Dr. Saturday - NCAAF

The Never-Ending Sorry. The conference has spent much of the last three weeks calling out its own officials for bad calls in nationally televised games, so it shouldn't be a surprise that coaches are taking it upon themselves to open up on those lousy SEC refs after another sketchy weekend. First up: Mississippi State's Dan Mullen, who was incensed that officials failed to overturn Dustin Doe's icing interception return in the fourth quarter of MSU's loss to Florida despite losing control of the ball before he crossed the goal line:

The SEC is going to find it hard to avoid agreeing with him after setting the precedent of public piper-paying by publicly validating criticism of bad calls and putting an entire crew on ice last week, and Mullen sounded on Sunday like he's out for the same pound of flesh for the replay official who let Doe's touchdown stand:

That's twice that they've blown calls on the replay with our games resulting in big plays and I think that's unexcusable for that official. I mean, I hope he is severely punished, if (he) ever works another SEC game again, because I think it is completely unacceptable.

The league's contrite press release should be forthcoming, and it's only going to be by some lawyerly hair-splitting that it gets to sidestep Lane Kiffin's public criticism of Terrence Cody's unflagged helmet-shedding after the big man blocked Tennessee's last-second field goal attempt to win at Alabama -- per Kiffin: "I'm sure we'll get one of those letters that mean nothing, that Bobby (Petrino) got last week, but Florida and Alabama live on,." Obviously, this is a Pandora's box that stern reprimands aren't going to close.

Tebow needs to be alone. In the meantime, Tim Tebow reacted to his worst game ever -- courtesy of a pair of pick-sixes to MSU's Johnthan Banks that kept the Bulldogs in the game despite failing to mount anything against the Gator defense -- by uncharacteristically shunning the media following the game. Urban Meyer spoke for his star protegé instead:

Coach Urban Meyer said Sunday that QB Tim Tebow has no chemistry issues with his wide receivers but is "very frustrated," as well as the offense, with recent performances.
[...]
"He's used to playing at a high level," Meyer said. "A lot of guys are frustrated. You go and win by 10 points on the road, it's the same old song and dance from a couple of weeks. Guys want to play better."

Understandable, but this is still the No. 1 team in the country, right? And Tebow is the guy who responded to his team's only loss in the last two years by issuing the heroic promise that carried the Gators on majestic unicorn wings through the rest of last year's championship run, isn't he? Are hints of dysfunction a good sign for Georgia on Saturday, or do they portend a mighty smiting at hand? It's going to be another interesting week from Gainesville.

Thou shalt not tweet your mind. Hyped freshman Randall Carroll stunned everyone in February by opting for UCLA over USC, but he's been quiet so far for the languishing Bruins, and his Twitter advice to one of this year's most sought-after L.A. recruits, Dietrich Riley, isn't going in any brochures for Westwood:

The post, from the account of OCiAM, dated Oct. 22, referred to the Bruins' last three games before Saturday and read, "man oregon, stanford and cal should have been easy wins ,, but [expletive] thys [racial slur] norm chow dnt be trustin us ,, so it is what it is."

Uh, sic, obviously. Carroll shrugged off the slur-iffic shot at his offensive coordinator as the momentary ravings of a kid who was "frustrated, tired of losing" after three straight losses. No word from Chow, but the Twitter account attributed to Carroll no longer exists, and Riley's is now shielded from public view. No speculation here on the specific slur directed at Chow.

Quickly ... Michigan center David Molk's return was short-lived: He left the game in the first quarter against Penn State and may not be back this season. ... Kentucky lost its leading tackler, Micah Johnson, to an MCL sprain in its win over Louisiana-Monroe. ... Iowa offensive lineman Dace Richardson is probably out for the season with a broken ankle. ... Jim Leavitt contemplates some defensive changes after two straight losses by USF. ... The Washington Post asks readers if Maryland will win another game, and the response is pretty resounding. ... Tennessee fans remain an optimistic lot following the last-second heartbreaker. ... And Nebraska's on a two-game skid, but don't forget about Ndamukong Suh.

