...talks about how UConn hasn't been in contact and how they're out. (HT: UMHoops)
OT: Ted Valentine
February 21st, 2012 at 11:49 PM
#1
OT: Ted Valentine
I flipped to the Kentucky v. Mississippi St. game and to my surprise I saw "T.V." Ted working the game as an official. I was unaware he worked SEC conference games. Is he just filling in for someone, or works there regularly? If so I guess he is giving other fan bases besides those in the B1G headaches.
February 21st, 2012 at 11:53 PM | 
I don't know
I don't know
February 21st, 2012 at 11:56 PM |
I just looked at his
I just looked at his
I just looked at his schedule, and he's worked a bunch of ACC and SEC games, I don't think there's any exclusive Ref's in College Basketball
Also, I bet Kentucky pulls this one out
Here's his past schedule:
http://statsheet.com/mcb/referees/ted-valentine/schedule
If you're doing nothing, how do you know when you're finished?
February 21st, 2012 at 11:59 PM |
It seems as though Ted
It seems as though Ted
It seems as though Ted Valentine has been all over NCAA basketball this year: http://statsheet.com/mcb/referees/ted-valentine/conferences. I do not know how StatSheet tracks inter-conference matchups, but he has refereed games of teams in 8 different conferences this season.
Edit: Slow on the draw. Move along.
February 22nd, 2012 at 12:00 AM |
college basketball refs
college basketball refs
do not have specific conferences that they are alligned to. They work all over the place and that is part of the reason why college basketball officiating is so terrible. The guys travel all across the country and work way too many games. I wish the B1G had their own set of officials.
February 22nd, 2012 at 12:01 AM |
Couldn't help but notice Tedd
Couldn't help but notice Tedd
Couldn't help but notice Tedd V. kept trying to get on tv during College Gameday last saturday.
February 22nd, 2012 at 10:22 AM |
Not to totally defend Ted...
Not to totally defend Ted...
...but Digger Phelps made every effort to get him over to the TV set when they were musing about the NC St. ejections of two former hoops legends who were watching a Wolfpack game in Raleigh. I don't think Ted ever shies away from the spotlight, though.
February 22nd, 2012 at 12:02 AM |
He works just about every league...
He works just about every league...
He works C-USA games, particularly involving Memphis as well.
He's just so cocky and arrogant. He's bigger than the game. It's like that MLB umpire Joe West. The fact that we know these games names is a disgrace, but that's how they want it. It's a show for them.
“True loyalty is that quality of service that grows under adversity and expands in defeat. Any street urchin can shout applause in victory, but it takes character to stand fast in defeat. One is noise — the other, loyalty.”
February 22nd, 2012 at 5:36 AM |
Even at high level (USA
Even at high level (USA
Even at high level (USA Hockey national championship/ Junior A/ NCAA D1/ NHL), in hockey the goal is to be unknown.
As an official, I would be very uncomfortable with a ton of fans knowing my name, even at a B1G MBB level.
"We bring you to Michigan to take care of Michigan; your job is to protect that block M."
-Carol Hutchins
February 22nd, 2012 at 12:02 AM |
Teddy
Teddy
I am always so happy to see Ted Valentine working other teams games. Seems as though he has been a bad offical since the early 90's, when he was going crazy in the Big East with Jim Burr. I am amazed he is still a ref in the NCAA.
"Oh They Came to Bury Michigan, But Michigan Wasn't Dead" - Bob Ufer
February 22nd, 2012 at 12:07 AM |
Basketball refs
Basketball refs
Unlike NCAA football (or hockey), refs in basketball are independent contractors, and generally work in several different conferences over the season. Experienced refs like Valentine are able to make a living as a referee, something football refs can't do, even in the NFL.
Valentine's schedule last week...Monday off, Tuesday--North Carolina Asheville at Coastal Carolina, Wednesday--Purdue at Illinois, Thursday--Vanderbilt at Mississippi, Friday--off, Saturday--Ohio State at Michigan, Sunday--Indiana at Iowa
This week so far...Monday--Texas Southern at Mississippi Valley State, Tuesday--Kentucky at Mississippi State
Those seem to be pretty typical weeks for him; he will work 5 or 6 days every week. He has worked conference games this year in the Big Ten, SEC, Southern Conference, ACC, SWAC, Big South, Conference USA and the Sun Belt.
