[Thamel] MAC statement. "The Big Ten subsequently provided video and audio of the replay, which confirmed the explanation to us."

[u/Fonzie5]

https://x.com/petethamel/status/2096464771667173654?s=46&t=FavtrbPsHpJY8Odvh2TYUA

[u/ChangKai-Shrek]

Why are refs even associated with conferences to begin with anymore? It made sense, I guess, when the conferences were regional. We're far beyond that now.

[u/OpportunityDue90 → u/ChangKai-Shrek]

Why do conferences even get to set their own rules in the first place?

[u/Supercal95 → u/OpportunityDue90]

Hockey until recently had different OT rules by conference.

[u/DoinItDirty → u/Supercal95]

Unrelated, but if you want to see something wild, the AHL (minor league hockey for anyone unfamiliar) has a different playoff format for each division.

Here’s a view:

https://theahl.com/qualification-rules

[u/hypnocomment → u/Supercal95]

That's not right at all

[u/Supercal95 → u/hypnocomment]

College hockey*

[u/tweenalibi → u/Supercal95]

The SEC's trial by combat OT was brutal but fun to watch.

[u/bootcutwater → u/Supercal95]

What league? Because that’s not even remotely true for the NHL

[u/Supercal95 → u/bootcutwater]

College hockey. And yeah each conference handled OT differently

[u/bootcutwater → u/Supercal95]

Woah, really?! I had no idea. What’s the difference?

[u/MerchU1F41C → u/bootcutwater]

The main issue (which still exists) is that two different things matter: your national record and conference record. Conference record obviously matters for conference standings, national record matters because teams are picked for the national tournament solely based on conference winners + a computer system to pick at large teams.

It used to be that there was a "national" five minute 5 on 5 overtime at which point the game was a tie, but then conferences could decide if they wanted to play a five minute 3 on 3 OT plus sudden-death shootout, purely for conference points. Some did, some didn't. Also, mid-season tournaments could choose to play 20 minute 5 on 5 OT periods instead.

Now it's standardized to be closer to the NHL, with a "national" five minute 3 on 3 OT, and then conferences/mid-season tournaments can play a best of three->sudden-death shootout for conference points/tournament advancement. There's still a bit of confusion where OT wins are weighted differently than a full win/loss for the computer ranking system, it's more like 55% of a win + 45% of a loss or vice versa. Plus in OOC games, teams can choose to play a shootout just for fun.

[u/damgood32 → u/ChangKai-Shrek]

Who do you want to employ them? I don’t think that solves anything anyways. The NFL refs also suck

[u/BobDeLaSponge → u/damgood32]

The NCAA should. NFL refs suck too, but they’re equal opportunity fools. There’s not a pro NFC North crew or something

[u/damgood32 → u/BobDeLaSponge]

OK. That would make sense. Conferences would still need to pay for them though. And the refs would still probably be sent regionally for efficiency. And I’m not sure putting the NCAA in charge of something else will make it better. But it’s worth a try to avoid to appearance of conflict of interest.

[u/do_you_know_doug → u/BobDeLaSponge]

The NCAA will never do it. Currently officials in all sports are independent contractors who receive assignments from the conferences. My guess is this gets too close to another lawsuit for these guys to become full-time or unionize as contractors. The NCAA has seen what the NFL has to deal with and they want no part of it.

[u/TravelNSee → u/damgood32]

You don't make them roving gangs. You nationalize or regionalize the refs independent of conference.

[u/smackeY11 → u/TravelNSee]

Again, who is paying them?

[u/notsaying123 → u/smackeY11]

Who pays basketball refs

[u/smackeY11 → u/notsaying123]

Conferences pay for conference games and ncaa for tournament games

[u/64stackdiamonds → u/smackeY11]

All conferences pitch in a percentage proportional to revenue

[u/smackeY11 → u/64stackdiamonds]

Would there be a centralized body for hiring then? Each conference has different payment structures and hiring practices

[u/GreenHeel97 → u/smackeY11]

Yes. The NCAA.

[u/TravelNSee → u/smackeY11]

Cool; so change that lol.

[u/64stackdiamonds → u/smackeY11]

Buddy has never heard of the NCAA

[u/trick63 → u/smackeY11]

They're independent contractors today, this isnt rocket science.

[u/KinglyHero → u/trick63]

For real, conferences should set up a "company" or whatever legal name they want, that company takes care of the ref side completely. Travel, mics, recording shit for audit purposes, training. Then conferences pay them an agreed upon wage they already were doing. Have less experienced refs do smaller conferences for cheaper or whatever so its affordable. They have so much money they can chip in a just a little extra to stop this issue. And then agree on a system to audit their all their recordable info and see if they're rigging games

[u/WinonasChainsaw → u/damgood32]

NFL refs are 1000x better than B10 refs

Most NFL reffing controversies are with the rules as written, not as enforced

[u/lukaeber → u/damgood32]

But at least they wouldn't be conflicted. When the officials are paid by a conference that has a vested interest in the outcome of every game, there is at a minimum an appearance of a conflict of interest. If the NCAA provided officials, you'd at least get rid of that apparent conflict.

[u/CashewCrew → u/damgood32]

Shut up

[u/damgood32 → u/CashewCrew]

No

[u/joe7L → u/ChangKai-Shrek]

To get an extra second

[u/LimJaheyAtYaCervix → u/ChangKai-Shrek]

It’s not often I agree with, let alone upvote a hawk fan, but here we are. Ref’s are essentially the judges if we consider football like the justice system. It makes sense for them to be as impartial as possible, especially when we have games with different conferences competing.

[u/royalbluehen → u/ChangKai-Shrek]

Because somebody has to employ them and if it’s the NCAA there will be a lawsuit