More talk from that past weekend's officiating

pDigital32Dawg · Nov 9, 2009

I'm wondering what Mike Slive had to say to Les Miles (threatened him with a huge fine or promised something good down the road)... but overall i think it is pretty interesting

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Les Miles decided not to test the SEC's new get-tough policy regarding coaches criticizing officials. <div class="mod-container mod-no-footer mod-inline content-box floatright mod-no-header-footer"> <div class="mod-content">

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnationThe LSU coach said Monday he spoke with Southeastern Conference Commissioner Mike Slive and coordinator of officials Rogers Redding about a near-interception by Patrick Peterson late in the Tigers' 24-15 loss to Alabama. Officials ruled Peterson caught the ball out of bounds and replay officials did not overturn the call, though video showed the LSU defensive back might have had a foot down in bounds. </div> </div>

LSU asked the league to review the call and Miles said he was satisfied with the response he received.

"I know these officials are trying," he said during his weekly news conference in Baton Rouge, La. "They are doing everything they can to get it right. The final score is the final score. The officials are working hard to get it right. If I felt differently, I would say so."

But then he'd have to take out his checkbook. The SEC fined Florida coach Urban Meyer $30,000 last week for saying referees missed a late hit against Georgia on quarterback Tim Tebow, making him the first coach punished under the league's new policy of skipping public reprimands and going straight to fines or suspension.

The questionable call in the LSU game was the latest in a series of high-profile ones that have left SEC fans, and at times coaches, grumbling.

Peterson stepped in front of Greg McElroy's pass and might have gotten his left foot down in bounds -- maybe both feet -- but was ruled out with 5:54 left and LSU trailing 21-15. Replay official Gerald Hodges determined there wasn't the required "indisputed video evidence" to overturn the call.

"I know I was in," Peterson said after the game. "The officials said the pass was incomplete because I was out of bounds. There is nothing you can do now."

SEC spokesman Charles Bloom said the league would not comment on the call.

"The standard procedure for us has been that the school turns in a list of plays and we look at those plays and give them back a review of those plays," Bloom said. "That's what we're doing."

Miles did not join Meyer, Arkansas' Bobby Petrino, Tennessee's Lane Kiffin and Mississippi State's Dan Mullen in publicly criticizing the officials. Petrino, Kiffin and Mullen were all reprimanded within a week and soon after the SEC decided to make the punishment for knocking officials more severe.

Miles said he was convinced Slive and Redding looked at the play "long and hard." So did he.

"I know the officials could not see the play," the coach said. "They were in great position. One official could not see the play because he couldn't see through the back of Patrick Peterson. The only other official who could see the play, was on the other boundary.

"He couldn't see through one of our players. So, it goes to replay. If it's not irrefutable, there's no reversal. The replay man is given instruction to defend and defer to the call on the field."

Alabama coach Nick Saban lashed out at the critics, not the officials.

"If I was an official and I was making what I made officiating because I love the game and I love doing it, and I was getting criticized by the media -- including our announcers on TV -- like these guys are getting criticized, I'd step back and say, 'I think I'll go to the lake this weekend. You can have this,'" Saban said. "That's what I'd do.

He also noted that LSU would still have had to drive nearly 70 yards with both quarterback Jordan Jefferson and tailback Charles Scott out with injuries, against one of the nation's top defenses.

"If it was an interception, that doesn't mean they win the game," Saban said. "It was hard for me to tell on our film. I don't watch the TV stuff. I can't tell you or give you an opinion one way or the other."

The SEC publicly suspended a crew that called two personal foul penalties in separate games that were not supported by video evidence.

One of the calls came in the Arkansas-Florida game and aided a Gators' touchdown drive late in their 23-20 victory.

Kiffin complained about the officials after a 12-10 loss at Alabama and Mullen did the same after a replay review went Florida's way during his team's 29-19 loss to the Gators.

Alabama and Florida are undefeated and will meet in the SEC championship game. If they stay unbeaten, the game in Atlanta will also be for a spot in the national title game.

Kentucky defensive lineman Corey Peters, who has faced both teams, doesn't buy into talk that Florida and Alabama are getting a hand from the league.

"I think Florida's a great football team," Peters said. "I don't think they need any help. Officials can't put the ball in the end zone. They can't put points on the board."

Alabama's McElroy said he also didn't think the Tide and Gators had gotten preferential treatment.

"There's been as many calls against us as there has been for us," McElroy said.

As far as Peterson's play, he said he hadn't watched a replay.

