Editor,
My dad was a referee throughout my childhood. I've heard rabid fans call him names that I wouldn't call my worst enemy.
Because of that, I'm the last person to point a finger at an official for error or bias, as I know the kind of pressure they're under. With that being said, anyone who was at Tuesday's Lobo-Cougar game in The Pit could tell there was something going on other than bad or inconsistent officiating against BYU.
In my opinion, they were absolutely not calling it both ways, and it's amazing to me how many people are taking that stance. The decapitation of Dairese Gary was only the tip of the iceberg with the astounding amount of noncalls that ended up hurting the Lobos.
As Scott Stigler said on the 770 AM post-game show, the number of foul shots was pretty even, but that means absolutely nothing, and it shouldn't be used to excuse the referee's performance.
What would be so wrong with the Lobos getting 40 foul shots to their 20? The MWC should look into this. And giving us that one-tenth of a second at the end of overtime was an insult to all 18,015 of us.
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With all that said, this is unfortunately part of the game. I couldn't be happier with how Steve Alford and the Lobos handled this. Despite the unbalance and the off-night of shooting, they kept fighting until the bitter end, somehow stayed in the game and reminded every Lobo fan out there what New Mexico basketball is all about.
A lesser coach would have brought this up in the post-game interviews and news conferences but, to no one's surprise, Alford acted like a professional. It was an honor to be a part of that crowd, and I've never been more proud to be a Lobo.
Daniel Schrader
Daily Lobo reader
