ESPN Coverage...TEH SUX

[Snaggletiger]

Is it just me or did Saturday night's broadcast leave you longing for the Lincoln Financial/Jefferson Pilot/Dave/Dave/Dave & Dave SEC coverage? 

Well, maybe not that bad but....

First, Bob Davie is just awful.  Always has been.  Enough said about that.  Did the incredible lack of replays bug the hell out of anyone else?  Certainly, there were numerous replays I had rather not have seen.  But, they neglected to show countless plays and penalties over.  Sometimes the referee would be making a call...crucial to a drive..and the camera is on the announcers who are talking about something completely unrelated.

And Saturday night struck a nerve with me about certain broadcast teams.  Why is it that some color analysts will call it like it is, regardless, while others (Saturday night's crew) won't touch controversy with a 10 foot pole? Occasionally, you'll hear someone lay it on the table and admit that the call on a particular play was bullshit...missed badly.  They'll also call a player out on a bone-headed play.  Why not?  We do it from the stands and in front of the TV.  Perfect example Saturday night...

Opening drive for Auburn.  4th and 1 and AU decides to go for it.  2 LSU guys jump in to the neutral zone.  Sweet...1st down Auburn.  Not so fast my friend. Replay shows McCain flinch slightly AFTER the two linemen jumped.  (What's the rule?  Anyone...anyone...Bueller..Bueller)  Penalty Auburn...time to punt.  Very next possession by LSU...exact same thing happens but reverse the roles.  Again, penalty Auburn for off-sides. 

Now, Davie actually said something about it when they called the first penalty on Auburn.  After that, it was "Wow, ANOTHER penalty on Auburn.  Just keep hurting themselves."

Fuck you Davie.  Have the pineapples to call them out on it.  On Neiko Thorpes pass interference (Same drive) when the replay was shown ONE TIME, the announcers started to say "I don't know...wait, wait...the correct answer is, Wow, Auburn just keeps hurting themselves."

Our local sports talk show was ripping the shit out of this broadcast this morning. 

 

[AUChizad]

While we're bitching about the refs (of course, not for the final outcome, but certainly partially for the process in fucking with our guys' heads), what was the deal with the Defensive Delay of Game?

I was up in the nosebleeds of Tiger Stadium and was shithoused enough to barely remember the game at all, but I remember hearing that was called on us.

What the fuck? If the Defense isn't lined up, the Offense just snaps and blows past them. If they're on the wrong side of scrimmage, they snap it and draw an offsides. So how the bleeding fuck can the Defense be charged with a Delay of Game penalty?

[Snaggletiger]

Guess what?  We never got an explanation form the wonderful ESPN crew either.  The best I could gather, they called something on the sidelines...a coach on the field or some shit.  But we never really heard.

"Wow, Auburn just keeps hurting themselves"

[AUChizad]

Guess what?  We never got an explanation form the wonderful ESPN crew either.  The best I could gather, they called something on the sidelines...a coach on the field or some shit.  But we never really heard.

"Wow, Auburn just keeps hurting themselves"

I mean, you'd think with the controversy surrounding the SEC officials lately, they'd be pretty conservative with their calls, and then they pull shit like this out?

Unbelievable. And I haven't heard one word about it until I just brought it up.

[boartitz]

OL cannot move once set until the ball is snapped.
Defensive delay of game? New one on me.

[War Eagle!!!]

OL cannot move once set until the ball is snapped.
Defensive delay of game? New one on me.

uh....no. The OL can be drawn offsides to move. It's called encroachment. It was called on Auburn THE VERY NEXT FUCKING SERIES...

EXACT same fucking circumstances...EXACT...

[Kaos]

OL cannot move once set until the ball is snapped.
Defensive delay of game? New one on me.

It was charged as a sideline warning against Auburn coaches.   

Auburn coaches wandering around on the field. 

It's the kind of thing an official won't really call until after several warnings usually. 


First of all, instead of issuing a “sideline warning” as has been done just fine in the past, officials now will be instructed to throw a flag and enforce penalty yardage at the first instance of a team’s bench area infringing upon the playing field.

When one considers that the bench area at college football game – already one of the most volatile patches of land on the planet – gets particularly excited at crucial points late in the game, what happens when an official pulls out a flag for an infraction spelled out in the rulebook that really doesn’t have much bearing on the game?  That won’t be pretty.


Couldn’t that be done at nearly any point in the game and still fall within what’s stated in the rulebook?  Now, offensive holding isn’t the only penalty that can be called on just about every play in a football game, you can add “sideline control” to the list in the college version.


http://extrapoints.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/02/17/675236.aspx

[Kaos]

Sideline Infraction (Rule 9-1-6). The committee has changed the rule regarding sideline personnel being in the restricted area, which is between the sideline and the coaching box. The former sideline warning has given way to a sideline infraction which carries an immediate yardage penalty. The first two infractions have a five-yard delay of game penalty, and the third and subsequent violations now carry a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.

http://www.collegefootballpoll.com/season_preview_2008_rules_changes.html


Never seen it called before.  Usually they're just quietly warned by the "get back" ref and the "get back" coach makes sure everybody gets back. 

Either the officials were purposely trying to stick Auburn or Auburn coaches were continually ignoring the get back requests. 

[Snaggletiger]

uh....no. The OL can be drawn offsides to move. It's called encroachment. It was called on Auburn THE VERY NEXT FUCKING SERIES...

EXACT same fucking circumstances...EXACT...

This, this and this.  And again, Bob Davie doesn't have the sack to comment on it or either doesn't have the common sense to recognize it.  

[boartitz]

uh....no. The OL can be drawn offsides to move. It's called encroachment. It was called on Auburn THE VERY NEXT FUCKING SERIES...

EXACT same fucking circumstances...EXACT...

The offense moves first and draws the defense off sides. Penalty on the offense. Encroachment is when a defensive player crosses the line of scrimmage and touchs an offensive player before the ball is snapped.
The OL cannot move once set until the ball is snapped. One play in football is to try to draw the defense offsides on 3rd and less than 5 to get a first down by penalty.

[War Eagle!!!]

The offense moves first and draws the defense off sides. Penalty on the offense. Encroachment is when a defensive player crosses the line of scrimmage and touchs an offensive player before the ball is snapped.
The OL cannot move once set until the ball is snapped. One play in football is to try to draw the defense offsides on 3rd and less than 5 to get a first down by penalty.

Nope. Sorry dude. But the defense can actually draw the OL to move and it is called encroachment. You don't have to actually hit anyone for it to be an encroachment call...

I have seen it way to many times. And the encroachment was called on us very next series. We didn't touch anyone. I'm telling you...E X A C T same circumstances. I was watching with a bunch of LSU fans and they even thought it was bullshit...

[boartitz]

Nope. Sorry dude. But the defense can actually draw the OL to move and it is called encroachment. You don't have to actually hit anyone for it to be an encroachment call...

I have seen it way to many times. And the encroachment was called on us very next series. We didn't touch anyone. I'm telling you...E X A C T same circumstances. I was watching with a bunch of LSU fans and they even thought it was bullshit...

OL moves between the time he is set and the ball snap. Offensive penalty. False start. There is no offensive offsides. Other OL penalties are lined up in neutral zone or not enough men on the line of scrimmage.
Encroachment is when a defensive player crosses the line of scrimmage and touchs an offensive player.
A defensive player may cross the line of scrimmage and not touch anyone. A smart qb will get the ball snapped while he is in the neutral zone resulting in an offsides penalty against the defense. If the defensive player touchs an offensive player that is set, encroachment. No need to even snap the ball.

[War Eagle!!!]

