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POLL: Worst/MostCorrupt Referee in Big Ten History

Who is the worst referine in Big Ten football history?

  • Dick Honig

    Votes: 19 9.4%
  • Dave Parry

    Votes: 3 1.5%
  • David Witvoet

    Votes: 94 46.3%
  • Bill LeMonnier

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • John O'Neill

    Votes: 83 40.9%
  • Other

    Votes: 4 2.0%

  • Total voters
    203
It’s been said here before when we lost a game ............seemingly on a bad call. And I’ll repeat it. Good teams are able to over come a bad call or a bad play. That’s not to meant to rationalize or excuse bad refereeing but rather to point out that PENN STATE IS A GOOD TEAM !!!
 
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It’s been said here before when we lost a game ............seemingly on a bad call. And I’ll repeat it. Good teams are able to over come a bad call or a bad play. That’s not to meant to rationalize or excuse bad refereeing but rather to point out that PENN STATE IS A GOOD TEAM !!!
So if we get totally screwed by the refs late in a game and lose, we’re not good because we didn’t overcome that bad call? Even though there is no time left to overcome it?

This “argument” is nonsensical . . .
 
So if we get totally screwed by the refs late in a game and lose, we’re not good because we didn’t overcome that bad call? Even though there is no time left to overcome it?

This “argument” is nonsensical . . .

Wrong. And here’s why. You don’t win or lose a game on one play.
 
Poll is phrased in the present tense. The only two who I recall as being active are O'Neill and Honig (the latter as a replay official in the booth).
 
I don't know if we lost this game on one play, but Nebraska 2012 comes to mind. Wonder what McGloin thought about last night.

I agree with the principle stated about good teams overcoming a bad call. Certainly true.

However (and I think you probably agree).... taking away a called TD on an inconclusive replay means the loss of 6 points. Holding calls on another TD is tough. FGs are generally fairly sure things, but so many variables.... the potential loss of 6 or 7 points in a tight game is huge.
The D holding on the sack on their 2 yard line, giving them a first down, was huge. Even the commentators said they could not find the D holding on that play.
Coaches say that getting a 15 yard penalty while on offense drops the % of scoring on that drive by a huge margin. A couple of 10 yarders is pretty much the same effect.

Put a few of these things together in a tightly contested game, and the balance tips. A punt instead of a drive continuing, 3 points instead of 7, etc... it adds up to being more than one play for a good team to overcome. Having it done season after season should make people take notice. Having it done by certain refs or teams of refs should make people take notice.
 
Parry was never involved in on-field officiating. He was the conference's first coordinator of football officials. From people who knew, he was a lazy sack of shit who did nothing. Heard that the current incumbent, Bill Carollo is much the same, though I expected better when he was hired.
 
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Other a tie between Witovet and O'neil, Witovet went toe to toe in a screaming match with OB. O'neil gave Mcgloin a hard time, and seems to have a personal bone for PSU.
PSU overcame the injustices last night, but we lost at least a half dozen critical games due to favoritism by the refs since joining the Big.
 
I’m thinking maybe it could be three seperate categories:


Worst (most incompetent): LeMonnier

Most Corrupt (ie: downright biased, pre-meditated “cheater”): ONeill (and the runner up isn’t even close, IMO)

Guy Who Stuck Around Waaaaaaay Too Long:
Witvoet (he was the refereeing equivalent of a punch drunk boxer who wouldn’t listen to his corner man and hang them up)
This post should be pinned. It's that good.
 
h/t @Zenophile

"The feather in the crew's hat? Calling timeout on Ohio State's behalf before Sam Ficken's game-tying field goal in the fourth quarter -- even if Urban Meyer didn't signal for a timeout."
 
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Dave Witvoet was the Michaelangelo of bad/corrupt refs. He painted masterpieces out there.

He was always so confused. Got downs wrong, couldn't get ball spots at all. He might have been biased but he would have had trouble remembering which uniforms went with what team. And yet the B1G always assigned him big games to butcher.

