End Of An Era: World-Famous TV Teddy Valentine Isn't Allowed To Ref The 2023 NCAA Tournament, NCAA Keeps Denying His Reinstatement

[Source] - Veteran college basketball official Ted Valentine, who has worked 10 Final Fours and four national title games in his career, will not be allowed to officiate the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season due to an issue that occurred during the 2021 NCAA Tournament when the event was held in Indianapolis in a bubble, a source close to the situation told Stadium.

Valentine, John Higgins, Roger Ayers, John Gaffney, Kipp Kissinger and Ray Natili all went to Harry & Izzy’s steakhouse in downtown Indianapolis. Upon their return to the hotel, they took COVID-19 tests and one of the referees tested positive. Due to the fact that they ate together and weren’t wearing masks, the Indiana Department of Health deemed them unable to work in the NCAA Tournament.

There's only one solution here. Get TV Teddy in the studio. Shit, if we had to listen to Rex Chapman last year, anyone can be better. I'd listen to TV Teddy like he's Gene Steratore. They don't call him TV Teddy for nothing. I understand why coaches like him. He doesn't get rattled by crowds and even through all his shithousery, he's graded as one of the better officials. 

But this is also peak NCAA. They are holding a grudge from the 2021 bubble tournament. I get it. We lived in weird, weird times back then. If John Higgins and his stupid ass fluffy hair can still be in the NCAA Tournament, we can let TV Teddy. Here's a crazy idea. Get the best officials in the NCAA Tournament. Stop with the old boys club. Stop with the grudge. If TV Teddy is one of the better officials graded by coaches, let him ref. 

It's not exactly a secret college basketball officiating is, well, awful. The fact that we know so many refs names is a problem. The fact that you watch a game like West Virginia/Iowa State last night and all everyone can talk about is how horrendous it was reffed. Or the Utah State/SDSU game and you have a 30 minute delay because refs love looking at the monitor. Just get me the best officials. I'm not asking for 100% correct calls. We're asking for consistency. That's the biggest problem. Speaking of last night's Utah State/SDSU game. Guess who reffed it? 

Ryan Odom shooting up my coach power rankings for going ballistic on Higgins. Can't stand that guy. Guy wants to be the star of every game. 

Never forget, TV Teddy's highlights: