Texas Tech's Leach Upset Over Officiating At Royal Memorial

[FirefightnRick]

http://www.star-telegram.com/college_sport...ory/299855.html

Officially, Leach isn't happy

By DWAIN PRICE

Star-Telegram staff writer

S-T/SHARON M. STEINMAN

Ref Mike Moeller got an earful from QB Graham Harrell and Tech coach Mike Leach.

See what our insiders are saying in the College Football Confidential

'Horns blaring

AUSTIN -- Texas Tech coach Mike Leach blasted the officiating crew after his team dropped a wild 59-43 decision to Texas on Saturday at Royal-Memorial Stadium, and said he's grown tired of a bias against the Red Raiders.

"Am I condemning the crew?" Leach asked. "Yeah, I'm condemning the crew.

"In eight years that I've been here, this is the first time I've ever talked about officiating. It's too obvious to ignore, and I tried to move past it last year and it didn't seem to have any effect."

Leach said the officiating crew "was atrociously bad" when UT edged Tech 35-31 last year in Lubbock. Thus, when he felt he saw a rerun of last year's game on Saturday, he knew he had to say something to protect his players.

"The level of officiating in this game, as I mentioned previously, was a complete travesty," Leach said. "My willingness to look the other way for years at a time and not see what part I can do -- even if it costs me, even if it hurts me or whatever -- I'm not willing to take the back seat any more."

Leach questioned whether UT got some favorable calls so the Longhorns can be in a more profitable bowl game than the Red Raiders.

"Does the bowl picture enter into it, I don't know," Leach said. "Does the money involved with it enter into it, I don't know.

"But all anybody has to do really is look at the film and it's apparent."

Leach felt his team was at an unfair disadvantage because an Austin resident was part of Saturday's officiating crew. Randy Christal, the head referee of Saturday's game, lives in Austin.

"And likewise, I think it would be disturbing if a Lubbock resident was involved in the officiating of the game," Leach said. "These [coaches and players] work too hard and too long, and there's too much money invested in these games to allow that."

Several calls set Leach off, including four on Tech's lone drive of the third quarter that all went against the Red Raiders. First, an apparent spectacular catch by Michael Crabtree was ruled incomplete and stood up after Leach issued a challenge.

Three plays later, Edward Britton caught an 18-yard TD but the play was reviewed and the touchdown was erased when replays showed Britton dropped the ball.

Two plays later, Graham Harrell fired a 13-yard TD to Danny Amendola but that score was also taken off the board when left guard Louis Vasquez was whistled for holding. On the same play, UT defensive end Henry Melton delivered a hit on Harrell.

"That's part of playing quarterback -- everybody wants to hit you," said Harrell, who felt like the Longhorns were head-hunting. "I enjoyed it. It's fun to play against a team that's coming after you."

Not, in Leach's estimation, if the playing field isn't level.

Leach was so strong with his comments that after he finished his initial postgame tirade, he came back 10 minutes later and started criticizing the officiating crew again.

"We can ignore it and I can ignore it, and I might have to deal with it again next year, because right now I'm into it two years in a row," Leach said. "But I'm not going to be quiet any more."

dprice@star-telegram.com

Dwain Price, 817-390-7760

[Green Mean]

They gave up 59 points.......I am not so sure he should be complaining.

[GreenBat]

They gave up 59 points.......I am not so sure he should be complaining.

Tech's DC coordinator resigned earlier this season, so he's available. NT should go after him.

[ipEAGLE]

Haha.... Leach, what a class act.

[NT03]

Tech's DC coordinator resigned earlier this season, so he's available. NT should go after him.

He was there when they shut out the ponies , why not ??? What they score on us , 45 ??

Go SKiNs!!

[Travis]

his complaints are valid.

[NT03]

My crystal ball has Leach to UCLA,DeLoach back as our DC,Mendoza as new diet coke boy!

[LongJim]

Here's the "touchdown" that was overturned:

Here's the "late hit". Note Melton virtually at Harrell's shoulder--ball still in Harrell's hand:

Here's the hold that nullifed the touchdown throw:

Here's Shipley's touchdown catch--which was ruled a toe-drag:

Here's another angle:

And another as his heel touches down:

I think Leach is a hoot, but he needs to address his defense and shut up. Even Raider fans are embarrassed for him.

[Quoner]

I think Leach is a hoot, but he needs to address his defense and shut up. Even Raider fans are embarrassed for him.

Enough of your facts, poindexter!

How will we ever avenge our honor from 1988 if we can't take up for every school that complains about Texas.

[greenminer]

LongJim how are you getting the images from your TV to the 'puter?

[FirefightnRick]

And here's Keith Cash getting one of three gifts by Santa Horn's officiating crew against North Texas.

Corky had a much, much better arguement I think?

Rick

[risinggreen]

I had a clear view from the NE corner of the endzone and yes Corky did have a much better argument. '88 was more than a joke. It was a travesty. Don't think they could get away with that kind of cheating in today's media world without a lot of ? marks. Close to twenty years or not, that kind of blatant thievery kind of sticks with ya!!

[LongJim]

LongJim how are you getting the images from your TV to the 'puter?

Google is my friend.

[LongJim]

Corky had a much, much better arguement I think?

Rick

No question. As I've said before: Terrible call, and I'll say it right here: UNT "won" that game in 1988.

If Leach wanted to gripe about a call, there was one that he should have challenged, and that was Texas' TD on Colt's QB sneak in the 2d(?) Q. His knee was down, but he got up and kept going. Pretty obvious from TV, but no call.

Leach apparently talked with Brown at the end of the game and let him know he was going to speak up at the presser, which is why they had the powwow at midfield.

Jimmy Burch has a good article this morning in the FWST. He makes a couple good points, but correctly points out that Leach's outrage at the calls above was unjustified. He (Burch) also said Shipley's TD shouldn't have counted. If so, then Tech's first TD should not have counted, as that was also ruled a toe-drag.

As I mentioned, I love Mike Leach, but he needs to get his defense together. They just got worn down Saturday.

Edited November 12, 2007 by LongJim

[MeanGreenEagle]

Here is the rant in question:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCX8ow4gTkw

[UNTFan23]

Here is the rant in question:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCX8ow4gTkw

I was a little thrown on the part about the chicken and ham. Did anyone understand that part?

Edited November 12, 2007 by UNTFan23

[TheTastyGreek]

I was a little thrown on the part about the chicken and ham. Did anyone understand that part?

Metaphor: Official review is like a ham and egg breakfast.

Officials are the chickens, coaches are the pigs.

The chicken is involved (provides the egg) but only to an extent.

The pig is committed (has to die to be the ham in the breakfast) and affected in a way far more significant and permanent than the relatively limited and insignificant involvement of the chicken.

Leach was saying that the impact of poor officiating reflects on both coaches and refs. The stakes for coaches relative to the stakes for refs is part of the reason that all the executive changes and reevaluations by officials (outside the game, as in redesigning how video review functions, etc.) really aren't making a big impact on the accuracy and quality of officiating.

Because while officials are involved (like chickens), they aren't life and death committed (like pigs).

Class dismissed.