FanNation - The Republic of Sport

Typically, I wait a couple of days to write about a major game.  This goes double if one of my teams was involved.  However, this one was too egregious to ignore.  In the end, LSU lost a very competitive game against Alabama.  However, prior to the end, the game's most crucial moments were mismanaged by a crew of referees in the SEC.

Note, I am not a conspiracy theorist or anything of that nature.  I fully acknowledge that the top teams DO get preferential treament in questionable situations.  I call it "The Kobe Bryant Treament".  No, I don't mean charged with rape, you silly gooses, I mean that, a referee years ago said that stars in the NBA, "like Kobe Bryant" get a little more lee-way when it comes to judgement calls and ticky-tack fouls.  

Such was the case when LSU played Florida a couple of weeks ago.  It happened again today.  

Alabama played a pretty average game up to about the fourth quarter.  Greg McElroy missed numerous attempts at wide open receivers, the majority of which were covered by Jai Eugene.  If it weren't for McElroy's awful accuracy (no to mention his Alabama Comb-Over haircut), LSU could have been down by a lot more by the 4th than they actually were.  

The same could be said for LSU.  Had the sidelines not been an infirmary (what, with Charles Scott, Jordan Jefferson, and Patrick Peterson on the mends for various ailments), then LSU's average output could have been better as well.  However, I digress.

Once Alabama was up by a score of 6 points, there were two crucial moments in the game that sealed LSU's fate.  

The first of which was a "running into the kicker" penalty on Daniel Graff.  I like Daniel.  He blocked a kick against Tulane and has turned into one of the harder hitters on the special teams unit.  What I didn't like was the fact that, if he just goes vertical at all, then he blocks the punt.  Instead, he runs through the kick and, subsequently, into the kicker.  I can't blame the call, because it was correct.  However, I hate the fact that Graff blew that chance.  

Now, onto the second one.  On an ill-advised pass attempt, Greg McElroy threw ball into Patrick Peterson's hands.  With two feet down and possession, P2 falls out of bounds and in front of Julio Jones.  The refs, either in awe of Julio's awesomeness being subverted by an even more amazing awesomeness or in fear of the crazy Alabama fans rioting in the streets, ruled that the pass was incomplete.

Here comes the kicker.  

The replay official ruled, after indisputable evidence showed both Peterson's feet in bounds at the time of the catch, that it was an incomplete pass.  This subsequently set up Alabama's field goal that put them ahead by 9; which also, basically, ended the game. 

Now, I am a reasonable LSU fan (if there is such a thing).  I can also be objective.  When we suck, I admit it.  And, I admit that here, we had numerous chances to win this game in spite of the referees' mismanagement of the most crucial moments of a top-tier game with National Championship implications.  

Here comes my objectivity:

1. The running into the kicker penalty was dumb.  Idiotic, even.  Entirely our fault.
   
2. Oh, Brandon Taylor.  I know he's young.  He's going to be a good corner some day (maybe well on that way, actually).  However, why in the world would you ever give a receiver a 15 yard cushion in man-to-man coverage?  Particularly Julio Jones?  It kills me.  However, he was caught doing it twice.  Sadly, that's how Alabama scored it's two passing touchdowns of the game.
3. False start penalties.  We had a number of them, and I believe they are our fault entirely. 
   
4. We seriously have trouble tackling.  End of story.  

It is a shame that, in the best conference in all of NCAA football, we can't find officials who are prepared to manage the most crucial moments of a high profile game.  Whether you are an LSU fan, an Alabama fan, or you simply don't care, you have to admit that the reputation of the SEC is on the line here, and has been for a number of weeks now. 

If I were LSU coach Les Miles, then I would count out my $30,000 in cash that Mike Slive will fine me and just lambast these referees and the replay officials; because they consistently spotted LSU short, threw flags inconsistently on judgement calls, and stopped them short of their possible coomeback attempt by ignoring a blatant miscall. 

In summation, I can honestly say three things that make me feel better about this weekend's game:

1. Bear Bryant's dead, Bama fans.  Get over it.  Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.  And you're welcome.  
2. We could have won this game, but lost it on our own.  We didn't come through.  I think it takes a big man and honest fan to point that out about his own team.
3. At least I'm not this tool.