Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 08:17:14 -0600
Message-ID: <20050126081714001@freethelaplandsix.com.>
Thread-Topic: SEC Officials
To: "Mike Slive" <mslive@secsports.com>
CC: "Mark Womack" <mwomack@secsports.com>,
"John Guthrie" <jguthrie@secsports.com>,
"Tom 'blind as a bat' Eades" <teades@secsports.com>
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Subject: SEC Officials


Mike Slive
2201 Richard Arrington Blvd. North
Birmingham, AL 35203
(205) 458-3000

Mike,
I have been very disgusted lately with the treatment that Stan Heath
and the Arkansas Razorback fans have received from the SEC. Since you
have so dutifully reminded coach Heath of the SEC code of "ethics", I
believe I should remind you of a few things.
First, while the SEC is among the top conferences in the country
when it comes to academics and athletics, it is dead last in officiating.
The responsibility for the lack of officiating talent rests squarely on
you, John Guthrie, and Bobby Gaston. All three of you have failed by
refusing to remove officials who are obviously not capable or unwilling
to officiate in a fare and objective manner. When ESPN announcers say
things like "This ref is known for making controversial calls against the
home team" it is very incriminating towards the state of officials in the
SEC.
Second, a code of ethics applies not only to coaches, but also to
SEC Office Staff and officials. You seem to find it appropriate to
publicly reprimand Stan Heath for telling the truth about officials, yet
you actively try to cover up the incident at the Arkansas-LSU basketball
game. You use phrases like "appropriate action" and "miscommunication"
to obfuscate the fact that Tom Eades completely blew the three point call.
The fact that Mike Jones' shot was a three pointer was painfully obvious
to even the most impartial of observers. There are only four possibilities
for why Eades would have called it a two pointer after reviewing the
replay:
1: His hubris wouldn't allow him to reverse his original
assumption.
2: His personal vendetta against Frank Broyles caused him to
intentionally throw the game.
3: He tried to make up for not calling traveling by breaking
the rules and saying that a three pointer was only worth
two points.
4: He is such a bad official that he was the only person in the
nation who couldn't tell that Jones' shot was in fact a three
pointer.
What is even more outrageous is how your office has tried to cover up the
obvious injustice that was done at LSU by taking "appropriate action" in
secrete while publicly reprimanding Stan Heath for telling the truth.
Finally, Tom Eades should be fired immediately because he is unable
to objectively officiate a basketball game. John Guthrie should be fired
immediately for allowing SEC officiating to be worst in the nation. You
should resign effective immediately for your part in allowing SEC
officiating to become such a joke to the rest of the nation. You and
John Guthrie have demonstrated that you are either unable or unwilling to
bring SEC officiating up to the same standards of excellence that you
hold for the universities, coaches, players, and boosters.
You, John Guthrie, and Tom Eades owe Stan Heath, the University of
Arkansas, and all Arkansas fans a public apology for defrauding them at
the LSU game.
Sincerely,
Nathan

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