Sooners Over-Reaction on Bad Call

by Nestor on Sep 19, 2006 10:31 AM PDT in Football Comment 11 comments

So I think everyone agrees that Sooners got robbed by some incompetent Pac-10 refs last weekend in Eugene. We feel for the Sooners fans. But the reaction coming from Sooner executives, including the University's President, is bordering on absurd. Apparently, Oklahoma president David Boren (a former Democratic Senator), in a letter sent to the Big-12 commissioner, asked for the game to voided and expunged from the record books:

NORMAN, Okla. -- University of Oklahoma president David Boren sent a letter to Big 12 Commissioner Kevin Weiberg on Monday, asking him to push for the Sooners' game against Oregon to be eliminated from the record books and have the Pac-10 officials involved in the game suspended for the remainder of the season.

I will avoid all the easy cheap shots/snark against the state of Oklahoma. Luckily the Big-12 commissioner had a more sane response to Boren's request re. voiding Saturday's game:

University of Oklahoma president David Boren sent a letter Monday to Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg, saying the officiating problems was beyond an "outrageous injustice," and asking him to pursue having the game eliminated from the record books and having the officials involved in the game suspended for the remainder of the season.

Weiberg responded with a statement saying the result of the game would stand.

"There is no provision under NCAA or conference rules for a game result to be reversed or changed as a result of officiating errors, nor do I believe there should be," he said

As that article mentions, the Pac-10 has already suspended those Pac-10 officials for one game. Not sure if that will erase the agony of a painful loss, but it should help calm down Boren a bit and stop him from sending any more asinine/angry demands or asking for that game to be voided. He should understand that the Sooners are not only team to get robbed by awful calls.

And we know all about horrible calls in huge games. We have been on the wrong end of three calls that could have changed the landscape of college football, not just in LA, but also in the country.

As mentioned yesterday there was the blatant non-call on Bush's fumble in the UCLA-Southern Cal game from 2004 which could have impacted the outcome for that game. From the Daily Bruin:

Near the end of the first half, USC tailback Reggie Bush caught a swing pass and broke up the sideline. UCLA linebacker Justin London stopped him and wrapped him up at the UCLA 20. As Bush tried to break free, the ball came loose and linebacker Spencer Havner grabbed it in stride and appeared to have a clear path to the end zone.

But the sideline official blew his whistle and ruled that Bush's progress had been stopped before the fumble.

Replays appeared to show that wasn't the case.

"They didn't call it a fumble and we didn't get the break," London said. "A call like that should go with us. We're at home. We're playing against the No. 1 team in the nation. I felt like it was an obvious call.

"We didn't get the break today and the game turned out the way it did."

The Trojans turned that break into a field goal to end the half. If the referees had allowed play to continue and Havner had scored a touchdown, it would have tied the score at 17-17. Instead, the Trojans entered the break with a 20-10 lead.

But no one from UCLA whined about the call to the point asking for the game to be voided.

No one from UCLA whined to the point of asking for the UCLA-Southern Cal game from 1987 to be "eliminated from the record book." Remember in that game at the Coliseum, it was Eric Affholter's "touchdown catch", which was totally out of bounds, that was the difference maker. The Trojans won that game 17-13, that TD being the game winner.

And no one from Westwood asked for the Big East to void the 1998 UCLA-Miami game when the zebras clearly blew an obvious late game call ruling Melsby's catch (which would have sealed a Bruin win/appearance in the Fiesta Bowl) as a fumble. From the Daily Bruin again:

With a little over three minutes left and UCLA driving down the field, McNown completed a pass to Melsby. After one juke move, Melsby was tackled and the ball popped out. Instant replays showed Melsby's right knee hitting the ground before the ball came loose, but the referees awarded the ball to Miami.

For the record I don't like whining about calls. We deserved to lose all those games mentioned above because we didn't get the job done in other facets of the game. The responsibility of losing those games ultimately lie with us for not doing what it takes to win those games or put them away. Sure, the officials incredibly awful calls turned out to be a difference maker, but so what, that is, like it or not, part of the game.

And the Sooners could have put their game away, as mentioned Crimson and Cream Machine:

The officiating was bad but so was the Oklahoma defense. There are serious breakdowns in the secondary that will cost the Sooners more games this season if the problem isn't fixed. Dennis Dixon passed for 341 yards and two touchdowns, most notably to a wide open Brian Paysinger for the winning score.

Another issue with the Oklahoma defense is absolutely no push up from the middle from the line. In my opinion this is a worse issue than the defensive backs. Improvement here would equate to improvement in the secondary as well. Opposing offenses are running at an incredible pace against the Sooners and there is no pressure on the quarterbacks.

