Is it just me, or have referees this year been the worst in history? Honestly, they're worse than the replacement refs in the NFL a couple years ago. In just the past week, we have seen the courses of several games incredibly altered just by one or two blown calls by the referees.
On Sunday, during the Giants-Saints record-breaking shoot out of a game, the Saints returned the Giants' punt just past midfield and fumbled, but recovered a yard downfield. The referees threw a flag on this play, but picked it up, saying that there was no foul on the play.
By rule, that meant that the Saints would try a 63-yard field goal to win the game with five seconds remaining. The stadium staff put the replay on the Jumbotron, and it showed that both players had face-masked each other.
The referees threw the flag yet again and called the penalty against the Giants. First off, the referees cannot call a penalty on a play they had already determined to be foul-less. Secondly, even if they had called a foul it would have to be offsetting because both players committed fouls. Either way, the Saints would have to stay where they are and try the 63-yard field goal. But nope, the referees broke their own rules, gave the Saints an extra 15 yards and they easily kicked a 50-yard field goal to win the game.
Another example: As time expired in the Miami-Duke game on Saturday, Miami used eight laterals to return a kick to the end zone to win the game. After further review by the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) on Sunday, officials found four instances where the referees should have blown the play dead and Duke should have won. Those referees have been suspended and rightfully so.
Blown calls in Miami-Duke college football game lead to suspension of referees: https://t.co/hyjFLqb3Z4 pic.twitter.com/hFz5WOQKtA
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) November 3, 2015
Closer to home, in the third overtime of the ASU-Oregon game, Oregon wide receiver Bralon Addison caught a touchdown pass from quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. on fourth down. When the replay was shown, his foot was clearly out of bounds and the touchdown should have been erased.
Read More: Report Card: Grading ASU football's 61-55 loss to Oregon
The referees have three options: the call stands, the call is confirmed or the call is reversed. Stands, means there is not conclusive evidence to overturn the call. Confirmed, means there is clear evidence the right call was made. Reversed, means there is conclusive evidence to prove the call on the field was wrong. The replay on the big-screen proved his toes were out of bounds but the officials returned to say that their original call was confirmed.
And even so, on the play ASU quarterback Mike Bercovici threw a game changing interception, there is proof that an Oregon linebacker is offside which led to the pressure causing Bercovici to throw the pick. ASU would have won the game had the momentum not shifted because of these calls. Coach Todd Graham has submitted the replay tapes to the Pac-12 in efforts to get a reaction similar to the ACC’s.
Off sides and out of bounds. Happy Friday. pic.twitter.com/ARLUjx1EC2
— Joey Artigue (@Joey_Artigue) October 30, 2015
Referees should be punished more than players for their misconduct and mistakes. Pay for performance, just like everyone else in any other profession. If a referee, like those in the examples above, change the course of a game and the victor over a call that can be proven incorrect by the league in charge should be fired on the spot and not allowed to continue to officiate.
They are paid to know the game better than the players and the fans, so they should not be able to get away with essentially cheating, unintentionally of course (or is it?).
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MLB finally moves into the 21st century with instant replay
Reach the columnist at abkbundy@gmail.com or follow @abkbundy on Twitter.
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