Here we Go Again - Uns Conduct Controversey (video)

[backjudge85]

I was the white hat for this game, Aledo vs Stephenville, Region 1 Quarterfinal.  I will set the record straight for everyone.  On the 2nd play from scrimmage, Gray runs 75 yards for a touchdown.  Nothing excessive with his teammates in the endzone UNTIL he turns towards the stands and TV camera and does the "throat slash".  Flag was thrown, score counted and penalty enforced on succeeding kickoff per choice of offended team.

3rd Quarter, 3:31, Gray runs a play to his right from about 33 yards out.  At about the 12 yard line or so, he begins high stepping, untouched into the endzone.  Flagged again, this time for his 2nd UNS.  What most don't know who weren't watching the game on TV is the Aledo coach, who is a very stand up guy, grabs Gray coming back from the endzone and there is a not so cordial exchange between them, but the coach yells at  him that the touchdown is being called back.  It then went really nuts when I announced that it was the second UNS on #32 and he was ejected.

We were beat up pretty bad by the TV announcers and some of the press, but WE GOT IT RIGHT!  We would do it again the same way if the situation warranted itself.  We didn't eject #32, he ejected himself when he committed the 2 UNS fouls.  We just enforced the rule as written.  He is a senior who has a big following.  I cant believe that he doesn't know that him committing 2 UNS fouls in one game would cause him to be sent to the sideline, but who knows.  As far as his father accosting us, I wouldn't go that far.  He was waiting on the other side of the fence at the top of the ramp and yelled several choice things at us.  He was immediately removed by staff and the police.

It was raining throughout the game, heck, my umpire and I are still pouring water out of our shoes, but it was an experience to remember.

[clearwall]

Great job, back judge. From everything ive read and sedn,i totally agree with yalls call.

[TxSkyBolt]

I was the white hat for this game, Aledo vs Stephenville, Region 1 Quarterfinal.  I will set the record straight for everyone.  On the 2nd play from scrimmage, Gray runs 75 yards for a touchdown.  Nothing excessive with his teammates in the endzone UNTIL he turns towards the stands and TV camera and does the "throat slash".  Flag was thrown, score counted and penalty enforced on succeeding kickoff per choice of offended team.

3rd Quarter, 3:31, Gray runs a play to his right from about 33 yards out.  At about the 12 yard line or so, he begins high stepping, untouched into the endzone.  Flagged again, this time for his 2nd UNS.  What most don't know who weren't watching the game on TV is the Aledo coach, who is a very stand up guy, grabs Gray coming back from the endzone and there is a not so cordial exchange between them, but the coach yells at  him that the touchdown is being called back.  It then went really nuts when I announced that it was the second UNS on #32 and he was ejected.

We were beat up pretty bad by the TV announcers and some of the press, but WE GOT IT RIGHT!  We would do it again the same way if the situation warranted itself.  We didn't eject #32, he ejected himself when he committed the 2 UNS fouls.  We just enforced the rule as written.  He is a senior who has a big following.  I cant believe that he doesn't know that him committing 2 UNS fouls in one game would cause him to be sent to the sideline, but who knows.  As far as his father accosting us, I wouldn't go that far.  He was waiting on the other side of the fence at the top of the ramp and yelled several choice things at us.  He was immediately removed by staff and the police.

It was raining throughout the game, heck, my umpire and I are still pouring water out of our shoes, but it was an experience to remember.

Sounds like everything was done correctly.  You'll need to change your screen name though (Ref85?)

[backjudge85]

I think I will keep the screen name....thats the position I worked for 23 years before moving to white hat....

[tx29]

  I'm very proud of my fellow Ft Worth officials for having the balls to make calls that they know will be wildly unpopular.  The S especially in this case.  As I watched the runner break stride and  hi step into the EZ from my EZ perspective, I knew that HE knew what he had to do and what the ramifications of that flag would be. Kudos for him for having the cojones to throw on it probably jeopardizing his play off possibilities for the rest Of the year. So instead of the kid being punished for his actions the official is penalized for doing what the kid made him do.  Until we stop letting the coaches control the process in TX, that's just the way it's going to be. 

[Hank]

Great job, back judge. From everything ive read and sedn,i totally agree with yalls call.

AGREE COMPLETELY!  Looks like y'all did an awesome job. 

Glad the coach got after him.  Looked like the coach was a little upset when he found out the kid was sitting for the rest of the game.  Maybe, just maybe the kid learned something (sadly, with a father like that, it seems doubtful).

[110]

Our job isn't to do what fans or coaches want, or think is right. Our job is to do what we know *is* right.

