The refs are having a rough night in this year’s National Championship
Last year’s National Championship was arguably the greatest in the history of the sport. Big shots the entire way. Two well matched teams. A buzzer beater finish that will be played on highlight reels for the rest of time. Following that up was going to be impossible, but damn if the refs aren’t making that impossible tonight.
After a pretty solid first half, the refs got extremely whistle happy in the second half leading to some ugly and slow basketball. So ugly and slow that even college basketball’s most hardcore fans couldn’t defend it. Everybody wants the whistle to get swallowed and some pace returned to the game, but the refs aren’t letting that happen. Maybe if the NCAA actually paid their refs full time moments like this wouldn’t happen. These are humans with real lives and normal jobs. This is nothing more than a side gig for them and that leads to imperfection. That said, the only way to describe their performance tonight is yikes.
UNC is at 32%. Gonzaga is under 31% and a ton of turnovers. All the fouls. Yuck.
— Jason Patt (@Bulls_Jay) April 4, 2017
Jesus Christ, stop blowing the whistle!
— Chris Reichert (@Chris_Reichert) April 4, 2017
seriously, STOP BLOWING THE WHISTLE
— Ryan Fagan (@ryanfagan) April 4, 2017
please
A few people have compared it to UConn Butler from 2011 which has gone down in history as the worst championship game in history.
I don’t blame you for forgetting UConn/Butlerhttps://t.co/2egGk3W6lw
— Jeff (@jamfan40) April 4, 2017
Mostly everybody is just saying the game is really bad, and honestly it’s hard to argue with that.
This game is...........bad
— Pablo Torre 🏴☠️ (@PabloTorre) April 4, 2017
Should I turn on the national champio...ah. OK. pic.twitter.com/502WaIlrqv
— Scoops (@ejmaroun) April 4, 2017
This isn't good: pic.twitter.com/33qe0cAwXu
— sarah sprague (@sarah_sprague) April 4, 2017
Mainly, because nobody can quite understand the absurd amount of fouls that have been called in just the second half alone. It’s completely ruined the flow of the game, and without a way to clear fouls they’ll remain in the bonus for the majority of the game.
Related: Updated NCAA Tournament bracket
Amazing. A flagrant foul on a guy who was fouled by another player. Amazing.
— Russell Varner (@rvarner) April 4, 2017
Reminder, both teams were in the bonus by the 14 minute mark of the 2nd half
— Bo Churñey 🇨🇦 (@bochurney) April 4, 2017
35 fouls in 30 minutes…
— Chris Stone (@cstonehoops) April 4, 2017
Even LeBron James and Dwyane Wade had something to say about this. When NBA superstars are complaining you know it’s not great.
Let these kids play. Put the whistles away.
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) April 4, 2017
Man I can't watch this anymore man! I would like to see the kids decide who wins the game! I mean Bruh!! Smh
— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 4, 2017
I take that back I will watch the rest cause i won't cheat the kids but this is crazy!
— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 4, 2017
Next: Gonzaga vs UNC live highlights and updates
Just remember guys. They’re trying really hard.
guys, you have to remember, this isn't the pros. these are amateur refs doing it for the love of the game and a college education...wait
— Robby Kalland (@RKalland) April 4, 2017