Actually, this isn't quite right. The spike rule is only in effect if the clock is stopped (usually because of a first down) and is going to be started on the RFP.

But that's completely irrelevant to this play.

All I know is that I picked a great time to fly to England and avoid all the sportswriters in Madison who have made me realize that sports journalism is dead and has been completely replaced with opinion stories written by unabashed homers.

Oh, and I also got to miss the local CBS station calling me and asking me for comment, of which I have none, of course.

I still can't look at video from this computer, but if the description and series of stills at the link above is anything other than out-and-out lies, the umpire threw the game to team B. Clearly the action by the player who had taken a knee with the ball was to try to get the ball readied for play sooner. Here, I'm spotting it for you. So don't blame him, that's about the most cooperative you could ever expect the ballcarrier to be when the whistle blows. (My players always want to take the ball into the huddle with them!) How could he possibly anticipate the officials would then allow the other team to futz around with the ball, and leave the clock running while doing so?

Not only that, but in the stills subsequent to the one above, the players of the team in black, other than those who dove on the ball, clearly acted as if the ball was dead.

This was the first response, with no video and only seeing a brief highlight before the later in the night. Of course it was irrelevant as it is not what happened on the play.

Peace

Shouldn't officials be prepared to officiate any play that comes up in their games, regardless of how "stupid" they think it is?

I think you are missing the point. The team that wants the officials to put the ball in play quickly, does something that caused confusion. If the Wisconsin player wanted to take a knee, hold on to the damn football so that you can give it to the nearest official. Then no one thinks there is a fumble. No one can take the ball away from being put in play. This is why teams in the hurry up style are now getting tackled and instead of celebrating or doing something silly, they take the football to the nearest official. Why? Because they want the ball put back in play ASAP. What the QB should have done is hand the ball to the Umpire, instead of setting it down where anything could have happened to it. And this has been taught for years in hurry up situations long before the Spread or Oregon played this fast paced offense. So when you set the ball down where and official has run and get the ball behind your lineman, yes that was stupid. It is stupid because they are the ones that wanted the ball to be put in play quickly and when you would not do that any other time in that situation and now complain the ball was not put back in play.

Peace

What is it everyone tells me, still photos are worthless!!!!:):):):):):)

To call fouls. Yes they are worthless. This is not a foul.

Peace

Wow. I'm embarrassed. Embarrassed that the officials on this site seem to be 100% in defense of the actions by this crew. Fanboy or not, the OP is correct. Stupidly executed play by the QB no doubt - but surely we're not forgiving the crew on this play simply because the player's form was not perfect. Good grief, people.

The worst part, to me, was the umpire standing up having a conversation with a defensive lineman while precious seconds fade away. There is no question the crew needs to be more aware of the clock than this crew was.

So, that said, has anyone heard if there was any disciplinary action taken?

(PS - most definitely NOT the worst I've ever seen. Oregon vs OU had 2 or 3 plays alone that top this. Both 5th down plays. Nebr-Mich failed Stanforesque ending ... all of these were far worse.)

Yes.

But are you going to be happy with anything less than them never working again?

They probably got downgraded and maybe the Umpire and possibly the Referee could have been involved.

The BIG suspended a crew for messing up a 10 second run off near the end of the first half that involved and injured player and an incomplete pass.

These guys appear to be working.

Still not outraged. ;)

Peace

I'm happy to see that the conference is stating what everyone already knew instead of burying its head in the sand.

I'd be interested to know what exactly the sanctions include, because the conference's statement doesn't really reflect the magnitude of the officials' errors.