Upon further review: Joe Paterno and the college football instant replay

"I think you owe it to them (the players) to make sure the game is won by the players." Joe Paterno

Anyone who was there will never forget that fateful day in 2002.

No. 12 Penn State failed in a come from behind bid to beat the Iowa Hawkeyes in their Big Ten opener at Beaver Stadium. There were a couple of questionable calls including a high-wire sideline catch by Tony Johnson that was ruled incomplete by one ref and complete by the other.

It killed the drive and led to an OT Penn State loss. There was no review booth back then. But JoePa was still alive and still had a little giddyup in those black shoes. In a move that lives on in infamy on youtube, Joe sprinted 30 yards to grab referee Dick Honig from behind to give him an earful about the calls.

According to an archived 2002 Sports Illustrated article by Michael Bamberger, Paterno was so disturbed by calls in a later game that same season against Michigan, which was officiated by three officials from the state of Michigan, that he had then AD Tim Curley draft a letter to conference chief Jim Delaney asking for a review of all calls in the conference. He also eased up on his resistance to instant replay on disputed calls.

Bamberger quoted Paterno as saying, "The problem is, you've got a bunch of kids who are busting their butts to win a football game, working like dogs and I think you owe it to them to make sure the game is won by the players."

Connect the dots from Beaver Stadium to the Big Ten meeting rooms. In 2003, the Big Ten was granted permission from the NCAA to pilot instant video replay. Amid fears that it would slow down the game and would prove too costly to implement, the Big Ten experiment quelled those concerns. The games were not significantly longer. The next season the conference was given permission to expand instant replay to all 64 league games played in home stadiums that year.

In 2006, the NCAA approved video replay for all conferences based on the Big Ten model. If you look back at the language used by the Big Ten, not much has changed besides the addition of the coaches' challenge if they have a time out left. Replays needed to have a direct competitive effect on the game. Those infamous words indisputable video evidence were the criteria for any on-field call to be overturned. However, not all plays were eligible for review. Most plays involving a boundary rule including whether a player broke the plane of the goal line, passing plays, and other detectable infractions were reviewable. Basically, a penalty call by a referee could not be challenged or reviewed.

Way back in 2003, the Big Ten knew there would be limitations in the replay system. In an archived Big Ten document it stated, "The replay system will not guarantee that all officiating mistakes are identified and corrected." No kidding.

Further, "Instant replay is not intended to be an instant, infallible answer to correcting officiating mistakes. It is, however, an example of how technology can help officials make sure that mistakes made on the field are corrected in a timely manner." The document also mentioned the limitations of camera angles available that would provide a clear view of the play. That was not a problem last Saturday's game in Lincoln.

In my mind, the biggest limitation to instant video replay is the human being sitting in a booth and the gray matter between their ears. That human being, a technical advisor, is making the calls. Once you put a human being in charge there are going to be mistakes. Whether it's bias, lack of certainty, or bad camera angles, there are going to be mistakes. Once you establish replay, someone is not going to be happy with the calls.

I think said technical advisor got one play all wrong in Saturday's Penn State-Nebraska game. Matt Lehman scored a touchdown. Period. There was indisputable video evidence that he did. Anyone who watched the replay could see that he had control of the ball when it touched the front of the goal line. It did much more than that. It penetrated the line before being knocked free. Said technical advisor had access to the same tape that fans watched at home. The Nittany Nation remains so furious it's palpable. Even Nebraska fans agree that it was a touchdown and claim payback for past slights that went in favor of the Nittany Lions.

Ironic isn't it? The team whose late legendary old coach chased down a referee who didn't get the call right back in 2002 and paved the way for a college replay system happened to be on the short end of the stick in Lincoln? Just as Paterno questioned the bias of those Michigan refs, conspiracy theories abound. It will continue to happen. Conspiracy? Not really. Dumb? Absolutely. Will we still be talking about this call in 10 years? 15 years? 20 years? You bet! That's what makes football rivalries matter. It what keeps them robust and full of life.?

Upon further review, without instant replay, there is no touchdown.? With instant replay, still no touchdown for Lehman, but we know the truth.? It might not be perfect, but it's better than nothing.

What do you think of the Matt Lehman call?? Had instant replay improved the calls and results of college football officiating?

Source: http://blog.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/2012/11/upon_further_review_joepa_and.html

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