"The SEC officials, they're very professional in their job, they take their job very seriously and 99 percent of the time they're going to get the call right," McElroy said.

Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson left the officials alone, but questioned whether coaches should get fined for voicing an opinion.

"[Meyer] said in his opinion he thought it was the wrong call," Johnson said. "I think everybody can have an opinion.

"I think we ought to have the opportunity to say I disagree with a call and not be fined. You can't say, 'Well I think he did it on purpose or I think it's a conspiracy or whatever.' But if I think it was a bad call, I ought to be able to say it was a bad call. But I guess I can't."

Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press

pDigital32Dawg · Nov 9, 2009

I'm wondering what Mike Slive had to say to Les Miles (threatened him with a huge fine or promised something good down the road)... but overall i think it is pretty interesting

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Les Miles decided not to test the SEC's new get-tough policy regarding coaches criticizing officials. <div class="mod-container mod-no-footer mod-inline content-box floatright mod-no-header-footer"> <div class="mod-content">

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnationThe LSU coach said Monday he spoke with Southeastern Conference Commissioner Mike Slive and coordinator of officials Rogers Redding about a near-interception by Patrick Peterson late in the Tigers' 24-15 loss to Alabama. Officials ruled Peterson caught the ball out of bounds and replay officials did not overturn the call, though video showed the LSU defensive back might have had a foot down in bounds. </div> </div>

LSU asked the league to review the call and Miles said he was satisfied with the response he received.

"I know these officials are trying," he said during his weekly news conference in Baton Rouge, La. "They are doing everything they can to get it right. The final score is the final score. The officials are working hard to get it right. If I felt differently, I would say so."

But then he'd have to take out his checkbook. The SEC fined Florida coach Urban Meyer $30,000 last week for saying referees missed a late hit against Georgia on quarterback Tim Tebow, making him the first coach punished under the league's new policy of skipping public reprimands and going straight to fines or suspension.

The questionable call in the LSU game was the latest in a series of high-profile ones that have left SEC fans, and at times coaches, grumbling.

Peterson stepped in front of Greg McElroy's pass and might have gotten his left foot down in bounds -- maybe both feet -- but was ruled out with 5:54 left and LSU trailing 21-15. Replay official Gerald Hodges determined there wasn't the required "indisputed video evidence" to overturn the call.

"I know I was in," Peterson said after the game. "The officials said the pass was incomplete because I was out of bounds. There is nothing you can do now."

SEC spokesman Charles Bloom said the league would not comment on the call.

"The standard procedure for us has been that the school turns in a list of plays and we look at those plays and give them back a review of those plays," Bloom said. "That's what we're doing."

Miles did not join Meyer, Arkansas' Bobby Petrino, Tennessee's Lane Kiffin and Mississippi State's Dan Mullen in publicly criticizing the officials. Petrino, Kiffin and Mullen were all reprimanded within a week and soon after the SEC decided to make the punishment for knocking officials more severe.

Miles said he was convinced Slive and Redding looked at the play "long and hard." So did he.

"I know the officials could not see the play," the coach said. "They were in great position. One official could not see the play because he couldn't see through the back of Patrick Peterson. The only other official who could see the play, was on the other boundary.

"He couldn't see through one of our players. So, it goes to replay. If it's not irrefutable, there's no reversal. The replay man is given instruction to defend and defer to the call on the field."

Alabama coach Nick Saban lashed out at the critics, not the officials.

"If I was an official and I was making what I made officiating because I love the game and I love doing it, and I was getting criticized by the media -- including our announcers on TV -- like these guys are getting criticized, I'd step back and say, 'I think I'll go to the lake this weekend. You can have this,'" Saban said. "That's what I'd do.

He also noted that LSU would still have had to drive nearly 70 yards with both quarterback Jordan Jefferson and tailback Charles Scott out with injuries, against one of the nation's top defenses.

"If it was an interception, that doesn't mean they win the game," Saban said. "It was hard for me to tell on our film. I don't watch the TV stuff. I can't tell you or give you an opinion one way or the other."

The SEC publicly suspended a crew that called two personal foul penalties in separate games that were not supported by video evidence.

One of the calls came in the Arkansas-Florida game and aided a Gators' touchdown drive late in their 23-20 victory.

Kiffin complained about the officials after a 12-10 loss at Alabama and Mullen did the same after a replay review went Florida's way during his team's 29-19 loss to the Gators.

Alabama and Florida are undefeated and will meet in the SEC championship game. If they stay unbeaten, the game in Atlanta will also be for a spot in the national title game.

