sCam Newton

[Spence]

Maybe that was it. I learn something everyday.

[RazorHawk]

So maybe those officials were not as inept, as you previously thought.

I have said it before and will say it again, a bunch of 50 year old white guys cannot keep up with the speed of the 20 year old players.

Amusingly, if you ask a Big 10 fan, he will say the Big 10 refs are absolutely the worst. And if you ask an SEC fan, he will proclaim the SEC refs are the worst. So on, and so on.

[WoVeU]

The new rule states that the team receiving a kickoff can no longer have more than two players standing within two yards of one another, shoulder to shoulder. If so, the team will be given a 15-yard penalty, even if there is no contact on the play.

I thought that maybe the case, not even contacting one another I mean. Because I have seen, a bit more space than what might be required of course, but it also looks like I see more staggered sets...somehting like this

___*__*
__*__*__*

This would then be the only way you can get 5 bodies in 6 or 7 yards of horizontal space.

[GoBoilers]

What you are discribing I always called a chop block. Hitting high and low. I can't tell you what happened, but it wasn't on a kickoff. If I could discribe what happened I guess I would know what happened.

That crew never gets the spot right. I saw one time I agreed with the spot. Saine was running down the sideline toward the goal line and he stepped out on the five. Most around me thought he went out on the three, but the replay confirmed he stepped out earlier.

No. I saw the call earlier this year too...GoBoilers and I are in the same area so it was likely the same game. I wasn't fully certain but thought it might have been what GoBoilers said. Picture this, I am beside 2 guys and the kick returner is a few yards behind us...me and the other 2 blockers are close to each other, close enough to grab another part of the other blocker's body (hold his hand, forearm, or shoulder pad) and we lock up and in a wedge form (like geese flying) and the runner tucks in behind us. I always thought it was stupid, way too easy for a 230 pound man to come down field at 20+ mph and drive through the outstretched armed that is grasping another player...and they are moving at 5 to 15 mph. Think about it, it started to become common a few years ago to see guys linking hands as they started at a jog to head up field, as the ball was coming down about 5 yards behind them...heading to the awaiting returner.

5 to 15 MPH? That is fast. I ran my personal best in the 100 yard dash at 13 seconds! Bob Hayes would have beat me by 40 yards. I even got pulled out of windsprints in hs football (played defensive end) because I couldn't run much less walk a straight line. Coach grabbed my facemask and wanted to know if I was drinking! I have no athletic ability!

[strawman]

My only beef is that paying gives them an unfair advantage in recruiting. Cam Newton is still one heck of a quarterback and would have benefited any program no matter where he went. If Auburn paid quite a few of its top recruits then it should be hit hard.

They need to derail the Tiger Express this year if this is true. No taking it back in hindsight.

All I can say is everyone is quick to call USC and Reggie cheaters. The fact is that the university did not offer a child the money, a potential agent did. I think if Auburn payed a student that is a recruiting violation. they need to be punished heavier than USC. He will go to the NFL and not care about his school.

USC gets tagged with the cheating lable because of Bush right or wrong, I can't help but believe they didn't know a little of what he was up to. Now for Auburn if they did pay him to come to Auburn then they will forever be tagged as cheaters. UNC is being tagged as cheaters because they had an assistent coach acting as a runner for an agent.

As for my thought about an SEC conspiracy to keep Auburn undefeated, the conference stands to lose a lot of money if they miss out on that championship game, it is in their best interest to keep them untarnished. Not saying they would do that but you never know. Being a Duke fan, I am still suspicous of the 2004 Final Four game with UConn. That was one of the worst officiated games I've ever seen. Almost all of Duke's starters were fouled out or had 4 fouls by mid way through the second half and Okafore was allowed to do whatever he wanted and no fouls or violations were called. I think Duke's fate was sealed when Georgia Tech won the earlier game and they didn't want 2 ACC teams in the final especially since Duke had destroyed them twice before. Granted I'm biased towards Duke in this case, but JJ Redick was mauled on that last play with a UConn player hacking him like a karate chop and no call. OK I'm done whining.

[billybud]

As a Duke fan, you are aware tha ACC guys believe that the refs give Duke and NC fouls....as the royalty of the ACC, they get the calls.

