ACC Suspends Miami-Duke Officials

[Texas Aggie]

SERIOUSLY not sure how anyone, even a fellow ref, can watch the replay and not see his knee down before letting go of the ball.

Post another angle if you have one, but the only one I saw was from behind and I offer the opposite view: there's no way anyone can tell for absolute sure. Are you 100% sure the knee is ON the ground BEFORE the ball is released? If so, please explain how.

This is a PR move. Officials are easy to throw under the bus and I'd bet money they're getting at least one game check.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

Are you 100% sure the knee is ON the ground BEFORE the ball is released?

Yes

If so, please explain how.

Visually. Freeze frame. Knee on the ground, ball still in his hands.

This is a PR move. Officials are easy to throw under the bus and I'd bet money they're getting at least one game check.

I do agree with that. I don't see 2 weeks for the entire crew here. Whoever missed the BIB has some blame ... but missing BIB is not a 2 week suspension. The ref communication was awful ... but again, not worth 2 weeks. The phantom PI on the previous series probably deserves a game off. The replay official? I hope he doesn't work again... especially if you include the Duke TD play in the evaluation.

[ajmc]

It's highly doubtful the officials on the field had instant access to "freeze frame" technology to immediately assist them, in real time. Suggesting this play had "broken down" into an unpredictable cluster----, may be an understatement.

As we all (should clearly) know, often what is visible from the camera angle is simply NOT visible from ground level, especially when 22 players are acting totally independent from any script.

It is a lot easier to follow the action, given the assistance of slow motion, stop action and freeze-frame analysis from the comfort and positioning available to video review, and ACC management should have remembered their distinct viewing advantages before pontification about what "coulda", "shoulda" happened and threw their game officials under the nearest bus.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by ajmc

It's highly doubtful the officials on the field had instant access to "freeze frame" technology to immediately assist them, in real time.

Of course. You've heard of replay? (I've said twice now that the person that fell down on the job here was the replay official).

[Welpe]

I'm still trying to figure out why the on-field crew is paying for what is chiefly the mistake of the replay official. The CYA smells awful here.

[jpgc99]

Originally Posted by Welpe

I'm still trying to figure out why the on-field crew is paying for what is chiefly the mistake of the replay official. The CYA smells awful here.

A full crew suspension is definitely unwarranted. The IBB that was missed was really the only call they should have got on the field. The communication from the R was not great. As I turned off the game, I really thought replay overturned the foul, which obviously they cannot do (and apparently did not).

Aside from that, the on-field officials really didn't screw anything else up.

I agree that the RO did not perform well, but I cannot image the difficulty of that job, nor would I ever want to do it. From where I sit, the replays job is immensely more difficult than the on-field officials.

[BigsFLA]

I'm in a similar boat as ajmc. I don't know the specifics of the RO and definitely would not want to be in that position either. The BiB I still thought was a BiB, but if it could not be reviewed, it is possible to be missed amidst the following of the laterals. The knee down issue does lie with the RO not on-field personnel as I doubt RT would have caught that (where was the linesman official's eyes / angle at the time?). Looks like he was watching #34 of the opposing team by the pics. However, he had a straight-on view. I will put blame on the RO, but I still hold the on-field crew got a raw deal.

[ajmc]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

Of course. You've heard of replay? (I've said twice now that the person that fell down on the job here was the replay official).

I have absolutely no personal experience with the requirements, actual execution or difficulties associated with the job of a replay official, and therefore do not consider myself competent to opine on the competence of any replay official.