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A Better Idea
If you are tired of hearing about people bitching and moaning about the officiating from last night’s Clemson-North Carolina game then you probably need to stop reading now and get back to whatever you were doing.

Simply stated, Ted Valentine, Bernard Clinton, Tony Greene ought to be ashamed of themselves!

They should return their paychecks from last night so they would not feel that guilty.

See, this should not be a surprise to anyone. It has happened for years and will continue to happen.

DUKE AND NORTH CAROLINA PLAYED HOME BASKETBALL GAMES THIS WEEKEND AND THE BLUE DEVILS AND TAR HEELS COMBINED TO SHOOT 69 FREE THROWS WHILE THEIR OPPONENTS SHOT 20. DUKE AND NORTH CAROLINA COMBINED TO MAKE 51 FREE THROWS AND THEIR OPPONENTS MADE 10.

The outcome has been pre-determined so why even make the trip. Here is my suggestion:

I say save the jet fuel. The players would be better off if they just stayed at home and practiced some and spent the rest of the time they could spend in Vickery Hall studying. At least there would be productivity and the weekend would not be wasted.

Heck, instead of making the trip to Chapel Hill or Durham just let the players volunteer to help out some needy kids in the area.

I am a competitive person but I am also smart enough to know if you can’t win the fight, then don’t fight. Clemson was good enough to win but if Tyler Hansbrough is allowed to just lower his shoulder anytime he wants then why fight it?

You can break this game down anyway you want but it always comes back to the same thing. You can say Clemson turned the ball over down the stretch and blew a big lead and that would be true. You can give the Tar Heels credit for making clutch shots and you would also be right. But that should not have mattered.

They say that in a game the blocks and charges fouls usually end up close to even. Some one better tell Ted Valentine, Bernard Clinton and Tony Greene. Hansbrough plowed over Demontez Stitt but the call clearly was going to go against the Tiger defender even though his feet were clearly set. You see, all of that was determined before Clemson even made the trip. So again I ask, “Why even go up there?”

Do you think the game changed when Clemson had four players with four fouls each and North Carolina ended the game with no one with more than three fouls?

Think the game changed when Trevor Booker fouled out with 2:06 remaining in overtime?

I think it changed when K.C. Rivers got his fourth foul. Please tell me how Clemson can have five players (Booker 5, Stitt 5, Rivers 4, Mays 4 and Perry 4) with four or more fouls and Hansbrough can play 47 minutes in a game that lasted 50 minutes and be called for a grand total of three fouls? He had two fouls in regulation.
Deon Thompson also had three fouls but no other Tar Heel was whistled for more than two fouls.

Clemson outplayed North Carolina in almost every tangible category. The Tigers made 40 field goals to the Heels 32. Clemson made 12 three-pointers to UNC’s 8. The Tigers had more assists, more steals and more blocks. North Carolina did have three more rebounds but outside of fouls and thus free throw shooting that is the only category the Heels won.

For the season UNC averages 16.6 fouls per game and Clemson averages 18.6. Last night UNC had 14 fouls while the Tigers had 31 fouls.

If we can all agree that professional wrestling is pre-determined then Vince McMahon and Hulk Hogan would have been very proud of this officiating effort. The only thing that was missing was a cage and the cameras catching Hansbrough bringing a foreign object into the ring. Jimmy “Super Fly” Snuka should have been ringside last night.

Do you think Oliver Purnell would have been able to get a timeout like Roy Williams did even though the play was about eight seconds into the play? Williams called a 30-second timeout but it was only later given to him after Clemson had the ball near mid-court and on top of that instead of a 30-second timeout, he got about 90 seconds as the refs tried to figure out what the heck was going on. Think Purnell would have been afforded that luxury?

There is too much to lose and not enough to gain. You run the risk of injury. You run the risk of a loss of confidence. You have to board a plan twice.

Those things are worth the risk if you had a fair chance to win but we all know that is not the case. So why even go?

