[TIMSCAR20]

I think it is foolish to say he isn't good at his job. Like him or hate him, he grades out as one of the top officials in the country EVERY SEASON. I know a lot of these officials personally and I can tell you that they have the hardest job in the building every night. I used to officiate practice when I coached and it was by far the hardest thing I ever did on a basketball court.

I attended one of the NCAA officials conventions in Philadelphia last fall. John Adams head of NCAA officials was running it and he let me come as a guest. I was probably the only non official there except for a few league Commissioners and Stu Jackson of the NBA. Hess saw me there and looked at me like I had two heads. He called me over and asked what the heck I was doing there and why I would want to come there if I wasn't required like the rest of them. I told him I had been let go by Liberty and would be working CUSA and CAA for American Sports Network and that I always try to make sure I'm up on the rules. He started introducing me to a few of the guys sitting around him all of whom I knew or recognized. He is a pretty direct and straight forward guy and can rub people the wrong way at times but I have always liked him personally. He is costing himself a ton of money though losing all of those games. I know he has done between 99 and 101 games the past 4 seasons. I hear they avg about 2500 to 3000 per game at that level. That is a NICE chunk of change!

[PAFlame]

No matter what type of person Hess is or if the crowd should or shouldn't be saying things from the stands, it should NEVER denigrate down towards an insult from an ethnic standpoint. Karl Hess had absolutely no right to bring race into the equation, and the fact that he has caused trouble before will not help his cause. One other thing that should be established is that if you unable to take boos or yelling from the crowds, and it is affecting the way you do your job, you should not be a referee. I understand these guys have a hard job but guess what? A lot of people have jobs, and I imagine every single person at one point in their career has been criticized from the job they are doing. You learn from your mistakes and move on, obviously Karl Hess didn't learn from earlier mistakes, and actually has given some sort of mystifying soft excuse for his actions. If your excuse for borderline prejudice and racism is "I goof around a lot" you have a problem.

[JK37]

Please tell me, PA, where the prejudicial or racist behavior is? I'm not even trying to be overly technical or split hairs; I simply think people should understand the definitions of words before they use them.

[TIMSCAR20]

Please tell me, PA, where the prejudicial or racist behavior is? I'm not even trying to be overly technical or split hairs; I simply think people should understand the definitions of words before they use them.

JK I'm not saying Hess is a racist by any stretch. But the offensive part is when you start throwing around ethnic descriptions of people that are inaccurate. It's like when you call every Hispanic person you know a Mexican. It is really condescending and insensitive. South American's and Central American people REALLY get offended and I understand. I wouldn't want someone to say "I'd like to see your black butt pick up a whistle..." I would be offended. I know there are a ton of people that play the race card way, way more than they should but on the flip side it does help to try to understand the minority point of view and why certain things can at least be offensive to a varying degree.

[adam42381]

Referencing an American-born man of Indian descent as an "Egyptian as$" (stupid filter) is definitely insensitive and most likely racist.

[JK37]

The man to whom Hess was speaking has said he did not post it on Twitter to incite a controversy, nor was he offended. It was originally thought to be funny and in jest between two presumably knucklehead alpha-males.

In my opinion, what Mr. Hess said was insensitive. I believe it was also incited by remarks by the fan. To talk of someone's race or ethnicity does not make one a racist. That's an extremely harsh criticism, and one that is false in this case.

[Purple Haize]

No matter what type of person Hess is or if the crowd should or shouldn't be saying things from the stands, it should NEVER denigrate down towards an insult from an ethnic standpoint. Karl Hess had absolutely no right to bring race into the equation, and the fact that he has caused trouble before will not help his cause. One other thing that should be established is that if you unable to take boos or yelling from the crowds, and it is affecting the way you do your job, you should not be a referee. I understand these guys have a hard job but guess what? A lot of people have jobs, and I imagine every single person at one point in their career has been criticized from the job they are doing. You learn from your mistakes and move on, obviously Karl Hess didn't learn from earlier mistakes, and actually has given some sort of mystifying soft excuse for his actions. If your excuse for borderline prejudice and racism is "I goof around a lot" you have a problem.

