Lou Holtz Has Final Word on BYU-Washington Fiasco

If that was on a punt. A certain "warden" (me) pointed that out.

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Let's see, the coach involved (Ty Willingham) had the following to say: ``It's one that they almost have to call,'' coach Tyrone Willingham said. ``It really should be a no-call, but it's one they have to call when they see it.'' And the Rules Committee is made up of all coaches.(not a single official). And the Rule Book clearly staes that the ball should be placed on the ground or handed to the nearest official. What part of this do you guys (and Lou Holtz) not get. The call was legit. Live with it. It is not the cure for cancer. Most of the writers (including Mr. Cook) don't seem to understand that the officlas are going to call what they are told to call. It wasn't a "bad day" for the officials, it was a bad day for all of you who have nothing better to do but complain. Perhaps Mr. Cook's hair got in his eyes when he was studying the Rule Book. Grow up and get a life.

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Except that throwing the ball in the air - no matter when it happens - is supposed to be flagged as a celebration penalty, per the rules. And with the NCAA cracking down on celebrations, it's absolutely a penalty.

Keep sittin up on that high horse, though.

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Are you kidding me??? Based on that call, more than half of the TDs this year will get a penalty call.....Stupid and the refs should be ashamed....mo

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It's a gay rule, but a rule nonetheless. As such, it should be enforced wherever it's found. The far worse alternative would be one in which the refs subjectively assessed the penalty.

Having said all that, everyone seems to be glossing over the fact that Washington still had a chance to tie it. In fact, they should have tied it. I mean, a 35-yard FG is almost a gimme. If Washington had simply executed a routine kick, then this whole discussion would be moot.

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Just looked it up in the NCAA Rule Book. Page 123 states:

After a score or any other play, the player in possession immediately
must return the ball to an official or leave it near the dead-ball spot.
This prohibits:
(a) Kicking, throwing, spinning or carrying (including off of the
field) the ball any distance that requires an official to retrieve it.
(c) Throwing the ball high into the air.

This is as clear as it can be. Don't blame the refs. They simply enforce the rules. A clear-cut situation like this should be called regardless of whether it happens in is first quarter or the last second of the game. Again, both Holtz and May are retarded.

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An unjust law is no law at all. -- St. Augustine

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THAT WASN'T EXCESSIVE CELEBRATING. THE OFFICIALS HAVE WAY TOO MUCH POWER. THE GAME IS ABOUT THE PLAYERS. ZEBRAS BLEW IT. SO DID THE RULESMAKERS.

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As other people have noted, a rule is a rule. So called announcers and studio guys (Mark "cry baby" May) need to know the rules before they make comments. The Ref's got it right, Mark May, others, and ESPN should make an apology both on air and written to the officials. It was a "poor call" by the supposedly "football" analysts. It is sad that this had to happen, maybe young men can learn from this. I hate to see football go back to when anyone makes a play... they do something that delays the game. Hey, if you want to have fun after a score, do it on your own sideline. Remember, only half of the viewer want to see it... keep football, football... not some circus like the NFL.

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I'm a BYU fan, and a rule is a rule. But to write into the rule a few specific celebrations, and leave all others as judgment calls, is pretty lame. I think this was a bad call, just like it's a bad call to call unsportsmanlike on BYU after they blocked the punt. I think it's also a poor excuse to say the refs HAVE TO CALL IT as they are bound by the rules, because obviously they forgot a few of those rules during the rest of the game, when Washington wasn't charged for a sinlge penalty until the 4th quarter. I also think it's lame for people to think an entire game is decided on one call --- there was still a kick to be executed, and BYU still had to come up with the block....not to mention you could just as easily point to 20 other plays that would've changed the outcome of the game one way or another. STOP BLAMING THE REFS -- if you don't want close games, score more points!!! If any team was in the favor of the refs, it's quite obvious who is was. And yet, despite ESPN saying PAC-10 refs always get it wrong, they forgot to talk about how the refs sucked the ENTIRE GAME, and not just on this last call.

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Doug and Bob Rossi are absolutely correct - throwing the ball into the air is an automatic call. I wish TV analysts would take some time to learn the rules, so they aren't continuously ripping on things they don't know about!!

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Definitely a weak way to lose a game, but what gets me is how May and Holtz can be completely blind to the evidence at hand. Mark May says it shouldn't be a penalty because Washington's QB "just flipped the ball over his shoulder." I'm seeing the play for the first time as ESPN rolls the clip and the ball flies high enough in the air to leave the field of view from a wide camera shot. I'd estimate at least 15 feet in the air. I'm pretty sure that's more than a casual flip.

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I rarely agree with CFN, but seriously, if we're gonna be all "it's the letter of the law" and "a rule is a rule," then why don't they call holding on every single play? It was a crap penalty that shouldn't have been called, despite the fact that there's a crap rule saying that it should be called.

NOTE: I'm not saying Washington would have won. BYU was the better team that day and probably would have won in OT. But the call was ridiculous and uncalled for.

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May and Holtz need to apoligize for their ignorant comments. If their partizan, biased commenting isn't lame enough their knowledge of the game/ rules is laughable. Give Holtz a shawl and a rocking chair and May a brain. If all the calls that should have been made, were made, Wash would have lost by two TDs.
What the game came down to was a great play on a blocked PAT! Why didn't they mention that? The play got lost in their egotistical drivel they call commentating. The refs do the best they can within the rules. I say fire the inept commentators. And Holtz-- Notre Dame always has and always will SUCK. I hope their exclusive contract with TV has to show every butt kicking this year, just like last year!!

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