The absolute worst case of referee scoring witnessed to date. No "borderline" call or "referee's opinion" would prompt me to post a negative comment about the refs. They usually do a great job and "get it right". I'm interested in anyone else who witnessed the match. Please post your observations. No disrespect or slight to Aaron Ellison who was fantastic, and a champion indeed. Aaron wrestled great. The gross display of official incompetence put a stain on a spectacular tournament. When experienced refs make *mistakes" of this magnitude in championship matches in high profile tourneys, it makes the wrestling fans start to wonder what the hell is going on.

You are clearly a "Homer" for Milstead. This call was made the same way it was for at least 5 other double overtimes I saw. As soon as anyone stands up they drop to a single and hold on. Exactly the same as Noblet's semi's and several others. If you want the rule changed thats one thing but it was called consisnently all day and all year.

I am not for either side but was sitting right behind many STA supporters. All of you were going nuts. Mark is a good kid but he got beat...barely yes, but beat. Maybe he will beat him the next time, but calling for sanctions against the refs show you are more than a little biased.

Thanks Badbo foryour reply. What you said illuminates further my point though. I agree with your assesment of that call... but that isn't even the call I was curious about. You are correct in how they judged those OT matches. The call that was stunningly bad was in the 3rd period of regulation. Millstead, from the bottom referees position slowly and methodically worked his way to his feet. Aaron was doing a good job defending Millstead but eventually Millstead turned and faced Ellison and the two were head-to-head facing each other, both on their feet. Milstead was not awarded an escape point. Explain. The match would not have gone into overtime if that point was awarded. I didn't have a problem with the overtime call you are talking about. But it does illustrate the notion that in the minds of some spectators a god-awful call (or no call as the case may be) will be forgotten if the drama continues later in the match and especially if the decisive call can be even remotely debated. I genuinely appreciate your point of view though.

I posted a comment on this in another forum... When you read the rule book and the case book on escapes and you witness how refs apply the rules and it doesnt make sense. The refs make escapes more judgement then a clear cut decision as I believe it should be. However escapes have been called consistantly bad all year so its just something you have to get used to... I can live with it but I still dont understand it...

(excuse the typos)

Thanks Travius. You are 100% right. What the rules say, and how they are interpretted/applied at some points is confusing. I can understand differences of opinion and perspective and I realize that refs are human and make mistakes. Some "mistakes" are impossible to explain when the proper call is obvious. Again, a "borderline" call or a "judgement" call wouldn't have raised an eyebrow from me. This was blatant disregard for proper application of the scoring criterion.

if im not mistaken, to get awarded an escape point the other person has to lose control. i dont think i ever lost control and i dont think we were "head to head". it was a good tough match and could have went either way. didnt go milsteads way this time. life goes on.

I agree it was a good, tough match. Furthermore I agree it didn't go Milstead's way, ...and life will go on. That is all I can agree with. You were "head to head" and you didn't maintain control. But it was the refs obligation to notice that...not your opinion of "control". I'm sure Milstead's opinion varies from yours. You did your job well, and that is all anyone can ask. The refs just didn't hold up their end of the deal.

lets see....i wrestled the match....i think i know if i had control or not. or wait, is it easier to tell from the stands? and what is your take on "head to head"?

You did a fine job in the match too. But you're stating your opinion, what you felt, what you thought. Needless to say you had your hands full...busy doing what you were supposed to be doing. I'm sure Milstead has the opposite opinion, and it would be as valid as yours, for the same reasons. But an uninvolved observer, or an experienced referee would have a differnt perspective. Don't act like you haven't seen refs make horrible calls before.

lol, youre hilarious. its done, its over, if youre so upset about this call, become a referee and show everyone how easy it is to ref and show how to please everyone with your calls and begin to change this horrible world of bad refereeing. or you could always build a time machine take everyone back to the 2006 bobcat classic. dont you have anything else better to do than degrade not only the referees but me also? i wont be replying on this topic anymore. im gonna go watch my finals match again...if you would like a copy i'd be more than happy to send you one.

