On Tuesday afternoon the Big 12 issued a formal acknowledgement of the mistakes made by the officiating crew during Monday night's incredible Kansas-Iowa State game, which was marred by inept officiating.
The quick statement, however, was not an apology or anything of the sort. (As much as Iowa State fans still clamor for that.) In what the conference says "will be the only public statement" on the matter, here's the entirety of the release:
"The Big 12 Conference acknowledges that officiating errors were made at the end of regulation during last night's Kansas at Iowa State men's basketball game. The plays have been reviewed and appropriate measures will be taken by the Coordinator of Men's Basketball Officials to adjust the number of future assignments for the two officials involved in conjunction with conference policies."
The refs involved in last night's game were Bert Smith, Mark Whitehead and Tom O'Neill, a triumvirate that has worked 194 total games this season. (You can find more information about the men's refereeing tendencies and their statistics here.)
It's a quick reaction, and needed. At least accountability is at play here, which is basically what most people are asking for. Fans and those vested in the game want to see the game judged and refereed fairly, and when that fails, there should be a hammer to come down.
Although we don't have the specifics of the punishments here -- and it's not like we're calling for anyone's head -- it would be nice if the Big 12 could be just a tad bit more transparent.
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