Refs performance last Saturday

El_Gato · Post by **El_Gato** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 11:51 am

Was it just me or was last Saturday's game a miserable day by the zebras?

"Scratch-your-head" highlights:

The first snap over the punters head, one of SFA's protection guys pulls a Bobcat defender to the ground with no other players within 5 yards; NO CALL.

On a punt near the North Goal line, the SFA punter shanks a kick that is caught about 5-6 yards out of bounds by an SFA player at the Cats 40. Obviously, the ball should be placed further upfield, but the ref behind the punter (whose job it is to line up with the deep ref to estimate where the ball crossed the sideline) just trots up the field and doesn't even ATTEMPT to help out the ref running up the sideline. Where do they spot the ball? Of course, at the Bobcat 40.

Murray catches a big 3rd and long pass for a first down, stands up, signals first down, and tosses the ball toward the nearest ref. UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT?? Are you kidding me?

The very next play, an SFA defender throws Bass (I think) for a big loss, jumps up and starts celebrating. NO CALL. Later in the game, 3rd quarter, SFA picks up a first down near our 20 or so and one of their players is jumping up & down, signalling that they got the first. NO CALL. (My point here is that NONE of these last 3 plays should have drawn a flag, but once the "F" ref called the first one, aren't they obligated to call the others?)

Another thing I noticed was that the refs were slow to blow their whistles and it led directly to Personal Foul call on us in 3rd quarter. SFA threw a screen pass and the back bobbled it and booted it a few times; it was OBVIOUSLY incomplete but the refs never blew the whistle, they let him stumble forward trying to pick up the ball for a good couple of seconds. A couple of our D players finally knock him down just as one ref finally whistles & signals incomplete, and of course, they call us for the personal.

On a kickoff, the SFA receiver lets the ball sail over his head & into the endzone. Before the ball actually leaves the field of play, the refs are blowing their whistles & signalling touchback. The ball did eventually CRAWL about a foot past the endline but the refs were blowing it dead LONG before it actually went out of bounds. Isn't the ball LIVE on a kickoff until it leaves the field? If that ball stops one foot shorter, isn't it live for both teams to recover?

Finally, on Grenfell's INT, the replay CLEARLY showed a facemask as he was tackled on the sideline & there was a ref about 5 feet away; NO CALL.

Maybe I shouldn't gripe so much about a game we won by 36 points but my point is what happens when these clowns are calling a CLOSE Big Sky game? I really thought these guys did a lousy job Saturday and it scares me to think of them in Cheney or back for Cat/Griz...

FlatheadLakeCat · Post by **FlatheadLakeCat** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 12:20 pm

I couldn't agree more. EG.
I saw all of those as well. And to add what that SFA player was doing to Figueroa late in the game. From my angle, it looked as if he pulled Fig's helmet off and started punching right in front of the line judge. WTF? You could see Fig's was pissed.

This same crew did the Grit and ISU game last year. Some say it was a record-setting day of penalities called.

WYCAT · Post by **WYCAT** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 12:28 pm

Agree completely. It really seems like they had no control of the game and how or what to call. Completely incompetent. The Figs play was comical because you could tell he really wanted to get up and go at it but was waiting for the flag and when it never came he really got pissed.

Hell's Bells · Post by **Hell's Bells** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 12:46 pm

WYCAT wrote:Agree completely. It really seems like they had no control of the game and how or what to call. Completely incompetent. The Figs play was comical because you could tell he really wanted to get up and go at it but was waiting for the flag and when it never came he really got pissed.

did anyone else get mad when the refs blew 3 straight penalites against us?

El_Gato · Post by **El_Gato** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 12:47 pm

Thanks, guys, I had completely overlooked that play. THAT ONE WAS THE ICING ON THE CAKE. First the guy "de-helmetizes" Figs, then knees him, shoves him, then, from my angle, takes a shot at his unprotected head. AND 2 REFS RUN UP TO SEPARATE THEM WHILE FIGS IS STILL KNEELING & NEITHER ONE OF THEM THROWS A FLAG!

Unbelievable; Fullerton (or any of his henchmen), if you monitor this board, that crew better get some "attention" from you this week.

BozoneCat · Post by **BozoneCat** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 12:52 pm

Fullerton and this ref crew in particular can all go to hell. They all suck. Was I the only person booing when Doug Fullerton was announced? (I hope not!)

Post by **kmax** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 1:04 pm

It wasn't great, but I will say it wasn't the worst I have seen from Big Sky refs(at least these guys knew what delay of game was!), though that definately isn't saying much. I was listening to Attebury when the foul for the signalling first down thing happened and apparently that is a new rule this year that you can't do that. Why the hell they would make a rule like that is beyond me, but if it is at least they should be consistent as El Gato said in calling it.

