kyeblue

October 3rd, 2018 at 3:12 PM ^

I think that every single sports fan hates refs as they could never get things right. But they are humans and humans make mistakes. It is time to have bots to take it over. Bots may not get every call correct, but at least they are impartial. 

dipshit moron

October 3rd, 2018 at 6:07 PM ^

more than you thought? what else could they say? that was the most obvious bad call with no possible explanation i have ever seen. it didn't take 5 replays and 100 different camera angles to see he missed the call..but should refs be able to make a call that bad and then just shrug it off and say, oops? sorry!

MurderWolf

October 3rd, 2018 at 1:59 PM ^

You just watch.  The League is going to fix our little graph by using the Maryland game.  I expect the Terps to get called for holding at least a dozen times this Saturday, and then it'll be back to the regular ol' institutional bias again.

maizenblue92

October 3rd, 2018 at 1:59 PM ^

I used to think that allowing coaches to challenge penalties would be bad for the game but some of the calls I have seen in recent seasons has changed my mind. The only thing I wonder is if coaches should be able to challenge FOR penalties. IE, should you be able to challenge for holding on one of the plays where Darboh got mugged in the 2016 edition of The Game. 

Hail-Storm

October 3rd, 2018 at 2:01 PM ^

Harbaugh publicly called out an incorrect call on Michigan by the refs.

I expect retribution for this from the refs.  This shall not stand.  Michigan should not be able to get away with this kind of humiliation against the refs.  There will be accountability for Michigan with more pass interference calls on balls thrown ten yards out of bounds and whistles swallowed on blatant holds against our D-line. 

Matte Kudasai

October 3rd, 2018 at 2:08 PM ^

I don't even need the graph to know the officials have been fucking us since Harbaugh arrived.  And it wasn't just OSU 16.  Last year's MSU & OSU games were bad, real bad.

Diagonal Blue

October 3rd, 2018 at 2:14 PM ^

It's ridiculous how players and coaches have to answer to the media after games but officials get to run and hide. Then when something is as egregious as this happens all you get as a "oh, sorry." Time for full time refs who are younger and can keep up with the speed of the game. Moreover, stop having refs working games where they have a direct conflict of interest (see 2016 OSU game).

Alton

October 3rd, 2018 at 2:39 PM ^

You aren't going to get better refs by making them full-time, especially if you are going to push them out of their officiating jobs well before a normal retirement age as you suggest.

I'm 100 percent with you on having younger refs who can keep up with the game.  Unfortunately, getting noticed is amazingly political and the demand for younger refs is just going to make everything even more political.

What do I mean by "political"?  At every level, you get big assignments by being friends with important assigners.  If you don't get big assignments, you don't go anywhere, no matter how good you are.  If you were to look at the people working in the Big Ten feeder leagues (MAC, MVC, GLIAC, etc.), about half are there because they are good, about half are there because they or their dads are drinking buddies with the people in charge of hiring.  And maybe I'm being a little generous on the ratios.

PapabearBlue

October 3rd, 2018 at 6:32 PM ^

That's because it isn't a professional institution. The current structure of it essentially allows it to be a good ol boys club.

Make it a full time job, provide huge salaries and bonuses for getting the biggest games, cut bonuses for bad calls. Real fucking quick you're going to see that drinking buddies son get kicked to the curb because he's costing those guys money.

Situations like this in employment environments ONLY exist because they are allowed to exist with no or very little repercussions. When it's the difference between getting a $10,000 bonus that's going to change.

Alton

October 3rd, 2018 at 3:21 PM ^

Dolce gets most of the prime assignments for Linesmen in the Big Ten.  Over the last 4 years, he has been assigned to 1 conference championship, 2 New Years Six bowls including 1 national semifinal, and 1 national championship game (last year's Alabama-Georgia game).

No other Linesman has received as many "prime" assignments from the conference, and only 3 other Big Ten officials have 4 or more in the last 4 years.  So there you go.

Sten Carlson

October 3rd, 2018 at 2:38 PM ^

 Gee thanks, B10!

Personally, the obvious (yes, obvious) officiating bias against Harbaugh is far more demoralizing than the lowest of the low points of the past decade.  It's such a helpless feeling because there is nothing we, nor the university, can do about it, and speaking out only makes us look like lunatics.

I just don't know how any rational person watching the game, and now looking at a statistical analysis, can think that it's "normal."  Every big game is stressful leading in, but then there's that sinking feeling that no matter what we do, no how well we play, we're always going to get screwed by the officials because they fucking hate Harbaugh.  OSU '16 and the circumstances surrounding who the officials are, their reputation, etc., will live forever in my mind.  How, in this day and age, is that even possible?!  That sounds like something we'd read about happening in the 1921 Game, not the 2016 Game.  Further, how can an officiating crew call the penalty on the WRONG team and not catch it before the next play ensues?!  When did they know they made an error?  If they figured it out after the next play, could they do anything about?  How can there be no ramifications other than am, 'oppsie daisy!"  HOW?!

