Labels: Basketball, NCAA, NCAA Tournament, Preview

 

Labels: Basketball, Bracket Challenge, Brackets, NCAA, NCAA Tournament

Labels: NCAA, NCAA Tournament, NIT Tournament

Labels: Brackets, NCAA, NCAA Tournament

Rak walks off the home court one last time

After traveling to Durham for Saturday's game against #4 Duke, Syracuse had a quick turnaround Monday, facing #2 Virginia in the Carrier Dome. For as good as Syracuse's defense can be, everyone knew Virginia's was just dominant this season, and likely would be against Syracuse. It was an excruciating start: neither team scored until Rakeem Christmas hit two foul shots at 17:12, neither team scored a field goal until Tyler Roberson's layup at 14:35, and Virginia didn't scored until 11:42. In fact, Syracuse led as much as 13-2 as late as 6:06 remaining in the first half. And then it all escalated quickly. Virginia remembered how to score, and Syracuse forgot. The Cavs took a 23-20 lead into halftime, and just turned it on in the second half, to beat the Orange 59-47.

• The leading scorer for Syracuse was... Trevor Cooney with 14 (5-12, 2-8 from three, 2-5 from the line). 
• Tyler Roberson and Rakeem Christmas each scored ten. 
• Not that Syracuse shot the ball well in this, because they didn't (38.3%), but rebounding was clearly the issue. Virginia out-rebounded the Orange 42-20. Virginia had 15 second-chance points, and 32 points in the paint.
• Despite the slow start, Virginia ended the game shooting 46.2% -- but I guess when you're taking so many high percentage shots in the paint, your game total will look pretty good.
• Chino Obokoh entered the game for Rakeem Christmas with one minute remaining in the game, so Rak could get a final standing ovation from the Carrier Dome crowd. It was obviously a frustrating moment for Rak, who didn't play his best game and would rather have walked off with a win.
• For the first time this season, Kaleb Joseph did not start the game. In his place in the starting lineup was BJ Johnson, putting the point guard responsibilities on Michael Gbinije. It's clear Boeheim isn't happy with Joseph's play, effectively removing him from the Duke game and only playing him for three minutes against Virginia.
• The move to point I think had a negative effect on Gbinije's offensive production -- he only scored eight points, despite taking eleven shots from the floor. While it's too early to say who will have ball-handling duties next season, what's clear is that Gbinije needs to be able to score the way he has for the majority of this season.

Labels: ACC, Basketball, NCAA, NCAA Committee on Infractions, Recap

Places Syracuse won't be. See also: Greensboro, NC.

Today was an unusually busy afternoon for me. I didn't have time in between cases to check out twitter's typical drivel. I stayed at the office later than usual, returning phone calls, writing emails, consulting with coworkers. So when I finally made it home around 6:25pm and put on the local news, they were just starting the sports segment. "Syracuse men's basketball has self-imposed a postseason ban, amid the ongoing NCAA investigation into the school's self-reported infractions," reported the sports director. I'm not even sure what my initial reaction was -- other than "Why didn't I already know this? I don't actually get my news from... the news."

A quick perusal of twitter got me up to speed pretty quickly. Then I noticed emails in my gmail inbox from Dr. Daryl Gross and Chancellor Kent Syverud. What struck me more than what those emails said, was what those emails didn't say.

The NCAA has a confidentiality clause (come on, a gag order) regarding what institutions under investigation can say about the investigation. The NCAA would argue it's to "protect the integrity of the investigation." Common sense would say it's so that the NCAA can control the message, the public perception, about its own policies and procedures.

From a competition standpoint, collegiate athletics needs a governing body; one to monitor uniformity of the rules for each sport, determine eligibility, administer tournaments, and award championships. And in today's media-heavy society, that governing body needs to market its products, ensure distribution of its profits, etc. So, don't take this article as anti-NCAA, because I believe it has a purpose and needs to exist to continue to make college sports that thing we all love. But the NCAA, as it currently exists, falls well short of my expectations of an effective governing body for collegiate athletics.

