More Oden Foul Talk

[Larks]

A Cincinnati area talkshow host received an e-mail from a "D2 / D3" ref relative to the Oden foul and intentional fouls at the end of the game and posted his comments on his blog.

Here are three points given to me by a college official of 20+ years.

1. The assignment chairman for these conferences/leagues have required meetings every offseason where game situations are reviewed and discussed. End of game issues are always on the agenda.

2. Here is what we were told on a number of different occasions over many seasons by a number of different assignment chairmen and many coaches who attended these meetings: if the foul is blatantly/unequivocally intentional: a punch that connects, a hard push where the player gets seriously injured, an undercut where the player sails through the air and lands on his back or head then you are instructed/required to call such a foul intentional or flagrant.

3. If on the other hand there is some doubt in your mind about the severity of the foul and the factors listed above are absent you were instructed NOT to call it intentional or flagrant and "let the kids decide the outcome of the game."

4. This makes such a call very subjective and subject to officials' interpretation but they have drilled it into your head that at the end of the game there should be no doubt in anyone's mind that it was intentional and if it is questionable you are expected to opt for the less serious foul.

Lance, This is what I believe caused the official to make the call he did (although I do not necessarily agree with the decision, I am explaining why I think it was called the way it was).