I agree with megaman on this one. it was a very good match and you don't know what it is like unless you are the one out there on the mat doing the wrestling. In the finals matches they have two referees for a reason. If the one refing the match misses a call then the back up ref is out there to tell the head ref that he missed the call. The back-up ref never said anything to the head ref about there being one point for an escape so the head ref obviously made the right decission of saying that there was no points needing to be awarded. I watched the match and never saw any loss of control.

Actually the asst. ref have very little to no control over the awarding of points during the match.

Yes, this is true ... you have to lose control to get the escape point. As I saw it Ellison had a firm grip on Millstead. Therefore no loss of control. As far as Ellison goes about knowing refs make bad calls, he has had more than his share of bad calls against him!!! I hear from Oklahoma people themselves that the 1 loss Ellison has this season (Claremore Tourn.) was from a call in OT that was very obviously an outrageously bad call that resulted in Ellison losing the match. However he held his head high and took it in stride, not bashing his opponent or the refs. Nothing is ever gained by degrading people. Ellison is a fine wrestler with self respect and dignity. Millstead acted like a champion also, not throwing a fit or bashing Ellison. There needs to be more wrestlers with these qualities. Job well done to both boys!!

I watched the match. Then, I watched the cops come over and settle Milstead's Dad down whom they thought was getting out of control. Personally, I thought Milstead got taken down at the end of either regulation or first overtime and there shouldn't even have been an overtime. Look, STA gets good kids to transfer in. They win tournaments, a state title and now they are blaming refs when one of their boys loose. What's worse than spoiled private school whining? BTW, there were 3-4 excellent refs at Basehor. No one argued with stone cold and no one ever will. As for the ref with the really "nice hair", did anyone see the fall he called in the finals? He rolled away slamming the mat, bounced up and straightened his wig. Then, he got a high 5 from his fellow ref buddy after the match. Someone needs to tell that guy that no one notices a good ref.

Slow down there Gutstench. Ease off the sour grapes. This thread was started just as an observation about a percieved bad call. I just wanted other perspectives posted. Lots of people were making comments at the time of the match, and I was just curiuos to see if others had the intestinal fortitude to step out and post what everyone saw and some were saying. This weekend in the NFL demonstrated multiple bad calls that even Stevie Wonder could see. I felt Milstead suffered a similiar fate. The NFL even stepped up and admitted to one of them. No one is suggesting that any individual ref is "bad", and I would agree that "Stone Cold " is a very good one. I did not notice "nice hair" and his theatrics, but I do appreciate your observation.

I thought I'd let the heat die down a little before I posted. So, I post this a few days later...in hopes of rightfully applauding the match-up.

My son unfortunately drew the Megaman in the first round (and lost convincingly). So I speak without bias.

However, I was most impressed by the post-match sportsmanship. Megaman, was respectful when talking with the younger wrestler, and that speaks volumes for me. So, I accept whatever Megaman claims. It's too easy for the winning wrestler to puff up in post-bout conversations with the defeated wrestler. Especially when the superior wrestler handily defeats the lesser.

1grla: I've been frustrated (and too outspoken) on occassion as well. But, you must know that refing is tough. They're human, despite their best efforts to be above reproach.

1grla: You asked for observations, you received responses, intertain those results. I really don't believe you meant to take anything away from Megaman's victory...but you did (a) weaken your position, (b) demean the wrestlers, and (c) took away from their spectacular event. Ponder this...Should we snap on you for mistakingly demeaning the event in this string of posts?


Megaman: You won. WOW, it was a GREAT match! between two GREAT competitors! Both you and Millstead are incredibly talented, and my son benchmarks you both. Also, I admire your tactful reply when some one is unwittingly demeaning your victory.

This is a "tactful reply when someone is unwittingly demeaning your victory"? I don't know who 1grla is, but he/she, as it appeared to me, tactfully acknowledged all replies, whether they agreed or disagreed with his/her position. He/she also made a point to compliment both wrestlers on what was a very exciting and well-wrestled match and acknowledge both wrestlers' points of view. I suppose it's just another example of how differently the same scenario can be interpreted, whether on the mat or on the forum.