Tyler Hansbrough-47 minutes played. 3 personal fouls, 19 free throw attempts.

Stitt is a point guard who plays mostly away from the basket and he played 21 minutes and had five fouls. Hansbrough, a power player, played 47 minutes and was called for three fouls.

The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency

Comments:

HOW ABOUT THE ELBOW RIVERS TOOK LATE
IN OT-NO FOUL CALLED!

Posted by RIVERTIGR on February 11, 2008 at 07:52 AM EST #

Thank you very much for this. It makes me sick to hear all this talk of the streak at Chapel Hill, but there is no asterisk, and there should be. You don't win 53 games in a row like that. The reason it is so unbelieveable to the announcers on tv is because it never should have happened. I wouldn't feel this way if this were the first time the officiating had decided the outcome, but I've watched it for too many years now, and I don't understand how the players cope with it. I feel the most sorry for them because they played their hearts out, and then this morning all you read about in the media is that these Tigers blew another lead. That just makes me sick.

Posted by kwilbanks on February 11, 2008 at 07:54 AM EST #

I agree that the officiating was horrible, and think the tide really turned when Booker fouled out. Despite the loss, we should not forget that some of our players made some really big shots and defenseive plays, most noteably Cliff Hammonds.

Posted by Locotiger on February 11, 2008 at 08:12 AM EST #

Great POST! Could not be said better. Mickey, please tell Roy to shut the hell up about post defense and offense....he does not have a clue. What Hansbrough gets away with game in and game out is criminal. Booker dominated him in Clemson and 3 refs decided it would not happen again. End of story.

Posted by adammcc40 on February 11, 2008 at 08:17 AM EST #

I have said for a very long time - Clemson will start winning at Chapel Hill when we start playing football on the basketball court. We are going to get called for fouls anyhow so why not make them stick - when we hit them hit them hard. They would remember it the next time they came in to shoot a basket and another thing if they ref won't call the game right - pull your team - that will get the attention of the conference especially if it is on TV - we are going to lose everytime anyway!!!

Posted by cwp74 on February 11, 2008 at 08:36 AM EST #

When you take things directly from posts made on Tigernet, at least give credit.

Posted by El Tigre+Lococito on February 11, 2008 at 09:15 AM EST #

Mickey,
I'm sure it will not help, but I sent a link to your article to the ACC office.

Posted by yearofthetiger on February 11, 2008 at 09:43 AM EST #

Well, anyone that is a student and sees the players on campus, just let them know they busted their ass and were handed an unfair game. They must move on, because the seasons not over and I have a feeling we'll be seeing them again. At least we have a reason to be mad about basketball, unlike previous years!

Posted by RobertsonCU on February 11, 2008 at 09:54 AM EST #

Even so, with the bad calls, it came down to not executing in the last 3:13 of the game. There were no god awful calls after the final TV timeout (well, maybe the charge on Hammonds against Hansborough).......Clemson lost composure. 1 FG in the final 3 minutes just doesn't cut it.

Hit a free throw, make one less TO and this isn't an issue. Regardless of how the officiating went, Clemson was up 9 at the 3:00 mark and in complete control and decided to change their style. They got tentative. Didn't attack. Didn't go to the ball on tough passes and had a mental lapse defensively.

The officials didn't win the game, Clemson lost.

Posted by Justwannaread on February 11, 2008 at 09:58 AM EST #

Mickey,
I'm sure it will not help, but I sent a link to your article to the ACC office.

Posted by yearofthetiger on February 11, 2008 at 10:06 AM EST #

Well Thank goodness everybody who works at WCCP, the Clemson flagship station, is not a UNC ref apologist. Roy--Dan---are you listening? Thanks Mickey.

Posted by milerock on February 11, 2008 at 10:14 AM EST #

Justwannadisagree

Posted by Peter Gibbons on February 11, 2008 at 10:18 AM EST #

I don't necessarily disagree......its just sickening every time, especially when someone claims that they knew it was going to happen, the bitch session starts and continues on and on and on.

