Jamelle Cornley Is Bad-Mother-Shut-Your-Mouth (Literally)

Jamelle Cornley has now received two technical fouls in the last two games. Common thread? Answer: Official Ed Hightower. Ask anyone intimately familiar with men's college basketball what they think of Ed Hightower and his officiating and the responses might go something like this:

• Inconsistent;
  
• Pompous;
• Arrogant;
• Self-Righteous; and/or
  
• Begrudging.

As my office-mate put it: "Yea, he's an interesting one . . . ."

For those readers who don't know who I'm talking about, here is just the latest example of Hightower's ridiculous on-court antics. On last Saturday the 24th, Cornley led Penn State to an incredible second half comeback to beat Iowa in Happy Valley; no thanks to Hightower. According to the Associated Press and BSD, Cornley was given a technical foul after a brief verbal exchange with the official.

Hightower told Cornley to "tuck in your shirt." Cornley responded with an undisclosed comment. Hightower responded, "just watch it." Cornley's response? "Yes sir, I'm going to make sure that I continue to do my job and you do yours . . . ." [Hightower motions to the scorer's table that he has just called a technical foul on Cornley].

(Editorial Note: When I first read Jamelle's response, I nearly wet myself laughing. It was the perfect response, except to an official on the basketball court.)

After the Iowa game, when asked by a reporter what he said to get the technical, Cornley responded with the above story. Nothing derogatory. Nothing degrading. And nothing negative about Hightower at all.

Fast forward eight days and Penn State is in the midst of a stunning four point win over Michigan State in East Lansing. Hightower is again officiating and Cornley is in the game. Cornley receives a pass in the post, dunks the ball, and silently runs back to play defense. [Whistle Blows].

Hightower had just given Cornley his second technical in two games. And why? Nobody knows. Maybe Hightower was still holding a grudge and was looking for any possible reason to T-up Jamelle again, as if to say, "just remember who has all of the power in this relationship." Or maybe Jamelle looked [read: glared] at Hightower the wrong way and Cornley's comments from the Iowa game were still resonating in Hightower's ears. I don't know and I'm sure we'll never know.

However, now coming down the home stretch of the Big Ten race and a possible NCAA bid, Jamelle must be careful around Hightower if, and when, he officiates another Penn State game. This will surely be difficult for a guy who is as emotional as Jamelle, but Penn State cannot afford another technical foul in a close Big Ten game at home or on the road.

With that aside, I have to say that personally, Jamelle is my new hero. He said to Ed Hightower what a lot of coaches and players have wanted to say for a long time. For that matter, he said what many of us would like to say to our co-workers and bosses, but don't for fear of the real-world repercussions.

Jamelle said it; and I love it. He's a bad-mother-shut-your-mouth . . . .