The Southeastern Conference has fined and reprimanded Mississippi State head coach Ben Howland for discussing a conversation he had with the league office about the officiating in a loss to LSU last week.
According to reports, this is the play that Howland was upset about (yes, it was clearly a foul):
Ben Howland was fined $25,000 for talking about this play on Reggie Perry from the LSU game.
Howland on Monday: “He [Reggie] had a play where he was holding the ball one-handed, and the guy just absolutely whacks his arm, and there’s a no call.” #WCBI pic.twitter.com/LP4nwdKLXr
— Tom Eble (@Tom_Eble) January 17, 2020
Here are more details:
SEC officials said Howland violated a league bylaw that prohibits coaches, players and support personnel from offering public criticism of officials or for making public any specific communication with the league office related to officiating.
Howland said during a Monday news conference that he spoke with SEC coordinator of men’s basketball officials Mark Whitehead about “a number of calls” that were made in Saturday’s Mississippi State-LSU game. Howland said Whitehead acknowledged that a foul should have been assessed against LSU on one particular play in which no foul was called.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey publicly reprimanded, levied fine of $25,000 to Mississippi State coach Ben Howland for comments about private communications with SEC on officiating following Mississippi State game with LSU on Jan 11.
DON’T TALK ABOUT OFFICIALS OR PAY THE PRICE— Vaughts’ Views (@vaughtsviews) January 17, 2020
What did Ben Howland say on Monday that necessitated a $25,000 fine from the SEC? He was talking about Reggie Perry getting whacked at LSU and there was a no-call. Howland said he talked to SEC coordinator of officials Mark Whitehead and he admitted it was a terrible no-call.
— Joel Coleman (@JoelTColeman) January 17, 2020
Kudos to Ben Howland for taking a personal $25,000 hit to show the public what “goes on behind closed doors” at the SEC offices. https://t.co/0HHzVHpKdO
— Oscar Combs (@wildcatnews) January 17, 2020