Its insanity that we Clemson fans always blame everything and everyone else....except when it comes to Bowden at times.

Fact is that Clemson had the game won - up 11 with 3:13 or so left - and didn't compose themselves down the stretch enough to win.

Posted by Justwannaread on February 11, 2008 at 10:22 AM EST #

Right on again, Mickey.

Posted by wdinkins39 on February 11, 2008 at 10:25 AM EST #

Someone should make a you tube video of Bookers five fouls, I know of three that were comical. The one under the boards when the UNC player got the rebound, tripped and fell on Booker as he was turned and heading down the other side of the court.

Posted by tiger1979 on February 11, 2008 at 10:33 AM EST #

Good column, Mick. I thought one of the worst calls was the foul on Ogeslby in the 1st OT. He had just put Clemson up by 2 with 45 seconds left with a great three, with the NC defender argueably undercutting him. Then when UNC had to make a basket to tie, Valentine calls a ticky-tac touch foul on Ogesbly at the 3-point line. This after no-calls all night on UNC guys hand-checking and checking Hammonds when he had the ball.

Valentine bailed out UNC and sent them to the line to tie. Unbelievable call, IMO.

Posted by Newberry Tiger on February 11, 2008 at 10:34 AM EST #

I want to agree that it was not equitable. Yes, we lost composure but you can lose composure faster when things are not equitable.

Where is OP? I really would expect him to react more vociferously DURING the game when he can just get a technical. That timeout for Roy was just plain wierd...never seen that before.

Posted by endorfiend on February 11, 2008 at 10:37 AM EST #

El Tigre,
I got a ton of e-mails over the last 12 hours from people giving me facts about the game like fouls and free throws. I apologize if I used anything that was sent to me by a third party. I assumed it was an original e-mail and did not know it was not the e-mailer's on a couple of ocassions. I cut and pasted parts of several e-mails sent to me. No malicious intent. Please except my apologies.

Posted by Mickey Plyler on February 11, 2008 at 10:57 AM EST #

Good article Mickey. The only thing I would add that shows the blatantly biased, one-sided, bad officiating to help the Tarholes. Considering Clemson's lead and the time remaining the only way for NC to win would be to score with the clock stopped. Essentially, during NC's run Clemson was charged with a foul almost every time NC was on offense. This allowed NC to score without the clock running. Yet amazingly all the exchanges underneath Clemson's offensive basket there were no NC fouls against Clemson. Just look at the last throw into Mayes with 1 second on the shot clock and see where the NC player has undercut Mayes while holding his other arm. What about Hansbrough undercutting Mayes on a dunk in OT and on and on and no ...

Posted by bparent on February 11, 2008 at 11:28 AM EST #

Let's not forget the drive that Hansbrough had for a dunk, and the tv commentators mentioned that no one rotated over to help on defense. Of course, while they were saying that, the replay showed one of UNC's players locked up with our guy holding him so he COULDN'T rotate over to help. No call for holding though.

Posted by GlennArch on February 11, 2008 at 12:53 PM EST #

UNC kicked a ball out of bounds, yet the ball went to UNC.

Also--TO fired up a shot that UNC got a hand on--it went out of bounds and UNC gets the call again.

Pitiful!

Posted by mojitojoe on February 11, 2008 at 01:35 PM EST #

Great observations Mickey, but when will OP say the same thing? At the very least a coach has to stand up for his team at some point.

Posted by rob32ram on February 11, 2008 at 01:35 PM EST #

Hey RobertsonCU I don;t know what game you were watching. Granted at the 3:13 mark we did not play well. But to say we lost a 9 point lead....that is rich..to lose a nine point lead is easy when the officials let one team do what they wnat and the other gets called for practically nothing. I dismiss your post as complete dribble. you obviously do not understand how much uneven officiating can change a game.

