Hello Gang! I am back! Now wouldn’t you know it would take something completely ridiculous to get me out of vacation mode to behind the computer again. Well it happened. Something so bone headed that it leaves you shaking your head saying ” really”. Something so titanically idiotic that it Makes Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne look like Einstein.
If you haven’t seen the replay of the last play of the Miami vs Duke game, well where have you been? I will save you the replay. Let’s just say it was something out of a Looney Tunes cartoon. It brings a song to mind. Eight laterals, Seven illegal blocks in the back, six incompetent officials, and a partridge in a pear tree. Yes a Christmas song, because Miami got a gift.
I have had literally a hundred people ask me what happened, and can anything be done about this miscarriage of justice? Well let’s look at the situation. The ACC had admired to their officials missing several penalties on the play, Infuriating right? Well simmer down friends. Penalties are subjective, and are not subject to replay. So the seven, by my count, illegal blocks in the back don’t figure into this.
HOWEVER, (Where is Steven A. Smith when I need him?) Under the review of the play. It clearly shows Mark Walton’s knee was down. Thus ending the play and the game, right? Wrong! The call on the field was touch down, and it was upheld. Causing me to fall out of my chair, and spit my coffee all over the living room.
So now we have several on field officials doing their best blind man imitation. The replay official getting drunk in the booth, and my coffee all over my newly painted walls. Sitting in stunned silence, I started digging into my NCAA rule book.
After nine minutes of replay. Wide angle, super slowmo review. The replay official still botched the call! Even several still photos showed beyond a shadow of a doubt, the knee was down. Nine minutes and he still couldn’t get it right. Why exactly do we have replay then?
So now to answer your questions about what can be done. Can’t they protest the game? Well in a word NO! There is absolutely nothing the NCAA or the ACC can do about this. There are no rules addressing a situation like this. So that begs the question WHY?
Let’s look at the main rule that handcuffs the powers that be in college football. So open up your rule books to rule 1, section 1, article 3b. ” When the referee declares the game has ended, the score is final”. In short that means it is a done deal and the outcome can’t be reviewed. Even though the ACC admits the referees blew the ccall on the play.
The officiating crew was suspended for 2 games. That doesn’t help the Dukies, who were on track to win the coastal division, and head to the ACC championship game. Which now will be nearly impossible for them now. I think I would be checking the replay official for Hurricane colored undies if I was them.
Remember to wait for the whistle and always play by the rules.