Why can't they assign o'Neill to Rutgers the rest of the season? that way he can't influence the outcome of significant games.
 
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He was always so confused. Got downs wrong, couldn't get ball spots at all. He might have been biased but he would have had trouble remembering which uniforms went with what team. And yet the B1G always assigned him big games to butcher.

Why can't they assign o'Neill to Rutgers the rest of the season? that way he can't influence the outcome of significant games.
You mean spotting Michigan first downs immediately after a run that came remotely close (one yard- or maybe 1-1/2 yards) of the sticks, before anyone can even look towards the sidelines and see where the markers where actually set ? That David Witvoet ? And we thought instant replay would eliminate these turds that the Big Two, I mean Big Ten employed and encouraged for years. What a farce and shame for an organization that portrays itself as such a prestigious, upstanding, higher academic football conference.
 
You mean spotting Michigan first downs immediately after a run that came remotely close (one yard- or maybe 1-1/2 yards) of the sticks, before anyone can even look towards the sidelines and see where the markers where actually set ? That David Witvoet ? And we thought instant replay would eliminate these turds that the Big Two, I mean Big Ten employed and encouraged for years. What a farce and shame for an organization that portrays itself as such a prestigious, upstanding, higher academic football conference.

Witvoet was very pro-Michigan.

I think O'Neil hates Michigan as much as he hates PSU.
 
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It’s been said here before when we lost a game ............seemingly on a bad call. And I’ll repeat it. Good teams are able to over come a bad call or a bad play. That’s not to meant to rationalize or excuse bad refereeing but rather to point out that PENN STATE IS A GOOD TEAM !!!
Whether I am able to overcome a bad call is immaterial. On what planet should I have to?

The playing field is supposed to be level. The good teams overcome bad calls mantra is utter crap.

 
Whether I am able to overcome a bad call is immaterial. On what planet should I have to?

The playing field is supposed to be level. The good teams overcome bad calls mantra is utter crap.
Exactly. And this conference will never get to where it wants to go without treating every conference member equally. It’s not that hard.

They screwed us in 2016 and, in turn, were hoisted upon their own petard by the Playoff committee afterwards.
 
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There is a difference between a bad referee and a corrupt referee and conference. There are bad calls by bad referees every week for all teams. Yes, it's best to overcome them. What PSU is and has been dealing with are corrupt referees and a corrupt league. There simply is no other explanation.

I've hated the big 10(14) since joining it but I know we are stuck with it. Time for PSU officials to speak up publicly but I won't hold my breath.
 
Whether I am able to overcome a bad call is immaterial. On what planet should I have to?

The playing field is supposed to be level. The good teams overcome bad calls mantra is utter crap.
Please show me where I said you ”have to.” Moreover, you must have missed the part where I said “That’s not to meant to rationalize or excuse bad refereeing.”
 
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Please show me where I said you ”have to.” Moreover, you must have missed the part where I said “That’s not to meant to rationalize or excuse bad refereeing but rather to point out that PENN STATE IS A GOOD TEAM !!!”
Sorry if I misunderstood what you were trying to say, but I read it as "we should overcome bad calls because we are a good team"
 
It’s been said here before when we lost a game ............seemingly on a bad call. And I’ll repeat it. Good teams are able to over come a bad call or a bad play. That’s not to meant to rationalize or excuse bad refereeing but rather to point out that PENN STATE IS A GOOD TEAM !!!
I wish this was true but honestly its not. Sometimes a bad call IS the difference between two good teams. Sometimes a bad call is what keeps a good team playing its heart out from beating an elite team. Bad calls are often compared to bad hops in baseball, they happen. When they happen, you have to overcome them. Sometimes you can, sometimes you can't. But there are times the team that should have won did not due to a bad call.
 
Bad calls are often compared to bad hops in baseball, they happen. When they happen, you have to overcome them. Sometimes you can, sometimes you can't. But there are times the team that should have won did not due to a bad call.

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