The issues, to me, are its investigatory and punishment functions. Being a public defender, I have a pretty intimate familiarity of investigatory and punishment functions of, you know, reality. Of things that really matter: people's lives. With the NCAA, we're talking about sports at the end of the day, not how long a convict spends in prison or how a victim will be compensated. But college sports effects a lot of people: the student-athletes, the coaching staffs, the athletic departments, the facilities staffs, the local economies of the schools' cities, Nike, Under Armour, etc. College sports is some people's realities. And for that reason, the investigation and infliction of punishments within the framework of college sports must have integrity, must have due process, must have fairness.

Not constitutional protections. Not statutory protections. These aren't penal law crimes we're talking about.

We're talking about infractions of rules, policies, and standards of the governing body of collegiate athletics.

I think we're basically at the point right now where the Penn State case has run its course. I won't recount all of that history here; you know it all, and if not, you're currently on the internet and can access it with a quick Google query. But what did the NCAA do to Penn State in light of the Jerry Sandusky tragedy?

When all was said and done, Penn State lost out on a bowl game and scholarships. They're now back in full standing -- full scholarships, full postseason eligibility, restoration of vacated wins. Why? Because the NCAA acted recklessly in determining the school's responsibility in the infractions, imposing its punishments, and Penn State sued the NCAA. And because the NCAA knows it messed up, they had to settle the case. What a precedent!

I'm not saying Penn State didn't deserve punishment, and I'm not saying the settlement is fair or unfair. It all is what it is.

What I'm saying is that the structure of the NCAA allows for circuses like that to happen. Where is the structure and transparency of NCAA investigations? What are the acceptable forms of punishment once an infraction has been proven?

More and more, the NCAA seems like a "make it up as we go along" type of organization. Roger Goodell and the NFL are receiving similar criticism for its unequal treatment of domestic violence and substance abuse violations.

I'm used to things like statutes of limitation, being advised of the specific charges against you, a speedy and public trial, and a clear set of possible sentences based upon the proven crimes. These are basic tenets of the criminal justice system. Why can't the NCAA have a similar system?

Take the case of Syracuse. What we know, for sure, are two things: Syracuse self-reported possible violations of NCAA rules as early as 2007, and Syracuse self-imposed punishment today through this postseason ban. Obviously, schools need to report potential or perceived violations -- and I don't equate this to criminals knocking on the door of the local precinct to turn themselves in and confess to their sins. This is sports. But once that infraction is reported -- by the school itself or through the NCAA initiating something -- the process needs structure and transparency.

The Syracuse investigation dates back to 2007. It has expanded in scope: backwards to the early 2000s in the football and basketball teams, and forward to the Fab Melo & James Southerland issues of 2012. All the while, what has the NCAA been doing? We thought things came to a head when hearings were held in Chicago in October 2014, where coaches, administrators, and other relevant witnesses appeared before the NCAA's Committee on Infractions. But we were given no indication of when the NCAA would issue its rulings -- on whether alleged infractions were substantiated and what, if any, punishments the school would received.

And now, with no answers more than three months later, Syracuse University decides to take matters into its own hands.

Now do I believe that's actually the case? No. I think it's the school's response to a threat from the NCAA that without a self-imposed punishment, the NCAA's hand would come down in ways the school would not want to consider. Longer postseason bans? Substantial scholarship losses? Significant reduction of practice time? Vacation of program wins? Including the 2003 National Championship? We've all heard various rumors, and who knows what the NCAA may have threatened. But I can't imagine the school imposes a postseason ban without any direction from the NCAA that such an action would be in the school's interests.

Though I also don't think Syracuse was a longshot (or even out of the discussion) at making the NCAA Tournament -- IT'S FEBRUARY 4, PEOPLE! -- deciding to exclude itself from postseason play this season was a good move for the school. Even with the Penn State settlement as precedent, an NCAA-imposed postseason ban for this season -- or even longer -- would still take time to be settled or adjudicated in court. So by Syracuse taking this action now, in hopes of avoiding worse penalties when the NCAA finally decides to make public its decision, it allows for the possibility of more clarity on how the school moves on from these infractions.