Honestly, as much as I love Michigan football, it is THIS issue, and not anything to do with the team's performance that makes me cringe and not want to subject myself to the inevitable trauma.  I hope it will change, but I feel like OSU and the B10 are sitting somewhere laughing at us and they're going to keep fucking us because they can and there's nothing we can do about.

CUNTS!

Sten Carlson

October 3rd, 2018 at 4:00 PM ^

Are you serious?

But if I call them bastards that’s derogatory toward those people who were born to parents who weren’t married.  If I call the assholes, since everyone has one, who would that be degrading?  What about those poor unfortunately souls born without an asshole?  Would I be rubbing that fact in their face?

Certain words like, prick, cunt, asshole, dick, bastard, pussy, shithead, fuck stick, douche bag, bitch, tool, twat, jackoff, etc. have, at least in my mind, transcended their literal meanings and are simply words we all use (except you Captain PC) to express frustration, anger, etc.  But make no mistake about it, Delaney and his OSU butt buddies (is that ok?) are cunts — try saying it with a Scottish accent, it’s sound better and maybe you won’t find it offensive.  

mGrowOld

October 3rd, 2018 at 2:52 PM ^

But there is something that can be done.  Warde Manual can call Delaney up and have a private conversation with him where he DEMANDS this shit ends now.  Because if it doesnt Manual is prepared to hold a press conference where he exposes all these dirty little lies to the general public right before he announces that Michigan is exploring joining another conference or going independent because we're sick and tired of this charade of officiating impartiality.  

The Longhorn network works just fine for Texas.  The Wolverine network I think would work just fine for us.  At least until we get 10-11 other schools to join us in a super-conference.

We have options if we have the balls to explore them.

Brhino

October 3rd, 2018 at 2:42 PM ^

For a call that egregiously wrong, we need better than "admitting error".  Getting a spot wrong by a yard is an error.  Missing a hold or a face mask is an error.  Calling a guy for holding while he's getting tackled is outright fabrication.

ijohnb

October 3rd, 2018 at 2:49 PM ^

The only good news is that Joel Klatt jumped all over the officials for it, and drew the viewers attention to it, and clearly the BIG took note.  It is very likely that Klatt is going to be calling both the MSU and the OSU games this year, and has shown that he will call a spade a spade when it comes to officiating.  That was an encouraging sign to me.

LeCheezus

October 3rd, 2018 at 3:09 PM ^

Completely agree - Someone else mentioned in a podcast (either the MGo or M Insider) that at least the "rules expert" back in the studio seems to have no qualms these days saying "Yeah that is a bad call" or "I have no idea how they came to that conclusion."  That, along with Klatt's comments seems to be a bit of a shift- there always used to be a "let's give the officials the benefit of the doubt" air to commentators and the studio rules guy.  I don't know if the fact that they now have replay has reduced the margin of error for officials in the eyes of all spectators but it certainly should.

SkyBlue

October 3rd, 2018 at 2:45 PM ^

Watch the last play when the refs weren’t in position.  The chain crew took their time not getting on station.  That was total bs too

Mongo

October 3rd, 2018 at 2:50 PM ^

Conspiracy ?  That denotes a secret plan to inflict harm.  But there is no secret in this league tiff.  Bo called out Delany for trying to rig the 1989 Illinois game.  Delany was accused of telling the head of officials (Calhoun) to watch "those guys and make sure they don't intimidate you".  Calhoun resigned soon after, having it out with Delany. 

Calhoun then publicly confirmed the tampering by Delany and said it was totally out of hand asking the officials to call a game his way.  Bo said "I told you so" ... and the rest is (bad officiating) history.  Harbaugh coming in acting all tough on the officials was like pouring gasoline on an already smoldering flame.  CABOOM ! 

Delany is the problem.  He is a UM hater.  As an official that wants to please your boss and you know he hates UM, then there is only downside in calling any UM game fairly.

And I truly believe the change in Harbaugh's demeanor came about from a warning from Delany and then football being put in the "bad officiating" penalty box.  Delany thinks he is a Russian Czar and can do whatever he wants without impunity ... plus pay himself a $20 million bonus.  Shameful.

Sten Carlson

October 3rd, 2018 at 7:59 PM ^

Absolutely!  Motive AND means.  There's no question about the means as we know that he ALREADY has directly targeted a Michigan coach in the past.  Motive?  Well, that's different animal all together.  But, one thing is for certain, he clearly doesn't look upon Michigan and OSU in the same light … not by a longshot!

Hail2UM83

October 3rd, 2018 at 3:13 PM ^

I don't like to harp on/blame the refs much, but that Bowl game with Nebraska prior to them joining the B1G and the 2016 game against OSU were pretty bad. That being said this call was exceptionally awful.

Maize4Life

October 3rd, 2018 at 3:25 PM ^

Yeah well that call almost cost us the game!! that is UNACCEPTABLE and one of the worst calls Ive ever seen..How can a premier conference hire officials who make such a blatantly Horrible call..that guy should be FIRED

bluinohio

October 3rd, 2018 at 3:43 PM ^

I'm glad Harbaugh spoke up about it. At  some point he needs to realize that being quiet and subdued on the sideline isn't really making a difference in the way the refs are calling the game. They are still giving us the shaft so he might as well just be himself.