Clemson Sets NCAA Record for Futility, Officiating Takes the Spotlight (Updated 3:15 pm)

07-08 Basketball179

Preface – Poor Oliver Purnell. Now he knows how Rick Barnes felt. And, we just happen to have a great little reminder for him of how Frank Haith felt last year that you can see by clicking here.

We are updating what was once the ‘open entry’ for Sunday with more fallout from Sunday’s Clemson-Carolina basketball game.

I’ve been swamped with work and and just haven’t had any time to be focused on the blog…so, it wasn’t until I went home for lunch and heard everyone on sports radio talking about the officiating last night until I realized that it really wasn’t just me who saw what I thought I saw on Sunday night. (You know, sometimes I worry).

Until now, we had limited our quick comments on the officiating with just a few quick points, but in light of the reaction that is out there it is definitely worth elevating some things including Micky Plyler’s rant that can be seen here.

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:

Since we know they won’t let us win, I ask, “Why even go up there?”

We had originally limited our comments to the following quick observations…but there is so much more!

Somehow UNC-CH can trap without fouling and Clemson cannot. Strange?! Must be the coaching!

UNC takes 36 free throw attempts
Clemson takes 7 free throw attempts

^ This DESPITE Clemson’s consistent attacking the basket with dribble penetration and balanced offense that didn’t ignore James Mays and the post.

What is sad is that we ALL knew it was going to happen. One of best friends is a Clemson graduate and he was at the game. With the Tigers lead around 10 points in the second half I sent him the following, “This is going to be even more painful. You know that the officials simply aren’t going to allow this, don’t you?”

I guess I just got lucky.

At least this time Tyler Hanbrough wasn’t allowed to basically tackle Clemson’s shooter on the final play of regulation like was allowed in LittleJohn earlier in the year.

Folks, what you saw last night was a CLASSIC example of why Rick Barnes no longer coaches at Clemson and left the ACC. Unfortunately, it is a no-win situation for most programs. A couple of other observations made by the SFN team of authors:

* In 50 minutes of play, Clemson got only 7 free throws versus 37 on the other side. In other words, about every one and one-third minute UNC was getting a free throw, and Clemson had to wait over 7 minutes for one.

* Not one player on UNC had more than three fouls including Hansbrough who played 47 minutes. Have you ever seen a double over time game when a team did not have a single player in foul trouble?

* I remarked to my wife last night that the ACC doesn’t even try to hide their bias any more — the foot-stop-and-kick “fast break” being the worst example we’ve faced this year. I find it harder and harder to watch any ACC contests the worse this gets.

* In the first half last night KC Rivers picked up two back to back tacky fouls – one on offense and one on defense. I immediately remarked to my wife that is the kind of little stuff that goes unnoticed and completely changes games especially in light of the amazing way that Tyler Hansbrough literally runs over people and ‘plays so physical’ and yet NEVER…I mean NEVER even remotely gets in foul trouble.

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07-08 Basketball

179 Responses to Clemson Sets NCAA Record for Futility, Officiating Takes the Spotlight (Updated 3:15 pm)

  1. redfred2 02/10/2008 at 9:12 PM #

    TYLER???…TRAVELED???

    wHAT THE HELL?

  2. redfred2 02/10/2008 at 9:16 PM #

    That’s it.

    D A M N I T ! ! !

  3. LRM 02/10/2008 at 9:16 PM #

    You know, it’s really tough to be a State fan. But poor Clemson.

  4. wufpup76 02/10/2008 at 9:17 PM #

    sad … just really sad

    i would say unbelieveable, but when it’s 53 in a row now what do you expect?

    i feel really bad for them, but they should’ve put this game away in regulation

  5. wolfonthehill 02/10/2008 at 9:19 PM #

    ^ Yep – this is 100% on Clemson.

    If they can’t win this one, they may never win in Chapel Hill.

  6. geojim1990 02/10/2008 at 9:20 PM #

    The tigers sodomized by the smurfs … again.

  7. wolfonthehill 02/10/2008 at 9:22 PM #

    And rivers gets the insult-to-injury award, for putting on a perfect trap, only to be shoved out of the way, then elbowed in the nose, with no call.

    You know, traps really aren’t that hard to break if you’re allowed to just bulldoze the dude guarding you & elbow him in the nose.

    Big Ben tried it last night – the zebras just didn’t think it was legal in that case. Shocking.

  8. Trip 02/10/2008 at 9:29 PM #

    The refs jabbed Clemson in this game… :\

  9. redfred2 02/10/2008 at 9:31 PM #

    It doesn’t matter whether they’re winning comfortably by 20 points, or losing by that same amount, I honestly detest seeing coaches that are so calm and nonchalant, at anytime, during a ballgame.

  10. Greywolf 02/10/2008 at 9:44 PM #

    redfred2
    Feb 10th, 2008 at 9:31 pm

    It doesn’t matter whether they’re winning comfortably by 20 points, or losing by that same amount, I honestly detest seeing coaches that are so calm and nonchalant, at anytime, during a ballgame.

    ‘Calm’ appearance is visibly detectable, actual calmness, not so easily detected. Detecting ‘nonchalant’ from the cheap seats in the RBC or on TV is next to impossible. To accuse a coach of being nonchalant is rather strong — unless it’s Ole Roy. 😉

    Sid is calm but certainly not nonchalant. I don’t have the maturity to be calm under the circumstances of my job depending on the behavior of 19 and 29 year old college kids. I marvel at his ability to be calm.

