The Fumble Return That Wasn't

[lacsselrahc]

Anybody see, or hear, clarification on this?

Watched the replay again last night and it was clearly a fumble.

The fumble was returned for a TD.

I do not see how anyone could have called TO since play had not been stopped.

Thanks

BAMA

[bama87]

There was a whistle blown after brantley was on the ball. It was a bad call, but the whistle killed the play.

[Jamos]

Another big time blown call by SEC refs, I hope CNS sends it to Slive. I'm just glad it didn't factor into the result of the game.

[ricky023]

Well the late hit in the face of Barrett last week. The SEC needs to do something soon. RTR!

[pmull]

Another big time blown call by SEC refs, I hope CNS sends it to Slive. I'm just glad it didn't factor into the result of the game.

I watched the CSS replay last night. They have Eli Gold on audio and the CBS video. It was clearly a fumble. Eli commented that the officiating crew is the same crew that was suspended two years ago for obvious bad calls.

[Jamos]

I thought the play was reviewable but guess I'm wrong. If the replay had shown the ball loose before the ref stoped the play could the call not have been reversed?

[ssmith general]

It was goofy looking, but it was the right call.  Which is probably why it wasn't reviewed. 

Brantley clearly was down with the ball, side judge blew whistle, white hat didnt see it or hear whistle and let the play keep going.

[SUPERCOACH]

Any time a whistle is blown the play stops immediately, no matter what, even if it is blown at the wrong time.  This is a requirement so that there are no if, ands, or buts in the players mind as to whether to stop playing.  The refs are taught to let the play continue if they aren't sure for this very reason.  If they don't blow the whistle, it is a live ball and no one has any excuse for not playing.  If the play should have been stopped they can review it and have the option of correcting the mistake by calling the play dead at an earlier point.  The exact opposite is true when they inadvertently blow the whistle early.  There is no recourse because some of the players could have correctly stopped playing when they heard the whistle.  This actually happened with some of the Florida players on that play.

[ssmith general]

Any time a whistle is blown the play stops immediately, no matter what, even if it is blown at the wrong time.  This is a requirement so that there are no if, ands, or buts in the players mind as to whether to stop playing.  The refs are taught to let the play continue if they aren't sure for this very reason.  If they don't blow the whistle, it is a live ball and no one has any excuse for not playing.  If the play should have been stopped they can review it and have the option of correcting the mistake by calling the play dead at an earlier point.  The exact opposite is true when they inadvertently blow the whistle early.  There is no recourse because some of the players could have correctly stopped playing when they heard the whistle.  This actually happened with some of the Florida players on that play.

Right, so if any REF goofed, it was the side judge who blew the whistle, not white hat who ended up looking like a DA.

[Catch Prothro]

Any time a whistle is blown the play stops immediately, no matter what, even if it is blown at the wrong time.  This is a requirement so that there are no if, ands, or buts in the players mind as to whether to stop playing.  The refs are taught to let the play continue if they aren't sure for this very reason.  If they don't blow the whistle, it is a live ball and no one has any excuse for not playing.  If the play should have been stopped they can review it and have the option of correcting the mistake by calling the play dead at an earlier point.  The exact opposite is true when they inadvertently blow the whistle early.  There is no recourse because some of the players could have correctly stopped playing when they heard the whistle.  This actually happened with some of the Florida players on that play.

During the broadcast, the commentators said that a ref was signalling to continue play.  But then on replay you could hear a whistle.  So clearly there was some confusion amongst the refs.

[SUPERCOACH]

Any time a whistle is blown the play stops immediately, no matter what, even if it is blown at the wrong time.  This is a requirement so that there are no if, ands, or buts in the players mind as to whether to stop playing.  The refs are taught to let the play continue if they aren't sure for this very reason.  If they don't blow the whistle, it is a live ball and no one has any excuse for not playing.  If the play should have been stopped they can review it and have the option of correcting the mistake by calling the play dead at an earlier point.  The exact opposite is true when they inadvertently blow the whistle early.  There is no recourse because some of the players could have correctly stopped playing when they heard the whistle.  This actually happened with some of the Florida players on that play.

Right, so if any REF goofed, it was the side judge who blew the whistle, not white hat who ended up looking like a DA.

Yep.  White hat had it right but he couldn't do anything about it.

[SUPERCOACH]

Any time a whistle is blown the play stops immediately, no matter what, even if it is blown at the wrong time.  This is a requirement so that there are no if, ands, or buts in the players mind as to whether to stop playing.  The refs are taught to let the play continue if they aren't sure for this very reason.  If they don't blow the whistle, it is a live ball and no one has any excuse for not playing.  If the play should have been stopped they can review it and have the option of correcting the mistake by calling the play dead at an earlier point.  The exact opposite is true when they inadvertently blow the whistle early.  There is no recourse because some of the players could have correctly stopped playing when they heard the whistle.  This actually happened with some of the Florida players on that play.

During the broadcast, the commentators said that a ref was signalling to continue play.  But then on replay you could hear a whistle.  So clearly there was some confusion amongst the refs.

The sad part is that the whistle was blown by a Ref away from the play.  They should always wait for the Ref who is right on top of the play to blow the whistle first and then chime in to amplify and spread the signal to the rest of the field, not initiate it.

[bamaphil]

I guess what frustrated me most about the play was the refs never explained what happened after the play.  In a later replay I did hear the whistle blow, but when the head referee runs down the field with the players and signals touchdown but doesn't even bother to explain later what happens....I don't know.  With as much money is involved in SEC football you'd think we could find some decent referees. 

[DanDanScooter]

I bet the Florida fans would probably would have liked for that to be ruled as a fumble returned for a touchdown rather than have Brantley injured on the next play. All the Floridians around me were saying their season is going down the drain and "he might not have been great, but he was a leader." I think they have a lot of talent on that team, but we should know more than anyone how far a true leader and game manager can get you. GMAC is still one of my favorite QBs in the last 15 years.

Roll Tide!

[bamalum67]

I have served my time as a sports official, and I know that all are human and will make mistakes....BUT....as was said, this is the same crew that got suspended some years ago. It would seem to me that such a crew should be broken up, get some new/different blood in there.
Might make a difference.

Yes..when a whistle is blown, ALL play is supposed to stop, regardless if it was blown in error.
The DA official who blew thew whistle was not even in position! But I am not sure about the responsibilities for each man within the crew...but it clearly needs to be reviewed, and if the guy who blew the whistle did it in error, he should be suspended.Big game like this deserves such punishment. really any game.

I never got suspended for making a wrong, call, but I did get chewed out and rightly so. Believe me, I made other mistakes, but never made the same mistake twice. 

That said, I am sure the crew has reviewed the tape by now, and realize their errors..yes, errors..they made several, one we are discussing, and the other was the Fla player swinging a roundhouse to Fluker..he should have been ejected.  And I say THEIR errors because they are a CREW..a team, and when the crap falls, it falls on each member.

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