Quote:
Originally Posted by IAUMP
 I have to ask, what was the U looking at? He was right there as soon as the offender got up. I'm an U myself and if I am that close to where a play ends, I am looking at the ball carrier and the tackler to make sure nothing |
First, I don't reach the same conclusion the writer does, looking at the photo he provided. THEN of course most Umpires continue to observe the ball carrier and those defending, while they get up after a tackle, but that usually doesn't include laying prone on the ground within 6" of the pile.
The Umpire's responsibilities include observing the pile, THE ENTIRE PILE AND ALL THE PLAYERS INVOLVED IN IT. Getting within a gnat's eyelash of any specific players, unless something has commanded your focus, will more often cause you to miss, "what's going on in the forest, by guessing at specific trees". This Umpire may well have been in excellent position, focusing on exactly what he should have been focusing on and DID NOT SEE, (which, based on the photo provided) may, or MAY NOT, have happened as alleged.