Heat is on the Sun Belt

[MeanGreen61]

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article...366/1048/SPORTS

The heat is on Sun Belt

League responds to U-M complaints

December 31, 2005

BY MARK SNYDER

FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER

Three days ago, few Michigan fans knew the Sun Belt Conference even played football.

Now the smaller conference is Big Blue's public enemy No. 1.

For those who missed all things ESPN the past few days, here's the long version of the U-M fans' view: The Alamo Bowl officiating crew, run by the Sun Belt, cost Michigan in Wednesday's 32-28 loss to Nebraska.

A number of officials' calls have come under scrutiny, and U-M coach Lloyd Carr criticized the way officials handled the instant replay system.

Don Lucas, the Sun Belt supervisor of officials, has heard the complaints.

"As in every game, there are several calls you'd like to see again, maybe get a better view," Lucas said Friday. "I prefer to think there were a number of very close calls could go either way -- as many as I've seen in my 13 years as supervisor of officials."

Lucas has yet to evaluate the entire game tape, but he did explain a few points:

After officials signaled that Nebraska's Terrence Nunn made a touchdown catch in the third quarter, the upstairs booth reviewed the call, but the referee's pager didn't buzz, so he kept the ball in play. U-M called a time-out, and the communication problem was corrected. Then the play was overturned.

"Where we had a breakdown was once the referee was over there talking to Coach Carr, he should have told him they would restore the time-out," Lucas said. "We would have given Michigan a time-out back, so that's something we did wrong, and that was an area we could have improved."

On the game's final play, when Michigan lateraled the ball seven times after completing a pass, the officials could have thrown a flag for three reasons once players prematurely ran from the sidelines onto the field, Lucas said. The possible calls: unsportsmanlike conduct (someone running on the field trying to influence the play), illegal participation (a player from the sidelines actually participating in the play) and an unfair act (a player intentionally and actually affecting a play's outcome).

"The officials did not feel like the people from the Nebraska team participated in the ending part of that play at all," Lucas said. He said Michigan players were on the field, as well.

On the apparent pass interference by Nebraska on a fourth-down throw to Mario Manningham in the end zone in the fourth quarter, Lucas said essentially it was a split-second decision and a judgment call not to throw a flag.

"I did not see the end zone shot that night until it was shown on ESPN several hundred times," Lucas said. "When you see a shot on TV, frame by frame, contact appears to be there forever. When you see that same play live-action and see that guy... it's different."

The Sun Belt does not use replay during the regular season, and commissioner Wright Waters spoke to Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany about the officials' lack of familiarity with the system.

"I'm on the same page as Jim, in retrospect, maybe we should have revisited that," Waters said. "Maybe not with more experienced referees, but with replay. I don't know, I can argue both sides. The thing I hate about it the most was that a great college game between two incredible programs was overshadowed."

[shaft]

Boo-hoo. Michigan will get over it. It was a fun ending to a good game. Everyone will chalk it up to a crazy ending like the time the band ran on the feild in the 80's. The game is now a triva question, no one will think twice about the Belt officating crew.

[DeepGreen]

Yeh, like Michigan needed the bowl win to help their home attendance next year.

[ADLER]

Boo-hoo.  Michigan will get over it.  It was a fun ending to a good game.  Everyone will chalk it up to a crazy ending like the time the band ran on the feild in the 80's.  The game is now a triva question, no one will think twice about the Belt officating crew.

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Last play of Michigan - Nebraska Alamo Bowl Game

This great moment was set up by Sun Belt officiating.

[gksmith]

Well I don't feel sorry for Michigan or even Nebraska.

I thought it was a bad slight against the Sun Belt for one game. Not all SBC refs are incompetent.

We really need to get into the C-USA. Not because of this incident, but becasue there is more money in the conference. SBC only goes to one bowl game per year. C-USA goes to several and share the wealth.

[gruu]

Wow, that is terrible... oh wait... Texas/Kansas game last year, Oh, Texas/UNT 88, etc... give me a break. The BCS needs to start bitching about their own refs first.

[NT80]

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article...366/1048/SPORTS

Three days ago, few Michigan fans knew the Sun Belt Conference even played football.

