oregonpackfan
02-06-2007, 01:56 PM
The Pac-10 today announced that replay official Gordon Riese was asked not to return as a replay official. This decision came about as Riese made several flagrant miscalls as a replay official during the Oklahoma-Oregon football game last September.
In the most controversial non-call, Oregon was behind late in the game and tried an onside kick. The officials ruled that Oregon recovered the kick.
The replay shown on national TV time and time again revealed to most viewers that not only had an Oregon player illegally touched the ball before the ball went the required 10 yards, but that an Oklahoma player recovered it. Gordon Riese, the Replay official, did not overturn the decision missing the illegal touch or the recovery that should have gone to Oklahoma.
Oregon took possession and went on to score late in the game giving them the lead and the eventual win.
The game also forced the Pac-10 to evaluate their officiating selection. For most of the country, when there are two teams from two different conferences in the same game, an officiating crew from a neutral third conference is selected. The Pac-10 demands, however, that in such a game with teams from different conferences, the officiating crew be a Pac-10 crew.
Further complicating the officiating issue in that game is the fact that Riese is a lifelong resident of Portland, Oregon. Questions of his objectivity arose.
In any event, it was a tainted win for Oregon and a bitter loss for Oklahoma
For a detailed description of the news release go to:
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/1170735912300220.xml&coll=7
OPF
At the time, both teams were ranked in the top 20. Oklahoma went 10-2 for the season. They probably would have been placed in a higher ranked bowl had they won the Oregon game.
In the most controversial non-call, Oregon was behind late in the game and tried an onside kick. The officials ruled that Oregon recovered the kick.
The replay shown on national TV time and time again revealed to most viewers that not only had an Oregon player illegally touched the ball before the ball went the required 10 yards, but that an Oklahoma player recovered it. Gordon Riese, the Replay official, did not overturn the decision missing the illegal touch or the recovery that should have gone to Oklahoma.
Oregon took possession and went on to score late in the game giving them the lead and the eventual win.
The game also forced the Pac-10 to evaluate their officiating selection. For most of the country, when there are two teams from two different conferences in the same game, an officiating crew from a neutral third conference is selected. The Pac-10 demands, however, that in such a game with teams from different conferences, the officiating crew be a Pac-10 crew.
Further complicating the officiating issue in that game is the fact that Riese is a lifelong resident of Portland, Oregon. Questions of his objectivity arose.
In any event, it was a tainted win for Oregon and a bitter loss for Oklahoma
For a detailed description of the news release go to:
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/1170735912300220.xml&coll=7
OPF
At the time, both teams were ranked in the top 20. Oklahoma went 10-2 for the season. They probably would have been placed in a higher ranked bowl had they won the Oregon game.