Anyone else think Big10 refs makes calls based on statistics and program reputation

[tjgopher]

This is an interesting subject. I absolutely believe that subconsciously the officials do slightly favor the Michigans, OSUs of the world. It isn't malicious or intentional, but it happens.

The interesting thing is this - EVERY program feels they get jobbed. Just go look at the message boards of Michigan or Penn State after every loss. PSU especially feels there is a conspiracy against them. JoePa feeds the fury there. They truly believe they are being punished for being the new kid on the block in the Big Ten. They think the entire world is out to get them, especially the officials.

Glen Mason was speaking at a luncheon a few years ago before the Ohio State game. He actually said that we could expect what he called "an Ohio State call." He says when he played for OSU he EXPECTED at some point that a ref would give them a favorable call. He said when he was an assistant at Illinois he felt it from the other side and didn't like it as much. And, then it was even more magnified once he was a head coach at Minnesota. He says EVERY time you play OSU or Michigan to expect them to get the benefit of the officiating.

 

[littlebigboy]

Officiating is political just like everything else. How fast officials move up the ladder is very seldom how good they are. Who do they know and how much ass do they kiss. There have been a few officials in the area that had connections in the NFL and skipped a step or 2 on the way up.. and they screw up and keep moving up. Others who respect the game and don't cow-toe to the supposed big names dtay put.

 

[MaxyJR1]

I agree that instant replay plays a huge roll in how some calls are made. Officials have a split second to make a decision on a play. Was it a foul? Did it affect the play? Was there a potential safety concern? Do that quickly at game speed.

If you want to try there is always room for more officials of any sport. Great way to stay in shape, give back, and even make some extra spending money. You might even like it and want to move up to another level.

Contact the High School League and see how to become involved.
Minnesota State High School League
2100 Freeway Boulevard Brooklyn Center, MN 55430-1735
(763) 560-2262

http://www.honigs.com to order any uniforms.

 

[cncmin]

Big 10 officials are consistient on one thing they will make calls based on reputation and previous games. They say that only the losing teams or fans complain about officiating but in the Big10 conference if your jersey is not, Penn State, OSU, Iowa, or Michigan do you ever get those same calls as those programs.
Just from Saturday there were two instances where you watch the game and you re-watch it and say that is no different then what the other teams guy or players have been playing or doing on that play. The holding call on LT Alford for instance, on that play it looked like Alford just stayed with his block, tried to stay in front of the guy, which he did, the whole way, and they went to the ground together. That flag took a good pass play off the board. I did not see him hook the guy, or clamp on his shoulders or force him to the ground with a tackle it was the momentum of the guys going to the ground(like two bulls squaring horns) and the official anticipates what he sees, well if they drove to the ground together the lineman had to have commited a penalty. On a smiliar play where Moen looks like he is starting to flush Pryor out, he gets hooked on the shoulders, no flag.

The worst call of the game from my perspective was the pass interference penalty on Trey Simmons. Simmons played that ball about as well as you can play it, he had correct position, did not hook the guy or grab the WR at the waste, no early contact really there was no contact on the play until the two players went to the ground together after Simmons deflected the pass away.(We don't even need to talk about #4 Colemans push on Mcknight #83 that was beyond blatant) So a great play by the CB is called a pass interference penalty again because the official anticipated the call and threw the flag without watching the whole play from beginning to end. They watch film, do they ever watch film of where the call they made is wrong? Do they base there calls off of season statistics and program reputation? Sure does seem like it.

Absolutely, YES...

The Gopher football program has not had a good call in their favor that decides the outcome of a game in my entire time watching the Gophers play (30 years). Yet they've had at least 4 games in just the past decade robbed from them by the refs (2 against PSU, one against Purdue, and etc.). The Gophers basketball team gets some calls, but usually against the bad teams. When they play the big teams, the favoritism is often the other way (especially in road games). I haven't seen Gopher basketball get screwed at home in a while, so that's good. Bo Ryan's home court advantage isn't just the red/white fan support in Madison...

Attending Penn State, when Rene Portland was the women's bball coach there they had a lot of successful teams. My future wife and I attended games often, and it was quite obvious that they had a HUGE home court referee advantage. I personally left the gym a few times after the refs handed PSU a game they didn't really deserve. It's easier to get over the bad calls when it your team that's getting them.

 

[Word]

I see a lot of this in hockey - refs know a players tendency to retaliate, etc. What do you know - those players are being "watched" by the refs and if they screw up they are certain to be caught. I think the same thing happens in football and basketball to some extent. Refs know that player x has had a couple personal fouls or pass interference penalties and they are now being "watched" extra close.

 

[denguegopher]

Absolutely, YES...

The Gopher football program has not had a good call in their favor that decides the outcome of a game in my entire time watching the Gophers play (30 years). Yet they've had at least 4 games in just the past decade robbed from them by the refs (2 against PSU, one against Purdue, and etc.).
.

We constantly get hosed in football. IMO the last time that we got a call at a key point in a big game was in 2000, when Ohio State was flagged for PI, late. It kept a Gopher drive alive as OSU was starting to get untracked. That's when Cooper was on his way out. We would never get that call now. Replay helps, but there are so many things that are not replayable (holding, personal foul, etc). Its those things that get called against us but not OSU or Michigan that are killers.

 

[tjgopher]

Replay helps, but there are so many things that are not replayable (holding, personal foul, etc).

Even replay doesn't always help. How PSU got that non-TD OVERTURNED into a TD is unreal. How they placed the ball at 1-yard line instead of the 6-inch line on Weber's overturned fumble call is unreal. And, PSU fans think they are the ones who never get a call. Yeah, right.