LSU/Refs cheating?

[Nutriaitch]

Nutri, I heard that same official was used as a pick, and he appeared upset about it. Did you see that?

He was used as a pick at least once (someone said twice, but I only saw one). I don't know if he was upset about it, wasn't noticably upset, but he did get bumped pretty good by our MLB Kelvin Sheppard. I never thought twice about the pick (I wasn't happy about the big gain they got on the play) because plays like that are fairly common.

 

[billmac91]

He was used as a pick at least once (someone said twice, but I only saw one). I don't know if he was upset about it, wasn't noticably upset, but he did get bumped pretty good by our MLB Kelvin Sheppard. I never thought twice about the pick (I wasn't happy about the big gain they got on the play) because plays like that are fairly common.

I haven't seen that play either, but just an assumption on my part, as well as many others that seem logical is he felt used and abused by South Carolina.

I think he then took a shot at Garcia when he had a chance to make up for being used by them. He lost his head for a bit and made a BAD mistake.

 

[Wingate1217]

I have watched the play several times and this does look like it was intentional. The ref stepped into the ball carrier. If this was unintentional he would have perhaps taken a step back and then lifted his arm to protect himself. This guy went forward and delivered the blow!! It wasn't like he was forced forward by the advance of a defensive player....

 

[GeauxTigers]

Look more closely at the QB, not the ref. The QB tries to go inside so the ref quickly steps up so he can avoid any contact, but the QB instead fakes going inside so ends up hitting the ref.

 

[billmac91]

Look more closely at the QB, not the ref. The QB tries to go inside so the ref quickly steps up so he can avoid any contact, but the QB instead fakes going inside so ends up hitting the ref.

so why was the ref strafing down the line as soon as Garcia broke the pocket?

His intention is obvious. Why he did it is unclear.

 

[Steve19]

To your point about 'mistakes', it's kind of irrelevant. A ref who can't get out of the way is one thing (and a problem out there), a ref who instead tackles a player for the defense should not retain his job. What's next, telling an umpire it's ok, it was just instincts when he stepped out and clotheslined the base runner heading home, or swatted away a layup in a close game?

Maybe it isn't his fault, and his brain goes 'see ball. hulk. SMASH!' That could excuse the guilt, not the conduct.

I agree with jwins.

 

[Brutus1]

Hello there, Mr. Hyperbole, nice to see you today!

When is the last time you instinctively tackled someone in a very suspicious manner?

When's the last time you were an umpire in a football game?

 

[Brutus1]

He was used as a pick at least once (someone said twice, but I only saw one).

Then that's his own fault. The umpire is supposed to position himself differently on most plays so the offense can't use him in the play.

 

[Nutriaitch]

Ask Bama fans about our game back in '04-ish. Corey Webster took out their WR in the endzone and intercepted a pass. No flag. right in front of the ref.

found the clip.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEFgxehqIcM]YouTube - 2004 Alabama vs. LSU "pass interference no-call"[/ame]

 

[Dryden]

Wow. Now that is a bad call.

 

[BB73]

I don't think it was cheating or a cover-up. Nor do I think the guy was interested in "helping" one team or the other.

However, I do think the hit was intentional. I think for whatever reason, this guy began thinking as a player instead of as a ref about halfway through that play. To me, this is inexcusable.

I agree with all of this. But to be clear, I don't think he meant to hit Garcia until the last second. In the early part of the play, he was properly positioning himself to be outside the play and looking toward the middle of the field. Then Garcia broke it outside, and ended up close to the umpire. At that point, some old instincts kicked in and he delivered a hit.

I don't think he should be fired, but I think the SEC should fine and/or suspend him to indicate that such actions by officials are unacceptable.

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

I agree with all of this. But to be clear, I don't think he meant to hit Garcia until the last second. In the early part of the play, he was properly positioning himself to be outside the play and looking toward the middle of the field. Then Garcia broke it outside, and ended up close to the umpire. At that point, some old instincts kicked in and he delivered a hit.

I don't think he should be fired, but I think the SEC should fine and/or suspend him to indicate that such actions by officials are unacceptable.

I'm with the old-timer on this one. Looked to me like he was trying to get out of the way, thinking Garcia would cut it up rather than take it outside. And just managed to somehow stay right in his way.

Now when he stepped into the guy....on that I'm not sure what happened. Over-aggressively bracing himself for the hit?

All that being said....what the hell, Garcia? You go down to a hit like that? You sissy! Pryor would've stiff-armed that ump into the middle of next Tuesday.

 

[NightmaresDad]

I agree with all of this. But to be clear, I don't think he meant to hit Garcia until the last second. In the early part of the play, he was properly positioning himself to be outside the play and looking toward the middle of the field. Then Garcia broke it outside, and ended up close to the umpire. At that point, some old instincts kicked in and he delivered a hit.

I don't think he should be fired, but I think the SEC should fine and/or suspend him to indicate that such actions by officials are unacceptable.

Sorry, Bill. He's not supposed to move there. The more he moves around, the more he's going to get in the way.
The umpire is supposed to stay in his spot until the last split second, so the players can avoid him.
He's not responsible for being "outside the play" - ever.

Having said that, this ref simply has to be investigated by the SEC, and suspended until investigation is concluded.

If he was stationary, and the ball carrier made a cut right into him, then I would definitely see it as a self-defensive reaction to throw the shoulder.

This guy
1. Was initially turned to the inside of the field
2. When the QB reversed field, the Umpire locked onto him with his eyes (not necessarily a good thing to do), then squared up to the ball carrier (a necessary thing).
3. Then he shuffled down the line all the while locked onto the ball carrier. This move makes no sense whatsoever from an umpire's standpoint. He should have kept rotating his body to the outside if the play went that way.
4. He then steps forward and into the ballcarrier to initiate contact that would otherwise have been avoided.

In 40 years of watching football, and coaching sports since 1983, and having done some officiating (basketball) myself, I have never, ever seen anything wuite like this.

Remember when Earl the Pearl Monroe got a rebound, turned and shot the ball into the opponent's basket? THAT was more defensable as a "brain-cramp" moment than what this ref did. Of course, they investigated Monroe and found out that he had made that basket to cover the spread, and that he was heavily involved in gambling.

Either this referee is:
a) crooked
b) incompetent to where he shouldn't be out there at the Div I college level
c) if he truly had a "player flashback" moment, then he either shouldn't be officiating, or should be given a different assignment where he can't physically influence play.

Still, he's way better tahn most Big 10 refs :(