Pac 10 and Big East admit to officiating mistakes

by John Berkowitz on Oct 10, 2009 8:16 AM PDT Comment 20 comments

Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times reports that both the Pac 10 and the Big East have admitted to missed calls in last weeks Washington at Notre Dame football game.

In a statement relayed through Pac-10 associate commissioner Dave Hirsch, the conference said Friday that "after further consideration, both conferences have agreed that some calls in that game were missed by both the officials on the field and in the replay booth and we've moved on."

This of course doesn't change anything and it is of little consolation to the kids who were cheated out of a hard fought victory by poor officiating decisions. People may second guess Coach Steve Sarkisian's decision not to ask for a review on the two point conversion but I think he made the right call. It was obvious the Big East replay officials up in the box were not on the level. Even if they would have seen Hughes' knee down they would have called it inconclusive anyway.

When the fix is in... the fix is in...not much you can do about it but win the game outright and Washington had plenty of chances to do that despite the poor officiating.

0 recs | Comment 20 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

A Fix

Okay, players lose yardage and points when they are found to have made a mistake, and that takes away from what they are on the field for – to win. Now when the
Ref’s screw up, and even admitt it in this case, I say take away some of what they are on the field for – paychecks. Sure would provide better motivation to get their eyesight checked and be much more focused. As it is now, it is just, “We F’ed up, and now WE have moved on.” What turds!

by Go Viks! on Oct 10, 2009 9:15 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

What Turds....

They should be held accountable with their paychecks.

I don’t think it was eye sight on the part of the Big East replay officials…they simply chose to cheat.

by John Berkowitz on Oct 10, 2009 9:19 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

back flip

this has been going on a long time. Are gamblers involved? That is the big question.

Remeber when Zona travelled with it’s own referee. Can’t remember the year but Washington called for holding every large gain and the touchdown by the Huskies to put the game away called back for holding. This referee was from Arizona!!!
And this was in HUSKY STADIUM no replays. End of the game Zona QB does back flip into end zone wins game. Nothing done.
I think the next year even more blatant call same referee Zona at Cougar land in PULLMAN Zona pass clearly out of bounds ruled complete by this referee. This one was on tape and I thing he was let go. Can’t remember name but throwing games for whatever reason is serious.
Especially with the point spreads and millions of dollars at stake in Vegas et al.
And the PAC-10 won’t let up on the Huskies for the “fruit basket” violation calling it “lack of institutional control” and three year sanctions, no bowl games.
Pretty mild compared to what goes on now in this high stakes atmosphere but you got the gold you make the rules.

by Purpledawg on Oct 10, 2009 9:53 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Maybe the wrong guys are getting those checks

Hugh Millen, a year or 2 ago, said that he watches more combined NFL and Pac10 tape than probably anyone. His conclusion was that the gap was greater between the ref’s than it was with the players. These Pac10 officials are professionals, just like the NFL. If they’re not cutting it, then get rid of them. I don’t know if the refs in other conferences get paid more or what the problem is, but the new commish needs to address it.

Concerning the Big East in the booth (doesn’t this sound like a job for refs too fat or old to run), conclusive evidence with multiple looks is pretty easy. Cheating for a team that you want to join your conference is about as low as you can get.

There is a ton of money in BCS football. Look at what the coaches get paid to coach (or not coach, like Ty). Get some refs that know what they’re doing.

by dawgdude on Oct 10, 2009 10:05 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

ok so where do we go from here?

i watch a fair amount of ncaa football and it is very apparent the pac 10 suffers from inferior officiating. missed calls or not able to control a game, ie udub v osu 2008. it is problem and needs fixing. we look bush league in this area of play.

the best time for change is when there is a new regime. we have a new commish and although his primary emphasis is on a tv network deal, that will lose it’s sheen when there is more exposure of this deficiency.

i am dropping a note to our ad to thank him for taking up the cause for the team, fans and to talk to his collegues and ask them to do the same. i will also thank the commissioner for pursuing the ‘’mea culpa’’ but to review these crews and improve the standards to which they are held.

what can we do other than write letters individually? could there be a position statement that would apply to all schools of the pac 10 since everyone suffers and post it on the sbn sites?
i don’’t know but writing this just got the crappy taste out of my mouth since coming back from south bend.

GO DAWGS!

by PandG on Oct 10, 2009 10:08 AM PDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs

no reply

I have a stack of violations by a PAC-10 mega team. Have sent copies to PAC-10 NCAA without even an acknowledgment. Makes sense if there are any sanctions against a major metro warm weather cash cow team they are not going to announce them until this contract is signed.
Your super star team on probation no bowl games for three years forfeiting two years of victories gained by gaming the system (cheating).

by Purpledawg on Oct 10, 2009 11:34 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Time To Pull Together

We lost our 103 year old football program at WWU, so we former Viking boosters take NOTHING for granted any more. A few of us have finished crying and now fully support Husky Football. More will come this way in the years ahead. One thing we talk about a lot is how we can support all NCAA Football programs, as we work to protect them from administrators and cheaters who are trying to pull things down.

