Why Coach Leach do you have to call out the officiating crew after this game of all games? This rant would have been much more appropriate after last year.
I agree with Leach on two assertions - only.
(1) That the replay booth officials be in no way linked with the on-the-field crew. That removes any image of "collusion." (2) That officials - either on the field or in the booth - must not hail from either team's "hometown." While full family tree background checks are probably going to far, it's probably not too much to ask to make sure that a Lubbock man isn't standing on the goal line making a controversial touchdown call in favor of his "hometown" team.
Ahhh yes, the Oklahoma game - another notch in the belt of why Leach looks freaking ridiculous today. You can't have it both ways bubba.
As for this game's officiating - meh. I've never been impressed with the overall quality of Big 12 officiating. I've never watched a whole lot of another conference's football to make a valuable comparison either.
I thought that Ship's TD was a "not enough clear video evidence to overturn" kind of a situation. Message board loosers (sic) on both sides of the sideline will probably trot our the rulebook in their mind and justify this call and also tear it to shreds. I love it that you guys think you could have made a better call from your living room though.
I thought Colt flopped like Ginobli on the personal foul call a few seconds before that call - and I think that was the first call that got Coach Leach going toward the edge.
As far as the sequence of plays that "took two TDs off the board" I will say that some are getting Leach's point of view on this all wrong. The overturned Britton TD was a good call - no way that was a TD. The hold was another no doubter - Vasquez was clearly tackling and not blocking (and Seth - I have to disagree that calls like this are generally overlooked). Leach was - however - pointing to the late hit on Harrell on the play - the call should have been offsetting penalties and "do over."
The play that I think sent him over the edge was the no-call pass interference on the pick at about the 1:50 mark of the fourth.
Okay - all of that said - here is what the rational Red Raider fan should be thinking:
1. The early game penalties are not game changing penalties - if you can't overcome a bad call made against you in the next 3 hours of play - don't act like that's a game-changing event. You have all afternoon to change the outcome of the game.
2. By the time the Britton/Vasquez combination of calls came - the game was already decided. All of you Sunshine Pumpers can join the booth announcers and refer back to the Insight Bowl if you like - but our defense this year can't stop the run - and we aren't playing with last year's team - so get a brain and understand that even if those calls go Tech's way and we score - as soon as Texas gets the ball they're gonna punk us like we're Justin Timberlake getting repo'ed.
3. The ball Harrell threw that was picked off - should have never been thrown in the first place. Period. End of conversation.
So let's get off the "bad officiating" head trip and move on the "the things we can change" part of the prayer.....mmmmkay.
Harrell - outstanding performance. His attitude is troublesome - he's clearly walking the razor's edge with "fierce competitor" on one side and "childish spoiled brat" on the other. Any of you think that Graham is the problem need to hit that crack pipe one more time for good measure.
Crabtree - without his end-of-game just flat out amazing grab and sprint for the end zone - he had an ordinary day. I think the talk of him leaving early has been put to bed for a while - he has a lot of work ahead of him to prove to the world that he can put up sick numbers consistently. He can by the way.
The running game - we were behind by two scores from the get-go and our D was getting worked, did you think we were gonna trot Barry Sanders out there all the sudden?
Speaking of the defense - I appreciate very much that Tech fans have come to be unhappy with only qualifying for a bowl and not consistently getting to that "next level." The defense is the reason that isn't happening this year - that's a fact.
BUT - the defense is SO young! I think that Tech fans need to take a break and review the two-deep for a moment and really try to grasp how young they are.
BUT - There has to be a new scheme introduced and a general kicking out the door of nearly everyone associated with that side of the ball. In my opinion. I think we have real talent on that side of the ball that will reveal itself over the next couple of years - but sending a bunch of kids out there to fight UT is asking a bit much.
The Special Teams - well what do you know Alex hit a couple of FGs with some consistency - that was nice. And then we trot out there and dance around a "spinning" pooch kick like we're on Dancing with the Stars forgetting that the guys in orange are free to be knocked on their ass. Who is the special teams coach? Get back to me with that will ya. Because that extra possession sure would have been swell...
...and might have helped the lead pirate sound less like a whiny wench.
Final Note - The Men's B-Ball team won their game yesterday - Coach Knight's 891st.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Why? Why? Why?
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9 comments:
exactly, bond.
There were about 15 reasons we lost this game. Officiating is #12 or 13 on that list. Lets face it. Leach has had 7 years to find a defense...still hasn't happened. He still gets consistently outcoached: take away the freebie possession on the pooch kick and the fake FG that led to a TD, and this is a one-possession game, even with the terrible defense.
