A good piece on the Oakland Zoo’s history and a little more info on the St. John’s game where the official tossed one of the Zoo.

At that moment several hundred Pitt students, all identically clad and sitting courtside, let the officiating crew know they were displeased at an earlier technical foul called against point guard Carl Krauser.

One of the officials then summoned security, and pointed at a fan in the middle of the crowd. Moments later, Matt Cohen was escorted from the Petersen Events Center.

Talk about taking one for the team – make that two teams.

Following Cohen’s dismissal, Pitt ended the game with a 31-21 run on its way to a 55-44 win over St. John’s, all the while being cheered, applauded and celebrated by Cohen’s creation, the Oakland Zoo.

“Evidently he had a short leash,” Cohen said of the official that requested his removal. “He came over and egged us on. He walked right in front of us and stared. I said to him ‘Why don’t you go back to officiating NAIA games? You’re only here because we’re playing the bottom feeders in our conference.’ But I like to think I might have inspired the team a little.”

Guess that may have hit a little too close to home.