No End Call - CFL confirms it was an incorrect call

[Atomic]

 

 

 

 

 

 

The refs need to get better for sure. To do that, we need to fund them better, get them better training and have a better path to being a CFL ref. Basically take it from a part time job to a full time one.

 

On the No End call, the line judge shouldn't have pointed while Adams was still in motion. He should have waited until Adams was set before giving his OK. Once the ref indicates Adams is on the line, Adams shouldn't be allowed to move. Simple to do. Simple to fix. Unfortunate that it had to happen in the first place. 

 

More challenges isn't the answer. Allowing the coaches to challenge this call wouldn't have resulted in a reversal IMO. The replay would have shown that Adams was off the line and would have said the ruling on the field was upheld. They needed the footage of the ref pointing while Adams was in motion and talking with the refs involved to decide that it wasn't the right call. There are more than enough stoppages of play already.

 

The idea that 'penalties that don't affect the play should not be called' is fatally flawed. It's not OK to cheat if it doesn't effect the play. It's not OK to grab a receiver if he's away from the play or to go offside if you don't get to the QB or if you don't get the ball thrown your way. It's not OK hold or clip or block below the belt just because it's away from the play. Most of the penalties are the players fault and are totally controllable by the players. 

 

But Adams is allowed the yard from the line of scrimmage. He CAN move.  Unless you're insinuating the rule should be changed? 

 

No I'm insinuating that he moved off the LOS. He's more than a yard away from the line judge when the ball comes up and the LJ should be on the LOS to get the right angle.

 

 

He moved off with the 1/2 step he took back, but with the LOS being the 37 1/2 yard line, his right foot was on on the 38 when the ball was snapped.  He was only about 1/2 yard off the LOS (which is allowed) regardless of where the side judge was standing. 

 

I'm going from the loop I saw on twitter after the game showing the LJ pointing while Adams was moving then Adams settling down and taking a half step back.  CFL and TSN game logs say 37 yard line. Of course that could be 37 1/2. I can't find the loop anymore, do you have a link?

 

 

https://twitter.com/DTonSC/status/647854707764031488

 

Thanks. Looks like Adams is indeed still within a yard after the step back. That means the explanation from Johnson is wrong and the LJ must of messed up where the LOS was. Can't fix that.

 

 

That's not what went wrong.  The official explanation is much more complex.  I encourage you to listen to the first ten minutes of tonight's coaches show once it's up on the CJOB site.  I just heard it but I can't explain it, I will screw it up... just go have a listen when you get a chance.  But it had nothing to do with where Adams was or whether he had moved.

[gbill2004]

Sideline judge "forgot" that Adams checked in as eligible end.

[rebusrankin]

Give us a spot in the Grey Cup, screw the West playoffs.

[The Unknown Poster]

Why wouldn't Adams, the offensive captain or MOs say to the ref "don't you remember that our guy checked in?"

[gbill2004]

Why wouldn't Adams, the offensive captain or MOs say to the ref "don't you remember that our guy checked in?"

The refs didn't announce who the player was during the game, and as Arash Madani reported, when Oshea asked the ref for clarification on the penalty, the ref put his head down and walked away.

[JuranBoldenRules]

Why wouldn't Adams, the offensive captain or MOs say to the ref "don't you remember that our guy checked in?"

 

You really think the officials would overturn a call because the team penalized said they didn't actually deserve a penalty?

[bigg jay]

Both Adams and Moore both threw their arms up like WTF? and were talking to the ref but he obviously wasn't interested in what they had to say.

[The Unknown Poster]

Why wouldn't Adams, the offensive captain or MOs say to the ref "don't you remember that our guy checked in?"

You really think the officials would overturn a call because the team penalized said they didn't actually deserve a penalty?

No. And that's not what I wrote.

[JuranBoldenRules]

 

 

Why wouldn't Adams, the offensive captain or MOs say to the ref "don't you remember that our guy checked in?"

You really think the officials would overturn a call because the team penalized said they didn't actually deserve a penalty?

No. And that's not what I wrote.

 

 

Then what is the relevance of what you wrote?

[Guest J5V]

 

The solution for this scenario is to make the players entirely responsible for their positioning on the field.

 

How is that the solution when it has been shown that Adams was only a half yard off the line, well within the rules?

 

There was no illegal procedure on the play.   

