Perspectives

     My eyes saw a lot of things this past sports week. I wish to make comments accordingly.

     Monday night was the College Football National Championship game between then #3 Georgia and #4 Alabama. Two Southeastern Conference foes, whose states share a sizable common border which is the boundary for the Eastern and Central Time Zones. They don't meet much in the SEC regular season, as they are in different divisions, and they didn't meet this year in the SEC Championship game, largely due to Alabama's in-state arch rival, Auburn, beating the Crimson Tide and thus winning the SEC West. And while Georgia exacted revenge on Auburn for a previous in-season loss to the Tigers and won the SEC Championship, Alabama had to worry that Ohio State or Wisconsin, the winner of the Big Ten Championship, might seize that fourth and last spot in the tournament. Alas, the Buckeyes victory over the Badgers did not put Ohio State ahead of Alabama.

     To get to the Championship round, Alabama had to dethrone defending champion Clemson, who they lost to last year in excruciating fashion for the National Championship. Which they did with a stout defense and just enough offense.

     Georgia won a heart-throbbing overtime contest in the Rose Bowl against then #2 Oklahoma and Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield. Georgia, behind freshman QB Jake Fromm and its two hard-charging running backs along with a ferocious yet suspect defense, could put up points but was vulnerable to giving up big plays.

     The game in Atlanta was a tale of two halves. The first half was dominated by Georgia. What happened in the second half and the overtime proved to be the difference maker for Alabama.

     Nick Saban, the Tide's head coach was dissatisfied with the score and the results produced by his incumbent QB, Jalen Hurts. So Saban benched the QB, who had two career playoff wins.

     He inserted 5 star recruit Tua Tagovailoa to start the second half. A bold move in that Tagovailoa had only seen limited action throughout the season. The Hawaiian lefty, from the same high school that current Tennessee Titans QB Marcus Mariotta attended, almost single-handedly drove the Tide to a most unlikely victory. Right after suffering a big sack that cost the Tide 16 yards in overtime, with Georgia ahead on a field goal, Tagovailoa connected with Henry Ruggs III, another true freshman on a go pattern for the winning score.

     Alabama played hurt, having to play a true freshman at the critical left tackle spot. Tagovailoa escaped a sack and ran for a crucial first down late in the fourth quarter. Alabama had talent and a lot of luck on its side. They deserved to win--this coming from a Georgia native rooting hard for the Bulldogs. The Tide simply dominated Georgia in the second half, and Georgia abandoned its successful run first mentality and fell too much in love with the pass. As well as the Bulldogs' freshman QB Jake Fromm played on Monday night, he was out dueled by his Elite 11 roommate and close friend, Tagovailoa.

     Yet what bothered me were four plays that the Big Ten officiating crew missed which might have made the game turn out differently.  Calls were either made incorrectly on the field or no penalty marker was thrown. And Alabama was the beneficiary of all four of these officiating miscues.

     On the first possession of the second half, Alabama lined up to punt on fourth and eight at its own 24 yard line. Georgia made a concerted rush towards the punter and blocked the kick. The Georgia player was flagged for being offside. Replays showed that he had anticipated the snap and was not in the neutral zone.

     Additionally, that same replay showed that Alabama had three players flinch prior to the snap. That was a second penalty missed by the officials. Instead, Alabama got the 5 yards on the penalty and executed a much better punt.

     These officials also missed a clear face mask penalty against Alabama; a deliberate shove of Fromm by an Alabama defender after the play had been whistled dead; and with 3:56 to go, on fourth down near the Georgia goal line, another false start was not called against the Crimson Tide.

     This is not sour grapes; Alabama won the game and should have based upon its level of play. But to get four significant plays wrong by missing obvious calls that bolstered the Tide and definitely hurt the Bulldogs was not right.

     There has to be a system whereby replay officials can spot fouls or overrule calls on the field without a challenge from a head coach or after a touchdown. It may be burdensome to start. Presently, outcomes of games are left to the officials' discretion and can, as in this instance, directly affect the result. In this game, too much was at stake and the officials' mistakes determined a victor. That cannot occur any longer.

     A second thing which I was fervently rooting for came true. The Philadelphia Eagles, the top seed in the NFC, led by QB Nick Foles, who replaced star starting QB Carson Wentz in week 14 when Wentz's knee was torn up, dethroned the defending NFC champs, the Atlanta Falcons on a windy and cold day in South Philadelphia.

