Post by nashvillestag on Mar 25, 2020 14:27:29 GMT -5
No apologies needed SOD. This whole thread has been amazing, especially based on the responses not only from the regulars, but in some cases from at least one former player that was actually in the arena of play. One comment on this particular article based on the reference to the PREVIOUS year's effort (44-31 loss) was how far the mentality of the club had come in one season. As Steve Balkun kind of alluded to, the Stags weren't sure in 1977 if they really belonged with the very best teams of the ECAC at that time, but in 78 that mentality had changed. Too bad Steve couldn't have played in 78 BTW. But back to the previous year, a lot of us folks (and I'm sure your father was one of them) were VERY unhappy that Barakat decided to hold the ball against Providence at the Hartford Civic Center. We knew they would be underdogs against the Friars led by a couple of studs, but the thought was that the stall ball Fred employed was kind of like admitting defeat even before the contest started.
It is also interesting to note that they played Canisius, who was coached by Fairfield alum Nick Macarchuk, and American, who was coached by former Stag coach Jim Lynam.
Last Edit: Mar 25, 2020 15:42:08 GMT -5 by vastagman
Mike Kitts was Paulie74” favorite target. His son , as bad as was his dad , is a ref today. I believe he did the recent Canisius game is Buffalo However, my most favorite ref memory occurred during the Tim O’Toole era. The Stags were playing I believe Siena ? at the WBA and at the very last few seconds of the game Terrance Todd drove the lane and put up a floater that went into the hoop cleanly . The shot appeared to be the game winner! However, Joe Demaio the ref at the game ( remember him?) came running out from under the basket waved the hoop off and called an offensive foul on Todd. So of course as a result the stags lost. Demaio sprinted off the court to the rear portal at the WBA after making the controversial call trying to beat the wrath of the fans. However one of the Fordham guys involved with the stags program at the time known as “ old man MAAC” on the fan board board beat Demaio to the seats above the portal. Old man MAAC yelled a couple of choice four letter words ar Joe who stopped and looked up. Once Demaio stopped he was a dead duck because Demaio got drenched with a 20 ounce beer that old man MAAC had dumped on joes ugly head. I remember saying to myself what a waste of a good beer!!
Looks like Paulie's buddy Mike Kitts dodged a bullet.
Post by reindeerfan on Jul 22, 2020 16:53:25 GMT -5
Glad that Kitts is doing well. I have to agree with Paulie about Kitts, he is the worst official to ever officiate a Stags game and in my view had it out for Mitch and Paul Cormier. Seemed like every call went against them.
Glad that Kitts is doing well. I have to agree with Paulie about Kitts, he is the worst official to ever officiate a Stags game and in my view had it out for Mitch and Paul Cormier. Seemed like every call went against them.
While I do agree the perception among Stag fans is that we more often then not didn't get a good whistle from Kitts, to be fair, as an well-respected national official who worked many big games including an abundance of NCAA tournament contests, that fact in itself certainly suggests he wasn't the worst guy out there. Not even close actually. Did he "have it out" for Mitch and Paul? Well actually the one specific game that irks me to this day didn't involve them at all, but rather the ultra-important contest that Cooley was coaching for the Stags, namely the MAAC final in 2010 where we didn't seem to get any calls at all from Mike or his two partners. Come to think of it Mitch was on the other side as an assistant that night, therefore maybe that proves he really didn't "have it out" for him, right? Anyway, again to be fair, we, like fans of all programs, definitely have our favorites or non-favorites based on obviously our want and passion to see our team come out victorious, and certainly that affects how we rate them. The point is Kitts, like almost all of the refs, are true professionals who put in a lot of work in their craft in order to do the best job possible. And with that in mind I think it is best at this point to emphasize the point of how happy we are that he is doing well rather than to trash his career. After all he is a well-known part of the college basketball family that has been a part of our lives for many years and therefore is someone who we should always hope for the best for I think.
Glad that Kitts is doing well. I have to agree with Paulie about Kitts, he is the worst official to ever officiate a Stags game and in my view had it out for Mitch and Paul Cormier. Seemed like every call went against them.