I also believe that Oklahoma got too passive on offense as well. Instead of going for the kill and putting the Ducks away Oklahoma played to run the clock and set up a field goal on two consecutive possessions. After taking a 27-20 lead, Nick Harris intercepted Dixon's pass on first down. Oklahoma got the ball to the Oregon three yard line but couldn't score in three tries that included two runs up the middle and one pass. There was no bootleg with Thompson nor an option or pitch to get the ball to the outside. Oklahoma settled for a field goal instead on going for it on fourth and goal from the two.

That's pretty much it. At this point, Sooners fans (including their school President who has lost all sense of his priorities as the head of an academic institution) should be worrying about their own team instead of sulking about bad calls. That is really the problem.

Anyways, this post inspired me to put up a poll on the worst calls that have gone against the Bruins. Obviously, I have the three mentioned in this post. But are there others? If so please post them in the comment thread. And no ... we are not asking for those games to be expunged from the record books.

GO BRUINS.

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Amen

How embarassing would it have been if Chancellor Young had written a letter demanding that results of a football game be overturned. Boren is embarassing himself and his university.

by McCloskey on Sep 19, 2006 10:42 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Letter writing.

He should write a letter to his defensive coordinator about stopping the pass and then write a letter to Stoops about clock management. Special teams should get a note about kicking FGs.

by bruinelder on Sep 19, 2006 10:51 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Agree with Nestor

While it's unfortnate that poor officiating decides games on occasion, it's can't take the entire blame. The losing team has to evaluate why how it came to such a position in the first place.

by bruinbabe2000 on Sep 19, 2006 11:00 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Sad

Following in southern cal's footsteps of misplaced priorities. At least Stoops doesn't let his players get away with...well...everything.

by scittles on Sep 19, 2006 11:00 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

98 Game v. Miami

I remember that play. I was in Vegas watching it on the jumbo screen. We all saw the knee go down and returned to our drinks, then looked back up to see the referees smelling a comeback help the cause and award the ball to Miami. Worst feeling in the world, esp. knowing that game made E James his millions.

by boston bruin on Sep 19, 2006 11:11 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

The whole story?

I wasn't watching much of the first half of the Oregon game, because I was enjoying watching the Fighting Irish being destroyed too much to flip away. But I talked to a friend of mine, who told me that there had been a horrible call in Oklahoma's favor earlier in the game, and that Oklahoma should have never scored one of their touchdowns in the first place.

Again, I didn't see it, but does anyone know if this is true?

It would be further reason to suspend the officials, who were very terrible in this game, and it would make Oklahoma's protest even more ridiculous to know that they had basically traded bad calls with Oregon through much of the game.

by antipimp on Sep 19, 2006 11:26 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Yes. Oklahoma scored a touchdown on

a play that was run after the play clock had run out.

by McCloskey on Sep 19, 2006 11:42 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

When things happen and their effect

Granted the OU/OU incident occured at the end of the game, but should that matter more than if it happened in the first quarter? I feel this way re: pre-season polls, which affect how teams are ranked throughout the year, helping those at the top and hurting those unranked. I know it gives the voters something to and for the networks, something to say to hype their games, but I wish they didn't rank till a few weeks in. Random, I know.

by boston bruin on Sep 19, 2006 12:17 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Choklahoma's defense sucks

OK fans need to ask the question: How did we put ourselves in a position for one bad call to affect the outcome of a game in which we had a +4 turnover margin?

With a defense like that, I can't believe the OK fans were thinking BCS game.

by bornagainbruin on Sep 19, 2006 12:45 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

The Worst Call Ever Against UCLA . . .

was in the Nebraska game in 1988: a defender intercepted a Troy Aikman pass, did a shoulder-roll on the ground, and then got up and walked to other end zone for a touchdown. Several Bruin players easily could have stopped him, but didn't want to draw a personal foul call, because the play was so obviously over.

But that is a perfect example of what we are talking about. UCLA played so well that day we won the game handily despite the horrible call. If we had played poorly, it might have cost us the game, but whose fault would that really have been?

by vanaaron on Sep 19, 2006 12:55 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

great post

Great post and puts it in perspective. I agree with 99.99% of your great insight. You note that, "[w]e deserved to lose all those games mentioned above because we didn't get the job done in other facets of the game. The responsibility of losing those games ultimately lie with us for not doing what it takes to win those games or put them away. Sure, the officials incredibly awful calls turned out to be a difference maker, but so what, that is, like it or not, part of the game.... " Good points, and they indicate that you are a better sport than I am about it. Does not playing our best game mean we deserve to lose? Not to this poor sport, I guess, who would certainly not try to get the game expunged as that is truly childish, but would certainly "blame" the responsible ref somewhat (as opposed to putting it all on the team or on the coaches). I would also tend to overlook the loss a bit more if it is partly the result of bad refs and not just the result bad play. Thank you for letting me comment, Respectfully, C. Go Bruins!!!

by converso on Sep 19, 2006 8:08 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs