I am enjoying every moment while it lasts, but anybody who believes that ND will never rise again doesn't know much about college football . . . . . .  

Next season for ND starts this weekend for ND. Navy, Air Force, Duke and Stanford as a finish should propel them into next season. BUT is then can't make something happen now with that schedule then Charlie is in trouble or should be.

This season for BC starts Thursday night and hopefully we end Va Tech's season on same. Reality is 3-2 over the next five games gets us into the ACC Championship Game and a News Years Bowl for the first time in 50+ years.

Gib,

I like replay because it will assist in "getting it right" irrespective of who benefits and who loses.

I don't know that humans can be impartial.
When a PAC-10 crew is officiating an ND-USC or ND-UCLA or ND-UW game how comfortable would you be ?

In an arbitration or court case, how would you evaluate those relationships ?  Would you want to be ND ?
If you were ND, would you request those crews or crews from other conferences ?

Arms length ?  Impartial ?

Would you enter into an arbitration under those circumstances or seek other remedies ?

Craig Edgmand,

You have to differentiate between what happens on the field versus what happens off the field.

On the field, both teams are entitled to fair and impartial officiating.

OU was clearly robbed by the officials, not once, but twice.
And, Louisville was clearly robbed by the officials last week.

In general, replay would eliminate a good deal of human error, accidental and/or intentional.  And, when officials get reviewed, and graded, as they do in the NFL, you'll get a better, more equitable game.

Mike Sweeney,

Since you brought up schedules, Boston College has built their record against a powderpuff schedule.

ND's strength of schedule is ranked # 1, the most difficult in the nation.

BC's strength of schedule is ranked 115 out of 119 teams in the nation.

I'll let you ponder the difference.

It's easy to build a resume with nothing but powderpuffs early in the season.

You chided ND for playing Army, but, that was one of BC's early opponents this year.  Along with, Wake Forest, North Carolina, Georgia Tech, Massachussetts and Bowling Green.

Try playing:

Michigan, Purdue, Michigan State, Penn State, Georgia Tech, UCLA and USC.

BC might be the same 1-6 with that schedule, so don't go getting too carried away.

And, when ND scored to narrow the game to 6 points, only to have the TD recalled on a questionable call where the back judge was out of position, your undefeated bubble might have been burst.

Let's face it, the guy at Notre Dame that really blew it is the one that took Pitt off the schedule!

 

I am against replay only because it slows down an already dreadfully slow game - which is probably the single biggest reason football has no impact outside of the North American market.  America is a strange culture.  Folks will bitch about a 3 hour movie, but happily sit through three hours of commercials and what ifs with commenters who go ott every opportunity given.  The ball is only in play about 6 minutes!  No thank you to replay.  

Besides, the  so called importance of these games is crazy to begin with.  The amount of money being pumped into college sports is shameful.  I know folks will counter with all sorts of buts, but that just isn't good enough.  These guys should be proper students seeking a degree rather than semi-pro.  There is no need to spend the money we do other than "the Jones's are doing it so we have to".  

If replay must be used, then it should be down to a coach make the call.  If he is right - fine.  If he is wrong - its a delay of game penalty costing 15 yards at the very minimum.  Otherwise, you will see the ref using upstairs on every opportunity to save his ass.  Waiting for these video replays is akin to looking for a ball in the rough - BORING.

Ciao

"One of ND"s problems, past, present and future is their dependence on other conference officials."

I have no skin in this game but this is one of the lamest excuses I've ever seen.  

One of ND"s problems, past, present and future is their dependence on other conference officials.

Expanding which plays are reviewable will slow down the game but make for more equitable outcomes and improve the quality of the officiating.

Patrick:

Notre Dame could quite easily solve that problem by joining a well-established, Midwest-based football conference (one that has the No. 1 team in the country and has won two national championships in recent memory).

Gib:

Phil McDade gave the proper response to Patrick's assertion that ND somehow is screwed by all referees.  But your take is well said - many thanks.

But as for the Bush Push, it was an illegal play by a strict reading of the NCAA rules in force at the time.  THis from the 2005 rulebook:

http://www.ncaa.org/library/rules/2005/2005_football_rules.pdf
Page 117
Section 3, Article 2
b.  The runner shall not grasp a team-mate; and no other player shall grasp, push, lift, or charge into him to assist him in forward progress.
Penalty:  five yards from the basic spot.

So... it is pretty clear Bush committed a penalty.  However, say they call it... that just means clock stops, USC kicks a field goal, we go to OT.

Also, there's no way instant replay could have "fixed" this... it is just completely impractical to allow for instant replay to try and declare penalties that the game officials miss.  If they allowed that, every play would have to be reviewed, and we'd have 7 hour games.

So Patrick remains upset about the outcome of that game, and rightfully so, because his team played GREAT, showed class, and in a perfect world for him deserved the win.

However, it's less than completely gracious to say the refs somehow gave USC that win.  I know Patrick hasn't said that yet... but other less eloquent Domers I know certainly have said that to me.  And if ND can simply stop a 4th and 9 on the 20 yard line, none of this happens.  Patrick knows this as well.  Still, that loss had to hurt, so we can give him some rope here.  

In any case, the bottom line re instant replay remains that it really can't be done in college, not fairly, for the reasons I stated before.  It works in the NFL because every game is televised, with the same number of cameras.

TH

ps - let's get the facts straight re that dark era, too.  It was 11 losses in a row, then a tie, then another loss, then USC finally won.  

Huckster,

I did not say they beat us 11 in a row, I just said they beat back the Trojan Army and the kids never saw us win for 12 years. I remember that tie - and we were lucky to get it as you recall.

It seemed as if we would never beat ND again . . . . .

Gib my man, it was a dark era so you can be forgiven... it's not like I am loving re-living it myself...

But it would be THIRTEEN years where the kids never saw a win.

 

"One of ND"s problems, past, present and future is their dependence on other conference officials."

I have no skin in this game but this is one of the lamest excuses I've ever seen.  

So Phil, you'd have no problem with your brother-in-law deciding how to split the marital assets and determine alimony ?

You can't be that "obtuse"

A relationship exists between the officials and the conference team that can't be deemed to be impartial or at arms length.

Even Huckaby understands that.

Tom Huckaby,

Even with TV coverage the visiting coach can NIX replay, as Carrol did at ND in 2005, which just might have saved the game for him on the spot of the fumble.

Tom,
If ND is irrelevant then why do you continue discussing them?  

Pat,
I'm not too worried, they'll be back. I'm hoping that we return to celebrating touchdowns instead of first downs sooner rather than later though. I agree, if nothing else I hope they never join the Big Ten.

Andy,

I think its very clear what is going on here.  You ND fans just aren't being faithful enough to the big man.  Time to go to church more, say your hail marys, and get god back on your side to start putting more numbers in the ol' W column...