I will take a beating...

[ABoselli]

I couldn't disagree more.

That's a cop out. There are officials in the major conferences who have lost their jobs due to low ratings. Not just one call, but a series of them. If a coach has fired because of one call, I'd like to see it. I can't recall a coach who got bagged because he came out on the wrong side of one call. Major college coaches usually are canned because they 1) lose a lot 2) lose to the college's main rival too much 3) get caught in some sort of recruiting scandal 4) lose big games on a consistent basis.

Controversial call in the national championship game? Yep - sure was. Do you think there is any less hue and cry if he doesn't throw it? OSU faithful would decry him for years. That's part of the territory - have a little courage to make a call that some will disagree with - that's what you get paid for, not just to sit back there and hope to please everyone.

Maybe there are coaches who rationalize their firing by blaming it on one bad call - but I think if you asked the people who did the firing, they'd have a few other reasons.

As far as coaches knowing the rules, it has been my experience that they usually know the fouls, but don't really know enforcements. I know you would never do this, but we also get 'worked' by coaches hoping for that one call to go their way based on a game full of badgering and comments. I tune it out - not to be aloof or arrogent, but to keep myself in the game. I'll answer questions, but I will not address every disagreement I hear behind me.