCreary Central tournament would you?