Or perhaps not.
Josh Peter of Yahoo!Sports has dug up some disturbing news -- that surprisingly doesn't have to do with Reggie Bush -- about a Big Ten football official with a background that's the polar opposite of anything you'd want in an individual charged with providing an even playing field.
Cue the background check:
• Pamon and his wife filed for bankruptcy in 2002 after the couple amassed $429,407 in liabilities, and two of the creditors were casinos.
• He allegedly has gambled at casinos as far back as the 1980s, and a sister-in-law said gambling losses incurred by Pamon and Pamon's wife led to the couple filing for bankruptcy.
• In 1997, he was charged with repeatedly beating three of his girlfriend's four sons with an electrical cord. He told authorities he beat the boys three times.
• He allegedly was fired by the Chicago Police Department in 1996 after two female officers accused him of sexual harassment, according to published reports that cited law-enforcement officials as sources.
• One of Pamon's former wives accused him during a court hearing in 1994 of striking her and sexually assaulting her 19-year-old niece, according to court records.
Outstanding work. How this man has kept his job as a Big Ten referee is beyond me. What's particularly disturbing in regards to football (the rest is highly upsetting as well, don't get me wrong) is his gambling backround, his Donaghy-esque background if you will.
I'm not an expert in these matters but from the countless stories about addictive gamblers gone wrong, what's the most likely way they try to gain their money back? Gamble more and in the case of NBA official Tim Donaghy it was to engage in some game fixing. Perhaps it's too careless to connect these dots, but it should surprise no one that Pamon was involved in two games with questionable officiating, most noteworthy being the Ohio State-Illinois game. The above video details the most controversial of several questionable calls during that game. Somehow the above fumble was missed by the crew chief, Stephen Pamon. Just sayin'.
Big Ten football has more pressing areas to improve, but monitoring officials should be near the top.
Official misconduct [Yahoo]
more
