Many of Kentucky's basketball fans have expressed their displeasure with referee John Higgins after Sunday's 75-73 loss to North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament. Yahoo columnist Pat Forde says some of those Big Blue Nation fans have gone too far.
"Tuesday, we heard about the bombardment of false and defamatory messages about Higgins' business on his company Facebook page," wrote Forde. "Trying to ruin Higgins' day-job livelihood was a terrible look.
"Wednesday it got worse. A story emerged about death threats being made to Higgins and non-stop phone calls to both his business and his unlisted home number. Higgins met with law enforcement officials to discuss the threats.
"That is the lowest of the low.
"It's time for the good majority of Kentucky fans to speak up -- and for the school administrators, who have said nothing this week, to join them. They need to exert themselves and get the minority to back down or go away, because they make the entire fan base appear no smarter or more composed than a pack of wild dogs.
"Higgins is hardly the first official targeted by Wildcats fans. Three or four years ago they went after Doug Shows, and earlier this year the 'corrupt' ref was Roger Ayers.
"What do all three have in common? They've been among the highest-rated officials in college basketball for several years and have worked multiple Final Fours. But we're supposed to believe all of them are out to get Kentucky?
"Reacting like a thug and going after someone because your team lost makes you a true loser.
"Kentucky fans are better than that. Most of them, anyway. The good ones need to assert themselves and make sure the lunatics don't take over."
Tiger beat
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Tiger Woods' breakthrough, record-breaking, 12-shot victory at Augusta National.
He was paired with current NBC analyst Colin Montgomerie for the third round in 1997 and shot 65. Montgomerie, who slumped to 74, was awed by what Woods did on the second hole, the right-to-left par-5.
"I had the honor [off the tee] and hit the brow of the hill," he recalled. "I had a 4-wood in and came up my usual short-right. He must have been 150 yards ahead of me and he flew the green with a 9-iron. I saw that and said to myself: This is something extraordinary."
No surprise, both Montgomerie and fellow analyst Brandel Chamblee view Dustin Johnson as the man to beat. Johnson has won his past three tournaments.
"Your eye immediately goes to Dustin Johnson," said Chamblee, adding that Johnson's only flaw is his substandard work from the bunkers.
Said Montgomerie of Augusta National: "If a course is built for someone, it's Dustin Johnson. We used to say that about Tiger Woods."
Sports quiz
Where was the first NCAA Tournament men's basketball championship game (in 1939) played?
Sports answer
Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.
Sports on 03/30/2017