We already knew that Kentucky fans went overboard with their actions against a referee following an Elite Eight loss in the NCAA Tournament, but just how far they went is now coming to light, and the extent is pretty ridiculous.
Referee John Higgins has been in contact with law enforcement officials regarding death threats he has received since the game in late March. Higgins has received hateful messages via the phone at his residence as well as a roofing company he owns. The fans also tried to destroy his company’s reputation with bad reviews on Facebook.
But how ridiculous did Kentucky fans get? WKYT says Higgins received 800 angry voicemail messages. Here are just a few of the messages Higgins received:
“You should put a gun in your mouth and blow your won fricking brains out.”
“You enjoy your life before somebody kills you.”
“I hope you all get in a plane crash and die.”
After the game, Kentucky head coach John Calipari commented on the officiating, saying it was amazing his team was in that game where they “practically fouled out my team.”
While the stakes were obviously high for a game that led to a spot in the Final Four, there is never a need for this kind of response towards anyone involved in a game, whether it’s a player, coach, or referee. Big Blue Nation is a passionate bunch, but this is an example of going way too far and using it for the wrong purpose.
H/T Deadspin
