12-10-2017, 01:24 AM
Congrats to our ladies. A good match, and somewhat easier than Friday night.
I was at the game, and now am watching the TiVo. The TV announcers made a big deal of two calls in set 1. At 18-16 and 22-18 in the first set are calls for an illegal attack while the other is for an illegal block respectively. One thing I notice that the announcers don't seem to is that the antennas are NOT directly over then net. The near one (near the up referee) is (entirely?) on the Texas side of the net while the far one is (entirely) on the Stanford side of the net. I don't see that the NCAA WVB rules require it to be above the net. The antennae seem intended to be used only for the sideline out of bounds and not to be used to judge whether something is above the net. The TV announcers seem to be using the antenna and not the net to determine if the ball was over the net.
On the first call, I certainly disagree with the announcers and believe that the ball is not over the net. The Texas players arms are clearly across the net and her palms are vertical, preventing any part of the ball from reaching the plane of the net. That is consistent with the call (illegal attack). To me, the replay would confirm the call.
I'm less certain about the second call. The call implies that Plummer's attack was legal, meaning that the ball was over the net when she first made contact. To me, the replay would be inconclusive. (The broadcast shows a still that is later than the first contact. You have to go back to the slow/stepped motion to see the first contact. In the last frame before contact, the ball is moving toward Plummer and is possibly (but not certainly) over the net.)
I have to say I was not happy with the lack of sportsmanship shown by the UT cheer squad. Consistently, they would be about 10 feet from our server and using their megaphones to yell at her as she is serving. They should not be allowed to use their privileged position at the edge of the court and privileged equipment to disrupt the opponent.  They did not do this when it was their own player serving in front of them. Clearly, they were not cheering for their team.
I was at the game, and now am watching the TiVo. The TV announcers made a big deal of two calls in set 1. At 18-16 and 22-18 in the first set are calls for an illegal attack while the other is for an illegal block respectively. One thing I notice that the announcers don't seem to is that the antennas are NOT directly over then net. The near one (near the up referee) is (entirely?) on the Texas side of the net while the far one is (entirely) on the Stanford side of the net. I don't see that the NCAA WVB rules require it to be above the net. The antennae seem intended to be used only for the sideline out of bounds and not to be used to judge whether something is above the net. The TV announcers seem to be using the antenna and not the net to determine if the ball was over the net.
On the first call, I certainly disagree with the announcers and believe that the ball is not over the net. The Texas players arms are clearly across the net and her palms are vertical, preventing any part of the ball from reaching the plane of the net. That is consistent with the call (illegal attack). To me, the replay would confirm the call.
I'm less certain about the second call. The call implies that Plummer's attack was legal, meaning that the ball was over the net when she first made contact. To me, the replay would be inconclusive. (The broadcast shows a still that is later than the first contact. You have to go back to the slow/stepped motion to see the first contact. In the last frame before contact, the ball is moving toward Plummer and is possibly (but not certainly) over the net.)
I have to say I was not happy with the lack of sportsmanship shown by the UT cheer squad. Consistently, they would be about 10 feet from our server and using their megaphones to yell at her as she is serving. They should not be allowed to use their privileged position at the edge of the court and privileged equipment to disrupt the opponent.  They did not do this when it was their own player serving in front of them. Clearly, they were not cheering for their team.