Let me say something before I start talking about Tim Higgins and the state of officiating in general. I didn't think Tim Higgins could officiate when he was younger. Now I know he can't officiate in the autumn of his career. There is absolutely no way that Higgins could have missed the St. John player stepping out of bounds. He as only OB by about a foot. I don't fault anyone for missing the travel. Those things are hard to determine walking in the best of times. In a crunch time when officials want players to determine a game's outcome and travels sometimes get, ahem... overlooked. But you can't overlook stepping out of bounds. Higgins reportedly has worked around 80 games this season to date. That wear and tear mounts up on a young man. I can only imagine what it does to an older man.Not defending the indefensible but the NCAA could help alleviate the such situations by limiting the number of games any official can work in a week. Some work 5 or 6 games weekly. One day you are in Gainesville and the next day in the Garden. Not only are old men trying to keep up young men they have to travel, eat food on the road, sleep in strange beds. No of this is conducive to doing a good job. Some of these men have officiated over 120 games by season's end.
The crew that worked the Rutger's - St. John game collectively missed the most obvious call since JaMicheal Green did not step out of bounds as he was mugged in Vandy. There was no excuse for Higgins then. There is none in the Big East Tournament. I've never understood why the NCAA allows such to occur. No actually I do. They are penny wise and dollar foolish. The NCAA could hire professionals like the NBA does. The NBA is paupers compared the NCAA.
Here is my favorite Tim Higgins quote about officiating. "It's not hard work. You only have to concentrate for what, two hours?" That right Tim, two hours. Two complete hours. Not 1:59 minutes. It's time to step down for the good of the game.
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