Overall Toughness of SEC

[VolinFL2]

While watching the game last night, in between curse words and beer, I thought about the overall SEC.

It doesn't seem as far as the players, the gameplay, and officiating go that it is anywhere near as tough. It seems, when I have watched, conferences like the Big East and Big Ten and ACC their style of play is more hard-nosed. The refs don't seem to get involved too much with the petty fouls(i.e. handchecks every 10 seconds).

Are the officials contracted to a certain conference or by the NCAA?

Would you all think it would make for an overall better game if the games were called a little looser? Or, do you think the game would become sloppier and more of a dogfight then an well executed game?

Interested to see your responses.

 

[PayingUTKTuition]

As a former basketball official (high school not college), I can tell you that many times how the game is called is dictated by the players. If the officials think the game could get out of control (last night there was some pushing and shoving early) the officials will clamp down and call it tighter.

With that said, I do agree that there is a tendency to call too many tit-tat fouls. I also think there are way too many fouls called inside. Chism had at least one very clean block called a foul last night where the official seemed blow the whistle on what he thought would happen rather than what he actually saw.

 

[VolinFL2]

I know that play you are talking about with Chism and I totally agree. My wife, bless her heart, doesn't know much about it and even she was mad at that call!

 

[feathersax]

As much as I hate to admit it, Big East basketball is superior in every aspect: coaching, officiating & players who leave it all on the court!