Often, I receive e-mails and phone calls from WVU fans complaining about the officiating in the Big East Conference. With West Virginia’s upcoming departure from the Big East, the calls and notes have picked up this spring as the fans in our state are now convinced there is a conspiracy among the officials to "stick it to the Mountaineers."
One note I received said that "I can’t wait to put the Big East in my rear view mirror because I am fed up with Big East basketball officiating."
I am here to offer you this warning. It will take less than a half of a hoops season next winter before you feel the same way about the officiating in the Big 12. Does that mean the officiating in the Big East is bad and that the officiating in the Big 12 will be worse? No.
My point is simply this. You, as a fan base, will never be happy with the officiating in your league, no matter where you play. That is just the way it is.
It won’t take long before you "hate" the Big 12 officials just as much as you "hate" the Big East.
It is so predictable it is laughable.
Every fan base that I know of "hates" the officials who do their games.
In the ACC, North Carolina fans hate the ACC Officials. Why? Because they think the favor Duke and Coach K. Duke hates the ACC officials also. Why? They think they favor UNC. Maryland, N. C. State, Clemson, Virginia Tech, you name it. They all hate the officials in their league.
Do you think fans of Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan State, Purdue, Iowa, etc. like the officiating in the Big 10. No. Trust me. They don’t.
In the SEC, Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, Florida, etc. all joke about the SEC officials being the worst in the country. Does that mean that they are? Certainly not.
So, go ahead and hate on the Big East officials the rest of this basketball season. Soon, you will feel the same way about the Big 12. It is the nature of the beast. You will have the same complaint about officiating next winter. Just remember to change the name of the conference when you write.