I guess I am going to come down on both sides here. First of all, there is no doubt that the SEC office would back up the refs. The amazing thing to me is how the Aubies are getting onto the SEC for doing so after the fuss made last year. I guess everybody's has fans that will believe anything. Now to the play (please refer to the linked rulebook http://www.ncaa.org/library/rules/2007/2007_football_rules.pdf by cited page): The rule states: "No player who goes out of bounds during a down shall touch a legal forward pass in the field of play or the end zones or while airborne until it has been touched by an opponent or an official. Exception: this does not apply to an eligible offensive player who attempts to return inbounds immediately after being blocked out of bounds by an opponent." (Rule 7, Sec 3, Art 4, page 102) Note, the rule does not give a player who is blocked out of bounds free reign to come back in. Rather, he has to do so immediately, which the GTHOM player didn't do. That's a point in AMABs favor, especially in light of the interpretation paragraph 7.3.4.IV on page 202. The replay rule states that a play may be reviewed in the case of "A legal forward pass touched by an ineligible receiver" (rule 12,sec 3, art 2b, page 146). Now, my reading is that this requires the officials on the field to have ruled the player ineligible at first. Otherwise, the replay official can go back and essentially call a penalty when the officials missed it. That would be the only time the replay official can call a penalty (though they can cause the flag to be picked up, as in the LSU/UK game interference call.) That would seem to be a factor in favor of GTHOM, though the rule seems to leave enough doubt for the SEC home office to wiggle through. The final question then goes back to who touched the ball first. The video provided does not conclusively show who did. While I was not watching the game, the only replay I have seen seems to show the GTHOM player touching the ball first. That would mean the officials on the field blew the call, and the replay official got it right. However, I am not sure the replay official had the authority to overturn the call. Remember, it isn't anything til the ref calls it, and when he calls it, that's what it is. GEAUX TIGERS
Almost everything else you wrote (while good info) is irrelevant. In this situation, by rule, the call on the field must stand. If I remember correctly, the ruling on the field was a legal catch, 1st and goal Ole Piss, 7 seconds or so left.
I was referring to the Youtube video linked. I assume the video the replay official was of higher quality. That said, your point is accurate: without indisputable video proof, the call cannot be overturned. GEAUX TIGERS
Yeah, I looked around on youtube for a decent video, but the only ones they have appear to have been captured by someone hang gliding above the blimp.
Well, as an LSU fan I keep trying to come up with a way this ends up as a loss for Ole Miss and Bama, but I just can’t come up with anything.:shock: I saw the end of the game on TV and I’ve watched various clips and stills on TV and the net. The more you look, the more confused it seems. Frankly, I have trouble seeing how it meets the “indisputable” measure to overturn a play on the field. But, that was the call – I think from a fan’s perspective, all teams suffer through calls like this one. I am sure Bama fans still fume over some past calls that did not go their way. Some of us older LSU fans still remember the phantom face mask call in LSU's game against USC in Tiger Stadium and that was over 20 years ago. I hate it for the Rebs, their fans and coaches. However, if it were LSU instead of Bama, I might question the reversal in my own mind, but I sure as hell wouldn’t argue about it – just take the win and go home. At any rate, I know that I sure get tired of plays and calls being reviewed. I miss the days when we lived with the call on the field. I can remember some games with memorable calls that went for and against LSU – but I still preferred those days to the current trend of review, review and review again. ldskule: ldskule:
Yeah kinda like that no call PI endzone on Keith Brown?? :thumb: :yelwink2: Just as I have done. This is the first thread I have even posted in about the play. I definately dont think that he was forced out--but that seems to be every Rebel argument...not who touched the ball first. I like the replay system. It has helped a helluva lot more than hurt. It gives them the chance to get it right, especially when it's a big game/situation. Remember in that last play, there wasn't enough evidence to show that Mitchell touched the ball first, but there were plenty of evidence to show that the reciever went out of bounds first. I dunno...a win is a win though. :thumb:
On the other end of the spectrum, Penn Wagers and his crew have blown a lot of calls in their time. Penn lives here in Charleston and I've talked with him over a cold one many times. He's a good guy, but it's the sharpest tool in the shed. Heck, it was his crew that missed the 12 on the field with Arkansas a few years ago. 24 hour rule missed again...I'm moving on to UT.
