September 19, 2006 in Sports

Pac-10 acknowledges mistakes

Mike Allende Everett Herald
 
Associated Press photo

Oklahoma’s Darien Williams (41) was called for interference on this disputed play when he broke up a pass to Brian Paysinger late in the fourth quarter of Oregon’s comeback 34-33 win. Oklahoma argued the ball was tipped so there should have been no penalty.
(Full-size photo)

Instant replay official receives death threat, says he may resign

» PORTLAND, Ore. – The instant replay official whose failure to overturn a bad call led to a narrow victory for Oregon over Oklahoma said he feels like he is under siege after receiving menacing phone calls and a death threat.

» Gordon Riese said he would make a decision soon about whether to finish the season, or even to return next year.

» ”I’m struggling with it,” Riese said in an interview at his home. “I feel so bad I missed that call, it’s driving me crazy.”

» A former college baseball pitcher in the 1960s who was inducted into the Portland State Hall of Fame in 1997, Riese said he never played football but always enjoyed the game during 28 years as a Pacific-10 Conference official.

» ”I loved it, I absolutely loved it,” Riese said.

» But that was before he became an instant replay official.

» ”I’ve felt much, much more pressure as an instant replay official than I ever did on the field,” Riese said.

» He said the equipment is not as sophisticated as NFL replay equipment, and does not allow the official to freeze the frame. But Riese lays the blame on himself after replays showed an onside kick was touched by an Oregon player before it traveled the required 10 yards. The Ducks went on to score the go-ahead touchdown.

» ”I can’t sleep, I can’t eat, my blood pressure is skyrocketing,” Riese said.

» His wife is a registered nurse, and has been checking his blood pressure every four hours, he said.

» Riese said he has stopped answering the phone, and police are investigating the threatening calls while keeping an eye on his neighborhood.

» ”They not only threatened me, they threatened my wife and kids,” Riese said.

» ”I don’t know how to deal with it. I guess it’s just one of those things.”

Associated Press

The Pacific-10 Conference didn’t waste too much time in addressing Saturday’s controversial finish between Oregon and Oklahoma.

The conference suspended for one game the officiating crew and instant replay officials who worked the football game, won by the Ducks 34-33, and also apologized to Oklahoma for the mistakes.

According to a press release from the conference, a review by Pac-10 officials of the game showed that both the instant replay crew and the officials made errors in the final 1:12 of the game, in which Oregon scored two touchdowns to rally for the victory.

The Pac-10 determined the onside kick by Oregon after its first touchdown in the final minute was touched by an Oregon player before it had traveled the necessary 10 yards, and the ball should have been awarded to Oklahoma. Also, officials ruled the Ducks had recovered the ball on the onside kick when in fact it had been recovered by the Sooners. That aspect of the play was not reviewable.

The game officials and instant replay crew both determined the onside kick had traveled the required distance.

The conference did not address the pass interference call made by officials against Oklahoma. It appeared on replay that a Sooners player had touched the pass, which would have nullified the pass interference. Replay officials ruled there was not indisputable evidence the ball had been touched.

“The fact that the errors on the onside kick altered the outcome of the game is most unfortunate and unsettling,” Pac-10 commissioner Tom Hansen said in a statement released to the press. “We had a solid veteran crew assigned, and the instant replay official had a fine career as a referee in the Pac-10.

“We believe in the ability and integrity of each individual involved. It should be noted that not all of the seven officials were directly involved in the play in question, but the entire crew bears responsibility for every play. Game officials and replay officials have positions of great responsibility and must be accountable for their actions.”

Hansen went on to apologize to Oklahoma and said each official suspended would have their future games more closely monitored.

Monday, Oklahoma president David Boren sent a letter to Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg asking him to push for the game to be eliminated from the record books and for the officials to be suspended for the remainder of the season, according to an Associated Press story.

“To describe the lapses in accurate officiating at the Oklahoma-Oregon football game last Saturday as constituting an outrageous injustice is an understatement,” Boren wrote.

When he learned of the Pac-10’s suspension of the officials, Boren said in a statement he appreciated the apology and hopes it will lead to a change within the Pac-10.

“I hope this will lead to further national review of the responsibilities of replay officials and the way in which they interact with game officials on the field,” Boren said. “I also hope this situation will lead the Pac-10 to change their policy of requiring that only officials of the Pac-10 officiate the home games of Pac-10 universities when they are hosting a non-conference opponent.”

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