Nice thug player you have there ponies

[smuuth]

No penalty by rule. Unfortunately, the game has become too violent and TCU and their coach practice and teach it. Nothing against them because it is not against the rules and it is becoming a sport where only the biggest and most violent survive. If you don't play tough against teams like TCU and teams from the SEC, you are out of the game fast. A more glaring example of this attitude from TCU and many other defenses is the helmetless player for TCU risking injury by throwing a block. While glamorized on ESPN and I am sure they will play it up as tough, this is what is wrong with this sport for a kid to risk an injury like this. It is not worth it and the rules are going to have to be changed to protect both the offensive and defensive players. Defensive coaches are teaching kids to use their bodies as projectiles. Too many injuries and the helmets are being used as weapons instead of protection. I think it might be safer if they went withoout helmets or back to the old leather ones.

[Deep Purple]

If the tackler is already diving toward the ball carrier, and then the ball carrier either lowers his head or gets hit and his head (for lack of a better term) gets in the way, then I don't believe it's a penalty.

That's incorrect. It's a penalty whether intentional or not. You don't get a pass on the rules just because things didn't work out like you planned.

I have no doubt Bell didn't intend to make helmet-to-helmet contact with Christian, he was just trying to make a low tackle. Which is good. Low tackling is what the best defenses coach.

But from watching the video, it's also quite clear that as he approached the ball carrier, his face was to the ground, not on the ball carrier. That's leading with the crown the helmet, which is clearly illegal. That may be how Bell got his concussion in the UAB game. The boy just needs to learn a better tackling technique.

[Treadway21]

I guess all the referees standing around the play got it wrong then. Great hit and I am glad no one was seriously hurt.

[ponyscott]

I may be wrong but I believe it is Derrius' mother speaking. Either way, you are correct in stating she/he had nothing to apologize for.

Heaven help us if Mr Mitchell were to read any of these posts......bad enough he was at the game last night and heard the wrath of the Stang Nation.....

[Deep Purple]

I guess all the referees standing around the play got it wrong then.

Bingo. They got a lot of things wrong last night, including some calls that helped TCU and hurt SMU.

I watched the game sitting in the rain next to a man who has been a college football official for 30 years. In fact, he's too old to officiate on the field now, so he's a booth replay official. Our season seats are right next to each other. He sees a lot of stuff I don't see and educates me on the rationale of calls I disagree with or don't understand. 95 times out of 100, he backs the official call on the field or from the booth and explains why it was the correct call.

Last night, he disagreed with only two calls. One was the non-call in the Bell-Christian collision. He noted that Bell was leading with the crown of his helmet, which is always illegal. See here: http://vimeo.com/6894647. He also said the helmet-to-helmet contact, while obviously unintentional, should have been flagged. It's an illegal play under any circumstance. Intent doesn't enter into it.

The other call he disagreed with was the "continuous helmet contact" flag on Hughes. He said it's such a vague and obscure rule, officials never call it. Plus, the replay showed no "continuous helmet contact." See here: http://vimeo.com/6895202.

During TCU's days in C-USA, I spent a lot of time on the C-USA board. The C-USA fans there constantly complained that their conference has among the worst officials in college football. There's a reason for this.

[Treadway21]

Save it -your guy got rocked and fumbled there was no call. It was not a penalty. Sorry for you and your friend.

[Deep Purple]

Save it -your guy got rocked

As did yours, in case you didn't notice.

and fumbled there was no call. It was not a penalty.

Right. It wasn't a penalty because it was infraction that wasn't called.

[Treadway21]

Then we agree - argument over.

[Pony Soup]

I'll ignore the winner that started this awesome thread. Thanks, though, for the video links Deep P. I am very glad to hear both guys seem to be okay.

[expony18]

link to the video?

[SoCal_Pony]

Ms. Bell:

After my career ended, they all told me how I should have stopped playing much earlier and not risked permanent injury.

This explains a lot...thanks Mrydel.