Read the debate intro and Bleacher Fan’s argument that there is no need for college football conferences to publically acknowledge a blown call by a referee.
For fans, there are few occurrences in sports as irksome as a blown call by a referee. Fans have all of the technology during a broadcast, the instant replays, and the “expert” analysis at our disposal that aid in our evaluation of a particular play in college football. Sitting helplessly in our living room as a referee or an officiating crew blatantly blows the call on what appears to be an obvious play is downright maddening. For me, it does not even matter if a play was in my team’s favor or not. It truly bugs me if the refs get a call wrong, period – regardless of which team the blown call benefits.
The definition of “getting a call wrong” goes beyond the possibility of a ref simply calling a receiver out of bounds when they catch the ball inbounds. Getting a call wrong can mean the referee has subjectively interpreted a rule too loosely or too strictly. Consider, for example, the situation in the SEC a couple of weeks ago, and presented so concisely by Loyal Homer in the intro. Georgia standout wide receiver A.J. Green made a very impressive catch, then ran to his teammates to for the standard high fives and jumping that come with any touchdown these days. The referee decided it was time to call a penalty for “excessive celebration” – despite the fact that many agree there was nothing excessive about Green’s actions. A 15-yard penalty was called, and the penalty was enforced on the kickoff – giving LSU outstanding field position and a short field to drive to tie the game.
Now, any coach worth a salt will refuse to admit that one bad call from an official can influence the outcome of a game. Those coaches are correct. Many factors go in to determining the winner and loser of any game. However, this bad call gave LSU the opening it needed for a short field and a very manageable shot to tie the game. The fan rightfully dismisses the coach speak and correctly identifies that the call had a significant impact on the game. Thank goodness for fans.
The SEC could have easily turned a blind eye to a potentially ugly situation and hoped it would go away. It seems rational that the conference would want to stand by an official’s decision, too. The conference must protect its own employees, right? Thankfully… wrong. Instead, the conference and its leadership did the right thing. The SEC’s Director of Officials, Rogers Redding, publicly acknowledged the poor judgment exhibited by the league’s official, calling it a “teachable moment.” The move helped to quiet some of the a growing fan discontent and restored a sense of fairness to college football.
On the surface it may appear as though referees are now in the doghouse and that the entire sports-loving culture thinks they are a bunch of schmucks that deserve to be hung out to dry if the slightest mistake it made. While referees may not like the new paradigm, it is essential for fans. Conference leaders must make decisions on the belief that officials are human beings. Pretending they are perfect, in the age of 15 replays per play and YouTube, is not longer acceptable.
Sports are simple to digest. They are also entertaining – but, they are also controlled. The rules are well known, and it is bothersome when they are not followed. Without delving too deeply into sports psychology, one of the many elements of sports fans love is the sense of fairness. There is a clear right, and a clear wrong. With the many factors that are difficult to control in our own lives, sports are an area where right and wrong matter – and where they are enforced. When officials blow a call in an obvious way, and the conference fails to acknowledge the blown call, the sense of fairness in sports (and life) begins to erode. A lot of erosion leads to shrinking ticket sales… all because a foundational moral of sports – and life – has been violated.
College football, perhaps more than any other sport, generates fan craziness en masse. Mix that special and inherent craziness with bad calls and a lack of fairness… and explosive, anger filled situations are created. These tenuous situations are entirely avoidable. Refs are human. They will make mistakes. Because every play is so heavily emphasized in college football, those mistakes often grow into national sports events. But, when a conference fails to at least put out a statement when a blatant bad call changes or influences the outcome of a game, fans’ collective intelligence is insulted in a potentially dangerous way – something a conference must try and avoid. Consider that if fans will turn over police cars, burn couches, etc. when their team wins… imagine what can happen when they unjustly lose?
The danger for college sports, and for sports in general, is when that formerly strong anger and outcry from the masses of fans becomes apathy. That is when ticket sales stop, programs wilt, and conferences die. For the good of college football, for the good of conferences, for the good of sports, keep acknowledging bad calls, conference leaders. What may seem very uncomfortable in the short run is in reality the best thing for conferences and fans alike.
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