40 Yards of No Whistle..?

Saturday afternoon my family and I were at a condo in the shadows of a rain-soaked Williams-Brice Stadium. It was a “Fair-Game” and a good time was being had by all, as we were watching a competitive contest between the Gamecocks and The Gators of The University of Florida. College football is awesome, and all of that…

That said, something happened that should not have happened, and then should not have been allowed to happen, but happened.

I’m not saying it’s on the same magnitude of the New Orlean’s Saints “no call” to go to the SuperBowl, but what happened the other night in Columbia, SC may have been more obvious than the most obvious of them all.

To Florida fans and SEC fans and fans all over the country, I’m not bitching. I’m not saying the Gamecocks would have won, and I’m not trying to change the score or stats. Moreover, apparently there was a facemask that wasn’t called on a Gamecock on the same play, and I get that. However, in the name of sportsmanship and athletics, and paid referees, someone needs to hear and own this stuff, such as five or so seconds of wrong.

We all witnessed 40 yards of “holding.” FORRTTY YARDS OF HOLDING in front of everyone in the stadium, everyone watching this particular game on TV, and everyone watching ESPN highlights, Facebook feeds, Tweets, memes and on and on and on.

As I sat there watching, I wanted to give something the benefit of the doubt. Then the commentators went to the “booth referee.” I thought, OK, these guys usually give a calm and collective perspective on things, at a super professional level.

What we heard, “The hand is in a strange place. He does have the jersey but what you look for with a hold is did he take a step away from the defender. The defender looks like he is satisfied to run side by side with the runner down field. I’m glad there was no call.” Matt Austin.

Again, to Gators, I’m not trying to change things and realize mistakes are made all the time. That said, there is a fundamental flaw here. This looks weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeird…

Had to blog about this one….

Franklin Jones

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