Boy I’ve heard enough griping about officials in the last few weeks to eclipse a decade’s worth of bitching about the refs influencing a game. The latest gripe that “we were robbed” comes courtesy of the Sun Devils.
The Tech fans have been inconsolable since the Late 8 game in Athens, and haven’t let up for weeks, including their latest indictment on officials in the Birmingham Bowl.
And of course, whining ensued.
Admittedly, I had fun with this one in the comments:
Sorry, Jackasses, but more people watched Kentucky Football, and considering the quality of that product on the field, it’s not saying a lot for your meager 4.1 million viewers, which I’m sure was bolstered by a prime time game against Georgia, a “hey there’s football on” game against FSU, and probably a contest against Miami.
Anyway, the officiating excuse has gotten tired and old this year. Additionally, I know a lot of those viewers watched the Texas-Georgia game back in October, so surely they know officials can’t throw flags on the Longhorns, lest they get peppered with water bottles as a result.
Has the officiating been that notably bad, or are college football fans getting notably worse?
It’s hard for me to defend football officiating – I lived through Penn Wagers for one example – but it’s not as bad now as it used to be. I think it’s fans that are notably worse these days. Yes, officials still get calls wrong because it is impossible to be 100% right all the time on what are mainly judgment calls. But I don’t see bad faith calls like we used to, or at least not as often.
Both. Worst officiating I’ve ever seen and I turned 70 last month, and have been watching college football since I was a little kid. Most fans nowadays are whiners.
HBTFD
Stomp the Irish.
Since every game is on television and almost every play is replayed in a stadium, the officiating can be questioned by slow motion. I also think it has gotten worse as these guys can’t keep up with the athleticism on the field (that’s at all levels of the game).
By the way, I didn’t think the Texas player should have been called for targeting. It was a heads up (he did not hit the guy with the crown – the top – of the helmet) play using form tackling technique. There was no intent … see Junior Rosegreen on Reggie Brown which is still the measure of what this rule intended to stamp out.
Most people who are up in arms about this on X are Texas haters (see Texas 8&5 little brother and Oklahoma), people who hate the SEC (see those schools who have SEC rivals – Danny Kanell), and those who were rooting for Cinderella to pull off the upset (Tim Brando). What made me laugh were those who were saying the officials (Big 10) were doing the bidding of the SEC.
I wanted Texas to lose. I also didn’t want them to lose on what a call that appeared to be questionable.
I hate the targeting rule. I’ve hated it since Ray Drew and Ramik Wilson were called for it in the 2013 Vandy game.
Or Nick Fairley 2010 or that Bama guy in the 2012 SEC championship game on Aaron Murray.
Well said ee. They (rules committee) let this targeting rule get out of hand when they started adding to the definition as to what is targeting and now the officials are paying for it.
There should be ONE targeting rule: When a player leads/strikes with the CROWN of the helmet with his head/eyes down and impacts the opponents helmet anywhere in the HEAD area.
That’s the very top part of the helmet for all you clown fans and officials. All the other is BS. As long as your face (face mask) and eyes are up it should be a correct tackle.
Hell, the tackle by the Texas player is what we taught. It’s almost a perfect form tackle.
Greg Blue couldn’t have played in this era. They would have banned his ass. That DGD would lite your ass up.
They (the NCAA’s attorneys) let this targeting rule … FIFY.
Good post and not just because you agree with me, 3ld.
I don’t have a problem with the targeting rule as much as I have a problem with the inconsistency of how it is called. Since the targeting call in question today involves Texas, then I direct people to when Dan Jackson got ejected on an almost exact looking play in Austin.
I totally agree with that, but officiating is subjective. That’s why I asked the question to others if the tackler was wearing a Georgia uniform or, more broadly, the team you follow, would you agree it’s targeting? If so, feel free to complain. If you have a problem because it’s a team you don’t like, the outcome doesn’t fit your narrative or the player who is being tackled plays for your team, you need to adjust your perspective.
I believe targeting is the only live ball foul that can be reviewed by or be initiated from replay.
I would love to ask an Ohio State fan or Ryan Crybaby Day himself, if the roles had been reversed in the 2022 Peach Bowl, would they have been ok with the flag being picked up if their safety hit Brock Bowers the same way Bullard hit Harrison.
Agree, by the rule it was not targeting. Knew it as soon as I saw it.
