[NCAA BKB] Official vs. announcer in Saint Louis

[ak482]

Video included:
www.foxsportsmidwest.com/02/22/13/SLU-announcer-stiff-arms-official-during/msn_landing.html?blockID=868463&feedID=10336

SLU radio play-by-play man Bob Ramsey gets an earful from referee Bo Borowski live after calling an SLU foul a "cheap foul" over the air.

As a college broadcaster with a broadcasting degree, I think Borowski went overboard in this instance. Ramsey only used the term "cheap foul" which is a common term for touch fouls (in fact Bill Raftery's "nickle-dimer" is a spin-off of this phrase.) Plus, Ramsey was making this comment to his listening audience, not Borowski directly.

If the announcer takes his headset off and/or verbally threatens, harasses, or impugns the integrity of the official, the official is well within his/her right to run the announcer. This, IMO, is a case of rabbit ears and an official who should just let the matter go.

[FredFan7]

A University of Illinois announcer from the the 50s, 60s, and 70s, Larry Stewart, was a notorious homer and referee critic. Story goes that one time during a basketball game, Stewart went off on a Hawk Harrelson type rant for several minutes about a referee's call, even heckling the referee at one point. The referee rightly gave Stewart the boot.

This is a little thin-skinned by Borowski.

[russ]

Boroski is a very good Referee who has worked many high profile Big Ten games. He can have a little bit of a short fuse at times and it seems like that is what happened here. Ramsey was just announcing the game and happened to disagree with the call. It won't be the first time and it won't be the last. Just ignore it. However I think Ramsey deserves some blame too. He could have been the bigger man and just ignored Boroski but he had to be a smart ass and respond. Both men were pretty unprofessional here. I would not be surprised if Boroski is reprimanded by the A-10, he will probably at least get a warning from a supervisor. There should never be an instance where you speak to a broadcaster unless you are explaining a ruling after a video review. Other than that don't do it.