My point of view from yesterday
I finally made it to the game yesterday. This is what I noticed.
My friend and I were helping some of our friends hand out fliers before the game. I noticed it was easier to get people to take them if I told them that OSU didn't want them to take the fliers. That was pretty funny.
My friend and I were in section 33. That is just outside the student section behind the North endzone. We had 11th row seats to the Field Judge trying to give the game to EMU. We saw what was easily the worst call in CFB this year. Everyone in the stadium seemed to agree and everyone in the CIL seemed to agree as well.
I am pretty sure this was on EMU's score right before the half. Everyone in the CIL said that he walked right in and our defense was horrible, etc. I don't know what you guys saw on TV (I am waiting for a torrent), but from right there, it was blatantly obvious that the receiver was holding Donovan Warren. The field judge was looking right at it and didn't call it. If Warren was not held, he could have possibly had a TFL.
There were a couple of other non-calls by the field judge on PIs by EMU, but I am not sure when they occurred and I didn't see anything in the CIL. Maybe someone else saw them and can let me know where they are. Does any one know who the field judge was yesterday? He seemed like he just graduated from high school referee and wasn't quite ready for the college level speed of the game yet.
Also, there was a lady sitting in front of us that got mad when we were up 24-10, Shoelace came in, and I said that we should score once more before we put him in. Later on, she was cheering when Tate was down and Shoelace came in. I asked her if she was related to him because she was cheering for him so much. I really didn't have any doubt in my mind, because a fan doesn't cheer when the starting QB is injured because they want the back up to get more PT. She was related to him in some sort of Space Balls-esque sort of way. When people were chanting "FOR-CI-ER" she was chanting "WE-WANT-SHOELACE".
Anyway, not much insight here, but I wanted to let people know what they may not have seen on the TV.
September 20th, 2009 at 12:19 PM ^
You can see it on youtube (go to around 1:30). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vx1VT9yWIxY
It set up their field goal.
September 20th, 2009 at 1:49 PM ^
I think the OP is talking about a play later in the half.
September 20th, 2009 at 2:34 PM ^
I looked at that and couldn't find the play that I was talking about for the holding call. I did realize that it was not when they scored to make it 24-17 because that was on the other side of the field. I guess I will just have to wait until the video gets posted.
September 20th, 2009 at 12:26 PM ^
That was a terrible call! Even Frank Beckmann AND the tv commentator said "This should be offensive pass interference" and everyone around me in section 6 and the rest of the stadium agreed. He had some other really bad calls if i remember. I know it didn't really affect the outcome, but I sure hope he doesn't ref another game in the big house again.
September 20th, 2009 at 12:54 PM ^
This will probably be another year like 2005 where multiple bowl games are decided by dysfunctional, malfunctional and incompetent ref crews (Iowa-Florida, Alamo Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Rose Bowl).
It blows my mind that so many calls are getting flat-out obviously botched.
September 20th, 2009 at 12:33 PM ^
This was equally as frustrating, on 2 different occasions Matthews and Stonum were clearly interfered with, and yet the whistle never blows. It wouldn't be so frustrating if the game was just called on equal ground, that call on Boobi was absolutely horrible, Boobi had inside position, and would've probably had an INT if the receiver doesn't push him.
September 20th, 2009 at 12:44 PM ^
The Field Judge was Kevin Sullivan, who has been reffing in the MAC for a few years now. That was a rarity for a Big Ten vs MAC game--a MAC officiating crew.
September 20th, 2009 at 12:44 PM ^
"My friend and I were helping some of our friends hand out fliers before the game. I noticed it was easier to get people to take them if I told them that OSU didn't want them to take the fliers. That was pretty funny."
Pure advertising GENIUS
And yikes, here's to hoping that whoever that lady was, she's more respectful to the other players on the team
September 20th, 2009 at 12:49 PM ^
When the flag was thrown, everyone around me in section 25 erupted with applause because we all saw OBVIOUS offensive PI
When the call was announced against us, boy were we ever pissed off. We all saw it in person and on the replay, it was obvious. And on this video, it's still obvious. That call was pathetic.
Oh well, didn't matter a whole helluva lot.
September 20th, 2009 at 1:26 PM ^
Here's a very troubling observation. As the officials were walking on to the field, one of my seatmates made a point of saying he knew one of the officials. Both my seatmate and the official are from northern Indiana. He kept on saying, "he's a huge golden domer," and loves the Irish. Well, after that horrific call, we asked him if that was his guy. Sure enough, it was. We spend the rest of the game ribbing our seatmate everytime that field judge made a bad call or non-call. If this official let his personal feelings affect his decisions, how many other officials do it too? And let's not even get into the gambling implications.