Nice article about Championship Game officials
 

ESPN the magazine had a nice article online that followed the officials for last night's chapionship game. Article included the preparations they took days in advance, to halftime adjustments. All in all, I think they did a nice job. Was hoping for "giving him the business" moment though.

A Day With The BCS Refs - ESPN The Magazine

another good article about football officials. It came out surprisingly quick though. i only saw the second half, and that was a well officiated half, yeah you got to throw the USC when Tebow does right in someones face.

Cherry's not my favorite ACC referee but the crew did a great job IMO.

It is always good to read a positive story about sports officials but we must understand the the writer, Ryan McGee, is somewhat biased as the retiring official, field judge Jerry McGee, is his father. He pretty well sugar-coated the story about the crew who, at best, had an average game.

What exactly was average about it?

A few items of note:

The R signals were sloppy, announcements were horrible and he had a "deer in the headlights" look.

The H had his penalty flag hanging out of his back pocket.

At least once, a deep guy froze and then got beat deep.

The crew missed 2 DPI and one very blatant PF as a DB targeted, launched and made contact with his helmet.

Adding to this perception was the timing problems in the 1st half.

I just didn't believe that this crew looked near as sharpe and professional as several other crews during the bowl season.

So did Bernie Kukar and other Super Bowl officials for many years. So what?

man your a hard judge...are you a D-I coordinator for these Referee's.... I guess when your on the field for the Biggest game in College then maybe you can talk...JMO

Guess the CFL guys I've seen on TV aren't that great. They keep their flags like that.

Oh I see....a fanboy from Oklahoma. I should have known. http://www.runemasterstudios.com/gra...es/bs_sign.gif

BktBallRef beat me to it :D

One of your more asinine remarks, BBR, .. even though I am a fan (of football), I am from Oklahoma and I am a male so I guess that makes me a boy (even though I am almost 52) but as people who know me will attest, I am not an OU fan.

You asked how I could say the crew did an average job so I gave a few obviously glaring examples which happen to be true and the best you can do is make a snide remark. These type comments are the very reason that I no longer participate on the NFHS forum. Come on big fellow, you're better than that.

BTW.. some other officials from various other states made the same observations as I did.

All of whom were not working the NCAA BCS Championship.

Gosh, I wish I was perfect.

Exactly.

No, Ron Cherry is not the most articulate referee, nor does he have the greatest mechanics. And no, no everyone always stuffs their flag completely back in their pocket during the course of the game. Yes, the BJ got beat but made the necessary adjustment as documented in the story. Helmet to helmet contact occurs all the time but is rarely called except in the NFL on a QB. I have no idea how the on field officials are supposed to be able to control what the ECO is doing., past properly signalling at the end anf beginning of each play.

In spite of all their short comings, they were selected to work the BCS Championship game.

So yes, I say again. http://www.runemasterstudios.com/gra...es/bs_sign.gif

... but did the last 2 years.

Don't we all but don't give up as we should always strive for perfection.

One thing that we are all told is to "Get the Big One" or as one of them said "Whales not Minnows" and it was apparent that they missed 3 or 4 BIG ones. These were observations made by several officials around the country and not meant to belittle or ridicule the crew. Shared with the crew, these items could be taken as constructive criticism in order for them to improve and continue to strive for perfection.

99 times out of 100, if you see a Canadian Official (pro or not) with his flag stuffed in his back pocket, he's from the West. Flag coming out of the front pocket (we call them the "gunslingers"), he's from the east.

Dates back to the 50's and before when the East and Western Conference of the CFL did not play an interlocking schedule except for the Grey Cup...but the tradition still carries on to this day.

A number of officials from the east have adopted the NFL style: ball in the front. And not a single person tapes the ball with white tape to hide the fact that they have a flag. If they did, they would be laughed at, and justifiably so.

You'll have to laugh at my entire crew.