A school -- which, let's remember, is a MEMBER INSTITUTION OF THE NCAA -- should not be left in the dark for nine years. It should not be subject to an investigation which continues to expand in scope without resolution of the initial allegations. It should not be held mute to discuss the process. It should not be denied the opportunity to defend itself to the public -- and to the students, parents, and fans who support the institution. Due process and constitutional protections exist in the criminal justice system because our founding fathers had an inherent distrust in the tyrannical government it separated from -- and the transparency and public nature of the criminal justice system was an attempt to create public confidence in the system that governs the people.

Because when you're playing by the book, when you're ensuring fairness, why would you keep that secret?

Labels: NCAA, Orange44 Lawdogs

Now, Hess himself said that this was meant to be taken as a joke. I'm not going to try and parse if that was or wasn't a joke. Giving Hess the benefit, I'll say that it was meant to be taken as a joke. Even if that was the case, the ACC did the correct thing and remove him because even without any malice behind that statement, you just can't say those kinds of things today.

There was also one report that stated it was due to the technical foul he issued to Mark Gottfried with 15:58 on the clock in the first half on December 14th. This was the first NC State game for Hess in about three years, since the widely known incident where he threw out two famous NC State alums and was reprimanded by the ACC for doing so. This latest technical was reportedly (and I have no doubt this is true) after being told by his supervisor to take it easy in the game. This makes absolute sense to me that his assigner would remind him to go easy considering the last time he was there was the Gugliotta and Corchiani incident. But within the first five minutes of the game he issued a technical foul. If anything, this should have been the reason to end his relationship with the conference. It's problematic it had to be the other reason.

It goes back to my point I've held all season that there is simply not enough accountability for the officials that most directly impact a game far more than any other sport. Officiating basketball is the hardest job an official can have. It is a fast game, and a lot of judgment needs to be used. It's a lot harder to judge a block versus a charge than say a false start or a block in the back in a football game. But this is an official that has repeatedly had issues on the court, not only for the calls he has made in terms of basketball fouls, but the overall spectacle that his officiating has become.

No one should know who Karl Hess is. The only reason you should even know an official's name is because they are respected by their peers and coaches. If you do know their name, chances are it's because they've blown one and it cost your team a game. Now, I say that with a grain of salt, knowing full well that 99.99999999% of the time one call does not a game make, correct or not. 100% of the time a call is made in good faith. I hate to break it to you, but I don't think Karl Hess or any of his fellow officials care of Michigan State beats Iowa, etc., etc., etc. There is no grand conspiracy. There is no betting. There is no malice. Those that think there is are genuinely dumb and probably should give up on watching all sports completely and just watch the WWE instead. (That all goes double for me reffing your kid's JV lacrosse game) But the fact that Karl Hess has become such a figure in popular culture among basketball fans, and even has the nickname "King Karl", should tell you just how much of a problem his officiating has become. If one referee blows a call, even a HUGE call, yes it will still follow them, but they don't draw the ire or notoriety that Karl Hess has attained over the last several years. And a completely unbiased look at it (or even a biased look shading on the side that the officials are correct a vast majority more than they are wrong [which is true]) would even show that Karl Hess is not as good of an official as his resume would let on. Otherwise you would have no idea who he is and there wouldn't be Grantland articles written about him.

And the worst part is, if you look overall, his (for lack of a better term) success rate is probably lower than a decent chunk of his partners, and possibly even more than some talented officials working D2 or 3 looking to move up. When you can fill out a Top Ten list of controversial moments in your officiating career, all of which are from 2012 on, you have some problems. Especially Hess was one of the officials selected to do the Final Four after the Gugliotta and Corchiani incident in 2013.

