PAC10 Supervisor Discusses BYU-WA Call

[TXMike]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...57_uwfb08.html

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by TXMike

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...57_uwfb08.html

No surprise in the substance of what the supervisor says: it's black letter rule. He might have backed up his official a little more forcefully than, "I can't really think of a way to fault the official."

[azbigdawg]

Originally Posted by mbyron

No surprise in the substance of what the supervisor says: it's black letter rule. He might have backed up his official a little more forcefully than, "I can't really think of a way to fault the official."

What hes TRYING to say is " I dont understand why you idiots are faulting the official"

BAD rule, in my opinion.....

GREAT call....

[trocared]

If there is a beef, it should be brought to the NCAA, who created this rule. Did anyone out there see the intent (taunting the defense)? It seemed to me that he was celebrating w/ teammates at a passionate time in the game.

If you saw the Women's Open last night, did Serena act unsportmanslike when she threw her raquet in the air after winning the final?

Good call by the official....bad rule by the NCAA.

Cheers,
tro

[JRutledge]

I said this somewhere else, but the rule does not talk about excessive celebration or says anything about premeditated celebration. The rule only talks about acts that should be considered unsportsmanlike. This is not different in other rules when it is clear that grabbing a facemask is illegal or going high and low on a block (regardless of the typical chop block). This rule clearly says throwing the ball high is illegal and is an unsportsmanlike act along with many other very specific examples of what the committee must consider illegal. The only judgment part of this was how high the ball was thrown. And it is clear this ball was thrown rather high. When the ball comes down and hits you in the head, after you have jumped into the arms of teammates and then you hit the ground, then the ball hits you in the head. That seems pretty high in my book.

For the record when I first saw this play I thought this was not a good judgment on the official’s part. Then when I actually read the rules (not just what ESPN referenced), it was clear to me the officials followed the rule. I think that took a lot of guts and was the right call. It is sad that we just turn the other cheek on obvious violations of the rules.

Peace

[OverAndBack]

You can't hardly go wrong as an official, I guess, if you do what the rulebook and your supervisors tell/want you to do. It does seem harsh, but if the rule is clear, the rule is clear. Unlucky. I'm going to guess that guy will never do that again.

All that said, and this is just Devil's Advocate here...do we think that what the quarterback did was intended to be unsportsmanlike? I know what the rule says. There's no argument about what the rule says. I'm asking could one see that what the intent of the rule was, its raison d'etre, was not necessarily to punish spontaneous joyous celebrations?

Yes, the ball went high. No question. Did anyone really get shown up?

JRut is right, though, we do tend to turn a blind eye to obvious infractions. Probably 99% of those don't happen on a last-play-of-regulation, almost-game-tying touchdown in a DI game, though.

[PeteBooth]

Rut IMO, this NCAA rule is akin to many baseball rules that are "the black letter of the law' so to speak yet as baseball officials we are to use good sound judgement.

Here's a baseball example:

When a player elbows another player it is considered a Malicous act.
Sitch; Player coming home and the ball is coming in from the out-field Player in an effort to protect himself, raises his hands however, he also contacts elbows F2 in the process.

Now the aforementioned ACT in an by istelf as with the player throwing the ball in the air is DEFINED by rule as unsportsmanlike etc. however, if a baseball official called MC on the part of the runner they would be chastized all over the place.

Over on the baseball side Carl Childress has written a book 51 ways to ruin a baseball game. In addition, Peter Osborne wrote an article Third world plays happen to third world umpires.

I am wondering if there is such a book or article for football referees.

i agree the NCAA should re-look at the rule but IMO, the official could have and should have "left it alone" similar to what we as basbeall officials have to judge whenever we toss someone.

Pete Booth

[Ed Hickland]

Originally Posted by mbyron

No surprise in the substance of what the supervisor says: it's black letter rule. He might have backed up his official a little more forcefully than, "I can't really think of a way to fault the official."

Cutaia is a pretty no nonsense official. If you enforce the rules he stands behind you. His comment when taken in context simply means the official was doing his job, therefore, why are you asking.

[OverAndBack]

And, of course, a newspaper columnist has to chime in in that calm, reserved way that some newspaper columnists do....