12-02-2013, 07:20 AM
(12-02-2013, 07:09 AM)Kathy link Wrote:This is what I don't understand. I have seen college games where the flag came out and after discussion among the refs, they announce, "There is no foul." So why could they not do that after the bogus targeting call that the replay showed wasn't even a foul? Could Shaw have challenged it?
I wondered this myself...after very superficial research it appears that refs can pick up a flag, but replay officials don't have that power. Apparently, they (not sure who I'm talking about here - the relevant powers that be) want a clear separation of the officials on the field and the replay official.
A quote from one article I found: http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/..._gray.html
Quote:When ejections occur, a team gets penalized 15 yards for a play that really may not be a penalty. Under the new rule, replay officials can overturn an ejection but not pick up the flag.
"It's a tough call because you really could have a penalty that's separate and apart (from targeting)," SEC Commissioner Mike Slive said. "What you'd be asking a replay official to do is make a game-official decision. We've put an iron wall between the replay official and the officials on the field. There's no time when he could be considered another official, and we want to maintain that. Whether or not this particular issue requires crossing into that bright line is something the rules committee will have to consider."
Why not make the replay official "another official"?