Ted Valentine is arguably the most polarizing referee in college basketball. On one hand, the veteran official has been in the business for nearly four decades, refereeing four NCAA championships, ten Final Fours, and 28 NCAA tournaments. He even took home Naismith College Official of the Year honors back in 2005.
On the other, “TV Teddy” has developed a reputation as one of the most demonstrative and controversial officials in the game, regularly drawing attention for his tendency to, uh, draw attention.
Hell, the guy has a compilation video on YouTube for his “worst calls and moments” and was barred from the 2018 NCAA Tournament, among other controversies such as:
- Giving Bob Knight three technicals in a game back in 1998, a moment the legendary coach later referred to as “the greatest travesty” in officiating he had witnessed in his career
- Needing to be separated with then-Cincinnati head coach Mick Cronin during a game back in 2014
- Turning his back on former UNC guard Joel Berry II rather than discuss a controversial call with him, an incident that got him removed from officiating in two Big Ten Conference games and – according to Valentine – was likely the reason he did not officiate the 2018 tournament
In an appearance on The Goodman and Hummel Podcast, Valentine discussed his reputation as an official and why he has embraced the attention he has received for the on-court antics, both good and bad.