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That's OK, I didn't know Michigan was in a Bowl, or care, and didn't watch it!

[Coffee and TV]

Did any of you actually watch this game? Yeah the refs made terrible calls on both sides of the ball but Michigan was ROYALLY screwed over, and I'm not referring to only the last play. Face it, the Sunbelt refs weren't used to seeing that kind of talent on the field and it showed.

[VideoEagle]

I guess we only have one good crew.

The announcers at the other bowl game done by SBC officials mentioned how on top of everything those officials were. I think it was the Champs Sports bowl with Colorado and Clemson.

Saying "the officials were used to seeing that kind of speed" is just the Michigan excuse for a lose.

[untStein]

Maybe the officials thought the game was being played in fast forward.

[Coffee and TV]

Saying "the officials were used to seeing that kind of speed" is just the Michigan excuse for a lose.

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Yeah because the ESPN commentators have it in for Nebraska....?

[Arkstfan]

Let's see Michigan comes from a league where the officials blew so many calls in 2003 that resulted in public statements from the conference admitting the mistakes that they went to the NCAA and petitioned to experiment with replay.

If not for the Big 10 refs being inept, there is no replay in college and they want to complain about our refs?

[Coffee and TV]

Let's see Michigan comes from a league where the officials blew so many calls in 2003 that resulted in public statements from the conference admitting the mistakes that they went to the NCAA and petitioned to experiment with replay.

If not for the Big 10 refs being inept, there is no replay in college and they want to complain about our refs?

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So their league is big enough to fess up to mistakes on officiating because so many of their games are broadcast, and thus much more obvious, and that makes them the only inept refs in the country? Hardly.

And part of the complaint is that the SBC refs had their thumbs up their you know wheres when it came to using instant replay.

[UNTFan23]

And part of the complaint is that the SBC refs had their thumbs up their you know wheres when it came to using instant replay.

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Sun Belt refs are very experienced using instant replay you know.

[Arkstfan]

And part of the complaint is that the SBC refs had their thumbs up their you know wheres when it came to using instant replay.

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Except it turned out that the complaint was like most complaints. It was firmly rooted in ignorance.

The replay booth tried to stop play but the buzzer failed. A problem the Big 10 has had repeatedly.

The replay official watched the second close play and did not think it was sufficient to overturn the call. Michigan called timeout and the referee being proactive called the replay booth to check. The replay official said he had already looked at it, play stands.

The refs blew an pass interference call in that game but how often does that call not get blown at least once per game.

The final play? It was a mess. Both squads had players on the field and none impacted the play, only one person potentially impacted the play and that was a photographer and even that is a weak argument.

The Belt officials handled replay correctly. Period.

[SouthernMustang]

The problems with the Big XII refs stemmed from coaches thinking that the refs were biased. I remember Mangino having to apologize for saying that stuff, too. I thought JoePa's were for that too but I'm not sure.

I'm an SMU fan -- and I'd like to just see the Top-10 teams regardless of conference affiliation make the BCS bowls, but I think it's kind of ignorant to pretend that the speed of a Mich-Neb. game is the same as that of SMU vs. ECU or UNT vs. Ark State... the reason the non-BCS schools are fighting for access is b/c the system has created that divide in talent (i.e. speed of players), and that's why it was so evident with the refs in the Alamo Bowl Game, and same with the poor officiating job by CUSA refs in the Outback Bowl today.

[FirefightnRick]

I'm not buying the "speed is different in the Belt than it is elsewhere" bit. Two of the last three seasons the top rusher came from the Belt. The Cowboy's top draft pick, who should be up for rookie of the year in the NFL as well, was from the Belt and on and on. It's simply a lame excuse for an occurance that happens somewhere, every year. The Belt is just an easy target.

Rick

[UNTFan23]

I think the NCAA needs to step in and regulate how instant replay is going to be handled for all the conferences and the bowl games. Different conferences handle it all differently. It also seems different bowls use slightly different interpretations.

For instance, in the Sugar Bowl, Georgia called a timeout, the play was reviewed where it was called in favor of Georgia and wasn't charged a timeout. In the Alamo Bowl, Michigan called a timeout, had the play reviewed and reversed to their favor, but was still charged a timeout.

