Louisville Fined, Reprimanded by ACC -- Softball run rules FIU -- WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 WALZ'S REMARKS DRAW ACC FINE, REPRIMAND

The ACC has fined the University of Louisville $20,000 in an institutional fine and also issued a public reprimand for Jeff Walz's remarks following the Sunday loss to Syracuse at Syracuse. 

Walz was critical of the intentional foul called on Olivia Cochran as time ran out in the contest and Louisville held a one-point lead. The foul gave Syracuse's Dyaisha Fair two free throws, which she made, to give Syracuse the lead and win over the Cardinals WBB squad. The referee crew that made the game changing call did something you usually don't see in close games late in the action. Instead of just giving the 'Cuse the ball out of bounds again, they really overjudged the infraction and changed the course of the outcome. 

I have been asked why did Louisville foul there with the lead, and, although the decision has been upheld in a lot of circles, I have to ask..."why put the outcome in the hands of an officiting call? Especially when you have the lead?"  I choose maybe the lesser of two options there, in my mindset and thinking...why foul when you have the lead and don't need the ball back. 

In any event,.. Walz commented, the ACC didn't like what he had to say and slapped the Cards twice. They fell back on the rules interpretation of the Sportsmanship Policy that says:

"Public criticism of officials or public comments evaluating the officiating of particular contests is not in the best of intercolligiate athletics. Individuals associaated with the athletics program, therefore, are prohibited from commenting while acting in an official capacity on officiating of the than directly to the Conference office."

After all the chatter and debate over the game changing call, the fact still remains that the winning outcome goes to a team that had appeared to lose, but got a second chance from a crew that made a call you don't usually see in a situation like this. It speaks volumes about the inconsistancy and subpar efforts of referees in the ACC this year. Will the call affect the annual ACC Conference seedings, or who will win the regular season ACC WBB Titile?  No, probably not...but if Louisville comes in second in the league by a game, it will surely be bantied about again. Currently, Louisville (9-3) is a game and a half behind Virginia Tech (11-2) in the conference standings and a half game behind Syracuse. Teams play 18 league games this season before the tournament. If Syracuse wns the league, look back to this incident. 

That $20,000 could have bought a lot of lacrosse gear. 

What can be done to improve the officiting in women's college basketball. Some will tell you it isn't broken and doesn't need fixing. Many will look at this gaffe by a crew in a game between two "top 3" teams in the conference and shake their heads in disbelief...expectng better. Others may point to Louisville losing a nine-point lead in the quarter as a key in the Cards loss. The point is, it's a shame and disgrace for a highly-charged, competitive game like this one was to have the possible decision altered by a call you rarely see in this situation and by a substandard officiating crew.. 

Finally, I have been asked if Walz should have made remarks that drew the fine and reprimand. My take? Hell, yes. Sure, Olivia fouled. But, Fair was nowhere naar the basket and Cochran's foul wasn't a brutal, intentional knock-down, just an arm hold. The girl wasn't even shooting. Got to let that one, go... officials, not toss an intentional at her.  If those refs had heard me after the call, they would have probably banned me for life from ACC WBB games. 

I guess the bottom line is still..."those who score more, win". How the points end up that way will be the argung point here for quite a while, is my guess, in this situation. Yes, the free throws still had to be made.Should they have ever been awarded? I say no.

The big problen here is how do you come up with officiating in WBB that isn't drawing so many complaints and criticisms? The game needs officials, no doubt. But, the travel is long and maybe not the best paying gig for those who are entrusted with the whistles. Other ACC coaches have had complaints about the refs recently, too, but the ACC officials chose not to go after them . Olivia is the victim here. She was just doing whaat her coach told her to do, and 99% of the time, a regular foul is called and Syracuse is given the ball out of boundss to try again. But...this WAS in Syracuse. I'll leave it there. . . 

We welcome your siggestions on how to get good WBB officials in the ACC, or in all of collegiate women's basketball. Leave a comment,

SOFTBALL SLAMS FIU 11-2

Zabala!

Louisville Softball's win streak goes to six games to start the season and mastery in Florida remains unblemshed as well. 

On Tuesday, the Softball Cards popped out to a 4-0 first inning led over FRIU and added six more runs in the fourth nning to gett the rule-run "W" in Miami. 

A Bailee Richardsn first inning double scored Chelsea Mack and a three RBI home run from first baseman Riley Frizell gave UofL a 4-0 lead that they never relinquished. 

(Lovely Daisy...)

The Cards added six runs in the fourth inning on  four FIU erors and were aided by a huge double from catcher Kiley Goff. The scoring was completed when shortstop Daisy Hess doubled home Ally Alexander in the top of the fifth. 

Alyssa Zabala (3-0) gets the win in the circle, allowing two runs on three hits in four innings. Sam Booe pitched a scoreless inning to close out the win. 

The Cardinals will continue their road stretch on Thursday at 6 p.m. when they take on host FAU in the opening game of the Joan Joyce Classic 

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

Have a great Valentines Day readers, if you have that someone special that may surprise you or you are surprisng and/or honoring them. And, Cupid is out there...be careful, you unattached or unclaimed.....

paulie