You Know It's March Madness When The Play By Play Guys Are Getting Ejected By The Refs

FOX – The semifinals game between Green Bay and Valparaiso in Monday’s Horizon League men’s basketball tournament turned into an overtime thriller that even saw some action off the court.

During the second half at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Green Bay’s radio announcer, Matt Menzl, somehow drew the ire of the officials and then got ousted.

…

Two things officially signaling the start of March Madness, all from the same Horizon League game.

A crazy buzzer beating play to send it to OT.

And the announcer getting ejected from the game by the ref. Like, the referee of the basketball game went to the scorer’s table, T’d him up and had security escort him to the locker room. Hilarious.

AUDIO:

Menzl said [referee Pat] Adams thought he was waving him off after a call went against the Phoenix. Adams thought overwise.

“I talk with my hands,” Menzl said. “I was trying to describe that we had two guys fighting for the ball, and he took it as I waved him off, like saying that’s a horrible call.

“At first he gave me a warning. Then two seconds later said, ‘I want this guy removed and I won’t start the game until he gets removed.’”

Menzl had to hand over his headset to an Oakland play-by-play announcer and went into the tunnel, where he explained the situation to UWGB athletic director Mary Ellen Gillespie and Horizon League spokesman Bill Potter.

Potter told Menzl to go back and that they’d deal with it. [Press-Gazette]

Good news – he was allowed back in after being sent on time-out for a little bit.

It’s March Madness time baby!

PS,

Such a classic ref move to throw a play by play guy out for making a hand motion. Just a reminder that all refs, at all levels of play, in every conference and sport, are all clown asses.