In a pure scenario, athletes would play and win games without influence or interference from officials and referees. But officiating — and officiating mistakes — have been a part of sports culture since the first nearsighted caveman put on a zebra skin and merged his cranium with his lower intestines.

But our University of Toledo Rockets faced an on-field injustice that set a new low for botched calls.

As any pigskin fan knows by now, UT’s opponent, Syracuse, scored a late-game touchdown that was followed by a missed extra point attempt. Except the officials on the field ruled the kick good and — even more mystifyingly — a replay official who had access to the game film also ruled it good.

That decision, which gave Syracuse a three-point lead instead of a two-point lead, surprised even the Big East announcers covering the game, who were clear and vocal that the kick missed its mark. When all was said and done, a game UT should have won by a point was lost in an overtime that never should have occurred.

There are those who argue that UT could have done this or could have done that on the field to prevent being in a situation where a blown call decided the game, but that does not address the reality of what happened.

Subsequently, UT coach Tim Beckman, backed by Athletic Director Mike O’Brien, sought an appeal or a reversal of the game’s outcome. That was not going to happen, but kudos to them for standing up for their program and their student athletes by trying.

But the mystery here is why they had to ask at all. Once the Big East officials made a public statement that the call was a mistake, why wouldn’t Syracuse and its Big East officials take the initiative to make things right by vacating the “victory”? What example does the college and its conference set for its students by slinking away in silence instead of being proactive and refusing to settle for a stolen win? Maybe that’s endemic of a conference that has allowed a half-dozen schools to leave for greener pastures.

It may be just a game, but it was an opportunity for a life lesson the not so Big East let slip away.

Thomas F. Pounds is president and publisher of Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star. Contact him at tpounds@toledofreepress.com.

Tags: Big East, Mike O'Brien, Publisher's Statement, Rocket football, syracuse, Tim Beckman, Tom Pounds

This entry was posted on Friday, September 30th, 2011 at 12:00 am and is filed under Opinion, Publisher's Statement.
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NOTE: This is the seventh installment of a weekly series in which staff writer Mike Bauman will follow sixth-year Toledo senior cornerback Desmond Marrow for the 2011 season.

On Sept. 24 at Syracuse, Toledo senior cornerback Desmond Marrow wanted to do his part to help UT leave the Carrier Dome with a victory. Instead, he left on a stretcher.

With less than nine minutes remaining in the third quarter and the game tied at 13, Marrow stepped up to help make a tackle on the Orange’s Antwon Bailey. At the moment of impact, however, his helmet collided with Bailey.

After the hit, Marrow spun off and lay on his stomach.

“It was just a bad angle,” Marrow said. “He was falling forward towards me, and I was trying to just come in and make sure I was making the tackle and just hit him head-to-head, spun out and got knocked out.”

Marrow was taken to the hospital, where he underwent a CT scan and an X-ray. The results came back negative, and he returned to the stadium and flew back with the team. He never got sick or had any headaches, unlike the last time he had a head-on collision in a game. Back in 2008 at home against Fresno State, Marrow suffered a concussion after sliding head first into the Rockets’ cannon outside the end zone.

“It was nothing like that,” Marrow said. “When I hit the cannon, I was, like, woozy, out of it, just started throwing up and stuff like that. Nothing really happened this time; I was out and woke up. No pain, no headache, no dizziness. When I woke up, I just felt a little pain in my neck. That’s about it, but that went away once I got to the hospital.”

Desmond Marrow

On Sept. 25 and 26, Marrow had to ride a stationary bike for 15-20 minutes to make sure he wouldn’t suffer nausea. He also received neck treatment and took a computerized neuropsychological exam twice, which measures reaction time and memory recall. Toledo Associate Athletic Trainer John Walters said that every freshman or transfer takes that test when they have their first physical with the team.

“This is why we do the baseline testing, so that we know what normal is for that individual,” Walters said. “We know what a normal reaction time is for that individual. We know what their normal memory recall is, so that way we can compare, are they cognitively functioning as well as they were before they had the concussion injury.”

In addition to that tool for evaluating a head injury, Walters said the staff also performs a SCAT 2 test, which stands for Sport Concussion Assessment Tool. That test includes the athlete’s rating of their symptoms on a 0-6 scale as well as a cognitive assessment, memory recall and balance examination. If an athlete does suffer a concussion, Walters said they must go 24 hours without experiencing any symptoms. Before the staff can start progressing the athlete back into activity.

“The main thing is that we’re not going to return somebody to play unless we are 100 percent confident that they are able to return without any complications,” Walters said.

Duane and Pam Marrow — Marrow’s parents — had attended every UT game this season except for Syracuse and were watching the contest from their home when Marrow went down. Despite not being there, Duane said the moment was not as devastating as when Marrow tore his ACL and meniscus on the opening kickoff at Northern Illinois in 2008.

“There was actually a couple over from church, and they were sitting there and we were kind of talking back and forth,” Duane Marrow said. “I was looking over to my left talking with them, and as I swung back to the TV I saw Des laying facedown.”

Duane, who played football at Wisconsin, knew that Marrow was most likely knocked out after the hit and prepared Pam for what was about to take place, knowing that their son would be taken off on a stretcher as a precautionary measure.

“I said, ‘Honey, what they’re going to do is just precaution and we’re just going to have to be patient here,’ but that was awkward,” Duane said. “It was awkward in that you’re not there and you can’t do anything. All you can do is pray, and we certainly did that right away.”

Marrow said he was out for a minute or two before waking up. When he came to, he did not want to leave the field on a stretcher and asked to go to the sideline. As he was carted off, Marrow gave the thumbs up to the crowd with his right hand.

“I could move everything,” Marrow said. “I just wanted to let everyone else know that I was fine.”

“We’re just grateful and thankful,” Duane said. “Obviously, that could have been so much worse.”

Tags: Big East, Desmond Marrow, Mike O'Brien, Rocket football, syracuse, Tim Beckman, University of Toledo

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 29th, 2011 at 2:14 pm and is filed under College Football, D3's Corner, Rocket Football, Sports.
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Video of disputed kick

Since Toledo Head Coach Tim Beckman sent e-mails early on the morning of Sept. 25, he has waited for a response from the commissioners of the Big East and Mid-American conferences on his request that Syracuse’s 33-30 victory be vacated due to an incorrectly awarded extra point.

Beckman’s e-mails have yet to be answered as of the afternoon of Sept. 26, however, MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher released a statement today addressing the situation.

Beckman

“Since the conclusion of the Toledo-Syracuse game, I have been in communication with Big East Commissioner, John Marinatto, along with Rogers Redding, Secretary-Rules Editor of the NCAA Football Rules Committee,” Steinbrecher wrote. “By rule once the game is declared over the score is final and there is no recourse to reverse an outcome. (Rule 1, Section 1, Article 3, Paragraph b of the 2011 NCAA Football Rules and Interpretations.)

“I share the frustration and regret with our Toledo coaches, student-athletes, administration and supporters of the Rockets football program. Immediately following the game, Bill Carollo, Coordinator of Officials of the Midwest Football Officials Alliance (MAC, Big Ten, Missouri Valley), reviewed the play and was in contact with Big East Coordinator of Officials, Terry McAuley, and both officials agreed that the ruling on the field and replay official both failed to make the correct call.

“As disappointing as this situation is, we are confident that proper action will be taken by the Big East Conference.”

Tags: Big East, MAC, Rocket football

This entry was posted on Monday, September 26th, 2011 at 4:15 pm and is filed under College Football, Rocket Football, Sports.
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