Leach whining about officiating is pure sour grapes.
UT ran 92 offensive plays. That alone is freaking incredible. They also had zero (0) holding calls against them with a line made up of sophs and frosh. That is impossible.
AS I understand the rules, you can't call pass interference on a throw behind the line of scrimmage. The "non call" PI that resulted in an interception was behind the LOS. Check it on the DVR.
maybe so - I'm not a ref
Good analysis, Bond. I tell you, the contrast b/t Tech's basketball and football coaches couldn't be more stark, except for the fact that both are good for sound bites.
Bob Knight's teams are tough, both physically and mentally. Leach's teams whine and get pushed all over the place. I agree that Harrell is a talented guy, maybe the best passer that Leach has had at Tech, but he is borderline punk. His whining and excuse-making look a lot like Leach's.
Let's face it: We Orangebloods (not me, but the collective "We") are all over Coach Brown, but he consistently coaches circles around Leach. There is more to football than offense, like the kicking game, and an ability to adapt schemes per personnel and opponents. Tech does the same thing all the time. This will work against Fran, but not against Texas, OU, et al.
Re: your defense, it's not simply scheming. Your personnel was overmatched yesterday against an offensive line that was just as young, nothing but freshmen and sophs. They were pushed all over the field, even when Charles and their only senior went out.
I've said this before, and you disagree: You can't recruit real defensive talent, or a real running back, if you don't value these positions in your scheme.
B Orange
A couple of more observations (Take these on board, if you will, even if given from the "enemy" b/c I think there is some "there" there).
Even though giving up a ton of yards and points, Texas was in control all day yesterday. It was clear we would win. But Harrell gets a TD pass and it's like they won the Big 12 on the sideline.
Your team and its leadership is satisfied with stats and second-tier status. Did you see Texas's reaction when the comeback vs. Ok. State was just starting in the 4th? Pure business. You think Charles is going to be cool and having a good time if we are losing? At Texas, it's about the team winning.
Harrell acts a lot like Leach, in my view. And Leach, while clearly an offensive genius, is not a good head football coach. He has taken Tech as far as he can take them. I mean, did Tech put one good lick on a UT player yesterday? His team and defense plays whiny. Our QB was flattening your DB's.
You need some one more interested in the whole football team and schemes, some one who values and understands defense and the running game. No team like Tech has ever, and likely will never, win a major conf. championship, much less a nat'l championship.
Finally ... Leach's performance post-game yesterday (after his defense was completely man-handled all day and gave up 60 points) was, in a word, pathetic. If he is still there next season (that is, he doesn't bolt for the defenseless PAC-10 and UCLA) I am sure Texas will remember this, like they remembered ol' Mangino's similar whining in '05.
My brother went to Tech and played a year, so ... I don't hate you tortilla-flingers. But like the Ags, you have to be honest to get better. I am fairly certain the Ags won't do this.
But I think Tech can.
B Orange
1. Texas long horns defense is awful.
2. Dead raiders defense is terrible.
3. Texas long horns are under performing with the thousands of blue chippers it gets every year.
4. The national championship was a "blind hog finding an acorn" because of the unreal talent of Vince Young.
5. TU is number 13 in the country with number two in the nation talent.
6. Poor TU.
7. TU will win another national title in 36 years.
Anon Ag,
I agree that our defense is not up to snuff this year, and the Raiders' is worse. But what the hell is wrong with your entire football program? That terrible Tech D held the Ags to 7 points.
Meanwhile, Texas is on the verge of winning 10 games this year for the 7th year in a row, while you are getting embarrassed on multiple occasions for the 5th year in a row. You will be back to full-fledged cheating soon, I am sure (and not just the VIP Connection child's play). Have you contacted Jackie Sherrill yet?
You Agriculturalists crack me up. If we get another nat'l champ in 36 years, we'll be putting another one b/t us and the Ags. And you'll still be obsessed with UT.
Texas talent is hardly #2 this year (You just stare up at us in awe that way). Texas is a very young team, younger than that juggernaut in College Station.
But you can rest easy, for we are contemplating throwing the A&M game, so that you Ags will have an aneurism and maybe keep ol' Fran. Because to you, beating "TU" is all that counts. That's why you dumbbutts kept him last season so he could drag you even deeper into the dark mire in which you currently find yourselves. I think Colt faked the shoulder injury.
To us, it's beating every one we play. That's why we do it occasionally, even if it's only once every 36 years or so.
Nice post Bond.
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