     The Eagles now play the Minnesota Vikings for the right to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Philadelphia will host this game based on its NFC-leading 13 wins.

     Had the Eagles lost to the Falcons, and had Minnesota won its game versus the Saints in Minneapolis, then the second-seeded Vikings would have played at home for two or, if they had beaten Atlanta, three games, since this year's Super Bowl is being held in Minnesota's gleaming gem of a stadium. No cold, outdoor matches for the Vikings; no travel plans disrupting preparation for the next game. I find that this is not fair.

     Up to now, it hasn't happened where a team could have stayed home for all its playoff games. As it is, after the Vikings' miraculous last play win today, they still are in position to host the Super Bowl with a win in Philadelphia next week. This has never happened before. Nor should it. The National Football League needs a series of neutral sites that are rotated to insure that this kind of scenario cannot occur. The integrity of the sport demands no less.

     Sticking with football, a large number of underclassmen have declared for the NFL Draft, foregoing the remainder of their college career.  Many will be drafted--there are a number of legitimate first round picks in this group, including 6 quarterbacks who can impact a team's immediate future like Wentz and the Los Angeles Rams' QB Jared Goff. Most will likely not complete school and obtain a degree.

     I have never liked this system, but it isn't going to change. Colleges are not going to fund athletes who leave for the professional ranks if they don't make it with the NFL. I recognize the familial need for money in a sport which is violent and where injury happens way too often, derailing promising careers.

     That is not my beef here. Included in the ranks of underclassmen leaving college early were a punter and a place kicker. A punter and a place kicker?? Those are generally undrafted positions, filled with a litany of free agents. Are these legitimately good and talented players who are ready to play in the NFL, or are they making a big mistake by not staying in college for all four years of eligibility? It is more likely that they will not have lengthy professional careers. I wish they had stayed in school to develop a back up plan should they get cut after trying to make a team.

     Then there was the boorish fan sitting court side in Milwaukee who yelled a stream of obscenities at Golden State's Klay Thompson after a hard foul by the Bucks left Thompson sprawled out near the fans underneath the basket. The mild-tempered Thompson didn't like what he heard and reacted disgustedly. Teammates ran to Thompson's aid, removing him from an ugly situation while also voicing their disapproval for the fans's vulgarities.

     Arena security acted quickly and decisively. The fan was removed from that precious and probably costly seat due to his behavior. And rightfully so. No matter how much one pays for a seat, no matter the level of play or the zealous  rooting for the home team, no player should be subjected to a stream of obscene remarks. Nor should other fans have to endure the fan and his discourteous and rude behavior.

     I applaud the Bucks for training their staff to act in the manner that they did. I hope that this clown has his ability to attend college and pro games revoked throughout the country. This guy deserves no less. Money and prestige do not entitle a fan to act inappropriately. I cannot say if alcohol was a factor. That is another subject for another time.

     Finally--a note to broadcasters. Stop over-hyping situations. Many times it is not factually accurate and detracts from the game itself.

     My reference is to the recent Rutgers-Michigan State basketball game. The then-second ranked Spartans were at home in East Lansing and they could not shake Rutgers until the end of over time to secure the victory.

     As Rutgers matched scores with Michigan State, the announcers talked about how this could be a signature win for the embattled program if RU prevailed. Rutgers, replete with many years of losing and not having gone to the NCAA tournament since 1991, was moving forward, heading in the right direction under Coach Steve Pikiell. A win here would have been big for the program.

     To say that this would be a signature win was simply inaccurate. Rutgers would have to follow this up with more wins and earn an NCAA bid to make this statement have real meaning. Otherwise, a win by the Scarlet Knights would have been considered a big upset win on the road if they played inconsistently the reminder of the season. Moreover, Michigan State would have to make a deep run into the regular season and the NCAA tournament to justify this being a signature win. Which the Spartans may do, notwithstanding arch-rival Michigan's dominant win on Saturday over State.

     At least Michigan State's loss was justification that had RU won, this victory would not have been a signature win over a team that is now going to tumble in the polls. I look at Rutgers football's 2006 Thursday night prime time win over second-ranked Louisville in a packed stadium. That was lauded as a signature win. It did lead to some good teams under Coach Greg Schiano. When he left, and with the entry into the Big Ten, the quality wins have been few and far between.

     In the meantime, I will wait, as patiently as I have since 1991 regarding Rutgers basketball and a lot of years with football, for the day when I can look back and point to one game as the spark to RU having top-rated teams.

     A nap sounds better.