Almost four months after the fact, the NCAA has issued a reprimand to Jeff Walz for alleged conduct during the University of Louisville women’s team’s 76-69 loss to Gonzaga in the NCAA basketball tournament.
The NCAA claims he was using questionable language and kicked the scorer’s table at one point. They’ve decided to withhold his per diem allowance for the tournament.
Whatever he was doing must have been working. Even with leading scorer Monique Reid on the bench with a groin injury, his team came roaring back from a 20-point deficit to within three points at about the three-minute mark.
One has to appreciate the reaction of athletic director Tom Jurich who acknowledges being disappointed with the officiating in his response:
“Anything we do discipline-wise, we keep it internal,” Jurich said. “Jeff is aware of the situation. Everyone was very upset with the officiating. There were probably better ways for him to express himself, and he understands it.”
Jeff has a tough time handling mediocrity.
It takes four months to get per diem money? Explains a lot about the NCAA and revenue…
Cash flow baby, cash flow. And earning interest on what you hold on to as long as you can.
Years ago several Fortune 500 companies analyzed the postal system to find locations that were the slowest to get mail into the system. They then opened checking accounts in those cities (I remember one was Roanoke, VA and the company may have been GE) so that when they paid their bills they got an extra two to three days float on their money. When you are talking about hundreds of millions a year that interest adds up.
Good points, CardRon. Officiating too often resembles the old Worldwide Wrestlng Federation as far as lack of credibility.
It never fails. I don’t get the NCAA making things like this public. They could have done it internally. Officiating this year throughout college sports was probably the most questionable it has ever been. Too many times we have seen the officials inserting themselves into the games too much. The NCAA doesn’t seem to want to address it. Who will?