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Football Officiating => NCAA Discussion => Topic started by: TXMike on December 21, 2012, 04:18:20 PM

Title: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: TXMike on December 21, 2012, 04:18:20 PM
Much as I hate to admit it is not something we B's have to rule on, I think the ruling on whether the QB passed or fumbled the ball may be the toughest call on the field (to say nothing of the criticality of the call).  This is one from last night.  You make the call.

http://youtu.be/s_QQEbatXHI
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: NVFOA_Ump on December 21, 2012, 04:39:51 PM
My only comment would be that if the replay official had the same quality gear that many of us have in our homes (40 inch and higher HD screens) that review may have been different.  In the attached clip I couldn't say for sure either way, but during the game last night the view on a big screen was much better.
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: Aussie-Zebra on December 21, 2012, 04:57:27 PM
The first camera is inconclusive.

In the other camera views I can just see the arm and ball moving forward but enough to call incomplete.

On the field it would have been a tough call for the White Hat as it looks like the Team B player got in between him and the QB blocking his view.

Whats the if in doubt philosophy on this play ?
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: zebra99 on December 21, 2012, 05:19:08 PM
The first camera is inconclusive.

In the other camera views I can just see the arm and ball moving forward but enough to call incomplete.

On the field it would have been a tough call for the White Hat as it looks like the Team B player got in between him and the QB blocking his view.

Whats the if in doubt philosophy on this play ?

what do you mean by saying "I can see the arm and ball moving forward but "not" (I added this word) enough to call incomplete?"
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: bama_stripes on December 22, 2012, 07:55:14 AM
There are two "philosophies" at work here:
(1)  When in doubt, it is an incomplete pass, not a fumble.
(2)  No cheap turnovers / scores.

That said, the defense definitely beat the offense on this play, and the R can see an "empty hand".  I'll bet the R was 100% in his mind that it was a fumble.

And you're right, Mike -- this is the toughest call a R has to make.
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: TxSkyBolt on December 22, 2012, 08:10:59 AM
CC
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: Aussie-Zebra on December 22, 2012, 08:39:11 AM
<message deleted>
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: Aussie-Zebra on December 22, 2012, 08:52:43 AM
Because of the controversy I went back and looked at it again and I am confused as to why you differ. Here are 2 screen shots - you tell me what you see.

(https://dl.dropbox.com/u/11973537/ball%20moving%20forward.jpg)
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: jg-me on December 22, 2012, 08:55:30 AM
Just be sure you are using the 'philosophy' that your boss wants used. If you go by the CCA manual the actual philosophy is to rule this play a fumble rather than a pass when in question. This seems appropriate when we have replay to back us up. However for majority who have to offciate without IR, your supervisor likely would want you to err in the direction of an incomplete pass.
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: Magician on December 22, 2012, 09:07:01 AM
I agreed watching this on my HD screen at home and this doesn't change anything.
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: Andrew McCarthy on December 22, 2012, 09:40:44 AM
I look at 1:08 to 1:09 of the video and clearly see the ball coming forward in the passer's hand. It shows in other angles as well. I was surprised this was not overturned.
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: Aussie-Zebra on December 22, 2012, 11:03:40 AM
 
I look at 1:08 to 1:09 of the video and clearly see the ball coming forward in the passer's hand. It shows in other angles as well. I was surprised this was not overturned.

 yEs:

...............  and the R can see an "empty hand".  I'll bet the R was 100% in his mind that it was a fumble.

From looking at the positions of the block and where the R enters the screen, it is very likely that could not have had a clear an unobstructed view of the QB's arm.

Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: Aussie-Zebra on December 23, 2012, 06:30:06 AM
There seems to be some confusion here about the when in question philosophy.   :sTiR:

When in doubt, it is an incomplete pass, not a fumble.

If you go by the CCA manual the actual philosophy is to rule this play a fumble rather than a pass when in question.
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: zebra99 on December 23, 2012, 07:54:16 AM
There seems to be some confusion here about the when in question philosophy.   :sTiR:

The current philosophies represent a change in recent years most likely because of IR. In pre-IR times we would favor runner down and incomplete pass (no cheap turnovers) but that now takes IR out of being able to totally fix things.

My personal opinion is that these philosophies relate to on-field officials and how we rule the plays when we are "in question."  IR officials, on the other hand, need to make their decisions based on IVE regardless of these two specific philosophies.  Related but not directly on point is IR's indisputable video evidence standard whereby "when in question" they defer to the ruling on the field  --  not to it being either a fumble or incomplete pass.
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: TXMike on December 23, 2012, 07:59:55 AM
That is a great point (what the replay officials should be using).  It speaks to what I understand may be a simmering issue at the Big Boy level, video officials who may be using their own philosophies/experiences/biases, etc instead of just going with the facts.  If the video is not "indisputable" then leave it in the hands of the on field guys. 

