Big East Embarrassment

Nobody is coming out clean from the end of the Rutgers/St. John's game yesterday. It was a pathetic ending to a basketball game from all sides.

The Referees: How was so much missed on this play? First, there was a foul on the catch and pass play Rutgers was running. I know referees are looking to swallow their whistles at the end and "allow the players to decide the outcome," but when a pass is stolen because the passer's arm was hit, it has to be called.

Worse, however, is the rest of the play. Not only did the St. John's player travel with the ball, but he steps out of bounds with time still on the clock. How could all of that be missed? There were almost five seconds left when the play began - who could have thought that action on the catch took the full five seconds? Which brings us to...

St. John's: Seriously? Running with and then throwing the ball up in the air? And worse, Steve Lavin is walking to shake hands with Rutgers' coach while this is all happening. He thought it was over too! I don't understand why St. John's isn't getting hammered more for its handling of the final play. They played it like there was one second on the clock - there was 4.9!

Rutgers: Nice job, coach - you're over-the-top reaction to the no-call on the passer meant you didn't even notice the St. John's player running out-of-bounds with time on the clock. You didn't even know to be mad about the ending until after the game. There is a reason not to throw a temper tantrum while coaching - do you see Phil Jackson or Dean Smith misses that because they are having a fit over the first missed call? Or how about the assistants who are also going nuts without watching the rest of the play?

Bad and embarrassing all around.