Can we please get some type of conversation surrounding the penalty situation the last couple of games.
The DUKE game had some questionable (the ball downed at the 1, the blockS in the back on the fuller return, a blow PI call in the end zone before the field goal we actually made), then we go to BC and disaster:
BC had 1 penalty the whole game for 5 yards, they also had 3 other penalties, but found penalties on us to offset 2 of them and went to review to call off the third. All this while we had 3 holding penalties on one drive, and a TD called off the board for the second week in a row. This is insane, you cant tell me BC, a team with a losing record only committed 1 penalty for a whole game, while playing like 8 offensive lineman the whole game, and we never got pressure (we are one of the best sacking defenses in the country), there was never 1 hold on them? And Logan threw it ALOT the last 2 games, and neither team had 1 pass interference penalty. I know in the Duke game there was a call where the Duke defender did to use exactly what Tyler had done earlier and there is no call.
I really don't understand how the ref from the DUKE game still gets to call ACC games, every freaking fan base has you tube videos showing how miserable he is, its a joke.
I don't know if the refs have it out for us, if frank and staff don't work them hard enough, or if there is some agenda from the ACC to get Miami, FSU, and Clemson in the spotlight, but SOMETHING is going on.
Comments
Do you mean Ron Cherry, head official from the Duke game?
I feel like on the whole Cherry has been a friend to VT but it certainly seemed like he was giving us the business in the Duke game. The girl next to me wondered aloud if Bud Foster had fucked his wife or something. The running joke that created for the rest of the game ended up being the highlight of the day.
Hahah hope you were just making a joke, not being serious. Um the stat line for Duke was a total of 26 penalty yards on them and that includes like 10-15 on an intentional grounding. We had almost 70 yards on 6 penalties, so most of ours were big penalties, including wiping a td and calling back fullers return.
He was the ref against FSU last year too, another similar stat line 25 yards in penalties for FSU to 62 to VT, amazing that we have more penalty yards in every single game.
To be pedantic a little bit - that's two games.
And we're always going to rack up penalty yards if for no other reason than we can't seem to help ourselves from blocking in the back on returns. Every. Single. Time. That's not the official's fault. We do that to ourselves unfortunately.
I still say we've come out on top in more Ron Cherry games than we have on the bottom. And that's mostly because we've got an excellent record in the ACC overall, with all the official crews. The last time (prior to that Duke game) I felt like we were really getting jobbed by the officials was the 2009 Alabama game where they were allowing pass-rape (not just pass interference) on every play against our WRs. That's apparently how its done in the SEC.
http://www.maniacworld.com/football-player-face-rape.html
Ron Cherry is one of 7 refs. He doesn't make every call, he is just the one that announces them. Obviously he has the right to overrule any of them, but as a soccer official I know that being on a referee team is a lot like being on any other team. You trust your teammates to help you out.
I am 100% sure that Ron Cherry, or any ACC official, is not throwing flags in favor of one team or another. We may have been on the bad end of some 50/50 calls - but it is what it is, officials make mistakes. All ACC officials have put a tremendous amount of time and money to get to that level, they are not going to jeopardize it.
I am shocked that we have not gotten a holding call in what, 5 games?
That being said - Ron Cherry is plain AWFUL. He has bad mechanics, usually average judgement, and unbelievably poor communication skills (i.e. the punt at the 1 was the correct call, but he did not communicate why it was at all, period). Can not believe he got a NC game. Go back and watch the Florida A&M/VT game in 2004 as we had a TD called back due to his inadvertent whistle on a kickoff. Simply inexcusable- even though it did not matter.
I started reading this post in the middle and the following stream of thought ran through my head:
Ron Cherry is plain AWFUL. He has bad mechanics, bad judgement for a ref with his experience, and throws the flag way too hard when the penalty is right in front of him. It is hard to blame him, though, after learning officiating under a set of bad ref-coaches for so many years. I've heard he used to be a line judge, but when the officiating crew needed a referee, they asked him to change and he took one for the team. He's still the best option at referee because the other guys on the crew don't get any in-game experience. He's just so maddeningly inconsistent and makes officiating mistakes of a referee with much less experience, which I wouldn't have expected from him. Off the field, he has really high character, and I love the guy, and his record is pretty good, but I can't help but be frustrated sometimes. Ron Cherry might be the worst official in ACC history
hehe
Too soon?
They just need to start Steve.
I see what you did with that business.
marshall fans could argue we got some huge calls/non-calls.
Something I have been thinking lately..
I feel like some refs when doing reviews have forgotten the word "indisputable." I know the PI overturn this weekend was a makeup call, but still. I can't remember particular examples at the moment but just seem to remember thinking to myself, "It is close, but no way to be sure.." Then the ref comes out and overturns it.
Just a thought.
refs don't like words with more than 4 syllables
for that matter, they probably don't like words with more than 2 syllables
Completely agree. No way you can say that ball was tipped indisputably. Yet it got overturned. Did they see fingers move when the ball hit? I mean, what was the evidence that was indisputable?
I like the use of replay and for most decisions it goes fairly quick. But I think there needs to be a very clear cut definition of what is indisputable for replay officials in future. There should be no gray area here. And there needs to be a review of their reviewed calls (I am pretty sure there is, but correct me if I am wrong) and repercussions if someone consistently does not follow the indisputable line.
Anyone know off hand what it takes for a Ref not to come back next season? How many blown calls does it take to be fired?
I think there needs to be 3 refs in the press box. All 3 in different locations. All 3 watch the replays for 90 seconds. After 90 seconds, you either choose overturn/stand. Majority wins.
Now that is pretty simple formula for catch/no catch, fumble, etc. It may not work for spotting the ball. But I think it is a discussion that needs to be had. No one man should be in charge of the replay booth. Just think of the times one announcer talks another out of their opinion.
It felt like the Refs called everything against the Hokies the last two games. We really didn't get any missed calls to go our way either..hopefully that will change against Miami and we get some breaks. I don't think Duke or BC turned the ball over either...
Duke turned it over 4 times, but so did we
there was one PI against BC but
it was called off (tipped ball) on a crucial completion for a 1st down.
you might be onto something.