 

It only makes matters worse that the ref said he was fine, then after the play changed his mind.

 

The whole thing stinks of incompetence beyond the imagining. Where does the league find these guys? 

 

[gbill2004]

The solution for this scenario is to make the players entirely responsible for their positioning on the field.

How is that the solution when it has been shown that Adams was only a half yard off the line, well within the rules?

There was no illegal procedure on the play.

It only makes matters worse that the ref said he was fine, then after the play changed his mind.

The whole thing stinks of incompetence beyond the imagining. Where does the league find these guys?

That clip of Proulx is pretty hilarious, but keep in mind his first language is French.

[Guest J5V]

 

 

 

The solution for this scenario is to make the players entirely responsible for their positioning on the field.

How is that the solution when it has been shown that Adams was only a half yard off the line, well within the rules?

There was no illegal procedure on the play.

It only makes matters worse that the ref said he was fine, then after the play changed his mind.

The whole thing stinks of incompetence beyond the imagining. Where does the league find these guys?

That clip of Proulx is pretty hilarious, but keep in mind his first language is French.

 

I don't have a lot of sympathy for any CFL official right now.

[Mr Dee]

I don't know. I can see the humour, but I can't see the sense of making fun of the language difficulties.

[Floyd]

Most penalties called in the first three weeks of the NFL since the AFL/NFL merger...

[Guest J5V]

Most penalties called in the first three weeks of the NFL since the AFL/NFL merger...

Any idea why?

[DR. CFL]

I would be interested in a breakdown to see if there is a specific increase in a specific type of penalty to see if there is a trend. It would be like an increase in the CFL penalties due to the change in the illegal contact of a receiver. One might expect that would increase the total overall number.

[The Unknown Poster]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="JuranBoldenRules" data-cid="157073" data-time="1443488683"><p><p><blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="The Unknown Poster" data-cid="157070" data-time="1443488075"><p><blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="JuranBoldenRules" data-cid="157068" data-time="1443488021">What you wrote would be akin to the player not checking in and then saying hey I didn't do anything. What I wrote was of the ref did truly forget then the player reminding him would seemingly solve the problem.

[SPuDS]

3rd and inches, Adams involvement in the play was the definition of incidental.  Bonehead call by the line-judge made worse by confirmation by the head official.

 

All Adams has to do is set in the right place then ask for confirmation then there's no call to make. He's as much at fault as the LJ who made the call. Both were lazy about what they were doing. 

 

I wonder if we'd made the FG after this play if the reaction to the call would be as bad as it is?

The player is at fault that the ref made a phantom call on a legal play?! Are you actually serious??

[Geebrr]

3rd and inches, Adams involvement in the play was the definition of incidental. Bonehead call by the line-judge made worse by confirmation by the head official.

All Adams has to do is set in the right place then ask for confirmation then there's no call to make. He's as much at fault as the LJ who made the call. Both were lazy about what they were doing.

I wonder if we'd made the FG after this play if the reaction to the call would be as bad as it is?

The player is at fault that the ref made a phantom call on a legal play?! Are you actually serious??

It defies logic to defend the ref for a call the league has already punished said ref for.

[SPuDS]

3rd and inches, Adams involvement in the play was the definition of incidental. Bonehead call by the line-judge made worse by confirmation by the head official.

All Adams has to do is set in the right place then ask for confirmation then there's no call to make. He's as much at fault as the LJ who made the call. Both were lazy about what they were doing.

I wonder if we'd made the FG after this play if the reaction to the call would be as bad as it is?

The player is at fault that the ref made a phantom call on a legal play?! Are you actually serious??

It defies logic to defend the ref for a call the league has already punished said ref for.

Exactly! Is burg implying ultimately the refs and league were not at fault?

[BigBlueFanatic]

3rd and inches, Adams involvement in the play was the definition of incidental. Bonehead call by the line-judge made worse by confirmation by the head official.

All Adams has to do is set in the right place then ask for confirmation then there's no call to make. He's as much at fault as the LJ who made the call. Both were lazy about what they were doing.

I wonder if we'd made the FG after this play if the reaction to the call would be as bad as it is?

The player is at fault that the ref made a phantom call on a legal play?! Are you actually serious??

It defies logic to defend the ref for a call the league has already punished said ref for.

Exactly! Is burg implying ultimately the refs and league were not at fault?

