Watch That Ref: Doug Sirmons Will T You Up

Referees have a thankless job - when they are perfect no one notices them, but when they screw up, you get idiots like us ranting and raving on the internet about how they are all bums. However, the fact that it's a tough job shouldn't absolve refs of scrutiny, especially since they are vital to outcomes of the games we all love.

In college basketball, there are a number of good refs out there working -- however, the system is broken and most of these guys -- who aren't young -- are working way too much.  In a sport that reaps billions from television contracts, referees are independent contractors (like the guys who built the Death Star), who make money based on the sheer volume of games they work.

But don't take it from me, check out this NY Times article from last March. 50 and 60 year old guys -- like Syracuse fan favorites Jim Burr and Tim Higgins, are working every night of the week, in different states.  And they are chasing 20 year olds, some of whom are the best athletes on the planet, up and down the court.

So, with that in mind and conference seasons in full swing, we launch "Watch That Ref" an occasional series that looks at what college basketball referees are doing, and using statistics available from Stat Sheet -- shines a light on what the hell they are up to.  Please keep in mind the Stat Sheet ref disclaimer as we move forward.

Technical Madness

When it comes to calling technical fouls, the 2010-2011 season leader is running away with the crown the way Tiger Woods used to run away from the field on Sunday Augusta. The current leader is a ref named Doug Sirmons (above).  Doug works mainly SEC games and has already worked 40 contests this year.  In those 40 contests, there have been an astounding 32 technicals called.  That's crazy when you consider the fact that the guy in second place on the T ladder is Pat Adams, who has had 20 technicals called in games he's worked.  That's one hell of a difference right there. Check it out:

Sirmons is on such a roll he's only 10 technicals shy of last year's leader for the entire year -- a ref named Doug Shows:

Doug's running hot this year and is actually within a couple of outbursts of topping his own season high, and it's still early January.

NCAA Basketball

However, it's been a rough year for Mr. Sirmons, as he was the guy that blew that terrible whistle in the UCLA-Kansas game earlier this year. I bet he didn't get many Christmas cards from Southern California this year.

So let this be a lesson to coaches, fans and players alike -- if you see Doug Sirmons walk on the floor to call your game, keep your trap shut, or he'll T your ass up quicker than you can blink.