OU_Sooners75
9/19/2006, 05:38 AM
This is an article I wrote for my site....if you wish to know the site, then PM me. I will not broadcast it on this site, in respect to the rules.
Should the NCAA Have the Power to Nullify Outcomes?
Now, by the title of this article, you may be sitting there wondering what I mean. So let me explain. Under extreme circumstances, should the NCAA have the power or right to nullify an outcome of a game or match if it is deemed appropriate?
This past Saturday a few college football games had controversial endings. Controversy is always going to occur in any sport or competition, and I understand this. However, this past Saturday a game was decided because of the officiating crew and the replay officials.
If the NCAA is going to allow instant replay in college football, they should make sure their replay officials are capable of handling their responsibilities and understand the rules of the game.
Take a moment and read the rules for free kicks (kick-offs).
The NCAA Rules and Bylaws state:
Rule 6 Section 1
Restraining Lines
ARTICLE 1. For any free kick formation, the kicking team’s restraining line shall be the yard line through the most forward point from which the ball shall be kicked, and the receiving team’s restraining line shall be the yard line 10 yards beyond that point. Unless relocated by a penalty, the kicking team’s restraining line on a kickoff shall be its 35-yard line, and for a free kick after a safety, its 20-yard line.
Rule 6 Section 1
Free Kick Recovery
ARTICLE 3. A Team A player may touch a free-kicked ball:
a. After it touches a Team B player (Exception: Rule 6-1-4).
b. After it breaks the plane of and remains beyond Team B ’s restraining
line (Exception: Rule 6-4-1)(A.R.2-11-2-I).
c. After it touches any player, the ground, an official or anything beyond
Team B ’s restraining line.
Thereafter, all players of Team A become eligible to touch, recover or catch the kick. Illegal touching of a free kick is a violation that, when the ball becomes dead, gives the receiving team the privilege of taking the ball at the spot of the violation. However, if there are offsetting fouls or if a penalty incurred by either team before the ball becomes dead is enforced,
this privilege is canceled (A.R.6-1-3-I).
Turn the clock back to Saturday afternoon during the last 1:12 of the Oregon/Oklahoma game.
This was a very good game. I enjoyed it tremendously. However, with Oklahoma winning (and yes, as many of you know, I am an Oklahoma Sooner Fan) 33-27, Oregon attempts an onside kick. During this onside kick an Oregon player touched the ball before it traveled the 10 yards required, creating an illegal touch penalty (but there was no penalty called). Oklahoma actually recovered the ball. Yet, somehow Oregon gets the ball, and goes on to win the game 34-33.
Now, I am not the smartest person in the world. But given a high definition T.V. and unlimited time to replay this one single play, I could have made the correct call, giving the ball to Oklahoma at the spot of the illegal touch (the 44.5 yard line). In fact, I made what should have been the correct call after the second replay of that play. Yet, these paid and "trained" officials couldn’t until Monday?
Now lets fast forward just two plays later to second down and 10. There was a penalty called, Pass Interference. Because of this penalty, Oregon got an automatic first down. But, just wait. The replay official was called on yet again. This time to see if there was an actual penalty.
Now, I again, I am not a brain surgeon. But Dennis Dixon (QB for Oregon) isn’t that bad of a passer. His passes usually don’t go from a tight spiral to a lame duck (no pun intended Oregon fans) without something obstructing that pass.
Back to the penalty. In order for Defensive Pass Interference to occur, the defender basically needs to be grabbing the offensive receiver while the ball is in flight, as long as the pass hasn’t been deflected or touched by another player first. In other words, if the ball gets tipped, the defender can then mug the wide receiver even if the ball is still in the air.
Two questions come to my mind on this play. 1. Where was the pass interference, since the defender never touched the receiver until the ball was touched? 2. How can you have pass interference when the ball was tipped by #99 C.J. Ah You of Oklahoma at the Line of Scrimmage? Yet again, the replay official could not see this in his replay. However, all of America at home watching the game was able to see the ball being tipped at the line of scrimmage.
Now granted, it would have been third down and ten and Oregon could have gone on to score. But we go back to that onside kick. Because if the correct call would have been made on that play, OU would have gotten the ball, and ran the clock out, resulting in a 33-27 win for Oklahoma, not the 34-33 loss.
So my question is. Since Oklahoma should have gotten the ball at the 44.5 yard line because of that illegal touching on the kickoff, should the NCAA step in and nullify this game. Meaning erase the game entirely from the record books?
No, they won’t. reason being, they do not have that authority. But should they? I say yes. Under extreme circumstances, which I believe occurred this past Saturday, the NCAA should have the right and the authority to nullify a games result when it is so blatantly obvious the outcome should have been completely different, or if the outcome was due directly to inept officiating.
But instead, the game officials and the replay officials will only receive a one game suspension, which is not adequate in my opinion. Oklahoma in the meantime receives an apology from the PAC-10 commissioner Tom Hansen, nothing more.
On September 16th, 2006, a very hard fought game between two good teams was decided by the referees. Oklahoma getting the bad end of the stick. While Oregon benefited and won a game, that in all honesty, they should not have won.