Maybe they should look at pulling in a select group of females to be the "reviewers".  It is my experience that many women have an incredible eye for detail.  They can look at the video and tell another member of the review crew what they saw.  That other person would be the rules guy and based on what the gal says she saw, the rules official makes the ruling.
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: zebra99 on December 23, 2012, 08:13:30 AM
That is a great point (what the replay officials should be using).  It speaks to what I understand may be a simmering issue at the Big Boy level, video officials who may be using their own philosophies/experiences/biases, etc instead of just going with the facts.  If the video is not "indisputable" then leave it in the hands of the on field guys. 

Maybe they should look at pulling in a select group of females to be the "reviewers".  It is my experience that many women have an incredible eye for detail.  They can look at the video and tell another member of the review crew what they saw.  That other person would be the rules guy and based on what the gal says she saw, the rules official makes the ruling.

As long as they are a married couple then everything will go very smoothly!!  :)
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: SD_Casey on December 23, 2012, 08:13:38 AM
Our just hand the ladies a rulebook?
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: TXMike on December 23, 2012, 08:16:41 AM
Our just hand the ladies a rulebook?

Oh,  hell no!!!!  They are not logical thinkers and if you are not a logical thinker there is no way you make sense of that thing
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: SD_Casey on December 23, 2012, 08:40:05 AM
Ha! I can see it now. "But he didn't MEAN to fumble! I don't think it should be a fumble"
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: Osric Pureheart on December 23, 2012, 09:37:10 AM
And we wonder why there's a shortage of officials...
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: Morningrise on December 23, 2012, 12:04:49 PM
What if the rule changed to make this much easier to officiate? Suppose 2-19-2-b read as follows:

"When a Team A player is holding the ball to pass it forward toward the neutral zone, any intentional forward movement of his hand or arm starts a forward pass. If a Team B player contacts the passer player or ball after forward movement begins and the ball leaves the passer’s player's hand, a forward or backward pass is ruled regardless of depending on where the ball strikes the ground or a player."

Would this change the game for the worse? I doubt it. Instead I think it would change the game for the better. It would simply remove an occasional lucky break that the offense currently gets - a lucky break that basically depends on which way the R rules on a 50/50 call. Changing the criterion, so it's only a forward pass if the ball goes forward, isn't just visibly clearer, it's also arguably more fair. If Team A loses the ball, having failed to throw it in a forward direction, why shouldn't it be a free ball?
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: NVFOA_Ump on December 23, 2012, 07:39:34 PM
Doesn't this suggestion effectively just make the problem worse?  Now we would have to be making the impossible call of was the ball actually 100% out of the passer's hand prior to be batted or was it still in his hand when it was batted?  I'd take it the way it is now if that's the choice.

How about we consider what would happen if we adopted a standard that "when in question it was a pass ...." and then change the replay rules to allow the call to be reversed like the NFL does if replay determines that it was actually a fumble that was immediately recovered in the continuing action, with no advance allowed?
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: Andrew McCarthy on December 23, 2012, 08:19:34 PM
How about we consider what would happen if we adopted a standard that "when in question it was a pass ...." and then change the replay rules to allow the call to be reversed like the NFL does if replay determines that it was actually a fumble that was immediately recovered in the continuing action, with no advance allowed?
Isn't that the way it is right now?
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: bossman72 on December 24, 2012, 01:45:10 PM
My vote for toughest call on the field is a dive up the middle near the goal line when the offense snaps the ball from inside the 2.
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: TXMike on December 24, 2012, 01:48:53 PM
I guess I shoulda said , the toughest call you can see.  On the dives you are often physically unable to see anyuthing due to the mass of humanity.  At least with my play, you can see, it is just a matter of how well you can process what you see.
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: NVFOA_Ump on December 24, 2012, 05:28:02 PM
Isn't that the way it is right now?

That's not what I've been reading.  What I've read was when in doubt to call it a fumble, and let replay correct if required.  I'm suggesting the "when in doubt" standard would be call it a pass, then let replay correct if required.
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: Wingmanbp on December 25, 2012, 08:42:25 AM
Its Pretty clear to officiate as it is now! The arm with ball moving forward. Now that is if you have the line of sight! In that play I would overturn it but do agree with the R going with the TD call in that situation with replay in your back pocket. However in HS I would have to lean towards Incomplete. But you never know until you see that in real time and its your call!
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: Hank on December 25, 2012, 07:42:15 PM
Can someone tell me what the reasoning of having the R set up on the throwing arm side of the QB is?  I know there must be some reason.  It's likely a 50/50 thing, but in this case, the view seems better from the other side.  Don't mean to commit heresy by even suggesting such a thing, I'm just wondering.
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: Aussie-Zebra on December 25, 2012, 07:48:13 PM
The R will position himself to have the best view of the QB's arm to determine fumble/incomplete pass.

Same principal applies for the kicker.
Title: Re: Toughest Play To Officiate
Post by: runninbj on December 29, 2012, 12:12:49 PM
My vote for toughest call on the field is a dive up the middle near the goal line when the offense snaps the ball from inside the 2.

Just guess where the ball goes, put your foot there, and run in from the sidelines like you know exactly what you're doing.