Officiating has become more about those pregame meetings, “what do we call vs what don’t we call”, somewhere between calling penalties on every play (holding) vs really fucking obvious penalties?????, a ton of reviews, plus the replay booth can buzz the on field crew and tell them #74 has his jersey untucked or those fucking ass wipes in the announcers booth screaming for a penalty flag and fucking succeeded with no delay of game penalty?????…don’t let yourself believe for one BullDog second, #87 was off sides….on field penalties are required to justify on field referee’s….GO DAWGS!!
For the most part I agree. But that was fucking targeting yesterday and the officials straight up stepped in and helped Texas. I don’t give a shit. That’s what I saw. And that fucking goober smoocher Joe Tessitore is an unprofessional jackass and makes Jesse Palmer look like Keith Jackson by comparison.
Agree…I say it was targeting and the officials just didn’t want to make such a huge call (ASU would have almost certainly won).
The Zebra’s punted.
Same question I raised to Mike, Ugly.
I would have been holding my breath, but I wouldn’t have been surprised (and admittedly not happy) if it was called.
But my memory goes all the way back to the Jasper Sanks didn’t fumble fiasco and all that has happened in the years since.
And my dislike of burnt orange clad loud mouths probably skews my sense of objectiveness, as does my dislike of zebras.
I do think UGA got treated pretty fairly this year.
Every since the term “Bama Privilege” caught on a few years ago, (thus embarrassing their boss in B’ham) SEC refs have seemingly repented and are being fair. But it took that kind of national acknowledgement and ridicule to change it.
Texas has a fan base that is ridiculously expectant of entitlement. Every team gets a bad call…only Tennessee and Texas and GT hurl their garbage onto the field. (Remember Bear Bryant having to wear a helmet on the sidelines when they played the nerds? )
Just for fun…I found this from an ancient sports blog…
“The Georgia Tech-Notre Dame Fighting Irish football rivalry is infamous more for atrocious off-the-field behavior, rather than the actual games. Georgia Tech fans pelted the Notre Dame players, coaches, and visiting fans with fish and liquor bottles during the games played at Bobby Dodd Stadium during the 1960s and 1970s. One of the more note worthy games was the 1980 3-3 slug fest at Grant Field during Bill Curry’s first season, when then No.1 ranked Notre Dame left Grant Field with its hopes for a national championship in ruins, and once again the visitors were pelted with fish.”
(Apologies for such a long post! Sometimes I get carried away!)
Your first sentence is how I feel about this. When Lewis Cine lit up Kyle Pitts in the ‘20 cocktail party, I was ok with the penalty. He may not have meant to injure him, but it was not a safe play. I had no problem with the penalty and ejection. Same for the block Chris Smith threw in the Orange Bowl late in the first half after Kendrick’s first pick. There may not have been intent but it was not a safe play.
If a player with my colors and helmet were delivering that hit yesterday, I would have been beside myself for that call.
Mike, just a question, but if that had been Dirty Dan Jackson or Malaki Starks delivering the hit, would you be reacting the same? Not trying to troll you … I’m genuinely curious.
I don’t remember Dan Jackson’s or Jonel Aguero’s targeting calls looking any worse than the non-call yesterday. Maybe the ASU fans should have littered the playing field with water bottles.
I thought both of those were total jokes, and Kirby was right to call it out.
Remember they tried to get KJ Bolden as well, and that former SEC official doofus Matt Austin was saying it appeared to be targeting.
I’m not sure what you’re asking. Would I think it was targeting? Yes, because it was. I don’t see how there’s any doubt in anybody’s mind. Or are you asking if I would be mad that they didn’t call it? The answer to that question is no.
Ok – that’s being fair and consistent. Thanks for the response.
How long have high definition TV’s been around? How long have endless replays been around? How long have officiating consultants been on the booth?
I wonder what the correlation is between those factors and griping about calls. In other words do we have the same fair to middling zebras as twenty years ago, and we’re just able to scrutinize everything at molecular level?
Fans are worse (starting with me) but the manufactured dopamine hit thanks to hitting send makes it double worse. Refs today can’t keep up with the speed of the game, yet and are burdened with rules interpretations instead of rules enforcement. Also, every replay gets shown in slow motion and from angles impossible to see on the field. Make all replays game speed, penalties black and white the decisions (always aboot colour) and slap the taste out of losing fans’ mouths (starting with my sniffling, teary eyed Dre Swif was facemasked). Life is cold dark and brutal, just because dEiSPN wants everything a manufactured melodrama doesn’t mean we gotta buy-in.
That being said: sad way to start the New Year but I’m SERIOUSLY thankful for y’all scamps!!!!!