Note: For the complete NCAA Football Rulebook go here. (.PDF FILE)
http://www.ncaa.org/library/rules/2006/2006_football_rules.pdf
Should the NCAA Have the Power to Nullify Outcomes?
Now, by the title of this article, you may be sitting there wondering what I mean. So let me explain. Under extreme circumstances, should the NCAA have the power or right to nullify an outcome of a game or match if it is deemed appropriate?
This past Saturday a few college football games had controversial endings. Controversy is always going to occur in any sport or competition, and I understand this. However, this past Saturday a game was decided because of the officiating crew and the replay officials.
If the NCAA is going to allow instant replay in college football, they should make sure their replay officials are capable of handling their responsibilities and understand the rules of the game.
Take a moment and read the rules for free kicks (kick-offs).
The NCAA Rules and Bylaws state:
Rule 6 Section 1
Restraining Lines
ARTICLE 1. For any free kick formation, the kicking team’s restraining line shall be the yard line through the most forward point from which the ball shall be kicked, and the receiving team’s restraining line shall be the yard line 10 yards beyond that point. Unless relocated by a penalty, the kicking team’s restraining line on a kickoff shall be its 35-yard line, and for a free kick after a safety, its 20-yard line.
Rule 6 Section 1
Free Kick Recovery
ARTICLE 3. A Team A player may touch a free-kicked ball:
a. After it touches a Team B player (Exception: Rule 6-1-4).
b. After it breaks the plane of and remains beyond Team B ’s restraining
line (Exception: Rule 6-4-1)(A.R.2-11-2-I).
c. After it touches any player, the ground, an official or anything beyond
Team B ’s restraining line.
Thereafter, all players of Team A become eligible to touch, recover or catch the kick. Illegal touching of a free kick is a violation that, when the ball becomes dead, gives the receiving team the privilege of taking the ball at the spot of the violation. However, if there are offsetting fouls or if a penalty incurred by either team before the ball becomes dead is enforced,
this privilege is canceled (A.R.6-1-3-I).
Turn the clock back to Saturday afternoon during the last 1:12 of the Oregon/Oklahoma game.
This was a very good game. I enjoyed it tremendously. However, with Oklahoma winning (and yes, as many of you know, I am an Oklahoma Sooner Fan) 33-27, Oregon attempts an onside kick. During this onside kick an Oregon player touched the ball before it traveled the 10 yards required, creating an illegal touch penalty (but there was no penalty called). Oklahoma actually recovered the ball. Yet, somehow Oregon gets the ball, and goes on to win the game 34-33.
Now, I am not the smartest person in the world. But given a high definition T.V. and unlimited time to replay this one single play, I could have made the correct call, giving the ball to Oklahoma at the spot of the illegal touch (the 44.5 yard line). In fact, I made what should have been the correct call after the second replay of that play. Yet, these paid and "trained" officials couldn’t until Monday?
Now lets fast forward just two plays later to second down and 10. There was a penalty called, Pass Interference. Because of this penalty, Oregon got an automatic first down. But, just wait. The replay official was called on yet again. This time to see if there was an actual penalty.
Now, I again, I am not a brain surgeon. But Dennis Dixon (QB for Oregon) isn’t that bad of a passer. His passes usually don’t go from a tight spiral to a lame duck (no pun intended Oregon fans) without something obstructing that pass.
Back to the penalty. In order for Defensive Pass Interference to occur, the defender basically needs to be grabbing the offensive receiver while the ball is in flight, as long as the pass hasn’t been deflected or touched by another player first. In other words, if the ball gets tipped, the defender can then mug the wide receiver even if the ball is still in the air.
Two questions come to my mind on this play. 1. Where was the pass interference, since the defender never touched the receiver until the ball was touched? 2. How can you have pass interference when the ball was tipped by #99 C.J. Ah You of Oklahoma at the Line of Scrimmage? Yet again, the replay official could not see this in his replay. However, all of America at home watching the game was able to see the ball being tipped at the line of scrimmage.
Now granted, it would have been third down and ten and Oregon could have gone on to score. But we go back to that onside kick. Because if the correct call would have been made on that play, OU would have gotten the ball, and ran the clock out, resulting in a 33-27 win for Oklahoma, not the 34-33 loss.
So my question is. Since Oklahoma should have gotten the ball at the 44.5 yard line because of that illegal touching on the kickoff, should the NCAA step in and nullify this game. Meaning erase the game entirely from the record books?
No, they won’t. reason being, they do not have that authority. But should they? I say yes. Under extreme circumstances, which I believe occurred this past Saturday, the NCAA should have the right and the authority to nullify a games result when it is so blatantly obvious the outcome should have been completely different, or if the outcome was due directly to inept officiating.
But instead, the game officials and the replay officials will only receive a one game suspension, which is not adequate in my opinion. Oklahoma in the meantime receives an apology from the PAC-10 commissioner Tom Hansen, nothing more.
On September 16th, 2006, a very hard fought game between two good teams was decided by the referees. Oklahoma getting the bad end of the stick. While Oregon benefited and won a game, that in all honesty, they should not have won.
Note: For the complete NCAA Football Rulebook go here. (.PDF FILE)
http://www.ncaa.org/library/rules/2006/2006_football_rules.pdf