While I do agree the perception among Stag fans is that we more often then not didn't get a good whistle from Kitts, to be fair, as an well-respected national official who worked many big games including an abundance of NCAA tournament contests, that fact in itself certainly suggests he wasn't the worst guy out there. Not even close actually. Did he "have it out" for Mitch and Paul? Well actually the one specific game that irks me to this day didn't involve them at all, but rather the ultra-important contest that Cooley was coaching for the Stags, namely the MAAC final in 2010 where we didn't seem to get any calls at all from Mike or his two partners. Come to think of it Mitch was on the other side as an assistant that night, therefore maybe that proves he really didn't "have it out" for him, right? Anyway, again to be fair, we, like fans of all programs, definitely have our favorites or non-favorites based on obviously our want and passion to see our team come out victorious, and certainly that affects how we rate them. The point is Kitts, like almost all of the refs, are true professionals who put in a lot of work in their craft in order to do the best job possible. And with that in mind I think it is best at this point to emphasize the point of how happy we are that he is doing well rather than to trash his career. After all he is a well-known part of the college basketball family that has been a part of our lives for many years and therefore is someone who we should always hope for the best for I think.
And we also should remember that Mike Kitts was in the Omni Bar with Ed Cooley and Gene Doris the night before the Fairfield vs Siena MAAC Championship game..... yucking it up. We all thought that we had this game all wrapped up. They all seemed like "Buddies", but in all reality. They were all professionals.
While I do agree the perception among Stag fans is that we more often then not didn't get a good whistle from Kitts, to be fair, as an well-respected national official who worked many big games including an abundance of NCAA tournament contests, that fact in itself certainly suggests he wasn't the worst guy out there. Not even close actually. Did he "have it out" for Mitch and Paul? Well actually the one specific game that irks me to this day didn't involve them at all, but rather the ultra-important contest that Cooley was coaching for the Stags, namely the MAAC final in 2010 where we didn't seem to get any calls at all from Mike or his two partners. Come to think of it Mitch was on the other side as an assistant that night, therefore maybe that proves he really didn't "have it out" for him, right? Anyway, again to be fair, we, like fans of all programs, definitely have our favorites or non-favorites based on obviously our want and passion to see our team come out victorious, and certainly that affects how we rate them. The point is Kitts, like almost all of the refs, are true professionals who put in a lot of work in their craft in order to do the best job possible. And with that in mind I think it is best at this point to emphasize the point of how happy we are that he is doing well rather than to trash his career. After all he is a well-known part of the college basketball family that has been a part of our lives for many years and therefore is someone who we should always hope for the best for I think.
And we also should remember that Mike Kitts was in the Omni Bar with Ed Cooley and Gene Doris the night before the Fairfield vs Siena MAAC Championship game..... yucking it up. We all thought that we had this game all wrapped up. They all seemed like "Buddies", but in all reality. They were all professionals.
Interesting story, though I would beg to differ on whether this was "professional" behavior.
In sports officiating circles, many would consider Kitts to have been acting unprofessionally by having a fun time with Cooley and Doris the night before a championship game.
Note how you thought the game was "all wrapped up". Even though it wasn't, it created an unwanted perception.
If Siena had lost, would the Siena fans have been all over Kitts for hanging out with Cooley and Doris the night before the game? Pretty sure they would have.
Would Fairfield fans be all over Kitts if he hung out with Fran McCaffery the night before the game? Pretty sure they would have.
See #7 in the NASO (National Association of Sports Officials) Code of Conduct.
And we also should remember that Mike Kitts was in the Omni Bar with Ed Cooley and Gene Doris the night before the Fairfield vs Siena MAAC Championship game..... yucking it up. We all thought that we had this game all wrapped up. They all seemed like "Buddies", but in all reality. They were all professionals.
Interesting story, though I would beg to differ on whether this was "professional" behavior.
In sports officiating circles, many would consider Kitts to have been acting unprofessionally by having a fun time with Cooley and Doris the night before a championship game.
Note how you thought the game was "all wrapped up". Even though it wasn't, it created an unwanted perception.
If Siena had lost, would the Siena fans have been all over Kitts for hanging out with Cooley and Doris the night before the game? Pretty sure they would have.
Would Fairfield fans be all over Kitts if he hung out with Fran McCaffery the night before the game? Pretty sure they would have.
See #7 in the NASO (National Association of Sports Officials) Code of Conduct.
I agree that Conduct # 7 might be in appliance in this situation. If so, refs shouldn't even put themselves in a position to have Beer and Wings with friends that he probably knew for 50 years. However, this was done in the open public.... in the Sports Bar where most of the teams congregated. Yes, we thought it was strange too.
If I remember correctly, Kitts gave Fairfield no Bias in the Championship game. Matter of Fact, the calls probably leaned toward Siena.