... after this embarrassing display, that it's time for him to hang up his whistle and scour the earth for something he's actually competent at doing, if such a vocation exists.
Hess has been just one of the many scourges of college basketball masquerading as an official for several years, and Saturday, with him ejecting from the arena former NC State stars Tom Gugliotta and Chris Corchiani (who were sitting in the stands) during the Wolfpack's game against Florida State, Hess removes all doubt that he's unfit to officiate college basketball (or, any level of competitive basketball for that matter).
Hess has been so proficient, and has such great experience blowing calls, perhaps he can ... well, never mind.
0 recs | 53 comments
Hey Ken, do you mean that Tom and Chris actually removed this official from the BB arena? Is there a story on this?
bigboyblue - February 18, 2012
No, he removed them.
kywineman - February 18, 2012
Si, si, wineman.
“… with his rejection from the arena of …”
Ken Howlett - February 18, 2012
I changed ever so slightly the wording of the post
to be more clear.
Ken Howlett - February 18, 2012
Hess has to be the worst excuse for an official in the country......
Greg Alan Edwards - February 19, 2012
with Tony Greene not far behind
It’s funny, practically every time Mike Pratt sees Greene listed as an official he lets out a painful moan.
Ken Howlett - February 19, 2012
"it's time for him to hang up his whistle and scour the earth for something he's actually competent at doing, if such a vocation exists."
I am looking for a lawn boy, sooo…….
BigSkyCat - February 19, 2012
I'll have him get you his yard boy resume'
but I wouldn’t trust him around anything worth more than a dollar-ninety-eight, LOL.
Ken Howlett - February 19, 2012
Do they really have lawns in Montana? Hee. Hee.
bigboyblue - February 19, 2012
Yes
But they’re not always in the same county.
FortyYearCatFan - February 19, 2012
Good one Forty!!
Ken Howlett - February 19, 2012
Sorta like Texas, huh?
bigboyblue - February 19, 2012
+1 for you
That’s priceless
kydamcat - February 19, 2012
I assumed you meant lawn ornament.
kydamcat - February 19, 2012
It's pretty clear ...
… that it’s time to bring the officiating crews under the auspices of the NCAA.
Say what you want about that idea, but as currently constituted, the conflict of interest among officiating supervision and the officials is no longer acceptable.
It is time for independent oversight of officiating. Somebody has to do it. The NCAA seems a logical choice. No, it isn’t a perfect one, but if the conferences can’t hold them accountable, somebody must.
Glenn Logan - February 19, 2012
I just read where Ted Valentine offered a salute to Ohio State
fans as he was leaving the court after the Buckeyes game with Mich. State. It might seem a relatively minor mistake, but it is great commentary on the attitude of some referees, as well as the lack of professionalism in many of those charged with ensuring fair and equitable competition in college athletics.
Ken Howlett - February 19, 2012
There needs to be accountability from somewhere.
Right now, it doesn’t exist.
Glenn Logan - February 19, 2012
Agree 100%
After reading my above comment about Valentine, I realize I did not put his action into context, so here goes: At some point in the OSU/MSU game, Valentine flamboyantly gave a bench warning to OSU’s coaches. This inflamed the crowd, and so I’m sure when he left the floor after the game (a game OSU lost), the Buckeye faithful were forthright in their admonition of the offending official … so to speak, LOL.
Ken Howlett - February 19, 2012
More agreement.
Valentine also was joking with the Gameday crew as their were discussing Hess, playfully threatening to eject them. I do have to admit that part of me wanted Digger sent packing, but it was still unprofessional.
GoLightning - February 19, 2012
I saw that and
It seemed a little awkward. Is it possible TVT didn’t realize the cameras were rolling during that?
a2d2 - February 19, 2012
It was all a bit of fun.
I thought he handled himself accordingly. And no less professionally than the GameDay crew.
Wheatgerm - February 19, 2012
I don’t know Glenn. It’s always been my opinion that the NCAA is the problem. Sorry, but I will never, ever respect that bunch. I have too much history on my side.
bigboyblue - February 19, 2012
With due respect, no you don't.
But that’s a common opinion.
Glenn Logan - February 20, 2012
I've seen Karl Hess' handiwork several times over the years
You, sir, are much too kind to him.
BCCatFan - February 19, 2012
You're probably right!!
Ken Howlett - February 19, 2012
Am I mistaken
or wasn’t Hess one of the officials that missed the call on six men on the court during the WKU game earlier this year?
jdogblue - February 19, 2012
I really don't know.
Ken Howlett - February 19, 2012
No.
From the ESPN box score:
Officials: Brad Gaston, Roger Ayers, Reinaldo Acosta
(I wondered the same thing, dog.)
Wheatgerm - February 20, 2012
According to statsheet.com
Mr. Hess has 11 ejections in 1251 games since 1996, or 1 ejection every 113.72 games. These most recent ejections are not yet included.
Compare Mr. Valentine’s 6 ejections in 1302 games since 1996, or 1 ejection every 217 games. The most famous of which was Bobby Knight in 1998. It was a beautiful thing. And Valentine was never assigned to another Indiana game.
Wheatgerm - February 19, 2012
When I saw
that TV Teddy, Tom Eades, and Mike Kitts were doing the Mich/Ohio State game….I knew it was a lose for OSU. That “crew” doesn’t seem to like teams with an"attitude" and the Buckeyes have that demeanor.
It is very telling when one has watched games enough to know that officials will call a certain way!!
What Hess did doesn’t surprise me at all. And, Jim Burr is the worst of them all!!
There is no accountability and the Conference Supervisor of Officials is a complete joke in all of the major conferences. The mid-major conferences have pretty good officials….their officials don’t think they are “rock stars” like the TV Teddies of the game!!
It gets worse each year.
seattlekat - February 19, 2012
+1 Great comment and on the button.
bigboyblue - February 19, 2012
Karl Hess Has Been Pathetic As Long As I Can Remember
His “retirement” is long overdue.
FortyYearCatFan - February 19, 2012
Haven't you got a connection somewhere that could take care of this guy Forty? Hasten his retirement a little??.....lol
Greg Alan Edwards - February 19, 2012
As a Seminole
I thought it was funny! Not at all necessary, but funny none the less
floundringaround - February 19, 2012
I'm sorry Ken
But you have been just too critical. We are going to have to ask you to leave now.
Nice article and commentary.
sweasyf - February 19, 2012
Karl Hess says,
“That’s it for you Ken, you’re outta here”.
kywineman - February 19, 2012
LOL, there are many reasons why I couldn't coach college or high school bb
and one of them is, there is no way I could hold my tongue the way so many coaches do. I’d explode on some official and that would be the end of my 10 minute coaching career.
Ken Howlett - February 19, 2012
Well, sweasy, the commentary kind of wrote itself, LOL.
Ken Howlett - February 19, 2012
Wow!
I think we all would be in trouble if Ol’Roy and Hess ever team up together.
HaHa!!!
UKWildcats #1 - February 19, 2012
If Hess and his "inconsistent" performance effect this drive for #8......He will learn the meaning of
bad press……..in spades…..
Greg Alan Edwards - February 19, 2012
Similar Circumstances
A few years after I’d given up radio play-by-play of junior college basketball — a time that included players such as Keith Smart, Bob McAdoo, Charles Outlaw, etc. — I was attending a game that was officiated by a crew that included an individual I had watched for some time. During the break in a closely-contested game he came over and stood right in front of my wife and me, I remarked to him that I had played and watched basketball for 35 years and he was the worst official I had seen. He glared at me, walked over to the official scorer’s area and spoke to someone there, a short time later a representative of the home team came and told me we would have to leave. My response was that you’d better get law enforcement, handcuffs and prepared to be sued because I had done nothing wrong. No one ever returned. A classic case of rabbit ears by a poor official who far exceeded his authority, just like Hess.
Wild Weasel - February 19, 2012
Too bad Googs and Corchiani didn't call Hess on his crap as you did in your experience
That would have been classic.
I don’t know about anyone else, but I’ve seen thousands of college basketball games over the years, and I don’t recall ever seeing a fan kicked out of the game. I’ve never even seen that in high school.
Ken Howlett - February 19, 2012
Not by an official
but didn’t ole Roy have a fan kicked out last year?
hoboat33 - February 19, 2012
a young Presbyterian fellow if I recall correctly......
Greg Alan Edwards - February 19, 2012
The presbyterians are always up to something. . .
NYCCats - February 20, 2012
I believe I heard that Ol' Roy said that very thing.......lol
Greg Alan Edwards - February 20, 2012
Twenty years ago
Pitino did a book after the 1992 season (yes, That Season) with Hoops Weiss. I remember a passage from that book about Karl Hess giving Rick a technical in some game, and Rick is quoted as saying something like “You screwed us at Carolina last year, and you’re screwing us again tonight!” Some things never change.
BCCatFan - February 19, 2012
I believe that was Ga. Tech
at the Omni in the ’92 season. UK lost like 84-82 or something like that. Pitino went nuts on one of the officials (evidently Hess) and was sent packing pretty quick.
I just confirmed .. It was Dec. of ’91, UK lost 81-80.
Ken Howlett - February 19, 2012
If I were a prosecuting attorney my response would be, “I rest my case.” I have been saying these things about the officiating for many years. Oh well.
bigboyblue - February 19, 2012
Nothing objective to base this on,
but my wife says officiating has been pretty bad in recent years and most noticeably this year. I feel it, too. Could be a function of growing older and more crotchety.
Wheatgerm - February 20, 2012
Maybe they wouldn't be so old and crochety if they called the games better???
Greg Alan Edwards - February 20, 2012
Are you talking about the refs
or yourself? :-)
kywineman - February 20, 2012
I'm older and more crotchety and so are the refs
bad combination
sweasyf - February 20, 2012
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