SECcccc you in Atlanta and the Death of Officiating
All you can ask for is for your team have a clear path to the National Championship and that is what the Gators have this morning. With terribly overrated Penn State out of the way, if Florida wins out, they go to the BCS title game. While Boise State and Utah will have something to say about this (perhaps they can form one superconference and shut up about being left out?), the BCS championship is rightly the winners of the Big 12 and SEC; the two best conferences. Although, if the Big 12 South winner (Texas Tech, Texas or Oklahoma) gets upset in the Big 12 title game, that throws a wrench into the gears. At that point the most deserving teams would be teams who did not win their divisions or Penn State. Which means...
President-Elect Barack Obama has to step in and implement the eight-team playoff he talked about Monday on ESPN. He's not president yet, so he can't make policy decisions, but he can throw his influence around. Maybe he can get Joe Biden (who attended Delaware and the I-AA playoffs) to show off his statesman skills and bring together the superconferences. Of course, the playoff could have been another look into the Obama campaign's strategy of "no stone unturned"; apparently college football fans are more likely to go to the polls than their counterparts. What better way to get them to the polls than making a playoff as part of your platform?
More pressing right now than who is president is the horrific state of officiating in college football. In the Penn State-Iowa and UF-Vandy games, officials blew two goal line fumble calls. With Penn State, QB Daryll Clark fumbled the ball and it appeared to be recovered by Iowa in the end zone. However, the call on the field was PSU recovered at the 1. This call happened AFTER the whistle blew. Because of that, the decision of touchdown Iowa, safety Iowa, or PSU recovery was put in the hands of the replay booth. What did they do? PSU ball at the one, despite Clark only having one hand on the ball and an Iowa defender had it in his belly.
Later in the evening, Percy Harvin dove over the pile and broke the plane, apparently scoring a touchdown. But when the ball hit the goal line, it loosened in Harvin's hand, and was ripped out after the whistle should have been blown (Harvin was flat on the ground). Vandy was awarded the ball at the 20 and replay upheld the call. In both cases, officials gave the benefit of the doubt to one team, rather than assessing the actions on the field. The officials in question refused to make a call and chose to leave the decisions in the hands of the replay officials who have to decide what the officials saw. Remember, the replay officials can only overturn if they see indisputable evidence. In both questions they refused to overrule because something popped out at them (Clark's one hand on the ball, Harvin having the ball jar loose) that they assume was the reasoning for the field officials decision.
This is incredibly important because a game will turn on a decision like this. Everyone; announcers, coaches, fans, sees the play. But the officials operate in an alternate universe where logic is thrown out.
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Comments
That the announcers didn't even realize that it was a touchdown (not just not a fumble) until like 2 minutes into the replay was amusing
The replay was more than pretty obvious about whether or not the ball came out. I’ve started to notice this, replay officials use the “indisputable evidence” thing to avoid making the right call on a close play (you know, the kind that replay is used on?) and instead go with whatever was called on the field. The replay officials need to grow some balls for real.
by staplemaniac on Nov 9, 2008 11:57 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Sadly im too used to this.
Im a Seattle Seahawks fan in the NFL, and whether you like them or not, there is no denying what they go through on a weekly basis. Of course, Super Bowl 40 is the only one people acknowledge because its the only game non-Seahawk fans have actually watched of them…but they get bad every single week. That Harvin call? Imagine two similar calls a game.
I just sorta expect it for any of my teams. I dont think refs will ever be logical on a consistent basis.
I do like the angle you take saying its more of the refs lacking a manly duo as opposed to sheer bias (which the latter definitely is the category for my Seahawks). I would have to agree. They just seem afraid to admit they are wrong on calls.
As for the Championship situation, its simple. Win out. I said before and it should be obvious now that the winner between Florida and Alabama is locked, barring some major collapse. Penn St ‘just got by’ way too much this year, and they finally lost because of it. Even if they went undefeated, the SEC winner would jump them. Utah, IMO…is a bit more dangerous. BSU needs too much help. I doubt any has a real good shot, regardless of what they do. While im on it, as good as TTech is at scoring, their defense is just blaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Now we need to make a(nother) statement against a good scoring offense, laugh at Citadel, make the in-state rivals our bitch, and hope that the SEC Championship game turns into a National Championship game of its own.
by Slica on Nov 9, 2008 2:41 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Let's just keep blowing everyone out so that it doesn't affect us.
Clutch: A measurement of how much better or worse a player does in high leverage situations than he would have done in a context neutral environment. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/glossary/
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 9, 2008 4:13 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Thatll work.
I love how I type an essay on random musings and you sum up pretty much everything I said in a single sentence.
by Slica on Nov 9, 2008 11:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
That's called being 15.
Your second sentence in that comment was longer than most of my friends’ attention spa- Woah, a story about the AAFL! —>
Clutch: A measurement of how much better or worse a player does in high leverage situations than he would have done in a context neutral environment. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/glossary/
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 10, 2008 5:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
We're lucky...
… this didn’t hurt us. How would you like that call to come in the SEC CG, or, if the fates will have it, the BCS title game?
It’s mystifying to me how that call could be blown. One, they didn’t get it right on the field. Fine, replay should have corrected that — he was OBVIOUSLY down. As in, his entire body was on the turf! Two, it was clearly a touchdown which would have negated any “strip” of the ball after the fact. Three, Vandy “recovered” the ball at UF’s 1-yard line and the officials awarded possession at the 20 as if it was a touchback.