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21 Comments

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  1. Scott
    1. Posted by Scott Mon Oct 26, 2009 10:16 am EDT

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    Florida should have 2 loses.....
    "OH BUT THEY ARE SO GOOD" blah blah blah...bull crap. They should have 2 loses.
  2. roger s
    2. Posted by roger s Mon Oct 26, 2009 10:47 am EDT

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    but they don't. thanks for playing scott
  3. jmf_63
    3. Posted by jmf_63 Mon Oct 26, 2009 10:58 am EDT

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    just a matter of time roger.....thanks for your input....
  4. Troy
    4. Posted by Troy Mon Oct 26, 2009 10:59 am EDT

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    The difference between the Doe call and the personal fouls is that this time the refs weren't just making stuff up. The ref on the field missed the call, sure, but the replay referee really didn't have a single angle that clearly showed that Doe didn't make it. It was likely from the camera views that he didn't, but not conclusive. Not until ESPN showed that split screen was is absolutely certain. So maybe the ref on the field screwed up bad, but the replay guy did his job.
    Also, the penalty on Mt. Cody, if called, would have resulted in--wait for it--the end of the game. So if Lane thinks it would have changed the ending, he doesn't know the rules. I didn't either until I read about them yesterday, but then I'm not a head coach.
  5. Willy JJ
    5. Posted by Willy JJ Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:33 am EDT

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    Can't end a game on a defensive penalty. So that would have put TN up 5-15 yards and given them a second chance at a FG.
  6. Barry Jenkins
    6. Posted by Barry Jenkins Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:48 am EDT

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    It was an OFFENSIVE, dead ball penalty because the ball was blocked and the play whistled dead PRIOR to Cody removing his helmet. March off the yards, Alabama ball, game over.
  7. Paul
    7. Posted by Paul Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:52 am EDT

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    "Can't end a game on a defensive penalty. So that would have put TN up 5-15 yards and given them a second chance at a FG. "
    No, all celebration penalties are dead ball fouls, and those can't be enforced after time has run out in the 4th quarter.
  8. just4funsies
    8. Posted by just4funsies Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:57 am EDT

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    @ Willy JJ: Yes, you can. Unlike many defensive penalties, that particular penalty is (by rule) enforced as a dead ball infraction, even if no whistle has blown. As a dead ball penalty, if the clock has expired, the game is over. Seems stupid, I know, but that is how the rule is written. Can't blame the refs for enforcing at such.
    Can't really expect the officials to give UT another kick because a 'Bama player took his helmet off as he ran off the field with the clock showing 0:00... The fallout from doing that would make what is going on now seem paltry. Besides, UT already had 2 FG's blocked. It's not like they got robbed. They just didn't TCB.
  9. Scott
    9. Posted by Scott Mon Oct 26, 2009 12:36 pm EDT

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    @ 2 roger s: Are you really Urban Meyer? Let me guess, right now you are in your robe waking up in the morning drinking coffee while Tim Tebow is sitting on your lap and you two are giggling and cuddling.
    What games have you been watching deuche bag? You mean to tell me they SHOULD have beat Arkansas? You mean to tell me that this call against MS was a GOOD AND RIGHT call? You are retarded. They should have two loses.
    Now go back and give Tim a frontal massage....
  10. Dan
    10. Posted by Dan Mon Oct 26, 2009 12:53 pm EDT

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    “For all sad words of tongue and pen, The saddest are these, 'It might have been'.”
    We feel for you, Scott, we really do.
  11. svcolklink
    11. Posted by svcolklink Mon Oct 26, 2009 1:18 pm EDT

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    Say what you will Florida was given a gift again, and the excuse that the replay official didn't have an angle is bunk. We all saw it his had was empty at the one, this wasn't even close.
    I hate agreeing with Kiffin, the whiner, but he was right here also. And no this wasn't a dead ball. This was a second down play and after a block the ball is live. since the ball is live and squirting around on the ground the officials had not called, or should not have called, the play dead. One hell of a block but ooop's an unsportsman like call should have followed. Although with Kiffin's horrible coaching with 47sec left he got what he deserved.
  12. Pete
    12. Posted by Pete Mon Oct 26, 2009 1:32 pm EDT

