Other College Football

[Show-Me Hog]

Referees, like all humans, have biases that they often don't even admit to themselves. They think they are completely playing it straight, when a neutral observer sees that's not necessarily true.

It's like having a favorite one of your kids. Most parents will never admit this. Most parents don't even really think it themselves. But when it comes down to how you treat your kid, based on how they treat you, probably one is your favorite.

Throw in the subjective factor of most penalties, and as animal says, some you could call every down (cough cough, holding). What gets ignored is more important than what gets called.

I know for a (subjective) fact, watching Alabama during the Saban era, they could do things on pass defense that most teams get flagged for. Such as shivving their opponent in the soft part of the neck, just one example.

[DirkPiggler]

I know what most fans think, but it doesn't happen.  I can't say it's never happened because someone will bring up Tim Donaghy's name.  But, in 30 years of officiating (23 at the college level), I've never heard anyone in officiating circles suggest anything but doing our best to make every call correct.  We are graded on each and every play and red marks on our grades can keep us out of bowl games, etc.  I know fans want to think officials are crooked, but some of the greatest men I've ever known have been football officials. 

I won't even mention how some of the ones y'all hate the most are the most honest, ethical, upstanding individuals I know. 

I'm as hard on you guys as anyone but not even I really believe there is corruption outside of maybe an outlier (you can never rule out another Donaghy and I doubt you would know it if one was in your midst - they would be trying to hide it from their peers as much as anyone).  I truly think everyone is trying to do their best, but like others have said, all humans have some inherent biases.

Even if it's just luck that it happens that way, you have to understand our frustration when the crucial, game changing calls always seem to go in one direction when Arkansas is involved.  The last time I can recall a game changing in our favor on a questionable call was the 2000 Alabama game and the late defensive holding which kept the game winning drive alive.  A lot of people who witnessed that one have kids who were born, raised, and graduated college since that one happened.  And I'm not saying we haven't benefitted from some bad calls in our favor either.  But there is a huge difference between missing a hold on a TD in the second quarter versus a shady offensive PI on a long pass on the last possession of a game against a rival led by a certain hated former coach. 

 Maybe the next hundred or so questionable game changing calls will go our way and start to even things out. 

[arreferee]

1000 percent sure?  Lol

They can give Tebow and extra yard and half on a spot or refuse to see the QB took a step and turned before spiking the ball, but they can't manage to see Ole Miss faking injuries when it has become so obvious as to be a national joke. lol

Yes, you better be more than 100% sure. That wasn't a typo. 

Again, you don't want me trying to determine whether or not an injury is real or not. I've had my suspicions on injuries before, but that's not something anyone wants me to rule on.

[The Whyte Boar]

Yes, you better be more than 100% sure. That wasn't a typo. 

Again, you don't want me trying to determine whether or not an injury is real or not. I've had my suspicions on injuries before, but that's not something anyone wants me to rule on.

Yeah, actually we do.  That's the point.  It's becoming a major issue that is harming the game.

[arreferee]

Yeah, actually we do.  That's the point.  It's becoming a major issue that is harming the game.

While I agree it's an issue that's harming the game, I don't agree that you want me to determine when someone is actually hurt.  The rules committee needs to address it so we aren't guessing.

[The Whyte Boar]

While I agree it's an issue that's harming the game, I don't agree that you want me to determine when someone is actually hurt.  The rules committee needs to address it so we aren't guessing.

The rules committee is going to come up with something like "if in the judgement of the official".  You're not going to be able tk get around having to make a call.  Some players will be legitimately injured and some will be faking.  The officials are going to have decide which ones are which.

[animal]

Ole Miss and to a lesser degree Mizzou is doing this throughout the games now. It's not just in the 4th quarter. They do it to disrupt the offensive flow. If you get on a run then you can accurately predict they'll be a player suddenly flop down.

To the competition committees: perhaps the defense should be charged a timeout or take a 5 yard delay of game penalty or something like that. That would seem to minimize the drama and if you are really hurt you'll hobble your ass over to the sideline and they rush in a replacement like they used to do in the old days. If for no other reason considering all the "made for tv" aspect of the games today trying to shorten the times down...get rid of the fake injury bullshit. 

Does the NFL have a rule for this? I never see NFL players suddenly get Vickle Vaughned out of nowhere when the opposing team is driving.

[vegashog]

The rules committee is going to come up with something like "if in the judgement of the official".  You're not going to be able tk get around having to make a call.  Some players will be legitimately injured and some will be faking.  The officials are going to have decide which ones are which.

who wants the officials to determine injuries? based on their medical knowledge?

[egregious]

GT was doing that shit this week.  I was embarrassed.

Make anybody "injured" stay out x number of plays.

[vegashog]

GT was doing that shit this week.  I was embarrassed.

