http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news;_ylt=...&type=lgns

Pac-10 suspends officials for one game

By JEFF LATZKE, AP Sports Writer
September 18, 2006

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -- The Pacific-10 Conference, finding merit in Oklahoma's complaints about the officiating in its loss to Oregon, issued a one-game suspension Monday to the officiating crew and the instant replay officials who worked the game and an apology to the Sooners.

The Ducks won the game 34-33 after scoring two touchdowns in the final 72 seconds.

"Errors clearly were made and not corrected, and for that we apologize to the University of Oklahoma, coach Bob Stoops and his players," Pac-10 Commissioner Tom Hansen said in a statement. "They played an outstanding college football game, as did Oregon, and it is regrettable that the outcome of the contest was affected by the officiating."

Two plays were reviewed on Oregon's game-winning drive -- an onside kick that gave the Ducks possession and a pass interference call one play before Oregon's winning touchdown.

Hansen said the onside kick was touched by an Oregon player before it had traveled the required 10 yards, and, therefore, the ball should have been awarded to Oklahoma. The video also shows an Oklahoma player actually recovered the ball, although that aspect of the play was not reviewable under the instant replay rule.

"The fact that the errors on the onside kick altered the outcome of the game is most unfortunate and unsettling," Hansen said. "We had a solid veteran crew assigned, and the instant replay official had a fine career as a referee in the Pac-10.

"We believe in the ability and integrity of each individual involved. It should be noted that not all of the seven officials were directly involved in the play in question, but the entire crew bears responsibility for every play. Game officials and replay officials have positions of great responsibility and must be accountable for their actions."

Stoops has also said he believes Oklahoma defensive end C.J. Ah You tipped a pass by Dennis Dixon that resulted in a pass interference penalty. If the ball was indeed tipped, the pass interference penalty would have been negated.

The replay officials ruled that they didn't have indisputable video evidence that the ball had been tipped.

Hansen said that the future work of the officials who were suspended will be closely monitored.

"The training and experience of officials at this level enable them to work at a high degree of accuracy," he said. "Unfortunately, at the critical moment of this game, errors were made."

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.

Boren also asked for a Pac-10 apology and called for the conference to change its policy that requires only Pac-10 officials be used for nonconference home games.'

"This policy is well known nationally and institutions, including OU, know this to be the case at the time of entering into contracts to play Pac-10 opponents," Weiberg said.

Boren, in a statement issued after the conference statements, expressed appreciation for the Pac-10's actions.

"I hope this will lead to further national review of the responsibilities of replay officials and the way in which they interact with game officials on the field," Boren said. "I also hope this situation will lead the Pac-10 to change their police of requiring that only officials of the Pac-10 officiate the home games of Pac-10 universities when they are hosting a non-conference opponent."

is called home cooking, the SEC officials are masters of this trade

Reminds me of our game at WVU last year. :shhh:

Another reason why there shouldn't be CONFERENCE Refs in the first place.

Put all Officials under the NCAA Umbrella...so that the Refs get their paychecks from the NCAA...and not directly from their "HOME" Conference...which just happens to have a lot of $$$$$ (i.e. Bowl $$$$) riding on their decisions at their home games.

KL

well, considering the NCAA Clearinghouse's record of screwing the University of Cincinnati and other schools while miraculously clearing players for most-favored nation schools, I'm not so sure NCAA Officials are the answer either.

maybe NFL officials?

The Cuse was ripped off two weeks ago against Iowa.

The ball is on the two in OT and then thrown in the endzone--pass interference is called...>the refs put it back on the two yard line. The next play we get to the half yard line. We would've scored with the correct placement. The other play had our guy score in OT then the surge pushed him back...>the ball was marked at the half yard line.

Two bad calls were corrected by review earlier in the game.

