In a split second yesterday, a referee decided to keep Ohio State alive in the NCAA tournament. Greg Oden committed a hard foul, one that the referee could have -- I think should have -- ruled intentional, which would have given Xavier two free throws and the ball, and would have essentially ended the game.Instead, Xavier just got two shots, one of them missed, an Ohio State three-pointer sent the game into overtime, and the Buckeyes dominated the extra five minutes. So what about that foul? Oden makes no secret that he meant for it to be a hard one.
"I just look at that foul as, they're going to call bull crap fouls," Oden said. "I might as well get one that's hard."
If there was any doubt that it was an intentional foul, that comment should erase it. Ohio State deserves credit for the way it came back at the end of the second half and the way it pulled away in overtime with Oden on the bench, but the referee's refusal to call the intentional foul that happened right in front of him took the game from Xavier.
Comments (Page 1 of 2)
It goes to show that refs dont care about calling the correct calls when they are against big money teams. That was a dumb play by Oden and it was clear that it was a hard and intentional foul. The fouls should have been called and the game should have been sealed up for Xavier. Instead they were robbed by a star struck referee.
pretty much sucks that the officials took that game away from Xavier. That definitely was an intentional foul on Oden. But because they are the number one seed and he is Greg Oden, they have no guts to call it that way. What a shame. And if I see Thad Motta whining anymore on the bench I think I am going to throw up. Every call made he was whining to the officials. You lucked out Ohio State, better keep hoping the officials are on your side the rest of the tournament, because that is the only way you can win.
Hit your free throws and we aren't talking about this! That call didn't lose the game for Xavier. Xavier lost that game for Xavier. What about those other five minutes they let Mike Conley become their daddy? It's not like they didn't have a chance to close out the game, they had their chance and didn't capitalize.
I guess the 'no call' that left #23 laying on the floor was ok? It looks to me that they were letting them play. When you are behind with little time, every foul is intentional. Are you saying there was intent to do harm? I think there is a big difference between a hard foul and an intentional one. Maybe a hard foul to intentionally stop the clock...
If that wasn't an intentional foul, then I guess I have no idea what one is supposed to look like. Xavier got jobbed. Still, they shoulda made their friggin' free throws.
LOCK HIM UP. IT'S CRIMINAL, GET HIM OFF MY TV.
Sorry Xavier. Officials Blew It, Same way they did when they didn't throw Christian Laetner out of the game for stomping on the Kentucky player some years back.
1) In response to the idiotic comparison of what happened to Oden and Laetner... I watched that UK-Duke game in the 92 Tourney, CL didn't "stomp", but it was certainly a BS non-call for sportsmanship reasons. Oden got a whistle for his 5th foul. He didnt have another chance to help his team. Big diference.
2) There was a lot of hacking by both teams under the basket, a whistle could have blown earlier on any of 6 players from both teams. The officals allowed it to get out of control. Can you really fault the officals for not calling an intentional without first faulting them for not calling any of the many regular fouls that were occuring?
3) I think the officals did the correct thing in simply calling a regular foul. It resulted in Xavier having a chance to go up by 4 and icing the game... but the PLAYER had win the game, not the officals. Oden was still gone and wouldnt be a factor again no matter what happened.
4) Even after the Xavier missed one of the free throws OSU was down 3 and it took an incredible low percentage shot by Lewis to force overtime. Xavier didn't put it away and OSU did what they had to do to force OT.
5) OSU dominated the OT without Oden around to cause problems inside. How many chances did Xavier need?
6) Xavier played one hell of a game, they don't need to make excuses for their performance.
gosh, I think along with my wife that these tournament games have been really really badly officiated..not just the men, but the women's also along with the NIT..wow they sure see things that no one ewlse in the world see's encluded the replays, and then refusses to make a call that is right in front of them, just seems like they know who is playing and who is suppose to win, and who they are to protect,. shame that these guy are so bad..wow..course some think they are god because they are wearing a shirt, and are calling the game, and have to be the one who decides who wins and who goes home...pitiful..just had a travel right in fron t of the guy and guess what, yep no call bad
Everyone is forgetting that the refs missed TWO fouls called in the last 10 seconds. Yes, the Oden foul was intentional, however 2 seconds before Oden's foul Cage was fouled on his putback and the refs didn't call that! If the refs would have called that foul, the Bucks would have gotten the ball back only down 2 with 9 seconds to go and the Oden foul never could have happened! They missed both calls and "I think" that not calling the Oden foul intentional was that refs was of making up for the missed foul call on Cage.
FYI, I am not a Buckeye fan... I was routing for Xavier... I got my MBA from there but I'm not bitter because if the refs would have gotten it ALL right in the last 10 seconds the Oden foul never would have even happened.
Oden's right! tic tac fouls on him all day the refs called, he was frustrated and finally said heres a real one for you refs! ACC referee's are the worst in the country
the columbus dispatch shows xavier's idea of "blocking out" about a second before oden's foul. i feel for xavier because they played awesome, but stop acting like oden is a horrible person because of one hard foul. he's been getting hacked all year long the way shaq did in college, and the big ten refs haven't called most of the fouls.
And don't forget, the foul happened down in the paint at the very end of the game... everybody knows you get to play rougher in that situation.
As another poster has said, at the end of a game with one team down by a few, _every_ foul by that team is "intentional". Unless there is intent to do harm, it isn't an "intentional" foul deserving of 2 shots and the ball. Xavier played a hell of a game, but Xavier lost it when the chance to ice it with two freethrows came up. I'm far from an Oden fan (Durant is certainly the best player this year and he come across as a classier guy, too), but Oden's intent did not change that fact.
And the seeding in this "pod" sucked. Xavier, the 9, got what is essentially a home game against higher seeded BYU and squeeked out a win. Anywhere else and they aren't even in this game. Then they get the top seed, a 1-9 pairing, with the 9 playing only an hour from home. We'll see what happens with UCLA, but at least they're a 2 and not a 9.
FORGET THE FOULS REMEMBER THE FOUL SHOOTING XAVIER COULDNT HIT THEIR ASS WITH BOTH HANDS WHEN ITCAME DOWN TO IT
And to the guy who said, "the refs can't even get calls right after looking at the replays!"... refs cannot change a call after looking at a replay. They are only allowed to look at replays to make sure that the time is correct... that and that alone. Know the rules before you comment... otherwise you just look like stupid.
Buckeyes' fans shouldn't be thanking the refs for a gift, they should be pissed that the "no call" 2 seconds before the Oden call got missed... that would have put them at the free throw line only down 2 rather than having to shoot a 3 pointer from the parking lot!! I think that the game was well officiated... they let them play hard the whole game. Even the Xavier coach thanked the refs for "letting them play".
That was as intentional a foul as it gets. But because everyone wants to see Ohio State advance because of Oden, they didn't make the call. Same thing as Miami losing to OSU in the football national title game a few years ago where they called the nonexistent pass interference. Ohio State gets passes on things, and it drives me insane. Xavier had that game won, and they were screwed out of it.
i'm all for gregg oden. all season long he plays with left hand and arm. defenses hang 3 to 4 players on him. they do not call fouls against his opposition and then in this game a theatrical sob referee tries to take his game from him by calling imaginary travels and offensive fouls on him. the fat, balled, short sob tried to upstage him. he is so much above the level of competition, it is all they can do is play 8 against 5 and crap we still win. ha ha ha and let the jesuits cry ,they screw everyone they get a chance on. they are the catholic mafia.
lol...OSU gets passes on things. Lets keep the conspiracy theories coming...seriously though it never ceases to amaze me when people focus on one event and say that it was the ONLY reason a team lost. Like they totally forget the 11 point lead they blew and the free throws they missed on the Oden foul(which was intentional, officials didnt call it, but not some big school/small school conspiracy). However, this is why sports is so fun, and hope to see even more controversy in the future!
money talks in all sports because of BIG TV DOLLARS and Ohio St. is not going home!
Again Ryan Ferguson spews his opinion based on one thing, his boss says get in there and stir things up why do you think I let date my daughter. Not only do you not know what an intentional foul looks like, you don't know where your ass is unless someone tells you. That person is usually standing very close behind you, idiot. It would be nice if someone like you who had access to post his opinions like you would say one thing that didn't sound like, "hit your friggin' free throws" Man you tell em Ryan, you the man!!!!!!!!!! Hey your Mom says hi!!!!!!!!!