I am in no way excusing the player for his conduct. The player's actions were wrong, and there should be punishment. Having said that though, something about the way the Umpire handled this situation bothers me a bit. He was quoted as saying:
“I had spoken to the player on the play before and he told me that I was in his way,” Gill said. “I asked him how long he’d been playing football and he had to realize that the referees are part of the field. I told him that he should have to avoid me and not the other way around. On the very next play, you saw what happened.”
While he may be technically correct, I don't agree with the approach he took (based on the quote). How long the player had been playing football is immaterial, and could have been seen by the player, depending on the official's tone, as a criticism or a put down. Regardless, it was unnecessary.
I may be wrong, but I also don't think it is only the player's responsibility to avoid contact. When working Umpire, I always talk to the Linebackers and Safeties around me to ensure that, to the extent possible we avoid contact. If I am obstructing their view, or impeding their progress, I want to know so I can reposition myself to allow them to do their jobs, while still being able to do mine.
I am in no way implying that the Umpire is in any way responsible for being hit, but I do think he could have approached the situation more professionally.
