Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 11:16, 6 January 2008

2003 Fiesta Bowl

Look, this website is about fact, not personal opinion. The fact of the matter is that when we defend the call, we add citations. That "18 best calls ever" source? That's real. The "50 worst calls" list you mention is not only uncited, it doesn't even exist. It's a stupid rumor some disgruntled Miami fan created. In truth, ESPN is on the side of the officials, as "Top Five Reasons You Can't Blame" would tell you. If you can find a source for your claims about this nonexistent "worst calls" list, I for one will have no problem with you adding it.

By the way, Clarett wasn't ineligible until the 2003 Winter Quarter, which didn't begin until January 8th; five days after the NCG was played. I'm sorry to burst this fantasy world you're living in, but Miami lost fair and square. Get over it. Lucid6191 (talk) 06:00, 6 January 2008 (UTC)

"The 50 Worst Calls of All Time" is not a list but a television special airing on ESPN, and that disputed call features prominently in promotion for the show. I wrote that repeatedly, and you consistently distort my writing. You want fact? The sources you quote are not unbiased, and you know it. Again, the National Association of Sports Officials has a vested interest in defending one of its members, as does "Referee "Magazine". You refuse to consider unbiased sources such as Sports Illustrated, which is not a fan of the U. This is the same magazine that called for Miami to drop football in a cover story.

However, let's look at the press release from NASO, quoting the SI article: "The line judge standing at the goal line immediately signaled incomplete pass. The world then turned to Porter, positioned in the rear corner of the end zone, to see if he would call pass interference. He did not. Game over. Season over. Fireworks went off. Miami players leaped into each other's arms, dog-piled, hoisted the Gatorade cooler to drench their coach. The National Championship was theirs. The winning streak was alive, at 35.

And then Porter finished his crossword, put down his cup of coffee, and threw his yellow pocket square.

"I couldn't believe it" said NFL Hall of Fame tight end Kellen Winslow, father of the Hurricane tight end of the same name. "I saw the ball land. Looked at the ref. Saw he wasn't going to call anything. Celebrated. Turned again. Still didn't see a flag. Celebrated some more. Turned again, and then saw the flag. Unbelievable."

Porters two-ounce swatch of yellow meant that torrential rivers of people and confetti and emotions had to be suddenly reversed. Unbridled jubilation had to be siphoned back into the bottle. Cloud nine emptied.

Hundreds of Miami fans who had charged to the middle of the field had to be rounded up and put back in the stands. Tight end David Williams was doing an interview when he heard that no, it ain't over even when it's over. Running back Jarrett Payton had sprinted to the Miami student section and was going bonkers with his schoolmates when a lone Ohio State fan in a red sweatshirt yelled at him: "You gotta go back on the field."

So, Terry, why did it take as long as a Wagnerian opera to throw the flag? "I replayed it in my mind" Porter told the Associated Press pool reporter after the game. "I wanted to make double sure it was the right call."

Replayed it in your mind? A quarterback doesn't get to replay a blitz in his mind before he runs for his life, and you don't get to roll your belly-button lint into little balls while meditating on interference calls. If we wanted replays, we'd do it with machines. This is about you, Terry Porter, being a ref for 20 years, deciding right away whether it is or isn't a penalty and selling the world on the idea that you know what the hell you're doing.

"I don't think I interfered with him." said Sharpe. "(Gamble) got some separation between us, then I used my speed to catch up. He tried to reach back over me to make the catch, and he didn't."

I think Porter choked. I think he didn't know what to call, and so he did the stupidest thing possible. Maybe he felt the coming wrath of a stadium that was 90% Ohio State red and started wondering if he'd make it out of there with both his kidneys. "There's not another official in the history of the game who would make that call." said Miami secondary coach Mark Stoops.

After Porter finally threw the flag, he even changed his reason for having done so. At first, he signaled defensive holding. "Then I decided it was pass interference" he said, "because the ball was in the air."

You know the guy at the grocery checkout who turns "Paper or plastic" into "To be or not to be"? That's Porter. He moves at the speed of cold honey." Unquote

Now, here is NASO's reply: "Not once did Reilly have the decency to state a fact: the call was correct. Terry Porter took his time and got the play right. I thought that is what WE officials have been asked to do: get the play right. I can only surmise that Reilly was rushing his "call" into print and did not take time to ask those in authority about the rightness of the call, or in a more sinister vein, did and then chose not to tell the readers. Bad call, but I guess time was of the essence." Unquote

I capitalized "WE" officials to underscore my point about the vested interest of the NASO in defending one of their own. However, the best comment was made perhaps inadvertently by NASO itself: "Bad call, but I guess time was of the essence." Yeah, it sure was.

Now, if this website is about fact, then quit distorting what I write, quoting obviously biased sources, and realize that Miami did not lose; the Hurricanes were robbed. Get over it.

And isn't it strange that you come to the Hurricane home page and alter it just before OSU plays in another championship game? And then alter the Fiesta Bowl page? Man up.