Posted by MackDaddy on February 11, 2008 at 01:43 PM EST #

I am sick to death of tobacco road and the favoritism that is shown. I don't want to hate anyone, but I hate UNC for all the fixing they have done over the years. Why do you think UNC does not do as well in the NCAA as in the regular season? The answer is they can't take their home boy refs to the tourney.

Posted by Tigman821 on February 11, 2008 at 02:27 PM EST #

Posted by bparent on February 11, 2008 at 02:52 PM EST #

Posted by bparent on February 11, 2008 at 02:55 PM EST #

To: pterry@CLEMSON.EDU <pterry@CLEMSON.EDU>
Sent: Sun Feb 10 22:08:24 2008
Subject: Basketball Program

I wanted to let you know how impressed I am with OP’s poise not only in the game at UNC, but throughout the season. The basketball program has made vast improvements despite mediocre support.

I am concerned with the impact that officiating continues to take on our basketball program. I don’t see the point in providing examples of flops vs. charges or Booker vs. Hansbrough; as the AD you are aware of the situation. THIS is the area that you can impact, and without increasing the budget. Fans, players, coaches and recruits can tell if there is no one in their corner fighting for a fairly called game.

I do not want a response - only action.

Thank you and Go Tigers!

Posted by 3rdGenTiger on February 11, 2008 at 05:23 PM EST #

If Rivers makes that shot at the end of regulation, all of this goes away. Why we didn't stop and pop, I will never know. Our outside game had been on fire all game long, but on the last play of regulation we try to penetrate the middle of the lane and get points in the paint. Why not fire up a 3? The worst that could happen was going to OT.

Posted by FootballFan36 on February 11, 2008 at 05:33 PM EST #

Probably the reason Swofford and the ACC will not schedule UNC to play us in football (only one game since the expansion)is they know even with UNC refs our Tigers would exact revenge for the BB crap and wipe the floor with their pathetic football team.

Posted by dril on February 11, 2008 at 05:52 PM EST #

MackDaddy:

Not sure which post you are talking about with me? I completely agree the refs altered the game, drastically, maybe you misread my post?

I merely stated the players need not fret on the most recent loss and finish out the season because we will have another shot at them in the ACC tourny.

Sorry if I confused you.

Posted by RobertsonCU on February 11, 2008 at 06:31 PM EST #

And we only got into the bonus because they were intentionally fouling at the end of regulation.

Posted by Tiger04DMD on February 11, 2008 at 08:42 PM EST #

I agree that the officiating was obviously biased, but we still could have won the game if we make even just two more of our 7 free throw attempts. And that would still be less than 50%. I just don't want our players to blame it all on the refs. We've got to learn to make free throws - too many games come down to that.

Posted by goodtiger on February 11, 2008 at 08:44 PM EST #

Good post, Mickey. Although, it is just stating the obvious. We probably have a better shot at UNC if we face them in the NCAA tourney. At least then it would be out-of-conference officials.

Posted by paladin89 on February 11, 2008 at 09:32 PM EST #

finally someone has the guts to speak the truth about the acc.However the getting screwed everytime we go there will not stop until someone from the major news like 60 mins. or real sports exposes the league.

Posted by pro_golfer1 on February 12, 2008 at 03:35 AM EST #

Mickey,
You are preaching to the choir. This has been going on forever. I'll never forget Bobby Jones holding Tree down on a missed free throw jumping over his back, and tipping the ball in to tie or take the lead at the end of a game. Give them credit, they are a great team and have outmanned us consisently, but not 53 in a row worth. It's also galling that they get the calls on the road too. That is why even now that Duke has seemed to take the lead as the most protected team, they haven't gotten away with it as long as UNC, and I can't pull for them even against Duke.

Posted by hartwell-laker on February 12, 2008 at 05:27 PM EST #

The elbow on Rivers and resulting no call was awful. In the 70's a CU player had his jaw broken on tobacco road and there was no call. I guess that means thinkgs have improved with time. Right? Not!!!!

Posted by 74TIGER on February 14, 2008 at 09:20 AM EST #