OL moves between the time he is set and the ball snap. Offensive penalty. False start. There is no offensive offsides. Other OL penalties are lined up in neutral zone or not enough men on the line of scrimmage.
Encroachment is when a defensive player crosses the line of scrimmage and touchs an offensive player.
A defensive player may cross the line of scrimmage and not touch anyone. A smart qb will get the ball snapped while he is in the neutral zone resulting in an offsides penalty against the defense. If the defensive player touchs an offensive player that is set, encroachment. No need to even snap the ball.

Technically maybe...but you need to tell all 7589 college officials that shit. I have seen it way too many times...

[RWS]

A few definitions from the NCAA rule book:

Encroachment
ARTICLE 1. After the ball is ready for play, encroachment occurs when an
offensive player is in or beyond the neutral zone after the snapper touches
or simulates (hand(s) at or below his knees) touching the ball before the
snap (Exception: When the ball is put in play, the snapper is not encroaching
when he is in the neutral zone).

Offside
ARTICLE 2. After the ball is ready for play, offside occurs (Rule 7-1-5)
when a defensive player:
a. Is in or beyond the neutral zone when the ball is legally snapped;
b. Contacts an opponent beyond the neutral zone before the ball is
snapped;
c. Contacts the ball before it is snapped;
d. Threatens an offensive lineman, causing an immediate reaction,
before the ball is snapped (A.R. 7-1-3-VIII Note);
e. Crosses the neutral zone and charges toward a Team A back (A.R.
7-1-5-III); or
f. Is not behind his restraining line when the ball is legally freekicked.
Offside occurs when players of the kicking team are not behind their
restraining line when the ball is legally free-kicked (Exception: The kicker
and holder are not offside when they are beyond their restraining line) (Rule
6-1-2).

Defensive Delay of Game
e. While in the process of substitution or simulated substitution, Team A is
prohibited from rushing quickly to the line of scrimmage with the obvious
attempt of creating a defensive disadvantage. If the ball is ready for play, the
game officials will not permit the ball to be snapped until Team B has placed
substitutes in position and replaced players have left the field of play. Team
B must react promptly with its substitutes.
PENALTY—Dead-ball foul. Delay of game on Team B for not completing
its substitutions promptly, or delay of game on Team A
for causing the play clock to expire. Five yards from the
succeeding spot [S7 and S21]. The referee will then notify the
head coach that any further use of this tactic will result in an
unsportsmanlike conduct foul.

also....

Game Administration Interference
ARTICLE 6. While the ball is in play, coaches, substitutes and authorized
attendants in the team area may not be between the sideline and coaching
line or on the field of play.
PENALTY—Administer as a dead-ball foul.
First and second infractions: Delay of game for sideline
interference, five yards from the succeeding spot [S21 and
S29].
Third and subsequent infractions: Unsportsmanlike conduct
for sideline interference, 15 yards from the succeeding spot
[S27 and S29].

I didn't see the delay of game on defense, but I'm guessing the offense (LSU) substituted. By the rules, they have to give the defense (AU) a reasonable time to sub if they are subbing as well.

[War Eagle!!!]

I am not sure what you are getting at RWS...

SPell it out for the slow folk...

[RWS]

I am not sure what you are getting at RWS...

SPell it out for the slow folk...

Sorry, I didn't mean to do the strikeout. In the rule book they use [ ] instead of () so I fixed hand(s) as to where previously the board read it as the strikeout command. In any event, since there seemed to be a dispute over what is what, I pasted some actual definitions to clarify.

[War Eagle!!!]

Sorry, I didn't mean to do the strikeout. In the rule book they use [ ] instead of () so I fixed hand(s) as to where previously the board read it as the strikeout command. In any event, since there seemed to be a dispute over what is what, I pasted some actual definitions to clarify.

I think you made my point...thank you good sir...

[boartitz]

I was wrong about my encroachment definition. The one I used is the NFL one.

[AWK]

LSU just scored again...

[boartitz]

Dexter McCluster just ran by my house.