LOL that's exactly how it reads... Can I be incredulous yet not at all surprised? How can TBurg refuse to acknowledge that both the CFL and the RULEBOOK indicate Adams was correctly lined up?!

[bearpants]

This might have been one of the most frustrating moments in recent Bomber history.... maybe next to Kevin Glenn breaking his arm in the 2007 ESF... and I, like many, am tired of even discussing it....

 

But the fact that some people are still trying to defend the refs/CFL..... even after they admitted their mistake... is beyond baffling... seems like a new level of trolling to me...

[TBURGESS]

I didn't imply that the league and the refs weren't at fault. I did say that Adams shouldn't have asked for confirmation before he was set and that the LJ shouldn't have given confirmation before Adams was set. After watching the replay again courtesy of a poster here I realized that Adams was indeed onside even after he moved and I said so. SPUDS then goes back and quotes a post prior to seeing the replay again and accuses me of saying the refs weren't at fault. 

[Rich]

I've been debating whether or not to post this because I'm not sure how much public scrutiny officials really deserve.  There is a reason their names aren't on the back of their jerseys.  It is a thankless job and I don't want some bozo doing something inappropriate off the field to anyone.  But there seems to be a history with one of the officials in Friday's game.

 

According to the official stats, this is the officiating crew from Friday night:

 

 

Referee - Tom Vallesi 

Head Linesman - Justin McInnes

Side Judge - Jocelyn Paul

Field Judge - Brian Chrupalo

Umpire - Patrick MacArthur

Line Judge - Rick Berezowski 

Back Judge - Don Carmichael

 

It is the Head Linesman and Line Judge who stand at either side of the line of scrimmage.  If you look at the faces of the referees in the video footage, it would appear that Rick Berezowski is the official in question, though I'm not 100% sure of that.  I couldn't find a shot that shows what number he wore.

 

What is more interesting is that official has been a "problem" for the CFL in the past (though that previous call was in favour of the Bombers).  This is a story from 2011.

 

http://www2.tsn.ca/story/?id=377334

 

 

The CFL dismissed side judge Rick Berezowski on Monday, parting ways with the ref who made the pass interference call on Montreal Alouettes rookie cornerback Greg Laybourn late in Friday's game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

 

Laybourn was defending in the end zone against Blue Bombers receiver Greg Carr when replays showed Carr putting his arms around Laybourn. The play drew an interference call, which easily could have been called on the offence.

 

CFL director of officiating Tom Higgins wrote on the CFL's website on Monday that the call was "absolutely terrible".

 

"The Winnipeg receiver grabbed the Montreal defender and fell to the ground in an obvious attempt to draw a [pass interference] call, and succeeded. This is not acceptable and I am dealing with the situation," wrote Higgins.

 

Berezowski, a native of Rosetown, Saskatchewan, worked partial seasons in the CFL for many years before he was added to the full time ranks in 2009. He worked the 2004 Vanier Cup and also officiated the Mitchell Bowl and several Canada West conference title games.

 

And according to this story that was written around that time in 2011, he has been on the bubble before :

 

http://www.sportsnet.ca/football/cfl/side-judge-replaced/

 

 

The CFL source that spoke to sportsnet.ca said Higgins felt it was in the best interests of the league moving forward to remove Berezowski from officiating in any more games this year. Moreover, the source said Higgins didn't make the decision solely based on a single call.

A secondary source Berezowski was "on the bubble" for his overall performance, but emphasized that he refused to pick up the flag and change his call when advised to do by three other members of the crew.

There is no suggestion that Berezowski won't be brought back next season. This is the time of year when the CFL whittles down its roster of officials. In a column he wrote this year on the CFL's website, Higgins said each official is evaluated on every play, and that those evaluations are the key factor in deciding who receives the most work and opportunity to work in the playoffs and Grey Cup. The CFL began the season with six crews and a total of 42 officials, but that was pared down to five crews and 35 officials after Labour Day.

 

Note how he has refused to pick up the flag in the past, even at the suggestion of his fellow officials.

 

So I decided to post this because the CFL cannot continue to award and hire incompetence in their officiating.  Especially when there is a recurring history.

[Mr Dee]

Thanks for that Rich. Seems to me to be very simple. Dismissal, if if indeed is the same guy. He's just cut out to handle officiating. Officials have to do their best to be alert and have more than a ten second memory.