Not denying that at all. Probably made a mistake with my post. The mistake that would be forgivable is the running into the kicker call. I could stand behind that all day long...I wouldn't like it, but could take it for the team. But a PF for Roughing there? I want to believe that it was an honest mistake...but you have to admit that it is really egregious for an official at this level. I am well aware of my shortcomings and limitations, but this isn't about me and I don't work bowl games. Seems to me that these kinks should be worked out by the time a guy gets to this level? And for the record, I've also seen and been disappointed by people who did unethical things with stripes on their back. The same human element that causes us to make mistakes with our eyes can also come into play with emotions--I've seen, and I'm sure that you have also seen guys use the flag to get in a parting shot against a coach who made them mad. With all due respect to you and the avocation, it isn't out of the question is it?
all I'm saying is a missed call, no matter how bad, does not begin to suggest the official is acting without integrity or unethically. That's what "fans" want to believe - the old conspiracy theorists. And, to even mention that word in this context is simply unfair especially from a fellow official.
I really don't understand the emotions some have expressed with this pure judgment call. I'm not defending it one way or the other just trying to poor water on what, in my opinion, has been way too much "fire" over this one. I can show you dozens of misses which were worst than this one, all made by top tier officials, myself included. It's just the nature of us humans.
To even hint of integrity on this play you would have to point to something else going on which would have the official say to himself "I believe it's running into but I'm going to upgrade it to roughing because ..........." with the "something else" not related to officiating. What is that "something else"? Can you think of anything without purely speculating or being one of those conspiracy freaks?
So bottom line - yes, integrity is out of the question on this one - especially because I know the official and his character - a person I would trust with everything I have!
So my point is that a call by an official, in and of itself, does not and should not give rise to even a sniff of an integrity issue by those in the know .........
