Corey, I believe the answer is yes although what I have read is based on what people said on the internet. I have not seen a newspaper article which actually referenced the contact signed between ND/M on the subject. Other B10 teams may do the same. When you played at PSU and OSU, did B10 refs work the game? I agree with you that it would be better if major non conference games were officiated by officials from a non participant conference understand your point as it being a deal breaker. I do not recall seeing a non conference game at M stadium where a split squad or refs from another conference worked the game. Similarly, when we played PAC10 teams on the road, their conference officals worked the game as well games played against the Big East. The PAC 10 had an explicit rule that only Pac 10 refs could officiate games played at a PAC 10 school but I think that rule was rescinded after the Oklahoma-Oregon fiasco. I like your idea re a national system but given the economic times we are in a more and more schools cutting programs due to financial concerns, I doubt if the NCAA will would ever adopt it. Right now, college officiating in football is run on the cheap. Most of the people who do it have full times jobs and the pay, if I recall, is pretty sparse. Based on the years I have been on the board, I don't think anyone here who thinks their conference has good officials. Given the money generated by college football, a officiating system comparable to the NFL's would be great but, like a playoff, I am not sure if it will happen in my lifetime.
I had forgotten about that PAC10 dust up with OU. I also didn't remember that about the PAC10 requiring PAC10 officals at all home games. Interesting? If that is true then the Irish have played with PAC10 officals at all USC, Stanford, Washington, etc games on the coast. Terry
Bobda, But when they come to Ann Arbor, they were using Big10 officials, correct? I've seen Pac10 teams play on the road using the officials of other conferences. Michigan is the only one I can think of that only play (home or away) with their own conference refs. I see what you're saying about the economy. At the same time, with the staggering amount of money that the NCAA is letting the BCS/Bowls/Conferences walk away with, I can't imagine there isn't enough money there to create an independent officiating body.
As logical as it seems, it's never going to happen. Even in a good economey there is no way that it could be workable for the NCAA. Too many games in too many different locales. Can you imagine the scheduling? We're talking 117 teams not 32 like the NFL.
Check out the look on the one MSU Band kid. While I guess nobody was hurt certainly somebody could have been hurt, including Tate.
My guess is that Tate thought it was the ND band and he was working on his version of the Bandeau leap.
My thought is that he was having a Kevin Moen moment and the band member is having a Gary Tyrell flashback.
When I first saw it, I thought his momentum carried him into the band. However, when I saw the replay I realized he did it on purpose. I agree that he took a big risk. I hope someone tells him not to repeat that stunt.
Had to look up Kevin Moen and Gary Tyrell to figure what the heck you were talking about Tom. It's the Play, Moen the CAL player who scored and Tyrell was the Stanford band member he plowed over in the endzone. Good catch Tom.
Yeeeees, I thank you very much... I admit, I had to google it but "The play" was the first thing to hit my mind when I saw him jumping and the looks of the band members faces. :wink:
Must have been Stu, you know us Irish aren't educated enough to come up such deep thoughts! We're too busy drinking beer.
The CIF-SS manages to do it with 570+ member schools and that's just high school. There is a sh*t ton of money being generated here. I don't buy into the myth or magic math that it can't be done. I'd bet I personally know 3 dozen programmers who could create a scheduling program, including backups due to emergency, within an hour maybe two. Logistically, it seems more daunting than it is. If you insist on making it a headache, creating regional associations that are under the larger umbrella of NCAA certification is another way to go.
Well I'm not sure, but I don't think in Texas that the UIL is the one who handles officals, I think each district is responsible...but I could be wrong. I just don't see them shipping a crew from Houston to El Paso to do a high school football game.