Key Issues

I Don't Want To Talk About It

But that's not the only reason I've failed to bring it up; blogging has been light, as I have been feeling crappy most of the week, you know, coughing up bronchial slugs and junk.

So the "it" that I don't want to talk about, but I'm going to anyway? Football.

Specifically, my baby Dawgs. But this is not dedicated to glorifying the home team. I have seen some shitty-ass officiating this season, often against teams to whom I owe no allegiance...

But it still pisses me the fuck off.

Vandy. Vandy! [For example...] Was gonna beat Florida. But they were not allowed to go for the two points. Nope. Got backed up for celebrating. Celebrating? WTF? The guy shook his ass and hugged a teammate. That would have been a huge win for Vandy, and it left me hoping that a head rolled shortly thereafter.

And I am not one to blame a loss on poor officiating. Last year, we lost to Tennessee, and it was really fucking sad. Maybe there was a poor call or two, always is. But usually evenly afflicted, and not why we lost. Ainge had a good day, Green had a poor one. And Richt failed to recognize that and let Shockley finish the game. Simple as that.

A few weeks ago, we lost to Florida. Maybe a few bad calls. Little stuff. No big. Florida got them too. Not Shockley's fault either. Joe T did okay. But our defense was bummed, rolled over and played dead the entire first quarter, and our kicker never did find his foot.

But last week? Sure, it was close, would've been close even with fair officiating, but we played well enough to have maintained a secure lead. Yet we did not maintain a secure lead due to the calls. That's right. I'm blaming the refs. And the shoe fits in this case. I have never seen such poor officiating. It was Twilight Zoney even. Players staring in disbelief at the camera dangling precariously on a mid-field tight-rope, wondering if they were on Mad TV.

After the half, die hard Dawg fans had trouble cheering, angered as we were. And more...dumbfounded. It was fucking blatant. And I was at the game, but I hear even the TV commentators said as much.

Every iffy call that benefited Georgia was reviewed. Not one iffy call that benefited Auburn was reviewed. Shock! What'd we ever do to you, ref?

We sacked their QB. Didn't count. They had called a time out before the snap.

We scored in the second half, and two points would have given us a secure lead. We had called for a time out prior to snap to set the play. Not recognized. Delay of game. Not Auburn, but refs pushed us back. Had to kick.

Bastards!

How bout getting set back cuz Pope flinched his arm? Prolly had a bug on his elbow.

How about calling pass interference on us when we had the ball?! ...Yes, I know that in theory you can call pass interference on the offensive team if someone on the defense has a shot at intercepting. But I've never seen it done! Sorry, did our man get in your way as he attempted to catch our ball? Unbelievable.

All of that I could have forgiven, if not for what came next, what I like to call the most egregious lack of officiating that I've ever seen.

Man down. Lonely ball sitting two feet from downed man's left arm on the grass. Players standing around, hands on hips, looking at the ref, waiting to see if the pass would be called complete.

Meanwhile, a lone Auburn defender (with stars in his eyes) spied the lonely ball, scooped it up, and ran it into the end-zone, figuring what the hell, worth a try, right?

So we waited for the inevitable. For the ball to be called back by the ref, and wondering where they'd spot it. After all, it obviously wasn't a fumble. Man down. Lonely dead-looking ball. No dog-pile. No fumble.

They didn't call him back! WTF? WTF? WTF? Put the jerseys on the refs; we're playing them!

You've got to be kidding me. (Had noone picked it up, I am sure it would have been ruled incomplete!)

I've been so disgusted that I haven't watched a game of football all week. And I love football.

Yes, our defense should have stopped them when they were 4th and 12, and we would have had the game by a point if we had. And so, if that carelessness alone had cost us the game, I'd be pissed, but not robbed.

I been robbed, peeps. If not for the worst of the bad calls, we still would have had the game, and by a healthy six points.

Yeah, I know we can still clench SEC East. Not the point. The point is that I am stomping my feet and crying about the injustice of it all. And, for my Dawgies' sake, I hope they are not as petulant as I, as they have work to do.

We shall see on the morrow.