Kentucky defensive lineman Corey Peters, who has faced both teams, doesn't buy into talk that Florida and Alabama are getting a hand from the league.

"I think Florida's a great football team," Peters said. "I don't think they need any help. Officials can't put the ball in the end zone. They can't put points on the board."

Alabama's McElroy said he also didn't think the Tide and Gators had gotten preferential treatment.

"There's been as many calls against us as there has been for us," McElroy said.

As far as Peterson's play, he said he hadn't watched a replay.

"The SEC officials, they're very professional in their job, they take their job very seriously and 99 percent of the time they're going to get the call right," McElroy said.

Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson left the officials alone, but questioned whether coaches should get fined for voicing an opinion.

"[Meyer] said in his opinion he thought it was the wrong call," Johnson said. "I think everybody can have an opinion.

"I think we ought to have the opportunity to say I disagree with a call and not be fined. You can't say, 'Well I think he did it on purpose or I think it's a conspiracy or whatever.' But if I think it was a bad call, I ought to be able to say it was a bad call. But I guess I can't."

Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press

TheBigBadDawg · Nov 9, 2009

pDigital32Dawg wrote:

Alabama coach Nick Saban lashed out at the critics, not the officials.

"If I was an official and I was making what I made officiating because I love the game and I love doing it, and I was getting criticized by the media -- including our announcers on TV -- like these guys are getting criticized, I'd step back and say, 'I think I'll go to the lake this weekend. You can have this,'" Saban said. "That's what I'd do.

Click to expand...

Todd4State · Nov 9, 2009

pDigital32Dawg said:
I'm wondering what Mike Slive had to say to Les Miles (threatened him with a huge fine or promised something good down the road)... but overall i think
it is pretty interesting



Alabama coach Nick Saban lashed out at the critics, not the officials.

"If I was an official and I was making what I made officiating because I love the game and I love doing it, and I was getting criticized by the media
-- including our announcers on TV -- like these guys are getting criticized, I'd step back and say, 'I think I'll go to the lake this weekend.
You can have this,'" Saban said. "That's what I'd do.

Alabama's McElroy said he also didn't think the Tide and Gators had gotten preferential treatment.

"There's been as many calls against us as there has been for us," McElroy said.

<</blockquote>

That is exactly what I want them to do. Except as far as I'm concerned, they can jump into the lake.

And Dear Greg McElroy,

No. Typical Alabama.

Poor, pitiful officials. They can't do their job, but they love the game, and they're not screwing us over, so give them a break. THEY'RE NICE PEOPLE DAMMIT! LEAVE PENN WAGERS ALONE!

snoopdog · Nov 9, 2009

and let them do my dirty work on the comments. Slive can't do anything about the student-athlete speaking...can he?

Todd4State · Nov 9, 2009

is maybe suspend them for a game.

I don't know that something like that has ever happened though. So, teams could probably get away with it for at least the time being.

FlabLoser · Nov 9, 2009

"He couldn't see through one of our players. So, it goes to replay. If it's not irrefutable, there's no reversal. The replay man is given instruction to defend and defer to the call on the field."

And that's the problem. The SEC has made it a cardinal sin to overturn a call.

therightway · Nov 9, 2009

Cohendawg · Nov 9, 2009

"I think Florida's a great football team," Peters said. "I don't think they need any help. Officials can't put the ball in the end zone. They can't put points on the board."

missouridawg · Nov 9, 2009

Does anyone else besides me think that 30k fine to Urban Meyer was a cover up?

I honestly can't remember anyone going up in arms about the alleged "late-hit" on Tebow... I still have yet to see ANY type of replay over it...

I kind of feel like Slive called Meyer and said... Hey Urban... You know I'm cheating for you, so I need you to do me a favor... You know that new rule I just scribbled down a few weeks ago? Well I need you to complain publicly about a close call this week, so I can fine you and it doesn't look like I'm actually having the refs fix your games... Can you help a commissioner out?

dudehead · Nov 9, 2009

and the "defend and defer" comment is troublesome to me. Is that the language in the rule?

chewgumm · Nov 9, 2009

It will be like Mt St Hlens when it happens and costs him something.

Miles is obivously a panzy.

patdog · Nov 9, 2009

[b said:
chewgumm[/b]]Miles is obivously a panzy.

the first thing I thought was that it was time for Les Miles to take a stand and publicly say that this was more than just simple incompetence by the officials, it was outright cheating. Nobody could possibly be so incompetent as to miss that call (not to mention the other calls that are documented on video/photo). If he had any balls at all, he wouldn't have just bent over and took it in the *** like he did.

prairiedawg · Nov 9, 2009

"If it was an interception, that doesn't mean they win the game," Saban said. "It was hard for me to tell on our film. I don't watch the TV stuff. I can't tell you or give you an opinion one way or the other."