[Coffee and TV]

Except it turned out that the complaint was like most complaints. It was firmly rooted in ignorance.

The replay booth tried to stop play but the buzzer failed. A problem the Big 10 has had repeatedly.

The replay official watched the second close play and did not think it was sufficient to overturn the call. Michigan called timeout and the referee being proactive called the replay booth to check. The replay official said he had already looked at it, play stands.

The refs blew an pass interference call in that game but how often does that call not get blown at least once per game.

The final play? It was a mess. Both squads had players on the field and none impacted the play, only one person potentially impacted the play and that was a photographer and even that is a weak argument.

The Belt officials handled replay correctly. Period.

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So the referees can't take any initiative before a team has to call a time-out to make sure that a close play is reviewable? I don't buy it.

And I didn't see any Michigan players on the field, but regardless of what team it was the refs should have at least conferenced to find out what kind of call to make instead of walking off the field. Anyone coming onto the field potentially impacts a play, whether its the players of a team or a cat.

[Coffee and TV]

Sun Belt refs are very experienced using instant replay you know.

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Exactly. Might want to remind them of the rules/procedures before they start officiating a non-SBC game.

[VideoEagle]

So the referees can't take any initiative before a team has to call a time-out to make sure that a close play is reviewable? I don't buy it.

That is the rule! In a close game, you don't want the refs to delay stopping the clock because a play MIGHT be reviewable! If the buzzer worked the way it is suppose to, then they know to stop the clock. And, as Arkstate Fan pointed out, the actually were a little pro-active on a play the replay official had already waved off.

Might want to remind them of the rules/procedures before they start officiating a non-SBC game.

They seem to have done just that. Everything on the replay was done as correctly as possible. While some might not like the Sun Belt Conference, the conference from which the officials come does not effect the electronic equipment like the buzzer. This happens even when Big 10 officials are doing a game.

When all of the facts are examined, the SBC officials handled it correctly.

Edited January 3, 2006 by VideoEagle

[Coffee and TV]

I guess Mike Tirico just has no idea what he's talking about.

[MeanGreenEngineer]

I guess Mike Tirico just has no idea what he's talking about.

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You are finally correct.

I don't blame you for being mistaken though, the speed of the GoMeanGreen board is probably just so much faster than what you are used to.

[Arkstfan]

So the referees can't take any initiative before a team has to call a time-out to make sure that a close play is reviewable? I don't buy it.

They aren't supposed to. It's not the referee's job, that is the sole discretion of the replay official. Calling timeout does not trigger a review. On the second timeout Michigan called, the replay official had already looked at the play and did not attempt to trigger a stoppage because he didn't think the play was close enough. Michigan called a timeout in hopes of a review but they weren't playing under the rules that permit a "challenge". The referee took the initiative to make sure there had not been a buzzer failure and was told the play was correct and that the replay official had not tried to stop play. Nice try by Carr but he wasted a timeout in his own ignorance which is shocking given that he has two years experience under precisely the system being used.

And I didn't see any Michigan players on the field, but regardless of what team it was the refs should have at least conferenced to find out what kind of call to make instead of walking off the field. Anyone coming onto the field potentially impacts a play, whether its the players of a team or a cat.

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Now you are complaining for the sake of complaining. The horn sounds. The play is blown dead on the tackle. Time has expired and all the officials still have their flags in their pocket. What are they going to do? Conference in the middle of the teams shaking hands and then have one of them step out of the conference and throw a flag? Then ask for the field to be cleared? Yeah that works. I can just see that policy being adopted. Player runs for a TD and as they are lining up for the PAT the officials confer and one of them says "I know I'm supposed to throw a flag when I see a foul but I didn't throw a flag on a hold back at the line of scrimmage. Let's go ahead enforce the penalty even though none of us threw a flag."

You can't conference to find out what kind of call to make when there isn't a flag on the ground.

[Stan R]

Ok I'll just sum this up to say that in about a month this will be completely forgotten and most likely never mentioned again. Unless we continue to stoke the fires unnecessarily. So I will leave it at that. I'd suggest we all do the same.

...10$ says this isn't the last post on this thread.