Around the Big Ten

[Dr. Strangelove]

Just so we're clear, this is the penalty you are complaining about. It's clearly helmet-to-helmet on a player going out of bounds

[youtube]lOmGMGUDPbk[/youtube]

[lineygoblue]

Incidental helmet contact - should have swallowed the flag.

As far as hitting out of bounds - T Smith had a reputation for tightroping the sidelines.

Worse hits regularly go un-flagged.

[Rocky Bleier]

Dicktonio may be covering for Lewis. Calling for a punt block in that situation would be really stupid. Even for Dicktonio.

[lineygoblue]

Dicktonio may be covering for Lewis. Calling for a punt block in that situation would be really stupid. Even for Dicktonio.

He may have taken a page from Brady Hoke's book and put the blame on himself instead of the player.

He didn't call for a punt block. If he would have, there would have been several defenders after the kicker, instead of just the two guys coming in from the ends. He was playing for the runback, which he got.

But, oh those flags ... they just seem to appear at the wrong times these days ...

.... and Bill Lemonier threw it. Ain't nobody going to argue with him.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Incidental helmet contact - should have swallowed the flag.

As far as hitting out of bounds - T Smith had a reputation for tightroping the sidelines.

Worse hits regularly go un-flagged.

Whether worse hits occur (and they do) is irrelevant. It was a helmet-to-helmet hit, Crable led with his head, and the refs were justified in throwing a flag. It was a great win for The Ohio State football, a thorough exposure of the Michigan defense (who would've surely whipped USC had they not been overcome with disappointment at having the Big10 title stolen from them).

[lineygoblue]

One thing I do know.

OlieO didn't want to have a rematch with Michigan on a neutral field.

MNC at stake or not, .. they didn't want to face Michigan again.

[*JD*]

Incidental helmet contact - should have swallowed the flag.

As far as hitting out of bounds - T Smith had a reputation for tightroping the sidelines.

Worse hits regularly go un-flagged.

Such as...
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGNJox8eLpE&feature=related"]Rey Maualuga @ UCLA - YouTube[/ame]

[lineygoblue]

Identical play, one week later.

No flag.

Its all interpretation.

Biggest reason that flag got thrown is because it happened in front of Saint Jim, in the Snake Pit.

If its in Ann Arbor in front of Lloyd Carr, they swallow the flag.

[Paul L]

Yep; JD got to it first. Still remember Mushburger/Fouts gushing over what a great hit/play it was for USC.

Terrible, season-changing call on Crable; much different than the one yesterday, which was absolutely the right (and necessary) one.

Call me a homer, though; it's not gonna change any ohio or sparty views of the respective plays.

[Jamie H]

Not only did they gush for hours about what a great hit it was, ABC has used that footage in college football promo videos for years.

It was an IDENTICAL play. USC was praised for it, Michigan got screwed for it. The total inconsistency sucks.

[WM Wolverine]

I hate helmet to helmet hits or even leading with the helmet at; I don't mind any helmet-to-helmet penalties when that is the intend of the tackler. USC's case that was certainly the intent of the tackler, in Crable's, the intent doesn't seem near as much as Troy Smith is ducking into the hit.

[UMStan White]

God do we really have to debate this again?

[WM Wolverine]

Biggest play in M's biggest game for the past decade, we'll be talking about it for awhile.

[Kapture1]

Not only did they gush for hours about what a great hit it was, ABC has used that footage in college football promo videos for years.

It was an IDENTICAL play. USC was praised for it, Michigan got screwed for it. The total inconsistency sucks.

Yeah, call it for both or don't call it at all. IMO, USC should have gotten the flag.

[Jamie H]

I agree with WM that it should be an intent penalty. If the QB ducks into the hit, how can that have been the intent? But I don't think it is written that way.