February 22nd, 2012 at 8:18 AM |
Those schedules are just
Those schedules are just
Those schedules are just absurd. Referees must be incredibly tired by the end of the season.
I especially can't believe he went from calling a Michigan game on Saturday night (a game that ended around 11:00) to calling a Sunday afternoon game in Iowa City. He couldn't have gotten much sleep.
February 22nd, 2012 at 12:10 AM |
Wow, look at that travel
Wow, look at that travel
Wow, look at that travel schedule. That looks just absolutely grueling. I have a newfound respect/horror at that.
February 22nd, 2012 at 12:27 AM |
No respect.
No respect.
Do you have any idea how much he's paid?
...you don't want to know.
For a reference...WOMEN'S BASKETBALL officials in the B1G can get $2,000/game easy.
“True loyalty is that quality of service that grows under adversity and expands in defeat. Any street urchin can shout applause in victory, but it takes character to stand fast in defeat. One is noise — the other, loyalty.”
February 22nd, 2012 at 12:27 AM |
Don't mean to be a Pr**k
Don't mean to be a Pr**k
But...They work 5 days a week, jogging up and down the floor for a couple hours? As in, they get some good exercise each day of the week, like many people really should anyway. And we're calling this grueling? Many of the games are in the same vicinity of one another as well. I agree the traveling may get pretty extensive, and the more I look at it it may be "tougher" than I first thought, but I wouldn't go as far to say they're overworked.
I don't mean to say they're overrated by any means, but it sounds as though they work a job, that is tough at times, like most Americans do; and they're involved in a game they probably love. No matter how much I rip on referees, more power to them for what they do; I have respect for them (no matter how much they make themselves known in the games these days).
February 22nd, 2012 at 12:51 AM |
Not to mention,
Not to mention,
it's only a few months a year and he pulls down a pretty healthy salary.
Whatcha gonna do, little brother?
February 22nd, 2012 at 8:20 AM |
My concern is not necessarily
My concern is not necessarily
My concern is not necessarily that it's too hard on the officials (though I'm sure it catches up to them), but that their performance will almost certainly suffer when they're flying red-eyes all over the place. When you're talking about someone who needs to be able to make split-second decisions on a major stage, having him be sleep-deprived probably isn't helpful.
February 22nd, 2012 at 12:38 AM |
Is this the idiot that dances
Is this the idiot that dances
Is this the idiot that dances and hops around like he's auditioning for the Four Tops?
Or am I thinking of Ed Hightower?
February 22nd, 2012 at 1:57 AM |
That's Hightower, who is an
That's Hightower, who is an
That's Hightower, who is an even worse referee than Valentine is.
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:01 AM |
Gotta disagree
Gotta disagree
IMO HIghtower is NOT worse than Valentine. Back when i used to go to all the basketball games (back in the early 90's) I used to cringe whenver I'd see Valentine on the court. The dude's just brutal. Completely inconsistent from call to call. The only thing consistent about him is his consistent ability to make wrong calls.
There was one ref that was even worse though. Some bald guy whose head was so shiny it almost blinded you. One game I remember we got both Valentine AND the bald guy. The officiating that game was comical in its badness.
I feel like I've seen Hightower call SOME good games. I can't recall ever seeing Valentine do that.
February 22nd, 2012 at 5:29 AM |
Agree about Hightower...he is awful.
Agree about Hightower...he is awful.
I know a guy who is good friends with Ted Hillary, who used to do a lot of B1G games with Hightower. Hillary said a lot of Hightower's fellow officials thought so much of his abilities they called him "Lowtower".
I do not recall seeing Eddie do any games this year. I wonder if he finally retired. I used to cringe every time I saw him do a Michigan game....especially when on the road.
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:44 AM |
Hair line...
Hair line...
I love Ed Hightower's hairline. You see those games from the late 80s or 90s and he's nearly bald. Now, a perfectly coiffed mini-fro on his head.
February 22nd, 2012 at 12:57 AM |
Jim Burr is a great referree.
Jim Burr is a great referree.
Jim Burr is a great referree. I don't mind Eddie too much I guess.
Here's hoping for a bright future. This team does try hard and I will continue to support them.
February 22nd, 2012 at 9:00 AM |
Bald referee
Bald referee
I believe the bald official you referenced may be Jim Bain, truly the worst baksetball official I've ever seen. In the mid to late 70's I thought more than once that Johnny Orr would punch him.
Sorry I can't help you but he did just make a very qustionable call and he made it with pinache