A few comments and then the prediction:
1) I cannot stand Fox network coverage of CFB. Brutal.
2) It’s so far past New Years Day, I’m essentially about as disinterested as I can be.
3) Texas could’ve won this game vs Ohio State by 20 points if they weren’t their own worst enemy. Some stupid plays let OSU back in it midway through the 4th.
4) Colt McCoy is a pretty special player … a Winner!
5) I agree with Chas and others … Utah deserves some love (and votes) as our Nat’l Champ.
Finally, I think USC would beat Texas 31 -20 in our Splinters Mythical Title Game. Trojans are too well-balanced on offense and definitely have the best defense I’ve seen this year. Sorry Pete 🙂
By the way … I know this is hindsight … but who did we have Utah losing to in our mythical playoff????
Wallysays
Sorry … one more thing to get off my chest … I’m so tired of this “Excessive Celebration” penalty. I actually think the refs are abusing it. C’mon … let ’em have a little fun. I support having the rule, but loosen it up … let’s penalize the egregious stuff and let the little stuff go.
Gotta agree with everyone – as impressive Texas is, I think USC is still better.
USC 38 Texas 24
One more thing – Has there ever been a QB that looks so uncomfortable throwing the football then Terrelle Pryor. I feel like I am watching a right handing Michael Vick. The guy is 6’6″ and fast… Put him at wide receiver and let it be done.
If OSU had won that game last night, my vote for MVP was Todd Boeckman. The throws he made – each time coming off the bench cold was incredible. No doubt he will probably get picked up by a NFL team in a later round in April. Chicago Bears maybe???
Wally the Thumbs – Sounds like a mob name. The excessive celebration penalties and fines is moving quickly into the NFL too. Wes Welker was penalized and then fined $10,000 for doing a snow angel after a TD. Are you kidding me?
A player from the Jets that weekend was fined for hitting a fan with a snowball. He was fined $10,000. These are on the same level??
The worst excessive penalty call was in the BYU/Washington game, when UW QB Jake Locker was called for excessive celebrating after scoring a TD with .02 seconds left in the game to potentially tie the game. The penalty moved the extra point try back and BYU ended up blocking the kick. If you look at what Locker did – it makes you wonder if the NCAA expects these guys to be robots. They score, turn around and run to the bench.
I know this is not going to go over well. 🙂
Wally,
I don’t know which incident you are referring to, but I don’t mind the excessive celebration penalty. Too many of these ‘celebrations’ are contrived. Instead of spending your time devising your next touchdown dance, why don’t you work on your game. Celebrate when there is 0:00 on the clock.
While I agree throwing a snow ball at a fan is not at all on the same level with making a snow angel, Welker should get nailed. Where do you draw the line? If they are going to have the rule, there cannot be any gray areas.
I’m going to straddle the fence on this one. Casey, I agree with you, when it comes to how you instruct the referees to handle this. As someone with plenty of officiating experience, the last thing I want is to have to decide the difference between a pre-meditated, contrived celebration and when a player is extremely excited and emotional, but clearly overdoes it. If the NCAA or NFL is going to make me (an official) call this, then it’s got to be all or nothing. Deciding what’s holding and what’s not holding, or what’s pass interference and what isn’t, is hard enough.
Personally, I think that the rule should be defined to only apply when you get in someone’s face and taunt (opposing player or fans). Maybe they could add to that the use of a prop that is clearly a pre-meditated act. Did I just contradict myself?
However, when it comes to the league executives who are watching film and deciding what kind of penalties to hand out, they can make that distinction. Wes Welker’s snow angel is definitely not as bad as Terrell Owens (is that who did that?) pulling a cell phone from behind the goal post and feigning a phone call, or whatever the heck he did.
I agree with everyone when they are saying stop with the premeditated dances, props and routines. Completely agree with that. But the “snow angel” was an impromptu, caught a TD and fell to the ground. No prop was involved and there was certainly no premeditation.
If that is excessive, how about Ed Reed’s dance after scoring the TD in the Wild Card game? You gotta flag it.. Or for that matter any dance – anytime a defensive linemen scores a TD and breaks in the “Sumo shuffle”. You going to flag those? You can’t allow one and not allow the other. If there can’t be a gray area then you can’t allow anything after a TD.
My only problem with throwing the flags for excessive celebrating is that we we will be taking away great moments like Billy “White Shoes” Johnson’s famous dance after a TD or the Lambeau leap. Like him or not, but Terrell Owens and the pom poms was a classic NFL momentt. Those are great moments in the history of the NFL and essentially we are taking them away.
Utah lost to Penn State in our first round, by the way, but that’s not the worst way we disrespected them. They were our #10 seed.