  11. Ed89 02/10/2008 at 9:45 PM #

    ^^^The zebras are on duty to make sure the record goes down tonight…

    when has that EVER happened? except maybe against duke. they did the opposite. The calls from 9-4 minutes left swung the game. unbelievable. brando is awful, just awful. almost as bad as the officiating. i guess hansblo is allowed to do anything. has he ever gotten a blocking call when he flops? the way they give him a charge everytime he flops is unreal. yet when he bowls over 2-3 guys with his lowered shoulder, its a blocking foul. i feel for clemson. the refs helped unc, but they still should’ve won.

  12. gcpack 02/10/2008 at 9:47 PM #

    Wolfonthehill, you know if that had been Hansbrough who got elbowed in the nose Coach Huckleberry and the baby blues would be crying about rough play.

    Such hyprocrisy with them and the refs.

    Did you see after Green hit one of the long threes and Clemson had already advanced the ball into the frontcourt Ted Valentine and his henchmen let Roy call a timeout.

    There is only one place that would happen and its between Durham and Carrboro.

    p–ss–s me off!

  13. highstick 02/10/2008 at 9:48 PM #

    You witnessed a rarity when you saw a traveling call on Hansburg! Hopsborough? Hippitty Hop!

  14. gcpack 02/10/2008 at 9:49 PM #

    The rarity is that it was called and not that he walked.

  15. Ed89 02/10/2008 at 9:53 PM #

    usually the team that is behind is the one commiting all the fouls, right? isn’t that the rationale that packer and vitale always use when they defend unc (and duke). unc was never ahead until the overtime, yet unc commited half as many fouls. it is also the fouls that are called against unc. notice they are rarely shooting fouls. yet the fouls against clemson result in what, 28 free throws? pitiful…i wish they’d just have a game where the players called their own fouls, who do you think was the ‘best’ team tonight. hint, the better team tonight did not win. so, when you hear unc didn’t play well, but somehow found a way to win. they found it very close to a ref’s whistle.

  16. Stoner 02/10/2008 at 9:55 PM #

    but they still should’ve won.

    Missed free throws cost them another game. Up 82-80, with a chance to make it a two posession game, they miss the front end of a one-on-one opportunity.

  17. gcpack 02/10/2008 at 9:59 PM #

    good point Stoner

    they really choke the freethrows.

  18. Ed89 02/10/2008 at 10:01 PM #

    ^^^Missed free throws cost them another game. Up 82-80, with a chance to make it a two posession game, they miss the front end of a one-on-one opportunity.

    agreed. but the refs helped them even have the opportunity. i counted about 6-7 questionable calls/no calls that went carolinas way (everytime) during the 9-4 minute span. that’s basically 6-7 additional possessions or about an extra possession every minute. if that won’t swing momentum, and help a team, i don’t know what will. notice booker fouling out again at the end – on a total bs call – total bs – hansblo locked his arm and then flung himself around. remember he fouled out at the end of the game in clemson too. how conveeeeenient…

  19. Ed89 02/10/2008 at 10:06 PM #

    i think it was actually near the end of the first ot or beginning of the second ot — not regulation when booker fouled out. either way, that was a bs call.

  20. choppack1 02/10/2008 at 10:20 PM #

    There were some awful calls out there. Not sure what impact they had on the outcome.

    I’ll say this though, I get sick and tired of watching Tyler get or try cheap shots and never see it called or even mentioned out there. In tonight’s game, after a clemson made basket, tyler swung an elbow at a Clemson player. He never caught in flack for almost punching Costner in the face – I’d like to see someone push his button’s a little more.

  21. wolfonthehill 02/10/2008 at 10:50 PM #

    Ed89 – The record that was going down was the 52 straight games lost record… which did indeed fall, as uncch has now won 53 straight at home over Clemson.

    And the zebras played a smaller (but still not insignificant) role in this one. Clemson’s inability to (1) hit a free throw, and (2) execute in any way from the 3-minute mark through the end of regulation cost them the game.

  22. blpack 02/10/2008 at 11:00 PM #

    Unfortunate loss for the Tigers. It didn’t have to happen, but missed opportunities and maybe a few missed calls doomed them to miss a shot at making history. Now we’ll see how they handle another blown game to the holes.

  23. Sweet jumper 02/10/2008 at 11:39 PM #

    I was in a local establishment having dinner with my family tonight during the UNX-Clempson game. When the holes were down by 10-15 throughout most of the second half, I marvelled that there was not a single Carolina fan present. When Carolina pulled within 2 points, the place erupted, and 50-75% of the place was cheering for Carolina like diehard hole fans. I guess they wanted to avoid embarrassment by not showing their allegiance when the game looked lost. Typical Wal-Mart Hole fans.

  24. BJD95 02/10/2008 at 11:46 PM #

    Poor fucking Clemson. That had to suck.

  25. LRM 02/11/2008 at 7:54 AM #

    Clemson hit 1-7 FT, the only one in 2OT. If they hit any of the four they shot in regulation or the first OT they would have one.

    Everyone talks about how great a coach Purnell is, but yet his teams lose every close game because they can’t hit FTs. Fts are technique and practice — technique can be taught and practice is all about attitude and drive. Ordinarily I wouldn’t care, but they lost to Carolina after having a comfortable lead and that just irks me.

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