Thank you for coming to my TedTalk at the Wendy’s Drive-Thru
#GoDawgs
#CaninesVsCathlics
#LesBonTempsRouler
That was targeting by rule. But so was the hit on the Texas WR on the interception that is conveniently memory-holed. The guy launched into the defenseless WR’s face with his shoulder, and his head snaps back. I’ve seen that called more often than not.
The truth is neither should have been targeting. I hate the targeting rule, and I think it should be eliminated. If there is a killshot, penalize it with an unsportsmanlike and treat them like technical fouls. It can be egregious enough for immediate ejection, and they carry over from game to game. Otherwise let them play.
The targeting rule was written by the NCAA’s attorneys and not by anyone who understands football. Once that is clear, you get why this rule appears to be so broad where you get this discussion. It’s targeting by rule, but the intent doesn’t appear to be there.
Like you, I thought that one was much more egregious. He launched himself which is usually an automatic.
I’m guessing the reason they waved it off was that would have likely reversed the interception. It would have been bang-bang for change of possession. If he had launched prior to the ball to the ball being picked, I’m guessing Texas would have gotten 15 yards plus retaining possession.
I thought is was targeting, but I am not sure I even know what that is anymore. ASU fans forgot they needed to pepper the field with trash if they really wanted that call to made.
Sorry tonyhig, I posted the same thought above as a response before I read all the way down. My bad! Great minds and all that.
This year seems to be worse than most I have experienced, regarding blatantly missed calls, etc. This is true for most games I’ve watched, including plenty of non-Dawg games. Offensive linemen have been holding brazenly, endless play-changing PI’s missed (both directions, OPI, and DPI), not to mention face mask penalties that only seem to be called when convenient. Instead of cleaning up those, they spend their time focusing on penalizing defensive teams for d-linemen shifting, “disconcerting signals”, and all of that bullshit, which I believe was intended to hamstring Kirby’s defenses. All of that being said, I agree with several others who stated that we fans do have the benefit of scrutinizing every microcosm of each play, due to section HD, slow-frame cameras, etc., so I guess that factors into the equation. The one that really irks me, is that during a “catch”, the ball is allowed to touch the ground, as long as it doesn’t disrupt control, blah blah blah… pisses me off every time. Ball touches the ground before the receiver establishes possession (or during.. ugh) should be incomplete.
Dez caught that ball! IYKYK
If the college game went to 2 feet down and control, a lot of the questions (and reviews) about legal receptions would go away, but, of course, that would help the defense. Therefore, the powers that be will never agree to it.
NFL has everyone screaming too unless you’re the Chiefs. The speed and athleticism of professional athletes (that includes the college ones) is too much for old school volunteer officiating. They can make them full-time and add two more sets of eyes on the field and one in the booth who should be able to actively call fouls, not just buzz in occasionally on specific situations. But that would cost Greg and the other dimwit conference commishes money. Can’t have that. Same for the NFL owners. They all still stick to the nonsensical romance that on the field officials and the human element of error is part of the game. BS. If they turned it over to use more technology like every other facet of the game they couldn’t reserve the right to fix….errr…let luck determine the outcomes.
For example, put AI in the Skycam and you’ll see holding get called correctly more often. System could immediately flash red on the player involved and a booth official can buzz the umpire. If that slows down the game and lowers scoring or gets more QBs killed they can adjust the rules for use of hands. There is a way, just no will.
I agree with whoever said the officials knew it would mean a win for Arizona State but more importantly a kiss for Texas and they know the suits wanted Texas to win. They did not want the heat and took the easy way out. College football officials are cowards. Especially where Texas and Alabama are concerned. This is the second total coward move by officials regarding Texas this season after the trash throwing incident. They aren’t in control of the game if Texas or Alabama is on the field.
eethomas I’ve been mostly in agreement. The rule was a grandstanding posturing move by the NCAA.
The spearing rule has been on the books for ages and covered vast majority of what needed to be covered. I posted on the Senator’s Blog a few times about the Spearing rule. Adding an optional ejection to the rule woulld have forced the NCAA to admit they had rules which weren’t being enforced and thus allowed CTE.
Horse collar has been the same as targeting at first they call anythinig close and then let more slide. Horse colalr evolved faster due to political / letigious pressure.
As for refs overall, I think calls are worse, spots are rushed to speed up the game (when the game part of the game and review isn’t what is dragging out games) it is the commercials dragging out the games. I also don’t believe refs are near as consistent and the state of refereeing has been in decline for a few years.
Spearing was the use of the crown of the helmet – using the helmet as a weapon. Some of these targeting calls are being made on clean hits where the question is what is the defensive player supposed to do to make the tackle.