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    Uh, yeah, that "lawyerly hair-splitting" you're talking about is called "the rules".
    Taking the helmet off is a dead-ball foul and had there been any time left on the clock it'd have been enforced to put 'Bama at 1st-and-25 with the ball, not give Tennessee a re-kick.
  13. Ryan
    13. Posted by Ryan Mon Oct 26, 2009 1:43 pm EDT

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    Doc,
    I know most won't care, but that last article is not about a bottle being thrown at Stoops after the game with KU this weekend. It clearly states that it occurred after the 2006 Bedlam game.
    Thanks
  14. Matt H
    14. Posted by Matt H Mon Oct 26, 2009 3:05 pm EDT

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    Article removed from the list, rhoffman. I (wrongly) assumed its existence implied relevance to a more or less current event.
  15. roger s
    15. Posted by roger s Mon Oct 26, 2009 3:21 pm EDT

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    easy with the hostility scott. tough guys on the blog board beware, scott is in the house. i've been watching the same game you have bud. on saturday i saw a defense that wasnt giving miss state anything. so i would think that even if that call goes the other way, miss state isnt driving down the field 80 yards on that D. and i think that call should have been ruled a touchback but thats just me. the refs in the arkansas game were crap. the personal foul penatly was bogus, but you know what, that call didnt lose the game for arkansas. so yes i think they SHOULD have beat arkansas.
    and no im not urban meyer, but that would be a sweet gig to have. see ya tough guy, ill mail ya postcard from pasadena
  16. Scott
    16. Posted by Scott Mon Oct 26, 2009 3:22 pm EDT

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    @10--I don't care...haha...I'm not a FL fan...not an SEC fan, per se. I'm just tired of "florida is this and that, oh, my they are the greatest thing ever---they could bring Ray Charles back from the dead"--whatever rediculous things people say about them. They are not THAT good. They are AT BEST...a number 4 team.
  17. roger s
    17. Posted by roger s Mon Oct 26, 2009 3:41 pm EDT

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    alright i hear ya scott. but who are three teams better than fla? i agree, they aren't THAT good right now, but who is? none of the top teams have shown that they are THAT good week in and week out.
  18. Dan
    18. Posted by Dan Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:06 pm EDT

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    On a side note, Ray Charles is playing at the O'dome this Friday night.
  19. Scott
    19. Posted by Scott Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:10 am EDT

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    1.) Alabama--though barely winning some games, they have stepped up and won games WITHOUT THE AID OF THE OFFICIALS.
    2.) Texas--Yes, they have come out flat, needing to play the 2nd half of their lives to overcome the mighty Colorado Buffs...but, they have won legit, and they beat OK.
    3.) Cincy--yes, Big East is weak, but they have won and quite handily beat the teams they have played. Could they beat FL? Eh, doubtful, but they way FL has won---I'm not impressed with. One could also make the case for Boise ST....they beat a pretty good Oregon team..but then again, they don't play anyone else.
  20. roger s
    20. Posted by roger s Tue Oct 27, 2009 2:04 pm EDT

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    touche scott. i can see bama and tx maybe, but cincy i dunno. same thing with boise. both good teams i think, but top 3 worthy?? boise did beat a pretty good oregon team, but i think if that game is played during week 5 instead of week one there is a different result. i still think you are banking too much on the officiating thing, but i see your logic with those picks. no team has stepped up and shown they want to be #1, just like no single player has stepped up and shown the want the heisman. the next month or so should be very interesting.
  21. Scott
    21. Posted by Scott Wed Oct 28, 2009 9:42 am EDT

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    yes Roger, I think we agree that there might be no "true number one"--but to simply keep praising FL and saying they are the best thing since the invention of the wheel and Tim Tebow has God's number on his ICE contacts on his cell phone...gets old, man. I think Oregon would beat Boise now. That is why I didn't actually put them at 3. BUT---they did beat them, etc. etc.
    In response to your post in #15...Same thing as I KNOW FOR SURE if USC or FL played Ohio State at the end of November or in a January bowl game IN OHIO--Ohio State would win. Officials do determine games--that is a fact of life. However, in the SEC, they have been WWWAAAAAYYY to obvious in their intentions to keep FL winning.

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