Threaded Fasteners Tighten Up: Missed referee call is a bloody shame

In the long and illustrious history of Tighten Up, there has been only one occasion in which an officiating call was the subject.

Until today.

This missed call didn’t have the impact of the one that cost the Saints a spot in Super Bowl 53 when the Rams’ Nickell Robey-Coleman blasted Tommy Lee Lewis on the interference call miss heard round the world.

But it was just as egregious — and this one drew blood.

Oklahoma and Alabama played a terrific game in the SEC-Big XII challenge Saturday. Oklahoma was the better team and deserved to win a close game.

But a key call went against Alabama that defies logic.

An Oklahoma player drove the lane. Alabama’s Herb Jones jumped straight up and to the side of the driver, who slapped Jones in the face on his way to the basket.

Jones would have disputed the foul call against him longer if he hadn’t had to rush to the bench to try to stop the bleeding from his nose.

Officiating is hard. But here’s a good rule to live by: if one guy is bleeding, try calling the foul on the other guy.

For Threaded Fasteners, I’m Randy Kennedy with Tighten Up.