Apr 17, 2022·edited Apr 17, 2022Liked by John Canzano
I don't know whether officiating overall in the Pac-12 was improved last season over the prior ones because I primarily watch only Ducks' games. That said, I was at the Stanford game last year and from my vantage point the officiating at the end of the game -- both on and off camera -- was just not up to standard. For example, the official who made the game-changing interference call against Mykael Wright at the end of regulation had been chatting up Stanford players on the sideline quite a bit late in the game. Not a good look, IMHO.
I’ve long thought Pac 12 football officials were the worst in division one. The main problem I saw was Pac 12 officials became too much part of the games. The long delays with video reviews has become too much part of the game. The less fans see, hear & think about the officiating, the better! I’m happy to know the officials are practicing on their technical skills. However, I hope they’re also working on the video review aspect of their jobs & hopeful decreasing times delays during games.
In Ancient Greece, laurel wreath crowns were given to Victors. The tradition continues today. I didn't realize that the performance of Pac-12 Officiating has been good enough to win anything of positive notoriety. Therefore, it's my belief that any "laurels" Merton Hanks has been resting on are stolen.
Just because the Pac-12 had zero "self reports" of incidents they believe to be P.R. nightmares, doesn't mean that there weren't aggregious instances that could have [and probably, should have] been publicly addressed.
The officiating in the last 5 minutes of regulation in last year's Oregon-Stanford game comes to mind. Granted, the volume of Oegon's bone-headed OL false starts, unnecessary defensive penalties, and Cristobal's infantile clock & game management greased the skids to "snatch defeat from the jaws of victory" and helped to obfuscate the depth of Pac-12 officiating incompetence seen in that game. Take your pick: Dorlus' roughing call, Thibodeaux' targeting ejection, Mykal Wright's phantom P.I. on the last play of the game, or the Stanford false start that wasn't called on the 3 yard line. And George Kliavkof was THERE at the game to witness the Zebra-on-Duck atrocities.
I guess I am saying two things: we shouldn't be quite ready to give Pac-12 Officiating blanket kudos AND the Pac-12 Conference office owes a laurel farmer somewhere a few bushes to make up for the ones that they pilfered.
I watch a lot of college football, and I'm with the group that believes the Pac 12 football officiating is just about the worst in the country. In the Stanford vs Oregon game, the officiating at the end of the game was a key factor in the outcome of the game; that shouldn't happen. Several games were victimized by extraordinarily long video reviews that, in many cases, were not even necessary and should not have taken as long as they did. Three areas that seem to plague Pac 12 officials have to do with pass interference, holding, and correctly spotting the ball after a play where inconsistencies on a game to game basis are unacceptable. I look forward to seeing these issues addressed and resolved by the new commissioner and his team.
Major conferences are spending Meg bucks on facilities, coaches, and now athletes with NIL. When will they start spending money on officiating? It’s far past time that FBS level officials are not part time employees. Fans and players both deserve better.
I don't know whether officiating overall in the Pac-12 was improved last season over the prior ones because I primarily watch only Ducks' games. That said, I was at the Stanford game last year and from my vantage point the officiating at the end of the game -- both on and off camera -- was just not up to standard. For example, the official who made the game-changing interference call against Mykael Wright at the end of regulation had been chatting up Stanford players on the sideline quite a bit late in the game. Not a good look, IMHO.
your better then ever love getting your stories almost every day, at the Oregonian it was not as often so really liking what your doing
I’ve long thought Pac 12 football officials were the worst in division one. The main problem I saw was Pac 12 officials became too much part of the games. The long delays with video reviews has become too much part of the game. The less fans see, hear & think about the officiating, the better! I’m happy to know the officials are practicing on their technical skills. However, I hope they’re also working on the video review aspect of their jobs & hopeful decreasing times delays during games.
In Ancient Greece, laurel wreath crowns were given to Victors. The tradition continues today. I didn't realize that the performance of Pac-12 Officiating has been good enough to win anything of positive notoriety. Therefore, it's my belief that any "laurels" Merton Hanks has been resting on are stolen.
Just because the Pac-12 had zero "self reports" of incidents they believe to be P.R. nightmares, doesn't mean that there weren't aggregious instances that could have [and probably, should have] been publicly addressed.
The officiating in the last 5 minutes of regulation in last year's Oregon-Stanford game comes to mind. Granted, the volume of Oegon's bone-headed OL false starts, unnecessary defensive penalties, and Cristobal's infantile clock & game management greased the skids to "snatch defeat from the jaws of victory" and helped to obfuscate the depth of Pac-12 officiating incompetence seen in that game. Take your pick: Dorlus' roughing call, Thibodeaux' targeting ejection, Mykal Wright's phantom P.I. on the last play of the game, or the Stanford false start that wasn't called on the 3 yard line. And George Kliavkof was THERE at the game to witness the Zebra-on-Duck atrocities.
I guess I am saying two things: we shouldn't be quite ready to give Pac-12 Officiating blanket kudos AND the Pac-12 Conference office owes a laurel farmer somewhere a few bushes to make up for the ones that they pilfered.
There are two questions someone should ask Walt Coleman:
1. With your glaring lack of officiating experience, how can you evaluate officials?
2. George O’Leary was fired from Norte Dame for one lie on his resume, so what do you have to say about your multiple lies on your resume?
I watch a lot of college football, and I'm with the group that believes the Pac 12 football officiating is just about the worst in the country. In the Stanford vs Oregon game, the officiating at the end of the game was a key factor in the outcome of the game; that shouldn't happen. Several games were victimized by extraordinarily long video reviews that, in many cases, were not even necessary and should not have taken as long as they did. Three areas that seem to plague Pac 12 officials have to do with pass interference, holding, and correctly spotting the ball after a play where inconsistencies on a game to game basis are unacceptable. I look forward to seeing these issues addressed and resolved by the new commissioner and his team.
Major conferences are spending Meg bucks on facilities, coaches, and now athletes with NIL. When will they start spending money on officiating? It’s far past time that FBS level officials are not part time employees. Fans and players both deserve better.
You never said why Coleman called you over. I agree there are two many conference and Pac-12 needs new blood.