Karl Hess

Being a ref is a hard job. You get a lot of verbal abuse. However, pretty much short of being threatened, you have to be able to ignore what the fans yell and you need to concentrate on officiating the game. If you can't do that - then maybe being a ref is not your thing. If you can't stand the heat, don't even go into the kitchen in the first place.

Karl Hess is a basketball official who works ACC games (and other conferences). He ejected two Fans (not players or coaches - FANS) from today's FSU at NC State Game.

Here's the video:



And here is what is purported to be a firsthand account by a Student in the Student Section right behind the incident who claims to have heard everything. This is taken from scout.com / Pack Pride message boards:

Posted: Today 5:24 PM
Googs and Corch Clarification. (Eye witness account)
________________________________________
I know there is already multiple threads talking about this, but I didn't want the actual facts to get lost in them.

I was sitting two rows behind Chris & Tom. If you watch the video I am in the second row of SWPC members. I heard everything, including when another ref called out a student near me for saying "Quit looking at the dance team." The cop came over and just laughed at the comment and said, you are fine you can stay.

Chris and Tom were harmlessly complaining about the ref. No profanity. They had two very young daughters with them and I doubt they would ever cuss with them there. I never saw anything other than just average complaining.

Karl walked over and pointed at them and said, "Get them out of here." He then found a cop and said, "I want you to get them out of here. Those two right there."

If you listen closely to the video you can hear him say the 'those two' comment.

And that was pretty much that. I was right there. I saw it first-hand thats exactly what happened almost word for word.

I was in shock. Someone next to me asked, "why are you so upset? who are those guys?" I responded by pointing to the rafters at their two jerseys. Debbie Yow needs to seriously do something about this.
Last edited Today 5:32 PM by Statefan44

That the two fans were former star NC State players is not the issue.

Any fan should be able to cheer, yell, and opine about the ref's abilities - as long as they do not disrupt play, threaten or endanger others, or behave in a manner that is disruptive to others (such as profanity around other fans, especially children). Short of that - a ref has no place whatsoever to involve himself with, or interact with, any fan. Former player or average Joe - doesn't matter. The ref should officiate the game and ignore everything else.

I don't care how 'good' he is - IF this account is correct - then Karl Hess is a self-aggrandizing, self-absorbed, preening, prima donna who should not be officiating ACC games.

National Anthem

On a more positive note - Nuke and I always make it a point to be at our seats in time for the National Anthem. It's one of those things that makes me feel good - to be able to stand at attention and sing along with everyone else. Today I took this photo:

Dook

Last night’s loss hurt.

We were up by 19 the first half and 20 the second half.

Unfortunately, State suffers from a self fulfilling reputation. We get into foul trouble; so the refs know we get into foul trouble; therefore they expect us to foul and call any questionable foul on us.

Actually, we are prone to picking up some dumb fouls. But we don’t foul anywhere as much as we’re called for.

Last night it hurt us bad. We were in foul trouble already in the first half – and then about midway through the second half we had a time where we quickly picked up a couple legitimate fouls but were then called for some that weren't quite as real.

With guys having to sit on the bench, we just don’t have any depth beyond 7 players. Couple that with Dook’s really great athletes and momentum shift – and the game slipped away from us. You could see our players getting rattled and panicky.

Bottom line - Dook has overall better athletes, much greater bench depth, a self-fulfilling reputation for not fouling and the Cameron Indoor Stadium home court advantage.

All that is hard to overcome for a team like NC State. Even with a huge lead.

That . . . . and the fact I’m pretty sure Krzyzewski has sold his children’s souls to Satan.

ACC Basketball

State is doing so much better under Coach Mark Gottfried. We won at Georgia Tech last night.

State has 6 ACC games left. First comes a killer stretch of 3 games -

at #10 Dook (in a three way tie for ACC first place at 8 and 2);
vs. #15 Florida State (in a three way tie for ACC first place at 8 and 2);
vs. #5 Carolina (in a three way tie for ACC first place at 8 and 2).

It's called ACC Basketball. And it's fun. Oh yeah, NC State, at 7 and 3, is in the ACC fourth place.

Two nights ago - Dook and UNCheats played a classic game. UNCheats was up by 10+ the entire second half till 2:15 left in the game. Dook mounted a furious rally to the last second final shot - and - the only lead of the second half for Dook.

What a great game.

Superbowl Weekend Update 2012

Saturday


Saturday State beat Wake Forest. It was a 1 PM game so Nuke and I went early to the RBC Center Arena Club for brunch. It's really not worth it - more of something to do once in a while. Think Hotel Sunday buffet food and prices. $20 for brunch Saturday. $30 for dinner buffets / night games. Plus $6 beers. You get the idea. I go maybe once a year.

Friday

I have a new project in Fayetteville. It's located less than a mile from LaFayette Memorial Park where mom and dad are buried. I stopped by there Friday and took this photo:


I think the artificial flowers were put there by my aunt and uncle. They're older now and it's more difficult for them to visit grave sites - hence the artificial flowers instead of more frequent fresh flowers.

I'd rather the occasional fresh flowers, but some people prefer some sort of flower (artificial) at the grave all the time. Actually, fresh or artificial, it really doesn't matter. Whatever makes Aunt E and Uncle R happy works for me.

Sunday


Waiting for the Superbowl to start. I'm not a professional football fan. College - Oh Yeah! Pro? No. But I do watch the playoffs.