[Spence]

My only beef is that paying gives them an unfair advantage in recruiting. Cam Newton is still one heck of a quarterback and would have benefited any program no matter where he went. If Auburn paid quite a few of its top recruits then it should be hit hard.

They need to derail the Tiger Express this year if this is true. No taking it back in hindsight.

All I can say is everyone is quick to call USC and Reggie cheaters. The fact is that the university did not offer a child the money, a potential agent did. I think if Auburn payed a student that is a recruiting violation. they need to be punished heavier than USC. He will go to the NFL and not care about his school.

I agree. I don't think the school should be punished of a player is taking money from an agent. I don't see how agents hanging around kids helps a college program. If the school did know then that is a different matter, but a school paying kids should be punished worse IMO.

[WoVeU]

As a Duke fan, you are aware tha ACC guys believe that the refs give Duke and NC fouls....as the royalty of the ACC, they get the calls.

And the Big East guys agree with you, and many in the SEC, and the Big 10. It doesn't get any easier than basketball for calling it how you want to, when and where you want to. But I try to think it has a whole lot to do with "big dog" calling. Once you get the label, you get the call...more often than not. Back in the day, if you wanted to beat the Champ in boxing...you dang sure better plan on knocking him out...or coming close 2 or 3 times. (Larry Holmes...should have never been "Champ" as long as he was!)

[Vileborg]

I have to say the refs in the NC - VT game did an alright job. They had a strange side line penalty when North Carolina was driving late but I think it was declined because the play was a better result. However, they were calling North Carolina for a lot of holding, illegal formation type stuff. Things that killed drives for NC and it seemed pretty even. They even called a take away in the end zone for a touch back. Not sure there was much doubt but they were solid enough on critical plays. FSU calling them out could have kept them honest this week.

[strawman]

[silverfox]

Personally, I feel that Alabama will make mincemeat out of Auburn.

Then it will be a moot point anyway and what a way for the SEC to save face if Newton is guilty.

still lots of good football to play...

[Spence]

Personally, I feel that Alabama will make mincemeat out of Auburn.

Then it will be a moot point anyway and what a way for the SEC to save face if Newton is guilty.

still lots of good football to play...

It depends on the tempo of the game. If Bama makes it a ball control game they have a good chance of beating Auburn. If it is an up tempo quick strike kind of game it will be hard for Bama to keep up.

[billybud]

I hope Auburn loses to Bama...

What a bunch of thugs...and Fairly, DE, is the worst. Cheap hits, scouring the QB's face when he is on top of him (8 stitches..and caught on tape), spearing the QB in the back late (caught on tape), and finally taking the QB out by diving at his knees after he's thrown.

Although two Tigers were ejected and won't play Bama, Fairly will. The SEC needes to take some action against this guy...this isn't isolated.

http://www.sportsbybrooks.com/sec-dange ... shed-29239

[donovan]

I hope Auburn loses to Bama...

What a bunch of thugs...and Fairly, DE, is the worst. Cheap hits, scouring the QB's face when he is on top of him (8 stitches..and caught on tape), spearing the QB in the back late (caught on tape), and finally taking the QB out by diving at his knees after he's thrown.

Although two Tigers were ejected and won't play Bama, Fairly will. The SEC needes to take some action against this guy...this isn't isolated.

http://www.sportsbybrooks.com/sec-dange ... shed-29239

Me too....Someone needs to get in control of this game.

[RazorHawk]

I hope Auburn loses to Bama...

What a bunch of thugs...and Fairly, DE, is the worst. Cheap hits, scouring the QB's face when he is on top of him (8 stitches..and caught on tape), spearing the QB in the back late (caught on tape), and finally taking the QB out by diving at his knees after he's thrown.

Although two Tigers were ejected and won't play Bama, Fairly will. The SEC needes to take some action against this guy...this isn't isolated.

http://www.sportsbybrooks.com/sec-dange ... shed-29239

I have always pulled for Auburn over Alabama, much the same as I always pull for Miss St over Ole Miss. But with the Newton and Fairley crap, I would like to see Bama win, and it could cost Arkansas a better bowl game.