SoonerGOP
9/17/2006, 07:59 PM
Pacific 10 commissioner Tom Hansen said the conference will review the onside kick and pass interference plays and announce Tuesday whether they were called correctly.
Let me go ahead and give you their official comment:
"Under NCAA rules, it is a requirement that conclusive evidence be present in order to overturn a ruling made by an official on the field. In the following instances, we find the rulings made both on the field by officials and rulings reviewed by officials utilizing instant replay reflect the following conclusive evidence:
1) In allegations made that an Oregon player illegally touched a ball prior to the football travelling the required 10 yards, the video review of the play utilizing available modes found there to not be conclusive evidence that an Oklahoma player didn't touch it first. The call on the field was that the Oregon player had not touched the ball whatsoever and the football executed a manuever similar to the magic bullet theory espoused in the movie JFK, bouncing behind the Oklahoma player who touched the ball first. Accordingly, the call on the field was correct, laws of physics aside.
2) In allegations that Oklahoma player Allen Patrick actually recovered the ball after the onside kick, the ruling on the field was that the ball was downed by an Oregon player. The video review, which shows the PAC-10 linesman running toward the pileup to see which team had position prior to indicating the possession of the football clearly shows the official correctly calling (1) a stoppage of time, then stepping forward to review who had possession. Not seeing an Oklahoma player in the pileup with possession of the ball, it must be assumed that an Oregon player had possession of the ball, ergo the correct call that (2) Oregon had recovered the ball. Video replay of the ball not being within 3 yards of the pile up at the time these calls were being made are not relevant to this inquiry.
3) In regards to the final allegation that the football was tipped when thrown in a play which resulted in a 15 yard pass interference penalty being assessed against Oklahoma, conclusive video evidence is not present to reflect the actual tipping of the ball. Since the throw began as a spiral and ended as wobble, some have called into question the ability of a football to change direction/velocity/trajectory absent a physical touching. Although it is clear and obvious to the normal view that a tip from an opposing player could have caused this to happen, in this instance, we simply believe the wind produced by the west side of the stadium cheering sections was sufficient to alter the ball and its spiraled condition.
Accordingly, we believe the evidence as presented and provided herein is conclusive that Oregon won this valiant game without the assistance of the officiating crew."
Additionally, the following press release will be issued within the week:
"Officials to retire
An entire officiating crew from the PAC-10 has announced their retirement from collegiate officiating effective the end of this season. The team of officials has been hired by the Nike Corporation as consultants."
Let me go ahead and give you their official comment:
"Under NCAA rules, it is a requirement that conclusive evidence be present in order to overturn a ruling made by an official on the field. In the following instances, we find the rulings made both on the field by officials and rulings reviewed by officials utilizing instant replay reflect the following conclusive evidence:
1) In allegations made that an Oregon player illegally touched a ball prior to the football travelling the required 10 yards, the video review of the play utilizing available modes found there to not be conclusive evidence that an Oklahoma player didn't touch it first. The call on the field was that the Oregon player had not touched the ball whatsoever and the football executed a manuever similar to the magic bullet theory espoused in the movie JFK, bouncing behind the Oklahoma player who touched the ball first. Accordingly, the call on the field was correct, laws of physics aside.
2) In allegations that Oklahoma player Allen Patrick actually recovered the ball after the onside kick, the ruling on the field was that the ball was downed by an Oregon player. The video review, which shows the PAC-10 linesman running toward the pileup to see which team had position prior to indicating the possession of the football clearly shows the official correctly calling (1) a stoppage of time, then stepping forward to review who had possession. Not seeing an Oklahoma player in the pileup with possession of the ball, it must be assumed that an Oregon player had possession of the ball, ergo the correct call that (2) Oregon had recovered the ball. Video replay of the ball not being within 3 yards of the pile up at the time these calls were being made are not relevant to this inquiry.
3) In regards to the final allegation that the football was tipped when thrown in a play which resulted in a 15 yard pass interference penalty being assessed against Oklahoma, conclusive video evidence is not present to reflect the actual tipping of the ball. Since the throw began as a spiral and ended as wobble, some have called into question the ability of a football to change direction/velocity/trajectory absent a physical touching. Although it is clear and obvious to the normal view that a tip from an opposing player could have caused this to happen, in this instance, we simply believe the wind produced by the west side of the stadium cheering sections was sufficient to alter the ball and its spiraled condition.
Accordingly, we believe the evidence as presented and provided herein is conclusive that Oregon won this valiant game without the assistance of the officiating crew."
Additionally, the following press release will be issued within the week:
"Officials to retire
An entire officiating crew from the PAC-10 has announced their retirement from collegiate officiating effective the end of this season. The team of officials has been hired by the Nike Corporation as consultants."