Congratulations, MIAA conference officials, you had the chance to right a wrong, to show some guts and reverse an injustice, and you cowered away from the challenge like a weak puppy.
Commissioner Jim Johnson’s decision not to act on what can only be described as a complete and utter screw-job is laughable, and yet, disturbing as well.
Of course, I am talking about the now-infamous, game-winning, half-court heave from Andrew Davison that should have given Emporia State a 69-66 victory over Northwest Missouri State last Thursday. It should have given the Hornets the victory, but it didn’t. That’s because referee Tom Svehla, after initially calling the shot good, overruled the call after video review.
ESU went on to lose in double overtime, but the game never should have gone past regulation.
The decision to overturn the call was a farce, a scam perpetrated by a referee who went beyond the rules of the game, and in doing so, robbed Emporia State of a win.
The conference’s rules on video replay — and I’m paraphrasing here — state that a referee is to go through three avenues in making a ruling on a shot attempt. First, if the clock and the shot both are visible on tape, the review will be determined by the time remaining. If that is not the case, then the red LED lights behind the backboard are to be used as a guide.
Lastly, if neither the clock nor the lights are visible with the shot on tape, the sound of the game horn must be used.
This is where Svehla detoured from the rules and roguishly created his own.
Despite reports that he was warned by another official that he could not do so, Svehla used a stopwatch on a cell phone to determine if time ran out before the shot.
I’ll repeat that.
He used a stopwatch on a cell phone.
A college basketball game cannot be decided by a stopwatch on a cell phone.
I’ve seen the video. While it appears Davison got the shot off before the horn sounds, I cannot say with absolute certainty that he did.
But that is precisely why the shot should have remained good.
The video evidence simply is not there to overturn the call. The video I saw did not present irrefutable proof that the shot was either before or after the horn sounded (the time and the lights are not visible on the tape). As the rules state, Davison’s shot, which was originally called good, should have stood.
Of course, there is another rule that applies here. Once the game officials leave the court, the outcome of the game is considered final.
Johnson, in a statement released Monday, said, “If the conference were to take the action to declare the game completed at the end of regulation, that would be doing exactly what the referee did — inappropriately setting aside the rules of the game.”
A clever non-decision.
Calling the game complete at the end of regulation would have fixed an outcome already botched by an official who blatantly disregarded the rules of the game.
In this instance, two wrongs make a right.
I’m sure the league was worried about setting a bad precedent had it overturned the result. But I ask this: Since when is correcting a known mistake a bad thing? The goal here should be about getting the call right, not blindly following the rules. Svehla broke the rules to start this mess, and the MIAA should break the rules again to correct it.
Political correctness be damned, it is inherently wrong to allow Svehla’s decision to stand.
I write this as someone who has no rooting interest in this team. My job goes on with or without an ESU victory in this situation. But everyone who was there that night, fans of both schools and other unbiased media professionals, as well as those who have seen the tape, know the truth.
Svehla cheated Emporia State.
The league even has admitted Svehla is blamable for this mess, as he has been suspended for the rest of the season.
The MIAA should have finished the job and given the Hornets the victory Davison provided with one of the more remarkable game-winning shots I’ve seen.
ESU will now take its plea to overturn the game to the NCAA.
“We understand the position the conference office has taken,” ESU athletic director Kent Weiser said in a release late Monday afternoon. “The MIAA does not have the authority to overturn this and that is why we will continue our appeal to the national level.”
It’s doubtful, but hopefully the NCAA has the decency to do what’s right, something Johnson and the MIAA know nothing about.
Comments
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jasonesu (anonymous) says...
It appears that the MIAA has another commissioner without a back bone. The last commissioner Ralph Mcferrin was worthless and did nothing about the abosolute worst officiating in the NCAA. I have heard many teams from other conferences comment on how poor our officials are. It appears that Jim Johnson will not stand up to the officials either. I find it very strange that the official that called the shot good also overturned the call and I was also told that he was from St Joe/Maryville, Mo area. Isn't that strange that Northwest is from Maryville. Maybe the NCAA will make the right call that is all we can hope for.
February 12, 2008 at 1:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
emporialifer (anonymous) says...
So if the MIAA commissioner can basically do nothing but admit to a wrong and suspend an official - what is the point of the appeal process at the MIAA level? ESU doesn't give a hoot about them admitting a mistake or suspending an official (although it should make for less booing at future games without his horrible calls), but all they want is the "W". Why not eliminate the middle man and just go direct to the NCAA? The system sure seems a little screwy.
February 12, 2008 at 2:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
OutofTowner (anonymous) says...
The conference commissioner must not have ANY power.
A few years ago Ralph passed down a ruling, but one school
(I think it was Central Missouri) did not like it and somehow
the ruling was not enforced. I even asked John Rich "Why
do we have a commissioner if he has no authority over the members?"
February 12, 2008 at 4:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gregorymed (anonymous) says...
Because the MIAA commissioner works for the conference presidents....he is not king!
February 12, 2008 at 5:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
booker5m (anonymous) says...
Did anyone really think a Ks school would get any breaks against an Mo. school? I never felt that ESU should have joined the MIAA. Big Mistake!
February 12, 2008 at 5:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
admireed (anonymous) says...
Yes, ESU should be back in the RMAC or better yet NAIA where there is always a right conclusion. Shame on the MIAA and NCAA for being so anti ESU!
February 12, 2008 at 9:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
beth (anonymous) says...
Booker that is a knee jerk reaction. The MIAA is a perfect fit for ESU. Most of the schools are the same size, the travel isn't that bad and it is one of the best if not the best overall D2 conference in the nation. Where else should the Hornets be?
From what I have heard the commissioner has taken this very seriously. If you read his comments in the press release from the MIAA he is basically saying that ESU won the game but that two wrongs don't make a right. This whole thing is a mess.
February 13, 2008 at 8:40 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
booker5m (anonymous) says...
The actions of spineless commissioner says it all. ESU will never get a break from the MIAA.The Refs where wrong and the commissioner should have stepped in.
February 13, 2008 at 9:01 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Go_Emporia (anonymous) says...
I posted this on another article on this topic:
Official Will Lynde told Tom Svehla that it was against the rules to use the cell phone. Tom Svehla obviously showed a blatant disregard for the rules by doing so anyway, and it cost ESU the ballgame.
It seems to me a suspension is not nearly enough for this official. He owes the entire ESU basketball team and its fans a public apology. I believe he should be banned from any future officiating in the MIAA - ever.This was not an officiating mistake. It was a willful self-serving disregard for the rules of the game by a veteran official who certainly knew better, but chose to act defiantly at the expense of the ESU basketball team.
With no real recourse according to the NCAA handbook to set this wrong right, I would think Jim Johnson could exercise his authority as the MIAA Commissioner and make the decision to do the right thing and award ESU the win (as was the call on the court prior to the video review antics).
February 13, 2008 at 10:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
admireed (anonymous) says...
NWMS could step up and do the right thing. Forfit the game. Other honorable MIAA schools would if they were in the same situation.
February 13, 2008 at 11:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
KellyL (anonymous) says...
I cannot, for the life of me, understand how the ref came to the decision to take back that game winning shot. I also can't understand how the MIAA won't give ESU the win when they have essentially stated that ESU would have won the game if not for call of that 1 ref. His forced vacation does nothing to raise the morale of our guys and fans past knowing he got what he deserved (to some degree, anyway). Drew made that shot fairly, as everyone in that auditorium that night knows. How could we have won after that, with the refs making calls that only appeared to my eyes to swing to the benefit of NWMSU?
February 13, 2008 at 4:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )