NCAA 2009

[Valmy]

Did he bobble that catch at all?

But yeah, the still does appear to be showing a catch in bounds.

Not at all it was an obvious call.  Horribly blown.  It is the most facepalming call since the Mississippi State-Florida call where the player clearly fumbled before scoring.

Here is a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abuCLF7hJ6s

As always I can forgive them for blowing it while it happened...it was a bang bang play.  But how the fuck did they miss it with video replay?  I mean even a total amateur weekend ref for the local Park & Rec flag football league would have called that one right with video replay.

I just do not get what is wrong with SEC officiating this year.  There have been some of the worst calls I have ever witnessed going on on a weekly basis in the league.

[Berkut]

Did he bobble that catch at all?

But yeah, the still does appear to be showing a catch in bounds.

Not at all it was an obvious call.  Horribly blown. 

As always I can forgive them for blowing it while it happened...it was a bang bang play. 

I find these two sentences rather amusing.

While the call may have been wrong, it is not at all obviously so, at least from the videos I have seen.

What you don't understand is that the replay officials are very constrained in what they can evaluate. They have a minute or two at most, and they can only look at what video they are sent. And to overturn a call on the field, they must be 100% certain that the call was wrong.

Like perhaps seeing the ball touching the ground, for example.

I could see this getting over-turned - but it would depend on why the on the field officials called it incomplete to begin with. What did they see? I am guessing they thought the corner was bobbling the ball as he went out of bounds, in which case where his feet came down (or foot) is largely immaterial.

[Valmy]

I find these two sentences rather amusing.

I meant it was obvious in slo mo.  During the live play the refs were really unsure what to do because none of them were close enough to the play to have a clear shot at it.  The guy on the sideline had a LSU player in his way.

But this is hardly an isolated incident.  It seems like we have a situation similar to this one in the SEC every week.  Bad year for their officials but maybe it is all the same one or two crews.

What you don't understand is that the replay officials are very constrained in what they can evaluate. They have a minute or two at most, and they can only look at what video they are sent. And to overturn a call on the field, they must be 100% certain that the call was wrong.

Well it seems to me they VERY rarely overturn a call even when it looks like it should be obvious.  If that is really the case what is the point of having IP in the first place besides delay the games?

[Berkut]

I agree - I think IP at the college level is a waste of time.

I would suggest however, that what you think is "obvious" is often based more on not understanding the rules than whether or not something is actually "obvious".

This is a pretty good example, in fact - everyone keeps going on about where the guys foot came down, when in fact that isn't even relevant to why it was called incomplete.

All that being said, officials are just people, and they make mistakes. Just like the players make mistakes. The QB throws to someone in coverage when someone is wide open, the coaches make stupid subs, etc., etc., etc.

The officials get it wrong as well sometimes. Replay won't change that.

[Valmy]

This is a pretty good example, in fact - everyone keeps going on about where the guys foot came down, when in fact that isn't even relevant to why it was called incomplete.

Well he either didn't have possession or didn't get a foot inbounds.  If he didn't cleanly catch that ball I have to wonder if it is possible to cleanly catch a ball.

The officials get it wrong as well sometimes. Replay won't change that.

You would at least think replay would help but it doesn't seem to.  Common sense would suggest it would be easier to call something in slow motion with a clear angle where you have some time to think about it and the ability to replay it several times, than it would be running around a huge field trying to make calls in real time on the fly but that does not seem to be the case.

[CountDeMoney]

Why are you defending the SEC, you big-east/acc turncoat!

He bandwagonned on...er....always was a fanatical Florida Gator fan.

Only during Tebow Rising.   Then again, I was a Miami Hurricane fan for only a few seasons, during Kosar Rising.

[MadBurgerMaker]

Navy is in the Texas Bowl.  Sweet.

[MadImmortalMan]

Only during Tebow Rising.   Then again, I was a Miami Hurricane fan for only a few seasons, during Kosar Rising.

Did you become a Browns fan too?

[CountDeMoney]

Only during Tebow Rising.   Then again, I was a Miami Hurricane fan for only a few seasons, during Kosar Rising.

Did you become a Browns fan too?

Yes.   

[derspiess]

Yes.   

  I can picture you sitting in the dogpound with his milkbone necklace.  Or did you travel up to Cleveland with the Colts band?

Go ahead, get your requisite Mike Brown and/or Klingler insult out of the way.

[derspiess]

Anyway, I'm leaving work at 3:00 to go get ready to tailgate for the WVU-UC game tonight.  Look for me on ESPN next to the guys with the overalls & ZZ Top beards

UC is favored by as many as 10.  Hard to argue since WVU has Coach Stew-pid.  UC hasn't lost a home game since WVU came in & beat them 2 years ago.

[Berkut]

The line on the Arizona-Cal game has gone from -2 Arizona to -3 Cal. That is rather odd - from a statistical standpoint, Arizona should win solidly, if not easily. And with Best being hurt, and Arizona finally being healthy, you would think Arizona would be a solid favorite.

But oddly enough, while Arizona is starting to get a bit of national attention, the betters are apparently thinking they are not for real.

Of course, Cal is 30-0 at home against teams that are not USC or OSU, over the last 5 or 6 years.

[Ed Anger]

Ed's prediction for the Iowa-Ohio State game:

Iowa looks flustered with a freshman QB. The Ohio State D line eats the Iowa O-Line alive. Tressel plays it conservative as the winner gets the Big Ten title and the Rose Bowl berth. I get sick of hearing Seven Nation Army by halftime.

24-6 Ohio State

Also, I get gas from the food.

[sbr]

The line on the Arizona-Cal game has gone from -2 Arizona to -3 Cal. That is rather odd - from a statistical standpoint, Arizona should win solidly, if not easily. And with Best being hurt, and Arizona finally being healthy, you would think Arizona would be a solid favorite.

But oddly enough, while Arizona is starting to get a bit of national attention, the betters are apparently thinking they are not for real.

Of course, Cal is 30-0 at home against teams that are not USC or OSU, over the last 5 or 6 years.

I heard an ESPN talking-head mention this game; he picked Cal based on:

• Arizona coming back to earth a bit (his opinion)
  
  
• Cal getting back to where they should be (again his opinion)
  
  
• A true freshman QB in a very tough road environment.
  
  

If I had to pick a winner, without regard to point spreads, I would take Cal, based mostly on the true freshman point.  An Arizona win would not in any way shock me though.  To be fair I have to say that I am pulling for Cal with everything I have though.

[Berkut]

Foles is not a freshman at all, true or otherwise.