I'm not going to publicize the guy's email, for a few reasons I won't go into. And, the 2 attachments I referenced were the closeup of the ball and the shot of the official steadying the ball shy of the UNC 24 yd. line. But that said, here's what I sent:
"Mr. *********,
Let me apologize at the outset for emailing ************************* (redacted for reasons alluded to above). The ACC doesn’t provide any contact information for its administration (pretty amateur-ish, in my opinion, but that is another issue).
I will also state at the outset that I am a UNC fan and alum, and I’m aware that I don’t see things objectively wherein my alma mater is concerned. However, the two attachments above are representative of a problem w/ ACC Football officials that is long-running, as I see it. I won’t go into the numerous examples of officiating issues that cannot simply be incompetence wherein UNC is concerned, but instead will focus on this one in hopes that some treatment of the issue and answers can be surfaced. Hopefully, that I bring this up after a UNC victory will preclude an opinion that I’m coming at this from a “sour grapes” perspective.
How could any HONEST official look at that measurement and say that Georgia Tech made that first down (on a fourth down play late in the 3rd quarter)? Forget the fact that the 4 down set started w/ the chain squarely on the UNC 34 yard line, and ended w/ the ball shy of the 24 yd. marker…which that alone proves GT didn’t make it (watch the video), but that’s not the point. I’m focused on the official looking at that measurement (flawed though it is, and not straight and pulled tight as it should be), and saying “first down”. The nose of the ball is clearly a link, or a link and a half short of reaching the front side of the stick (see the rules for the setup of the yardage chains), which it would HAVE to do to be a first down! Now I ask again, how could any HONEST official make that determination? The answer from my perspective is that we don’t have honest officials, wherein UNC is concerned. Why that is I’m not sure (dominance in other sports, and people just don’t like the idea of UNC being successful in football, too? Maybe, but who knows?).
THAT call wasn’t a subjective judgment; you either do or don’t reach the flagstick in a measurement. In this case, GT didn’t, but in a tight game they were AWARDED a first down they didn’t EARN….which by definition penalizes the UNC team that did its job on the play (stopping Tech shy of the first down marker).
Lastly, as the ACC Football Coordinator of Officials, what sanctions or penalties are you going to pursue on this crew? Whether you believe my assertions or not, you at least have to call that decision an example of gross incompetence.
Thank you for whatever time you gave my email. I look forward to your response. If you’d like a chronicling of other phantom, “mysterious” calls that have gone against UNC Football in crucial situations, I’ll be glad to provide you a list. Be forewarned….that email would be VERY LONG, indeed."
And of course, I signed it and provided my city of origin.
"Mr. *********,
Let me apologize at the outset for emailing ************************* (redacted for reasons alluded to above). The ACC doesn’t provide any contact information for its administration (pretty amateur-ish, in my opinion, but that is another issue).
I will also state at the outset that I am a UNC fan and alum, and I’m aware that I don’t see things objectively wherein my alma mater is concerned. However, the two attachments above are representative of a problem w/ ACC Football officials that is long-running, as I see it. I won’t go into the numerous examples of officiating issues that cannot simply be incompetence wherein UNC is concerned, but instead will focus on this one in hopes that some treatment of the issue and answers can be surfaced. Hopefully, that I bring this up after a UNC victory will preclude an opinion that I’m coming at this from a “sour grapes” perspective.
How could any HONEST official look at that measurement and say that Georgia Tech made that first down (on a fourth down play late in the 3rd quarter)? Forget the fact that the 4 down set started w/ the chain squarely on the UNC 34 yard line, and ended w/ the ball shy of the 24 yd. marker…which that alone proves GT didn’t make it (watch the video), but that’s not the point. I’m focused on the official looking at that measurement (flawed though it is, and not straight and pulled tight as it should be), and saying “first down”. The nose of the ball is clearly a link, or a link and a half short of reaching the front side of the stick (see the rules for the setup of the yardage chains), which it would HAVE to do to be a first down! Now I ask again, how could any HONEST official make that determination? The answer from my perspective is that we don’t have honest officials, wherein UNC is concerned. Why that is I’m not sure (dominance in other sports, and people just don’t like the idea of UNC being successful in football, too? Maybe, but who knows?).
THAT call wasn’t a subjective judgment; you either do or don’t reach the flagstick in a measurement. In this case, GT didn’t, but in a tight game they were AWARDED a first down they didn’t EARN….which by definition penalizes the UNC team that did its job on the play (stopping Tech shy of the first down marker).
Lastly, as the ACC Football Coordinator of Officials, what sanctions or penalties are you going to pursue on this crew? Whether you believe my assertions or not, you at least have to call that decision an example of gross incompetence.
Thank you for whatever time you gave my email. I look forward to your response. If you’d like a chronicling of other phantom, “mysterious” calls that have gone against UNC Football in crucial situations, I’ll be glad to provide you a list. Be forewarned….that email would be VERY LONG, indeed."
And of course, I signed it and provided my city of origin.