My point is, it isn't some off handed joke that contained a racial remark that should have done Hess in. It should have been the quick T or any other on court mistakes. Officials are meant to administer the game, make sure it advances as scheduled, in a orderly manner and so that it is fair to all participants. Part of that is knowing and enforcing the rules. Part of that is being in the best position to make calls. Part of that is judgement and interpreting what you see at lightening speed, deciding, and reacting to it accordingly. No where in any of that criteria is issuing technical fouls because you don't like a coach who hasn't seen you in three years because you messed it up three years ago. There are very clear guidelines and interpretations for what should and should not be a technical. I can't imagine would could happen in a game that early that could earn a technical foul that quickly. In 2012, after the NC State incident and being officially reprimanded by the ACC, he worked seven more ACC Conference games, 12 games in other conferences (mostly Big East/SEC), three Big East Tournament games, three NCAA Tournament games (including an Elite 8) and an NIT game. That is the definition of zero accountability. Even if after that reprimand he didn't work ACC games, that's still a ton of other games he could do, not to mention just picking up other smaller leagues instead of ACC games. And after all that, he got postseason assignments. It seems only when alleged racial comments are made, will other leagues go to bat with the first league that decides to freeze a guy out.

People often say "I didn't pay to see you officiate". That's right. You came to see a game. Officials are just part of it. Sometimes I think that notion is lost on some of the guys at the very top of the officiating pyramid. Both top officials, and their supervisors. I'll never rag on an official for being highly demonstrative when making a call. That theater is part of selling the call, a necessary and valuable part of any official's game. But it's when you start letting the little things bug you, that's when you need to know it's time to hang it up. Hess either was never that think skinned to begin with, or his ego got the better of him. People slip. Just ask Jim Burr (although he literally walked off the court during the BET with time on the clock and only had to sit out the rest of that postseason and picked right back up in the Big East the following season [again, where is the accountability?]). Knowing when to hang it up is just as important a call for an official as the goaltending call in the National Championship. It seems Hess may have missed that chance.

While I am certain that Karl Hess was once a good Division 1 basketball official at some point, it is clear that he should not be working the games he is working. He either should have been assigned less high profile games, less games total, or gotten assignments with non-Power 5 conferences instead. The worst part is, I don't have too many suggestions for how to make the system better anyway, other than the league assigners taking a serious soul searching and telling colleagues and friends that they are doing things on the court that shouldn't be done and assigning less games or more training accordingly. While the ACC, and now the American Athletic Conference has stated that Hess will no longer referee games for them, the Big East is conducting its own investigation before they make a determination. The Supervisor of Officials for the Big East is former Big East official John Cahill. He's known Hess for a number of years and worked with him plenty. I actually do have complete faith that Cahill won't employ him either. But the problem is most of the people that become supervisors are then supervising their friends and former colleagues. Therefore, they are very resistant to do anything but say "hey you missed one" when in actuality Hess probably should have faced a suspension a while ago, instead of just not doing the ACC Tournament (which he ended up doing the Big East Tournament so who cares if you're him anyway?) Just another part of the structure of college basketball officiating that has a built in flaw. But again, what is the solution? How can one man or office, like the NCAA, review, evaluate, and promote, demote, or suspend officials with any sort of efficiency or competency? That is why the conference supervisors are given the autonomy. So can basketball officiating be fixed? With 32 conference supervisors filling their games with a nationwide pool of officials, and officials not restricted to only working 1 or 2 conferences, people can just float along getting as many games as they want essentially without any checks other than someone watching game film and saying good call or bad call.

We all love college basketball. And sadly Hess meets a tragic end. I'm sure he may work again. None of the articles or comments I've seen have made it clear if the ACC is done employing Hess forever or just for the remainder of this season. Or if the American or other leagues will do the same. But one thing is clear, Hess was long overdue for some sort of discipline from the ACC. Maybe if some better system was in place it wouldn't have even gotten to where it is now.

Labels: ACC, ACC YA, Basketball, NCAA, Officials

Labels: Lacrosse, NCAA, NCAA Tournament

It's turned out to be a heck of a season for the Orange

This blog has -- unintentionally -- neglected any coverage of the 2014 Syracuse men's lacrosse season. We hope you've gotten all your lax knowledge from the founder of this site, Matt Glaude, who runs College Crosse. But we've provided our share of coverage here traditionally, so it's time to play some catch-up.

