Don't F with Funk Drake Students.....

Crazy night in Iowa last night. I will talk a lot about the game and the ending on the show on Monday. I haven't seen the tape yet so I will hold off commenting until Monday's show but right now - I think that both calls were correctly made and the refs need to never work a Valley game again. I know they were written up several times during the game by the Valley director of officiating who was at the game.

However, this morning's story is the quotes from the post game that I want to put out there. You will hear the full press conference audio on Monday's show but I think right away - these quotes need to be out there....VERY interesting:

FIRST COACH TOM DAVIS OF DRAKE

Me: Coach can you comment on the last play on Anthony Tolliver, on the charge he drew?

Coach Tom Davis: ”Um, We didn’t think it was a very good call. You’re obviously bias. I had pretty good look. Ya know, right in front of the bench. And I try to be as impartial as a I can when I look at those things. Um, but there were 6 or 7 straight calls down the stretch that all went Creighton’s way. Um, and that seemed a little unusual but that’s what good teams do – they find a way to themselves in that position so you have give them credit and go from there”.

Me: Tolliver played the last 3 minutes with 4 fouls – did you try to get him out the game?

Coach Tom Davis:
”I thought we did get him out of the game 3 or 4 times to be honest but there were no calls. So nothing you can say, it’s a matter of judgement. I thought was key to the game for the last several minutes – how it was called and how it was officiated – sometimes you get a break – sometimes you don’t. Tonight we got nothing down the stretch.”

World Herald writer: Did the 9-3 team get the breaks and the 3-9 didn’t?

Coach:
“Absolutely, not only 9-3 but the team that has been successful of the past several years contending for the championship and they are post season tournament bound and people know that and ya know – Drake’s not suppose to win. So, that’s human nature and that’s gonna happen. That’s why it’s harder to get yourself to that position, if you’re a contender then that levels the playing field a lot. So that’s what you have to work at”.

After a question about the drive to basket at the end – Me: “Was that a clean block in your mind (to Coach)?

Nick Grant of Drake: That was goaltending. It was going down”

Coach: “I couldn’t tell – I think it had a shot at goaltending but it was almost one of those you gotta see on film. I wasn’t sure – I couldn’t begin to tell ya.”

Des Moines Register paper guy – “The TV Guys said it was a clean block”.

Coach: “ya, well, I’d like to see again for myself. Sometimes, ya know, guys get paid by certain people…..right? That’s been known to happen – so I’d look at it myself not that I would doubt their opinion. But I think that’s why Creighton is good and they do a lot of good things and they put themselves in position to beat ya….good team, well coached, good ball club.”

Dana Altman's press conference- response to Dr. Tom

OWH: On the charge, what’s goes through your mind before the call gets made – are you worried that it might be a block?

“Well, I think you try to make basketball plays. And Dane tried to take a charge the possession before and it was a very close call and Anthony, I thought Anthony was set. So, those block/charges are tough to call – there were a couple the other way early in the game that maybe I didn’t…..ya know they are a very tough, tough, tough call but I thought Anthony made the right call, right decision. He got himself there and like I said, the ability to go and get that last one was just a big time play.”

Me: Dana, Coach Davis just said there were 6 plays down the stretch that went your way – do you feel like the breaks went your way tonight?

Dana: “pause…No. I’m not exactly sure what he’s talking about. Pause…..So, I’ve got no idea…..pause…..I really don’t – I mean I think that’s ah, I mean, I don’t want to argue with Coach but I don’t agree with that”.

Me: Do you feel that Anthony was set on that charge?

Dana: “Without a doubt. No doubt in my mind”

Me: A Drake player said that he didn’t think Anthony’s bock was clean…do you think it was a clean block?

Dana: “Without a doubt….pause….so I mean everyone can see it they way they want to. I mean I think he went and got the ball. I know he didn’t hit him or anything. He just skied and got it. So,…again, everybody can debate those and I’m sure they’ll see it one way and we’ll see it another but I thought they were 2 very good basketball plays by a Senior who makes plays” ( Dana said make plays :)

Mitch Holthus and I talked about the two AT plays. From him - the Charge...yes, AT was set (no matter what that guy from Des Moines Register was saying to me in the press room about it. The guy actually was saying Mitch said it was block. He didn't. And he said "well, I'll quote you then if you think you're so right". Guy was jackass.). However, Mitch says the call should never have been made. Don't foul out AT and let the basket stand....a no call was the right call. Jays would have had the ball back with a chance to win it. No.2 - the block - it was not goaltending. Ball was at its' apex. His color guy thought AT was under the basket and that's why it wasn't a charge in his mind.

FINALLY - ANTHONY AFTER THE GAME

Me: How far from the basket were you on that charge?

AT: How far away? You know, I’m not exactly sure. I don’t really remember but I wasn’t too far away from it.

Me: Do you feel like you were far enough away to draw a charge?

AT: Most definitely. I feel like I was definitely in a good position – that’s why I stopped there instead of backing up so – I felt like I was in a good position to make him (Young) take a 10 footer or take a charge. So he kept coming so I tried to take a charge.

Me: That block – a drake player said it was goaltending – do you think you got it cleanly?

AT: It was definetly clean, but who knows if it was goaltending – it might have been. But its just one of those things where it’s a judgement call on the referees and they obviously didn’t think it was goaltending. I timed it just right – as soon as it left his fingers (Stewart) I felt that I got it right when it left his fingers – at the tip of the shot. So I tried to time it up right so that it won’t be goaltending. So, it worked out to our advantage that was good.

Again - I'll say more later but props to Pierce for a great game. He said after the game that he had played "Hundreds" of games at the Knapp Center. It showed. Feel free to tell me what you think about the quotes....and full sound on Monday's show. Enjoy the Super Bowl and I'll see you at Legend's from 4 to 6 pm with Big Sports 590.