Look, I understand I’m a tad biased here. But the final call on C.J. Fair’s “charge” was complete horse-crap. Everyone with a working knowledge of college basketball’s updated rule book can agree. Under the current interpretation of the rules, that needs to be a block or no whistle. It can’t be on the offensive player. It was an obnoxiously poor call that robbed Syracuse of at worst a tie game.
Should Boeheim have shown more restraint there? If you’re looking for soulless, emotionally empty computers, inputting info and spitting out coaching decisions, yes. Bill Belichick grabs a ref at the end of the Pats/Ravens game in ’12 because he knows he just witnessed a complete officiating disaster. This is a man known as the most unemotional coach western civilization has ever produced.
But Boeheim realized the severity of that situation. It essentially ended the game. Yes, Jay Bilas was technically correct. The game was not over. But it certainly was “over.” Down two, Duke inbounding, ten seconds left? I don’t like my chances at Cameron Indoor in that spot, especially in the immediate aftermath of that “charge” call.
Boeheim was right in his fuming over that call. He’s also right in suggesting postgame you leave that game in Durham, and move onto Maryland during the flight back. Personally, I think it showed pretty good character for Syracuse to lose to BC and then get to Cameron Indoor and put up a hell of a fight like that. I’m not worried about their will in March. I’m more worried an officiating crew like this one has the last word.
Syracuse had just put up with the fans, the officials and a really good Duke team for 39 minutes and 50 seconds. But one whistle and all that is thrown out of the window. His team’s two-hour fight rendered irrelevant by an atrocious whistle. And Boeheim couldn’t calmly explain in the heat of the moment just how wrong it was. How hard is that to understand?
Posted: D.A.
