Quote:
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Originally Posted by JRutledge
I have seen many times over the years with the NCAA (mostly as a fan and not an actual official). The NCAA gets a bug up their behind about specific acts and they want them penalized. A good example of this was the "Q" sign that many players of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity would give after touchdowns. Or the act of removing the helmet. There was even a time that kneeling and praying was outlawed, and then Jerry Farwell who was over Liberty University at the time, got the NCAA to back off of that specific restriction. And I could go on and on about other things the NCAA wanted players to stop doing and you do not see those acts anymore. And unlike the NF, the NCAA shows tape to back up their position and give bulletins to further express their position on these acts. It has nothing to do with showing up anyone. It has everything to do with they want these acts to stop and the NCAA has put their foot down. Does it mean it is fair or makes sense? It may be a terrible rule, but that is the rule and I can never fault officials for doing exactly what they are instructed. I can bet you there were more than one example of this action and this play fit the action. The NCAA has done the very same thing in basketball and even baseball as to what they want to eliminate. I can never fault an official for doing exactly that is on the tape. I just hate how we want to put the lighting back in the bottle.
Peace
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Oh, I agree with you. No question, the rule exists, and it's been explained to everybody. In the NCAA's mind, and as you point out,
why is less important than
if. That's fine. These things weren't arrived at by fiat.
I was just stepping outside the rule for just a second to ask (as I asked a veteran football official in my office this morning) if what he did violated the spirit of the rule (the reason it exists). He didn't think it did, and neither did I. But both of us (as well as the people who are important) agree that, yesindeedy, that right there is a rules violation and as harsh as it is and as bad as it might (or might not) make you feel if you call it, it is what it is.
I just think that
maybe that
if you
have to make a call that makes you feel like, "Man, I'm sorry I had to call that" afterwards (and, as has been pointed out, we don't
know that the official in question felt that way - only that some of us would have felt sorry if we had to call it),
maybe that's a rule that should be looked at and addressed.
Sure, the simpler thing for all concerned is "don't do it, or face the consequences." Absolutely. But life's not always that simple.
I feel for the kid and the team and the official, but from what I read, the player accepted responsibility and everybody moves on. This isn't the first time it's happened (not this exact scenario, but something like this) and it won't be the last.
You can bet, that sure as shootin', college players are going to be handing footballs to officials in record numbers across the country going forward. Not all of them, but a goodly number, I'd bet.