You know those sob's have "film" just like the "tv stuff".

Porkchop.sixpack · Nov 9, 2009

I mean, apparently, your players can call the ref a blind <17>tard and they don't do anything about it. So, when questions come around about the call, I would say, "Let me turn that question over to our starting cornerback, who was not only right there for the call, but saw the replay along with 80,000 other people at the stadium today."

And another thing -- if you can't jump (verbally) on an official's *** at a presser, you shouldn't be able to defend them either. Personally, I think they should be able to say what ever the hell they want to say. I mean, ****, aren't they all big boys? And it is a free country. However, if they can't criticize, the policy should be no commentary at all - positive or negative.

Woof Man Jack · Nov 10, 2009

"If I was an official and I was making what I made officiating because I love the game and I love doing it, and I was getting criticized by the media -- including our announcers on TV -- like these guys are getting criticized, I'd step back and say, 'I think I'll go to the lake this weekend. You can have this,'" Saban said. "That's what I'd do.

Doubt Saban will ever be on the screwing end of one of these calls but just in case let's archive this ****. Also, a die hard Bama fan I work with insists he was out of bounds. More reasons to hate those jackasses.

Stormrider81 · Nov 10, 2009

that Bama guy would have been singing a different tune. Only a complete homer would say he was out of bounds. He was clearly in bounds.

I really mean it, they need to just eliminate replay. It is worthless. If that wasn't "indesputable evidence", I don't know what is. I mean, the guy is clearly in bounds. I they won't overturn that call, they really shouldn't overturn any call. The one at our place against Florida was one thing, but that was much worse.

I don't know if there is a conspiracy or if it is outright incompetence but the SEC is really making a big mistake by fining these coaches so much. The fans are getting fed up, the media can see that the conference refs are routinely missing obvious calls (whether intentional or not), and the conference really isn't doing anything to solve the problem. This thing is going to continue to boil until it boils over and it will get really ugly. Dear Slive, quit threatening coaches and fix the problem.

thatsbaseball · Nov 10, 2009

the next call will be against us for "artificial noise makers".

3000lbchicken · Nov 10, 2009

Original48 · Nov 10, 2009

Meyer was trying to turn the attention on himself and away from the Brandon Spikes eye gauging incident by criticizing the officials and getting the fine. It also muted the talk surrounding that rediculous half game suspension Meyer gave Spikes as well which was later turned into a full game suspension by Spikes. The media then just focused on the fine and the SEC officials once again...mission accomplished. Actually, the play does look like Tebow was hit very late.

jakldawg · Nov 10, 2009

there's a high school paper article entitled "Hall Monitors, the Most Under-appreciated Students Around" followed by a college editorial, "Campus Ticket Writers: Come On, They're Just Doing Their Job!"

ckDOG · Nov 10, 2009

If it's not irrefutable, there's no reversal. The replay man is given instruction to defend and defer to the call on the field.

I've never read the rules word for word. Are the replay guys given instruction to slant their judgment to the on-field call? If that's the case, the rules must be changed for next season or college football should do away with replay entirely. And, if the rules are fine, it's obvious the replay guys are being "urged" to take the term "irrefutable evidence" to an entirely different level that a reasonable person would.

It's a broken system from the start. Replay takes alot of time out of the game. If it doesn't have a value, remove it. It's comical at this point.

ESPNDawg · Nov 10, 2009

your replay is here:

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/cb-TEWLZNbaR_FvaLjys4HSvUJR_pgnqnzm/hot_topic_sec_fines_meyer/

patdog · Nov 10, 2009

I don't want to see replay officialy overturning calls when it's really a controversial call. However, after seeing the SEC replay officials take "irrefutable" to such a level as they have, I now think the standard should be "if the call is wrong beyond a reasonable doubt, it should be reversed." If "beyond a reasonable doubt" is a high enough standard to send a man to jail, it should be a high enough standard to overturn a bad call in football.

More talk from that past weekend's officiating

Freshman

Freshman

Redshirt

Redshirt

Freshman

Redshirt

Redshirt

Redshirt

Redshirt

Junior

Senior

Redshirt

Heisman

Redshirt

Redshirt

Redshirt

Redshirt

All-American

Senior

Redshirt

Redshirt

All-American

Redshirt

Heisman