Apparent hot take: refs do their best, it’s just an incredibly difficult job that most won’t truly appreciate because they haven’t had to make split second calls in real time with the much more limited vantage points that refs have compared to a broadcast.
1 Like
I don’t think that refs are out to get Michigan or on the whole make bad calls that favor Michigan’s opponents.
I do think that it’s pretty human to complain about refs, especially in the heat of a game.
2 Likes
4 Likes
Even though I’m an offender on many of these indiscretions, I agree! 
Having said that, I still love Anthony’s three point call! “Jordan Poole for TTTHHHRRREEEEEE!” in that arena yesterday with that crowd and that great crescendo of raucous noise was outstanding! Feel free to call me out! 
2 Likes
I have a friend to texts me about various ongoing basketball games, and pretty much all he talks about is the refs. Drives me insane.
Why is reffing any less interesting than any of the other minutiae you–or we–investigate? I think these are more matters of opinion than hard fact.
1 Like
Good grief. Apparently we aren’t allowed to complain about some horrible calls without that being morphed into “the officials are out to get Michigan”. Got it. Message received.
1 Like
The poll was a joke, don’t think it is really that big of a deal. You guys are welcome to complain about whatever you want 
Just was confused why people were so fired up on Twitter (before the game started) about the officiating crew.
All I’ve been trying to point out is that there’s generally a cognitive bias when you analyze officiating. Yes, Ethan Happ committed fouls early in the game and Michigan got some bad breaks (i.e. the charge was probably a 50/50 call). But that kind of thing happens. You remember those instances, but on a Wisconsin forum maybe they are upset over what they thought should be a foul on Teske or this play or that.
3 Likes
You’re right. And complaining about officiating is lame. But sometimes it is so infuriating I just want to vent. It doesn’t help that it was happening against Wisconsin, a team I despise with OSU-football levels of hate.
1 Like
And Amen to this, too! On both counts. Yes, complaining about the officials IS lame, though my son would tell you I am THE WORST offender in that regard. He really would. AND, I, too despise OSU in football and Wisconsin in basketball with a passion unknown to mankind!
Dylan, I agree with your comments about fan bias toward officials. Everybody thinks their team is getting shafted and sometimes they do. As to why the twitter storm before the game, I have no clue. I did notice, however, that the first post in this thread was by you naming the officials for the game. Perhaps eliminating this practice would be a step in the right direction, since it is not information that we need to know.
1 Like
I’m a little surprised at the number that find Wisconsin basketball so hate-worthy. They are frustrating to play, but besides Davison’s recent antics they have seemed pretty commendable and likable over the years.
2 Likes
You underestimate the white-ness factor.
Well for me it’s our lack of success against them, the banked 3, and the Ben Brust shot.
4 Likes
I can give you exactly a reason why. When you watch a Wisconsin team play, all you hear is how they’re scrappy and a bunch of hardworkers. In reality, that’s not very truthful.
Exhibit A is Davison. Exhibit B is Happ. Happ is the complete opposite of a hard worker. I ask you and anyone else here, what has Happ improved on since his Sophomore year? Heck since his Freshmen year if you want.
Happ has had three summers to improve his game by developing a jump shot, or at least a respectable jump shot. He hasn’t worked on crap and improved any aspect to his game. He’s settled on his God-given ablities of guard skills that hit a growth spurt, giving him the advantage against bigs.
Nobody will call that out when in reality it’s extremely important to note. You want to be the next Ethan Happ in terms of production but you don’t want to be the next Ethan Happ in terms of work ethic and improvement.
Seriously? Is Simpson’s lack of a jumper also indicative of a lack of work ethic?
4 Likes
Is Simpson’s hook shot a lack of improvement? Hmmm
Not to mention his FT shooting has continued to improve, something he has clearly worked very hard on.
1 Like
For me it’s three things:
-
They’re not too exciting to watch in general - lots of slow-paced 55-48 games.
-
To tie with the earlier discussion, they strike me as a team that often gets a favorable whistle due to their rep as a “disciplined” defensive team. (Now I’m sure rival fans say this about Michigan too.)
-
The Brust/Gasser shots.
Still, I have no problem rooting for them out of conference, or against Sparty.
3 Likes
I will say this, I’ll certainly be rooting for them against Sparty on Tuesday night at the Troll Center!
2 Likes
Happ’s gotten better and better each year. Just because he still can’t shoot doesn’t mean he hasn’t worked on his game. I don’t see how anyone can disparage someone’s work ethic when they do not know them. I get the same thoughts when people say Charles must not have worked on his game. Improvement in basketball is not linear, you can’t expect to get X amount better each year if you work on your game Y amount.
2 Likes