In the aftermath of Kentucky’s dramatic Elite Eight loss in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, emotions are boiling over — and one referee is bearing the brunt of it.
Following controversial calls during the game, furious Kentucky fans have taken to social media to voice their outrage. Their anger quickly turned personal when they discovered that one of the referees involved owns a roofing company. Within hours, the business’s Facebook page was flooded with negative reviews, insults, and accusations of bias.
The roofing company, based out of the referee’s home state, had maintained a modest but positive online presence prior to the incident. Now, the page is overrun with one-star reviews from people who appear to have no connection to the business itself.
“They cost us the game!” one commenter wrote. “I wouldn’t trust this guy to nail down a shingle, let alone make fair calls in a game.”
The referee’s identity, while publicly known among officials and league insiders, had not been widely associated with his business until fans connected the dots through online research. The attack on the business page seems to be a coordinated effort across message boards and fan forums.
University of Kentucky officials and several public figures have called for civility, reminding fans that while disappointment is understandable, personal harassment crosses a line.
“This kind of behavior reflects poorly on the Big Blue Nation,” said one prominent Kentucky alum. “We win with class — and we should lose with class too.”
Facebook has yet to comment on whether it will remove the reviews or take any action on the page.
The referee in question has not made a public statement.
Leave a Reply