Targeting
Hopefully this topic has not been covered recently and if so my apologies.
I was somewhat aware of the changes to the rules made in 2013 involving players tackling using the top of the helmet against defenseless players. But I did not know that players could be ejected on the spot and were required to sit out a half game. As this has occurred to Michigan players the past 2 weeks it was interesting to actually read the rule. This link from the American Football Coaches Association outlines that rule. Of course the debate arises from the subjective interpretation/application of that rule.
http://www.afca.com/article/article.php?id=2342
Anyway, the sun is out, Michigan football is relevant again and its a great day to be a Wolverine fan! Go Blue!
October 18th, 2015 at 11:51 AM ^
I wonder how much Bolden's BS ejection had an impact on our D in the second half, especially on the coverage bust TD. If he wasn't tossed, does that still happen? If so, then the refs really and truly boned us. They should all be suspended for a game, along with the booth review guy. When all the play by play people, plus the studio analysts at halftime, plus even supporters of our rivals all agree that call was BS, there needs to be repurcussions for the refs so they don't make stupid calls like this.
October 18th, 2015 at 11:56 AM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 11:57 AM ^
Worst. Officiating. I've. Ever. Seen.
October 18th, 2015 at 11:58 AM ^
The crown of Bolden's helmet never touched Cook--his facemask hit Cook's facemask.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:04 PM ^
for contact to a QB's head while in a vulnerable position. By letter of the law its targeting. By common fucking sense he was thrown down on top of the QB by an offensive lineman and his facemask contacted the QB's. No foul.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:02 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
October 18th, 2015 at 12:08 PM ^
On a game changing play like that, they should be allowed to review. At least in the last 2 minutes. Too many games have been lost on bad calls.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:43 PM ^
but I do NOT want every judgment call going to replay review. Having the replay official go over every holding penalty--or, worse, every non-call too--seems like a really really bad idea.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:05 PM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 12:06 PM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 1:30 PM ^
And without the penalty, MSU faced a 3rd and about 5. Penalty sustained the drive leading to their first touchdown.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:11 PM ^
I don't see the rules changing. I think the pressure on officials to make football a non-contact sport has never been so high. They'd probably rather piss off an entire fan base and every football coach past, present and future, than stand in the way of a large political movement.
Don't get me wrong. I know we should be concerned about player safety. But, back when I played football we knew the risks and still loved being a part of it. I mean, it's football!
October 18th, 2015 at 12:22 PM ^
The risks we knew about were bad ankles and knees...we had no idea of the long term effects of brain injuries.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:46 PM ^
The ball carrier isn't "helpless" until he's gone to ground. College rules don't recognize the foot-first QB slide, and in a game where you don't have to be touched down there's no reason they should.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:25 PM ^
Is there like a forum to remove referees.
Also, did it seem that MSU players were too aggressive on the field after plays. I saw at least five instances of unsportsmanlike conduct that may have been called in other games.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:26 PM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 12:26 PM ^
Did MSU? My son was shouting at me that it was the REFS who decided to review the call, without it being instigated from the bench. Is this true? Is this even allowed? I thought reviews happened automatically in the final 2 minutes and for every touchdown, and not at other times.
At any rate, IMO he was probably in-bounds . . . but there wasn't clear evidence to overturn the call. If you're going to reverse that one then you surely have to reverse the Butt catch in the second half.
Bunch of clowns.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:36 PM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 12:39 PM ^
The booth can initiate the review. The issue with the Butt catch was that the referee from 50 yards away called it incomplete. If that asshat does his job correctly, that is a catch.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:38 PM ^
The Big Ten will probably issue another apology to Michigan on Monday or Tuesday... The replay official should be terminated.
October 18th, 2015 at 1:17 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
October 18th, 2015 at 1:40 PM ^
if by "fun," you mean escalating your blood pressure back to the level it was at when Bolden got ejected -- try watching side-by-side the targeting play with Rudock in the NW game and the targeting play in the MSU game. In the NW game, the player (Harris) actually makes crown-to-crown contact with Rudock while Rudock's on the ground. In the MSU game, Bolden is shoved toward Cook, loses his balance, makes an obvious attempt to lift up his head and cushion his fall with his arms as he falls into Cook, and his facemask makes contact with Cook's facemask. I defy anyone to watch these two plays and tell me why Harris remains in the game (with the 15-yard penalty also overturned) but Bolden is ejected (along with a 15-yard penalty that sets up MSU's first touchdown). Seldom do you see such blatant inconsistency in calls involving similar situations in two consecutive games.
(I don't have the skillz to actually put these two videos together and post them here, but if someone else does, it would be greatly appreciated -- I feel my blood pressure starting to drop a bit . . . )
October 18th, 2015 at 1:44 PM ^
Clearly the officials are afraid in this age of concussion. They are going to err on the side of stupidity rather than risk a player coming back and saying the refs and the league didn't do enough to protect him.
October 18th, 2015 at 4:22 PM ^
Is Bolden out for the Minnesota game? I heard something to that effect. If so, why?
October 18th, 2015 at 9:01 PM ^
The penalty was in the first half, so he'll be back for Minnesota.