Curtis Shaw is one of the most respected officials in college basketball, but ITGOTT is not a fan. One might think that because Curtis Shaw has been honored with the privilege or working multiple Final Fours, he could be considered one of the best officials in college basketball. But his officiating in general, and his behavior yesterday in particular, demonstrate why he should no longer be allowed to officiate college basketball games.
In last night's game between #5 Purdue and unranked Alabama from Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, AL, Curtis Shaw was working along with (an ITGOTT favorite) Bert Smith and John Hughes. Behind the emotion and momentum of the Heisman Trophy announcement, when Mark Ingram was able to become the first Alabama player EVER (can that even be possible?) to win the Heisman trophy, the Crimson Tide were able to take a double digit lead on the heavily favored Boilermakers from Purdue. But talent won out, and Purdue quickly closed the gap in the second half, pulling away to win by nearly double digits.
But the story of this game is the unfortunate behavior of Curtis Shaw. One of the most "respected" officials in college basketball, once again, had to make the game about him, ejecting several Crimson Tide students from the students section.
We've seen this sort of petty, childish behavior from Curtis Shaw before. Last season, the thin-skinned bully Curtis Shaw ejected Rice's mascot, Sammy the Owl, for commenting on a Curtis Shaw call with about 8 minutes remaining in a game where Rice was hosting Tulane.
This season, Curtis Shaw took it on himself to inject himself into the game, and even the crowd, last night when excited, boisterous Alabama fans were apparently saying something Curtis Shaw didn't like. The fans were not entering the court; they were not interfering with the game; and they were not throwing items onto the floor - all of those are acceptable reasons for a fan to be ejected. But with the trend of universities placing student sections closer to the floor to create a more intimidating home atmosphere, as Alabama has done, there will be enthusiastic students who loudly support their teams. Who can argue an Alabama student, sitting peacefully in his team's student section on the first day of the academic holiday break and just hours after learning his football team's star had won the school's first Heisman Trophy, getting vociferously involved in the game? Well, apparently Curtis Shaw, who began singling out students for ejection with about 4 minutes left to go in the game.
This game isn't about you, Curtis Shaw! This game is about students! It's about fun! And it's about the thrill of cheering for your team - even the fun of criticizing a lazy, overrated, past-his-prime, ref like you! This sports has so many great officials - like Bert Smith, who was working with Curtis Shaw last night - that it's a shame that a thin-skinned, lazy, bully of a coward like you had to be considered one of the best in the game. You are not, Curtis Shaw. You, because of your attitude, are one of the worst.
And it's not just your attitude. It's your lazy officiating. Here is an example:
Every official in every game is expected to demonstrate a "visible ten-second count" if he's working the backcourt as a team approaches mid-court with the ball. Offensive teams have ten seconds to move the ball into the frontcourt, or it's a turnover. Ten times per possession, each official is expected to demonstrate this with his arm until the offensive team crosses midcourt and enters the frontcourt. To avoid doing so is either the height of laziness or the pinnacle of arrogance - or in the case of Curtis Shaw, both.
ITGOTT watched last night's game. Every single possession, without exception, Bert Smith offered the players (and coaches and fans) a visible ten-second count. Every single time.
Curtis Shaw did not, on any possession that we noticed. He's too lazy, too arrogant, too SOMETHING to do the most basic of officiating duties. Yet he injects himself into games time and time again, ejecting mascots, and even pointing out vociferous students to the police so they can be escorted out.
Watch the next game Curtis Shaw officiates. He will NOT demonstrate a visible ten-second call, an easy way to tell if an official is willing to do the little things as part of his job.
Curtis Shaw is the WORST official in college basketball. He's an arrogant, thin-skinned bully who can't do the basics of his job, yet oversteps his purview repeatedly to show people who's really in charge. Way to go, Curtis Shaw. You truly are an embarrassment to officials, a disgrace to the NCAA, and a humilation to anyone who knows you.
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YOU ARE AN IDIOT AND KNOW NOTHING ABOUT BASKETBALL AND LESS ABOUT OFFICIATING.
ReplyDeleteRay - thanks for reading the ITGOTT blog.
ReplyDeleteIf you had offered any tangible criticism rather than simian bloviating, ITGOTT would have been glad to answer it. Please feel free to provide any specific criticisms of our thoughts.
Instead, you chose to call names while screaming (ie. using all caps). No doubt if this were Curtis Shaw's blog, he would delete your comment and have you thrown out, since he is a thin-skinned whiner apparently not open to criticism.
However, ITGOTT welcomes your comments. Please provide one that demonstrates a modicum of intelligence next time, so that we can respond in kind.
We need the FBI to investigate him
ReplyDeleteCurtis Shaw is the WORST official in college basketball. He's an arrogant, thin-skinned bully who can't do the basics of his job, yet oversteps his purview repeatedly to show people who's really in charge. Way to go, Curtis Shaw. You truly are an embarrassment to officials, a disgrace to the NCAA, and a humilation to anyone who knows you.
ReplyDelete