[mccormicw]

Job well done to you and your crew backjudge.

[GoodScout]

Point of Information:  I think he has scored 59 TD this year (the one that got called back and got him ejected would have broken his own single season TD record #60.  He will have to wait until next week).

Texas doesn't have a rule that you have to sit on the bench for a subsequent game after an ejection?

[mccormicw]

Texas doesn't have a rule that you have to sit on the bench for a subsequent game after an ejection?

From the Texas exceptions to NCAA rules:

37. 9-2-2-d-pen
PENALTY—Disqualification for the remainder of the game and the team’s next game [S27 and S47].
Administer as a deadball foul; penalty enforced at the succeeding spot, and Team B fouls do not require a
first down. Team timeout.
VIOLATION—Rules 3-3-6 and 3-4-2-b [S23, S3 or S21]. If the disqualification occurs during the last
game of a season, players with eligibility remaining will serve the next-game disqualification during the
first game of the next season for which they are eligible.
EXCEPTION: 9-2-2-d-pen For UIL games, disqualification is for remainder of game only. Local school districts
and/or UIL District Committees may apply additional disciplinary action.

[TXMike]

this video includes the throat slash although it is not shown long

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZOgWjSagj0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[TXMike]

From the Texas exceptions to NCAA rules:
.

  And to be clear...this exception is ONLY for the fighting rule.  Texas follows the NCAA rule on uns conduct ejections which does NOT require subsequent game punishment for uns conduct DQs

[backjudge85]

Mr. Gray will be able to play this week in their playoff game vs Corsicana, TX.  The TV producers called a rep from the UIL during our game and informed them of the ejection and was told by them that because it was only for UNS, the sit out for the following week would not apply.  Glad they were on top of that!!!

[Sonofanump]

We didn't eject #32, he ejected himself when he committed the 2 UNS fouls.

Nice mic work.  I am wondering if we use the terminology of "by rule, #32 has ejected himself from the game" it would put the criticism on the player rather than us.

[clearwall]

Nice mic work.  I am wondering if we use the terminology of "by rule, #32 has ejected himself from the game" it would put the criticism on the player rather than us.

Unfortunately, I dont think the common fan would recognize the difference. They would just see player is ejected and think the refs decided to throw him out.

[mccormicw]

  And to be clear...this exception is ONLY for the fighting rule.  Texas follows the NCAA rule on uns conduct ejections which does NOT require subsequent game punishment for uns conduct DQs

Thank you for the clarification.  I will one day learn to be more specific and more on target.

[TXMike]

Nice mic work.  I am wondering if we use the terminology of "by rule, #32 has ejected himself from the game" it would put the criticism on the player rather than us.

We already have an example from this season of a better way to announce this.  remember this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7YbDMJQnGI

[El Macman]

We already have an example from this season of a better way to announce this.  remember this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7YbDMJQnGI

Ejected is a poor term to begin with. Rather, use "disqualified."
"#32 has commited two unpsortsmanlike conduct fouls; by rule, he is disqualifed for the remainder of the game."

[TxSkyBolt]

Ejected is a poor term to begin with. Rather, use "disqualified."
"#32 has commited two unpsortsmanlike conduct fouls; by rule, he is disqualifed for the remainder of the game."

I prefer to use EXILED.

[Hank]

I prefer to use EXILED.

#32 has committed 2 unsportsmanlike acts, he has exiled himself from the playing field for the remainder of the game.

[Welpe]

I prefer to use EXILED.

Excommunicated.

[Berkut]

Can we work in the "Whack! Get out!" terminology?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EogzHNEiCWU

[TXMike]

Let's make it visceral so it has some emotional sense to it

"#32 has castrated his team  and circumcised himself from the remainder of the game"

[Morningrise]

Can't tell for sure, but look like FJ threw the penalty.  If so, should he have signaled touchdown since he knew it wouldn't count?

I agree with other commenters that there is no firm consensus. The most recent guidance I was given was at the last clinic I attended: If it's your flag and you know the touchdown (or FG, TB, safety as the case may be) is being nullified, simply kill the clock; if it's not your flag, then signal the result of the play even if you know it's being nullified.

I'd have to check my notes to remember who the speaker was, though.

[DallasLJ]

I agree with other commenters that there is no firm consensus. The most recent guidance I was given was at the last clinic I attended: If it's your flag and you know the touchdown (or FG, TB, safety as the case may be) is being nullified, simply kill the clock; if it's not your flag, then signal the result of the play even if you know it's being nullified.

I'd have to check my notes to remember who the speaker was, though.

  That is what I was thinking the rule of thumb is.