The regular season started on Monday, February 10, as Siena visited the Carrier Dome. An easy 19-7 win for the Orange. The following Sunday, then-#10 Albany came to town, and this was my first in-person look at the 2014 squad. I remembered seeing some of the same issues that plagued the team last year: namely, faceoffs. "It's going to be a long year," I thought. The biggest problems with not winning faceoffs: the opponent controlling time of possession; and rapid-fire scores digging yourself into a deep hole. This game against the Great Danes went into overtime, and Syracuse was able to earn a win.

The next Saturday, Syracuse hosted its first ever ACC lacrosse game, as Maryland came to town. The Orange only managed eight goals, and was doubled-up by the Terps 16-8. Another loss at Virginia a week later left the Orange at 2-2. However, wins against St. John's in the "Cobb County Lacrosse Classic" (this is a thing?) and an impressive win at Johns Hopkins (#2 at the time) send the 4-2 Orange into a championship rematch against Duke with some momentum. Then the Orange got hit by a train. In what I would probably describe as the worst game of the year, Syracuse lost to Duke 21-7. How the team would respond to that loss would determine the fate of the season.

You knew from that teaser that something either really good or really bad happened to this team after the loss at Duke. It was good: consecutive wins against Notre Dame, Binghamton, Cornell, North Carolina, and Hobart leading into the ACC tournament. In those wins, Syracuse seemed to play more aggressively on offense, had better success at the faceoff X, and the goal-tandem of Lamolinara and Wardwell seemed to really play well in their "one half only" roles. I was in attendance for the Cornell game, having made the awful trek up Route 13 from Elmira to Ithaca. I was impressed at how much better Syracuse looked, compared to when I saw them in person against Albany. Offense was just clicking that night. I missed the UNC game due to a wedding, but how was that for a finish?!?

That string of impressive victories set Syracuse in a great position heading into the ACC tournament. It was the perfect time to play Duke. It was a game for revenge for last year's National Championship, and a game to right the wrongs from that 21-7 loss -- in fact, the last time Syracuse had lost. For much of the game, Syracuse was playing from behind. Both teams were playing at a high level, but Duke seemed to have the edge. And then the 4th quarter happened. Syracuse crawled back. With 4:29 to play, Syracuse tied the game it had been losing since Duke went up with 44 seconds left in the first half. Duke then answered with a goal with 3:15 left to go back on top. The Blue Devils controlled the ensuing possession, but in a costly mistake played too aggressively instead of stalling, which enabled the Orange to get the ball back with plenty of time. Using most of that time, and seemingly playing for the tie, Syracuse was able to create enough space for Billy Ward to even the score with 15 seconds to go. Then in the best-timed faceoff win of the season, Syracuse gets the ball, has enough time to set up a play, and Dylan Donahue got the game winner with less than a second to go!

It was the best finish to a Syracuse lacrosse game I had seen since the NCAA Championship game against Cornell in Foxboro.

That win -- Syracuse's sixth in a row -- catapulted the Orange into the ACC title game against former Big East foe Notre Dame. That's where the magic ended, as the Irish simply played better and won the title, 15-14.

In an odd schedule, Syracuse closes the regular season Saturday against Colgate for Senior Day in the Carrier Dome. Odd, because there's a final regular season game after the conference tourney. At any rate, we'll be saying goodbye to the seniors, notably Chris Daddio, Billy Ward, Derek Maltz, Scott Loy, Matt Harris, and Dominic Lamolinara. Colgate struggles offensively, a stat that should favor the Orange, especially how they've played as of late.

The NCAA Selection Show is Sunday, May 4 at 9:00pm ET on ESPNU. Most bracketologists have Syracuse near or at the top of their seedings which, due to this year's expanded bracket, means Syracuse likely hosts the winner of a play-in game next weekend. Stay tuned here and at CollegeCrosse.com for coverage and analysis.

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