Make anybody "injured" stay out x number of plays.

that's the only remedy. but like our resident official says, that's on the rules committee (coaches). why they would rather complain than actually put in rules to prevent it, is beyond me.

[passed]

While I agree it's an issue that's harming the game, I don't agree that you want me to determine when someone is actually hurt.  The rules committee needs to address it so we aren't guessing.

I see your point, but I also see the other posters' points, "they'll just say it is up to the official"... which doesn't help.  There needs to be some sort of injury # of plays or series time on the sidelines.  Then, of course, the Kiffin's and Freeze's of the world will just put in second stringers to take a fall..

Needless to say we do NOT need the Curles and Wagers of the world making the judgment call.  Lord knows some Arkansas player will have bone sticking out and they'll give us a penalty for faking...

[Thin Red Swine]

Why does the determination whether it was fake need to be immediate? If there is already a medical observer there, have that person make a determination while the player is sitting out his mandated x number of plays, x amount of time or whatever.

And once the determination is made, the penalty can be applied at that point, up to and including after the offending team gets the ball back.

[The Whyte Boar]

Review every injury after the game and fine the head coach $250k for every instance of an injury determined to be fake.  Give him an appeals process so that he isn't denied due process and can't claim it's arbitrary. 

[vegashog]

who exactly will make these medical determinations after the fact? each conference hires a medical team? second opinions? hipaa? penalize a coach for what a player might do? lots of potential law suites waiting to happen.

just make them sit a certain number of plays or to the end of the series. that way it doesn't matter if the injuries are fake or not. 

[HOGSRUNWILD]

Pretty easy.  Any player that has an injury that is bad enough to stop play must sit for the remainder of that quarter and a full qtr after that. 

It is for player safety as well.  If someone is THAT badly injured that play must be stopped, then that should be the minimum time to evaluate them to ensure they are fit for further play.

It would absolutely cut down on 99% of that bullshit. 

Q:  What if they just put a scrub in there to fake an injury since who cares if they can play after that.
A:  THey would have to participate in at least one play to get injured and that play could be big if they really are a scrub.

[The Whyte Boar]

who exactly will make these medical determinations after the fact? each conference hires a medical team? second opinions? hipaa? penalize a coach for what a player might do? lots of potential law suites waiting to happen.

just make them sit a certain number of plays or to the end of the series. that way it doesn't matter if the injuries are fake or not. 

I don't know, pretty much any retard that can watch a monitor, see a picture player look over at the sidelines, and then go down loke he is shot ten seconds after the play is over.  It ain't that hard.

[Show-Me Hog]

I don't know, pretty much any retard that can watch a monitor, see a picture player look over at the sidelines, and then go down loke he is shot ten seconds after the play is over.  It ain't that hard.

You are aware that this is a world in which any faker in a car accident can have an irrefutable "injury" that medical science can't detect but that some "expert" will "validate" and then a court of law will reward?

No one will ever be able to evaluate an injury as "fake" on a sports field.

The only answer is to mandate longer absences from play. For, uh, the player's safety.

[The Whyte Boar]

You are aware that this is a world in which any faker in a car accident can have an irrefutable "injury" that medical science can't detect but that some "expert" will "validate" and then a court of law will reward?

No one will ever be able to evaluate an injury as "fake" on a sports field.

The only answer is to mandate longer absences from play. For, uh, the player's safety.

Start fining coaches for "fake" injuries and they will go away.  That simple.

[Son of Spam]

Pretty easy.  Any player that has an injury that is bad enough to stop play must sit for the remainder of that quarter and a full qtr after that. 

It is for player safety as well.  If someone is THAT badly injured that play must be stopped, then that should be the minimum time to evaluate them to ensure they are fit for further play.

It would absolutely cut down on 99% of that bullshit. 

Q:  What if they just put a scrub in there to fake an injury since who cares if they can play after that.
A:  THey would have to participate in at least one play to get injured and that play could be big if they really are a scrub.

Same as what I have said. They sit out the quarter to make sure the "injury" isn't severe. I think that would solve it.

[DirkPiggler]

You are aware that this is a world in which any faker in a car accident can have an irrefutable "injury" that medical science can't detect but that some "expert" will "validate" and then a court of law will reward?

No one will ever be able to evaluate an injury as "fake" on a sports field.

The only answer is to mandate longer absences from play. For, uh, the player's safety.

Pretty much every player at that level has some sort of nagging/chronic injury they can point to in a post-game medical exam as the cause.  There is no way that any official can or should take the responsibility or liability for fining a coach or suspending a player when someone  may have actually been hurt.  Except Marc Curles.  Bankrupt his ass if necessary.

I'd stop a little short of what HRW and SoS suggested and say that the player has to go out until the next change of possession, or until a timeout is called by either side.  That should be enough to discourage the practice while not being so much to intimidate a truly injured player to try to stay in the game for fear of not being able to come back.