Despite not looking dominating last night, I add Texas to my list of teams who proved they deserved a shot at a title game.
Wallysays
Since Ohio State yesterday looked a lot like Alabama a few days ago, I think maybe Utah wins a head-to-head vs Texas tomorrow. Whad’ya think, Chas?
Back to the Excessive Celebration … Texas was penalized last night right after they scored the winning TD. The refs called it on #7 … but I don’t even think #7 was on the field … #6 Cosby scored the TD. Again … Fox broadcasters never discussed this, and the penalty was potentially huge given OSU needed only a FG to tie. I’m left scratching my head …. ????
My worst disrespect for Utah is that I did not even pay attention enough to watch the Sugar Bowl. Wally you mentioned disinterested. I fell off the college football wagon some time during the Orange Bowl. Do you suppose this is from the conditioning we had as youths? New Years Day is college football, and after that it is time to move on? Have we been conditioned to think that way?
Wallysays
Casey —
Yes … our experience as youths definitely has something to do with it. NYD was awesome back then. Part of that was because at least 3 of the bowl games may have had an impact on the final polls … for both services (AP and UPI). And there were probab ly only 12 bowls in all. And that gets to the other part of why I’m disinterested after NYD … we’re told that none of these games mean anything other than bragging rights between two teams … so there’s like 35-36 bowl games … way too many … and we’re told that all but one are meaningless. So why should I care??? By the time NYD hits, I’m numb from 29 meaningless games and now you’re telling me the season isn’t over until Jan 8?? Enough!!!
That’s why the NFL is great … they have actual playoffs and all the games are meaningful. I don’t mind following it until Feb 1. Although I wish they’d do away with the off-week before SB.
This is a little ridiculous but, if there was a playoff of the top 8 BCS teams, here’s how I think the first round would go:
#1 Oklahoma over #8 Penn State
#2 Florida over #7 Texas Tech
#6 Utah over #3 Texas
#5 USC over #4 Alabama
Then we’d have Utah-Oklahoma and USC-Florida as the final four. How many of us wouldn’t be rooting for Utah as the cinderella. How exciting would that be?
Wally says
I’m gonna wait until I see Texas play Monday vs Ohio State before I cast a vote.
Casey says
sounds good
crossword pete says
Why would I change my pattern now and pick USC? So Texas it is, in a boring defensive struggle, believe it or not, 7-6.
Chas says
You guys saw it tonight. Great game, but…
USC 41, Texas 19
Sorry Pete.
Wally says
A few comments and then the prediction:
1) I cannot stand Fox network coverage of CFB. Brutal.
2) It’s so far past New Years Day, I’m essentially about as disinterested as I can be.
3) Texas could’ve won this game vs Ohio State by 20 points if they weren’t their own worst enemy. Some stupid plays let OSU back in it midway through the 4th.
4) Colt McCoy is a pretty special player … a Winner!
5) I agree with Chas and others … Utah deserves some love (and votes) as our Nat’l Champ.
Finally, I think USC would beat Texas 31 -20 in our Splinters Mythical Title Game. Trojans are too well-balanced on offense and definitely have the best defense I’ve seen this year. Sorry Pete 🙂
By the way … I know this is hindsight … but who did we have Utah losing to in our mythical playoff????
Wally says
Sorry … one more thing to get off my chest … I’m so tired of this “Excessive Celebration” penalty. I actually think the refs are abusing it. C’mon … let ’em have a little fun. I support having the rule, but loosen it up … let’s penalize the egregious stuff and let the little stuff go.
Smitty says
Gotta agree with everyone – as impressive Texas is, I think USC is still better.
USC 38 Texas 24
One more thing – Has there ever been a QB that looks so uncomfortable throwing the football then Terrelle Pryor. I feel like I am watching a right handing Michael Vick. The guy is 6’6″ and fast… Put him at wide receiver and let it be done.
If OSU had won that game last night, my vote for MVP was Todd Boeckman. The throws he made – each time coming off the bench cold was incredible. No doubt he will probably get picked up by a NFL team in a later round in April. Chicago Bears maybe???
Smitty says
Wally the Thumbs – Sounds like a mob name. The excessive celebration penalties and fines is moving quickly into the NFL too. Wes Welker was penalized and then fined $10,000 for doing a snow angel after a TD. Are you kidding me?
A player from the Jets that weekend was fined for hitting a fan with a snowball. He was fined $10,000. These are on the same level??
The worst excessive penalty call was in the BYU/Washington game, when UW QB Jake Locker was called for excessive celebrating after scoring a TD with .02 seconds left in the game to potentially tie the game. The penalty moved the extra point try back and BYU ended up blocking the kick. If you look at what Locker did – it makes you wonder if the NCAA expects these guys to be robots. They score, turn around and run to the bench.