Hell's Bells · Post by **Hell's Bells** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 2:20 pm

Now hey lets not get all emotional here, "we cant personally attack" any referees at the games...gee i wonder why after games like this last weekends?!?!?!?

PapaG · Post by **PapaG** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 3:03 pm

Isn't the ball LIVE on a kickoff until it leaves the field? If that ball stops one foot shorter, isn't it live for both teams to recover?

No, the ball isn't live on a kickoff in college football if it touches the end zone.

I'm not a fan of this rule, but it sounds like the refs actually got this one correct if your description is accurate.

wbtfg · Post by **wbtfg** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 3:46 pm

I can guarantee you all that this will be one of the best officiated games of the year. They only blew about 4 or 5 calls that I saw. That is damn good for a big sky staff...usually they're in double digits.

If you all thought that was bad, wait until teams are snapping the ball 3 full seconds after the play clock has hit zero....TWO PLAYS IN A ROW!

El_Gato · Post by **El_Gato** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 3:52 pm

Thanks for the clarification, PapaG; it makes sense now since the SFA players didn't seem all that concerned about it either...

mquast53000 · Post by **mquast53000** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 3:57 pm

BozoneCat wrote:Fullerton and this ref crew in particular can all go to hell. They all suck. Was I the only person booing when Doug Fullerton was announced? (I hope not!)

I was booing Fullerton too! Everyone was looking at me like I was crazy. I just told them all that he hurts the Big Sky more then he helps it. My wife was a tad embarrassed…

Post by **kmax** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 4:10 pm

mquast53000 wrote:
BozoneCat wrote:Fullerton and this ref crew in particular can all go to hell. They all suck. Was I the only person booing when Doug Fullerton was announced? (I hope not!)
I was booing Fullerton too! Everyone was looking at me like I was crazy. I just told them all that he hurts the Big Sky more then he helps it. My wife was a tad embarrassed…

I don't think that's anything new.

But in this case your booing was definately justified and for once she shouldn't have been.

CelticCat · Post by **CelticCat** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 4:13 pm

I was booing too, everyone looked at me funny. I don't think anyone even knows who he is.

I agree about the reffing, but overall I wasn't near as mad because we were winning as I usually am. But if they pull that crap in a close game...

I try to be as objective as I can and see bad calls either way, but I thought SFA got most of the calls there way. Only one I saw was we got away with a bump on a receiver downfield, other than that I didn't see much.

El_Gato · Post by **El_Gato** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 4:14 pm

Isn't perspective amazing?

Over on egriz, a couple of posters were claiming the refs were jamming it up SFA's arse!

grizzh8r · Post by **grizzh8r** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 9:47 pm

CelticCat wrote:I was booing too, everyone looked at me funny. I don't think anyone even knows who he is.

I agree about the reffing, but overall I wasn't near as mad because we were winning as I usually am. But if they pull that crap in a close game...

I try to be as objective as I can and see bad calls either way, but I thought SFA got most of the calls there way. Only one I saw was we got away with a bump on a receiver downfield, other than that I didn't see much.

Me too buddy - I booed him for all I was worth.

gtapp · Post by **gtapp** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 10:38 pm

I spent the night partying with the officials after the game (I know this crew) and actually shared a room with the side judge. They said that they totally blew the punt out of bounds play. On the fight with Fig they said they could not determine who was more at fault so they try not to call offsetting penalties since it has no effect.

Ponycat · Post by **Ponycat** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 10:18 am

To be fair they sucked both ways. Grenfell's knee was down on his interception but they still let him get up and run 20 yards.

CelticCat · Post by **CelticCat** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 10:24 am

Ponycat wrote:To be fair they sucked both ways. Grenfell's knee was down on his interception but they still let him get up and run 20 yards.

I was actually curious about that, but it was on the complete opposite side of the field as me so I assumed I must have seen it wrong.

CelticCat · Post by **CelticCat** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 6:30 pm

Quote from an SFA fan on their message board:

"I listened to the Jacks announcers call the game on Yahose Sports last night and they offered alot more insight into something else that hurt us bad in Montana - The BIG SKY REFEREES. On several passes, the announcers claimed interference and said the refs were debating on throwing a flag and decided not too. The announcers also even started laughing about the spots that were given to Montana, one they got an extra 2 yards and 1st down from a favorable spot. By the second half, the announcers were resigned to the fact SFA would not get any good calls. Our defenders were getting thrown to the ground and I don't think there was 1 single holding call against MSU. If the refs are that one sided, it hurts the enthusiasm of players that are getting held on every play and no calls, and the receivers that are getting grabbed and hit before the ball gets there and no call. Just food for thought and keep this conversation going."