Basically, the field refs blew it twice, then the repay booth blew it twice. It really makes me wonder what they’re doing up there… playing Parcheesi maybe?
Orange and Blue Hue: The World through GATOR-colored Glasses -- http://www.orangeandbluehue.com
by Gatorpilot on Nov 10, 2008 4:04 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
What's Parcheesi?
Clutch: A measurement of how much better or worse a player does in high leverage situations than he would have done in a context neutral environment. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/glossary/
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 10, 2008 5:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
It's Sorry! but with dice instead of cards
And I think they spotted the ball correctly assuming it was a fumble I think it was a touchback. But since it wasn’t a fumble the point ought to be moot.
I could be wrong though
by staplemaniac on Nov 10, 2008 5:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Oh. Okay.
[goes off to play PS3]
Clutch: A measurement of how much better or worse a player does in high leverage situations than he would have done in a context neutral environment. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/glossary/
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 11, 2008 11:39 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Like Silca said
I think the SEC Championship game is the National Championship game this year. I know the Big XII will have their say, and Texas Tech looks really good, especially after these last two weeks, but I still think the SEC is the top conference in the country.
I’m just tired of hearing how great Oklahoma, Ohio State, USC, etc. are every year, and then it coming down to the SEC on who will finish the year #1.
Come on Gators, lock it down…and PLEASE DESTROY SABAN!!!!!!!!!!!!
by Mosul_DolFan on Nov 10, 2008 5:01 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
TTU Defense < plastic wrap
Clutch: A measurement of how much better or worse a player does in high leverage situations than he would have done in a context neutral environment. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/glossary/
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 10, 2008 5:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Sorry.
Apologies to the plastic wrap community. I did not mean to offend you by comparing you in any way to those horrid things. I hope that we can all move on from this and continue the relationship we have worked so hard to develop. Thank you, and again, I’m sorry.
Clutch: A measurement of how much better or worse a player does in high leverage situations than he would have done in a context neutral environment. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/glossary/
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 12, 2008 5:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
The Big 12 looks better than the SEC this season
See: Auburn, Tennessee, Mississippi State. The third-fourth best teams in the Big 12 I think are better than the third-fourth best teams in the SEC. I mean, objectiely, the case can be made.
I could be wrong though
by staplemaniac on Nov 10, 2008 5:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
It may be deeper, but I dont see any Big 12 team beating Florida or Alabama.
Oklahoma is still the best overall team in the Big 12 IMO. Obviously we will find out when the play TTech, but either way…I would think Oklahoma has a better shot than Tech (against us or the Tide).
I hate saying that because I do think Tech is legit, but that defense is poorer than piss. Im sick of analysts overlooking their flaws and claiming their defense is scrappy. Scrappy wont help when you go up against a dominant (HUGE) offensive line with a quick offense to boot. Texas has a good offense, but I think their defense is overrated. I just have my doubts they could topple the top two SEC teams. Oklahoma has enough balanace, but we’ve seen what balance can get you with Georgia.
So I agree its deeper, but Florida is just too good right now, and Alabama may of slowed down a TAD, but they are still scary as something that is very, very scary.
by Slica on Nov 11, 2008 8:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Officiating
It all evens out – officials miss calls, but if you think that your team is always on the short end, you’re delusional. We benefitted from a couple bad calls in the UGA game – go to Dawg Sports and you’ll see that they are still bitching about it – but it didn’t matter.
How about taking care of the ball? If Havin doesn’t try to stretch the ball out away from his body for a TD, then there is no issue. Remember when Harvin laid the ball on the turf against Ole Miss? That’s the type of thing that costs you games. Losers complain about the refs. i.e. UGA fans claiming that it “changed the whole momentum of the game.”
by skigator93 on Nov 10, 2008 2:15 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Umm... unfocused play cost us the Ole Miss game.
Tebow was throwing like it was some picnic touch football game, the defense wasn’t wrapping up on tackles, Phillips wasn’t keeping the ball up on kicks, etc. Percy was one of the few who was playing hard, but the Ole Miss defender made a great strip of the ball.
Clutch: A measurement of how much better or worse a player does in high leverage situations than he would have done in a context neutral environment. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/glossary/
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 10, 2008 5:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Percy fumbles three times vs Ole Miss
He was able to recover two of them. Tebow and Hernandez also lost fumbles.
Ole Miss scored a FG following Harvin’s fumble, a TD following Tebow’s (Hernandez’s fumble did not result in a score). We gave them 10 of thier 31 points in a 1 point loss.
I agree that Tebow was horrible that day.
by skigator93 on Nov 13, 2008 12:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
You may rethink your points if you followed the Seattle Seahawks for a season.
I dont disagree, I think the Gators have gotten their share of calls this year, but in the end…they reviewed that play. It was clear. The refs failed to do their job, and thats the bottomline.
by Slica on Nov 11, 2008 8:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Percy scored
Percy scored a TD on that play, if he didnt, he was down on the 1 inch line, if it was a fumble it should have been placed again at the 1 inch line (the dude who recovered it had the ball out of the endzone). So after a long review they decided to place the ball in Vandy’s hands at their 20.
They fucked up that call miserably.
You gotta hate to lose more than you want to win
by alwaysafan on Nov 11, 2008 5:28 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

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