Casey says
I know this is not going to go over well. 🙂
Wally,
I don’t know which incident you are referring to, but I don’t mind the excessive celebration penalty. Too many of these ‘celebrations’ are contrived. Instead of spending your time devising your next touchdown dance, why don’t you work on your game. Celebrate when there is 0:00 on the clock.
While I agree throwing a snow ball at a fan is not at all on the same level with making a snow angel, Welker should get nailed. Where do you draw the line? If they are going to have the rule, there cannot be any gray areas.
Chas says
I’m going to straddle the fence on this one. Casey, I agree with you, when it comes to how you instruct the referees to handle this. As someone with plenty of officiating experience, the last thing I want is to have to decide the difference between a pre-meditated, contrived celebration and when a player is extremely excited and emotional, but clearly overdoes it. If the NCAA or NFL is going to make me (an official) call this, then it’s got to be all or nothing. Deciding what’s holding and what’s not holding, or what’s pass interference and what isn’t, is hard enough.
Personally, I think that the rule should be defined to only apply when you get in someone’s face and taunt (opposing player or fans). Maybe they could add to that the use of a prop that is clearly a pre-meditated act. Did I just contradict myself?
However, when it comes to the league executives who are watching film and deciding what kind of penalties to hand out, they can make that distinction. Wes Welker’s snow angel is definitely not as bad as Terrell Owens (is that who did that?) pulling a cell phone from behind the goal post and feigning a phone call, or whatever the heck he did.
Smitty says
I agree with everyone when they are saying stop with the premeditated dances, props and routines. Completely agree with that. But the “snow angel” was an impromptu, caught a TD and fell to the ground. No prop was involved and there was certainly no premeditation.
If that is excessive, how about Ed Reed’s dance after scoring the TD in the Wild Card game? You gotta flag it.. Or for that matter any dance – anytime a defensive linemen scores a TD and breaks in the “Sumo shuffle”. You going to flag those? You can’t allow one and not allow the other. If there can’t be a gray area then you can’t allow anything after a TD.
My only problem with throwing the flags for excessive celebrating is that we we will be taking away great moments like Billy “White Shoes” Johnson’s famous dance after a TD or the Lambeau leap. Like him or not, but Terrell Owens and the pom poms was a classic NFL momentt. Those are great moments in the history of the NFL and essentially we are taking them away.
Smitty says
Joe Horn used the cell phone prop. One of the worst celebrations I have ever seen.
Chas says
Utah lost to Penn State in our first round, by the way, but that’s not the worst way we disrespected them. They were our #10 seed.
Despite not looking dominating last night, I add Texas to my list of teams who proved they deserved a shot at a title game.
Wally says
Since Ohio State yesterday looked a lot like Alabama a few days ago, I think maybe Utah wins a head-to-head vs Texas tomorrow. Whad’ya think, Chas?
Back to the Excessive Celebration … Texas was penalized last night right after they scored the winning TD. The refs called it on #7 … but I don’t even think #7 was on the field … #6 Cosby scored the TD. Again … Fox broadcasters never discussed this, and the penalty was potentially huge given OSU needed only a FG to tie. I’m left scratching my head …. ????
Casey says
My worst disrespect for Utah is that I did not even pay attention enough to watch the Sugar Bowl. Wally you mentioned disinterested. I fell off the college football wagon some time during the Orange Bowl. Do you suppose this is from the conditioning we had as youths? New Years Day is college football, and after that it is time to move on? Have we been conditioned to think that way?
Wally says
Casey —
Yes … our experience as youths definitely has something to do with it. NYD was awesome back then. Part of that was because at least 3 of the bowl games may have had an impact on the final polls … for both services (AP and UPI). And there were probab ly only 12 bowls in all. And that gets to the other part of why I’m disinterested after NYD … we’re told that none of these games mean anything other than bragging rights between two teams … so there’s like 35-36 bowl games … way too many … and we’re told that all but one are meaningless. So why should I care??? By the time NYD hits, I’m numb from 29 meaningless games and now you’re telling me the season isn’t over until Jan 8?? Enough!!!
That’s why the NFL is great … they have actual playoffs and all the games are meaningful. I don’t mind following it until Feb 1. Although I wish they’d do away with the off-week before SB.
Chas says
This is a little ridiculous but, if there was a playoff of the top 8 BCS teams, here’s how I think the first round would go:
#1 Oklahoma over #8 Penn State
#2 Florida over #7 Texas Tech
#6 Utah over #3 Texas
#5 USC over #4 Alabama
Then we’d have Utah-Oklahoma and USC-Florida as the final four. How many of us wouldn’t be rooting for Utah as the cinderella. How exciting would that be?