The answer is simple. Only have conference officials do CONFERENCE games. Then, out of conference, have an official from a neutral conference call a game. Example, UC is going down to Blacksburg to play Virginia Tech. Instead of having a Big East or ACC officiating crew why not have a Big 12 crew? Or a MAC crew?

CatsClaw Wrote:The answer is simple. Only have conference officials do CONFERENCE games. Then, out of conference, have an official from a neutral conference call a game. Example, UC is going down to Blacksburg to play Virginia Tech. Instead of having a Big East or ACC officiating crew why not have a Big 12 crew? Or a MAC crew?

That's actually a very good idea.

ZERO conference conflicts for those non-conf match-ups.

KL

PS. That's exactly what the NCAA does with Bowl Games...Neutral Refs from outside the 2 conferences playing in the bowl game...officiate bowl games...so there is ZERO conflict.

Why should college football wait till Bowl Games to avoid conflicts?

You all know that the officials on the field don't actually view the replays themselves , the Guy IN THE BOOTH, WHO IS THE ONE WHO MAKES THE CALLS SHOULD BE SUSPENDED.

OSUofL Wrote:You all know that the officials on the field don't actually view the replays themselves , the Guy IN THE BOOTH, WHO IS THE ONE WHO MAKES THE CALLS SHOULD BE SUSPENDED.

I'm pretty sure replay crews are from conferences now. The replay guy was suspended as was the refs.

CatsClaw Wrote:

OSUofL Wrote:You all know that the officials on the field don't actually view the replays themselves , the Guy IN THE BOOTH, WHO IS THE ONE WHO MAKES THE CALLS SHOULD BE SUSPENDED.

I'm pretty sure replay crews are from conferences now. The replay guy was suspended as was the refs.

Yes, but the ref is told what to call by the replay guy, therefore I don't think the officials should be punished.

But it should not have come to a review. This was not even a close call. Oregon clearly touched the ball before it went 10 yards. Where were the refs? Oklahoma recovered the fumble. Where were the refs? The refs most certainly had a hand in this and deserved to be suspended.

Money team always get the call. Temple avg 7 calls a game that where bang-bang & never went there way. Over the yrs Okla proablly had hundrends go there way. Absolute disgrass that they want to cry about it.

WacoBearcat Wrote:But it should not have come to a review. This was not even a close call. Oregon clearly touched the ball before it went 10 yards. Where were the refs? Oklahoma recovered the fumble. Where were the refs? The refs most certainly had a hand in this and deserved to be suspended.

first of all, it wasn't clear in real time that it was under ten yards, i don't think it was clear that it was even on replay. Also, the players who recovered the ball was an Oregon player, as seen in the replay, the Oklahoma player took the ball from the Oregon player under the pile after the whistle blew. Lest we forget that OU had a terrible call go for them against UAB that decided the game.

Gotta Love Bobby Knight's take:

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Texas Tech basketball coach Bob Knight, whose Red Raiders lost to Oklahoma on a controversial call three years ago, said he knows how fans feel about wanting a forfeit after OU's loss to Oregon on Saturday.

Knight called for Oklahoma to forfeit its basketball game with Tech on Jan. 20, 2003, when the Sooners won 69-64 in overtime at Norman after two clock controversies in the final seconds of regulation. Video replay later showed the game clock started late after OU in-bounded the ball on the game-tying drive.

"Maybe now those people at Oklahoma understand what I was talking about," Knight told The Oklahoman.

"Had Oklahoma forfeited that game against us like I suggested, they would have gotten far more positive publicity out of that than if they had gone to the Final Four that year. Now I guess the 'duck' is swimming in the other pond."

Oregon scored two touchdowns late to beat Oklahoma 34-33, including the game-winner that came after the Ducks recovered an onside kick. Video replay showed Oregon touched the ball before it went the required 10 yards, but the replay official did not overturn the call.

The replay official, Gordon Riese, who was suspended by the Pac-10 for one game, requested a leave of absence for the remainder of the season, the league announced Wednesday.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2597046