Totally false. Let Karl come to your place of Employment and yell things at the top of his lungs about the mistakes he perceives you make.

[SuperJon]

To me, it's obvious Hess and the booster had a previous relationship. They've likely went back and forth at games before and could very well know each other off the court. That's how Hess knew he was of another ethnic descent.

Every person on here has made jokes with friends about them being of some ethnic background they're not. We're all a little more "racist" and "insensitive" with people we have a relationship with.

The unfortunate part of the whole situation is that a tweet that was likely meant as a joke and or, at the very least, to be lighthearted has been picked up and turned into a controversy that led to someone losing their job.

[Purple Haize]

To me, it's obvious Hess and the booster had a previous relationship. They've likely went back and forth at games before and could very well know each other off the court. That's how Hess knew he was of another ethnic descent.

Every person on here has made jokes with friends about them being of some ethnic background they're not. We're all a little more "racist" and "insensitive" with people we have a relationship with.

The unfortunate part of the whole situation is that a tweet that was likely meant as a joke and or, at the very least, to be lighthearted has been picked up and turned into a controversy that led to someone losing their job.

To me, that's the key point. If they have known each other for awhile a liked each other, that's 1 thing. If they didn't know are like each other that's another. I have not seen the booster come out to defend Hess or say the comment was in jest. So that's where it gives me pause.

[BJWilliams]

The man to whom Hess was speaking has said he did not post it on Twitter to incite a controversy, nor was he offended. It was originally thought to be funny and in jest between two presumably knucklehead alpha-males.

In my opinion, what Mr. Hess said was insensitive. I believe it was also incited by remarks by the fan. To talk of someone's race or ethnicity does not make one a racist. That's an extremely harsh criticism, and one that is false in this case.

[bluejacket]

Other than his tweet, Mit Shah has not publicly commented on the incident. In the original article, Shah confirmed it to the News and Observer. Which leads me to believe that it was not taken in jest and Shah was not happy about the comment.
http://www.newsobserver.com/2015/01/05/ ... .html?rh=1

[JK37]

Other than his tweet, Mit Shah has not publicly commented on the incident. In the original article, Shah confirmed it to the News and Observer. Which leads me to believe that it was not taken in jest and Shah was not happy about the comment.
http://www.newsobserver.com/2015/01/05/ ... .html?rh=1

[bluejacket]

The man to whom Hess was speaking has said he did not post it on Twitter to incite a controversy, nor was he offended. It was originally thought to be funny and in jest between two presumably knucklehead alpha-males.

You said this. I'm taking a newspaper over an anonymous guy on a message board.

[Purple Haize]

The man to whom Hess was speaking has said he did not post it on Twitter to incite a controversy, nor was he offended. It was originally thought to be funny and in jest between two presumably knucklehead alpha-males.

You said this. I'm taking a newspaper over an anonymous guy on a message board.

He was not talking about his competency as an official. Just a person.

[bluejacket]

He was not talking about his competency as an official. Just a person.

? I think JK37 and I were talking about Mit Shah......

[Purple Haize]

He was not talking about his competency as an official. Just a person.

? I think JK37 and I were talking about Mit Shah......

It applies to both

[R i]

Sad to hear Karl lost his job, he was a part of the show. That unfortunately is what lost him his job. If I had to guess, the ACC has probably been looking for an out for a few years, just like with TV Teddy, they couldnt just stop giving the man assignments.

From what I have read, it looks like Karl is suspended for this year only from the ACC. Maybe he takes a year off and comes back.

As to Karl's abilities to make good calls on the court, he was one of the best, evaluators grade every call, and Karl grades better than most in America. You sound like a mother of a 12 year old screaming at the stripes over a 3 second violation, if you think otherwise.

[ballcoach15]

I haven't seen "3 second violation" called in years .

[thepostman]

Watch more basketball. You can't be real.

[Purple Haize]

I haven't seen "3 second violation" called in years .

Because most people don't understand the rule.

[thepostman]

He coached upward. He understands.

[Purple Haize]

He coached upward. He understands.

Pour salt in my wound won't you? I really thought I had a chance this year but alas, a couple of mom's wanted a team so I got put on the waiting list

One day........one......day.....