Something needs to be put together and done. If it comes from this blog, that would be great!

Go Dawgs! Woof! Now lets just go kick the crapola out of AU! There is no better revenge than success!

by Go Viks! on Oct 10, 2009 11:10 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Now I understand your nick...

Glad to have you aboard.

by hairofthedawg on Oct 10, 2009 11:54 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Are you kidding?

How many snaps did we take from the one yard line to essentially win the game?

You think there was a fix?

This post is embarrassing to Huskies everywhere. We lost, plain and simple. That’s OUR fault. Now, we go and do everything we can to beat the Wildcats. It’s that simple.

by sixsevenfiftysix on Oct 10, 2009 11:46 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Your opinion

Washington had it’s chances to win the game despite the bad calls…we all know that.

We also know after reviewing the same tapes the replay officials viewed that they made the wrong decisions…that is backed up by the admins of both conferences.

Why exactly were those decisions made?

Was it simple human error or something else?

I would say it is something else because after being there and seeing it person plus reviewing the replays you would have to say that the polk call was inconclusive…no way should it be over turned…the two point call is harder to see…no way it shouldn’t have been reviewed.

Funny things happen on the road and in that stadium.

You have to ask yourself the question…why weren’t the correct calls made and who benefitted by them?

by John Berkowitz on Oct 10, 2009 11:58 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Justified complaints, not whinning

This isn’t one bad day of officiating, but many seasons. Ask OK what they think of Pac10 refs. It was our fault that we didn’t score a TD with all of those opportunities inside the 2. But bad calls are still bad calls, and they were reviewed.

Note that both conferences admitted mistakes were made, but both failed to mention what they were. I think the general feeling about Pac10 refs is not that they are dishonest, but incompetent. They are not out to get the UW, or any other team, they are just inferior.

by dawgdude on Oct 10, 2009 12:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

One more thing

This post is embarrassing to Huskies everywhere

Actually since there was an official inquiry more than a few people in charge at UW thought the same thing. I also received quite a few messages today thanking me for posting it.

You have to ask the question…if the officials are seeing the same thing everyone else saw why would they make the wrong call? In both cases it was quite clear after review what the right call was.

Frankly I am just sick of incompetent officiating.

by John Berkowitz on Oct 10, 2009 12:10 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree with both the posts above calling the officiating incompetent.

That’s an entirely different accusation than a FIX.

by sixsevenfiftysix on Oct 10, 2009 12:19 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

It just get old year after year. Always a lot of talk about how PAC-10 officials are incompetent. You don’t hear all these type of complaints coming out of the SEC, BIG 10, or other conferences.

by Big Husky on Oct 10, 2009 12:57 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Given the history of college football

and the dollars involved, would it really surprise you though. I don’t like to think that way, but I don’t think it’s far-fetched.

by hairofthedawg on Oct 10, 2009 12:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Then what would you call it?

A simple mistake made by a group of men who have 20-30 years of experience each doing exactly this?

I don’t think anyone believes it was simply a mistake.

These men made a conscious decision to overturn a TD call so Notre Dame could stay in the game. They made a conscious decision not to review the two point conversion even though they were according to the Big East conference supposed to review all plays up in the booth.

They did it because they knew they could get away with it.

It’s over…move on? I don’t think so. You can’t reverse the outcome of the game but you can hold the men accountable by investigating them and suspending them pending the investigation.

Was the fix in?

You need an investigation to decipher that.

I did talk to a retired Big East official a day after the game who felt that they should be investigated even though he confided the conference won’t do anything. He said this stuff has been going on for years all over the country. You don’t prosecute people for a little hime cooking.

by John Berkowitz on Oct 10, 2009 12:58 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Then I hope our NEW Commissioner

understands that he has a big problem on his hands that he has to fix. Should be one of his priorities. PAC-10 officials the joke of the NCAA

by Big Husky on Oct 10, 2009 1:06 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

The bif problems was up in the booth and those were Big East guys

Both conferences are just covering their butts and hoping it will all go away.

by John Berkowitz on Oct 10, 2009 1:11 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

any suggestions

how the grassroots fans can help bring some pressure.
this affects all schools in the pac 10, not just us.

by PandG on Oct 10, 2009 2:53 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

Absolutely none

This is something the athletic directors need to address over time with the conference commissioner. Keep in mind that he just started the job this summer so any changes he thinks of making won’t start to happen till this spring. You just can’t walk in an fire everyone your first month.

Just feel confident that changes are coming to the Pac 10 sooner than later.

by John Berkowitz on Oct 10, 2009 3:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs