Final Play

[JoeyGetherall]

lol Sorry came off rude, wasn't meant that way toward you. I was more pointing out why do we care what some nobody zero's have to say.

No worries... yeah I'm a Lions fan. Harrington can go fly a kite.

 

[Rhode Irish]

Are you kdding me!!! Turn on your fahking tv! As soon as these aholes start talking about the game it ends with this. Mandel spoke of this as well in his afternoon game breakdowns.

I don't have a problem with a talking head bringing up the play and saying it was close and maybe even saying they thought the call was wrong. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, even though I think the call was pretty obviously correct for a number of reasons (mainly it was blown dead before he scored and even if he wasn't, his elbow was down before the ball broke the plane).

These guys get paid to talk about stuff. Most of them aren't that smart; they're just saying whatever they think will get the most interest. I think it would be a mistake to let that cheapen your enjoyment of a great win. As far as I can tell, a couple guys say they think the play was called wrong; I haven't heard anyone say it tarnishes the win or we didn't earn it or the NCAA should award Stanford the victory. So who cares? Let them say whatever they want. It doesn't change anything.

 

[Patulski]

Who gives a ****. We're 6-0. That's all that matters. Repeat after me: We're 6-0.

 

[MPClinton22]

Notre Dame was good, but also lucky vs. Stanford - College Football News | FOX Sports on MSN

What a joke. He completely analyzes the Golson unnecessary roughness penalty incorrectly. He is 100% down and that's not even debatable.

Also, no mention of the Golson fumble after he stepped out of bounds? That also seems like a pretty big oversight by the officiating crew. What an idiot. We gifted them their only touchdown with a terrible play call from our own 1 yard line. If anything, THEY were lucky to have even been in this game.

Regardless, that was the most incredible moment of my ND football experience (albeit it is pretty short considering I've only been an ND fan for 3 years). But I honestly don't know if anything will top it. I suppose winning a national championship would, but that's neither here nor there!

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

Find me a team that hasn't been "lucky" this year. I don't really care how we win as long as we win. We control our own destiny. Win out and we are playing for the national championship.

 

[Fbolt]

Pereira: Stanford did score TD on 4th down - Notre Dame Football Blog - ESPN

 

[ThePiombino]

Here's a huge ****ing surprise- Mark May is certain Taylor scored. **** you.

 

[kmoose]

No worries... yeah I'm a Lions fan. Harrington can go fly a kite.

Funny story about Harrington; During the Ducks' 2001 season, after the last game of the season, 11-1 Oregon was not in the top 2 of the BCS. When asked about this, Joey Harrington made a comment about how East Coast Sportswriters didn't know how good Oregon was, because they were in bed when most Oregon games started. Sounds logical, you say? Well, someone should have informed douchebag Harrington that the Sportswriters, meaning the AP poll, had Oregon ranked at #2. What kept Oregon out of the top 2 spots in the BCS was their normal pathetic OOC schedule... a Wisconsin team that went 5-7, a pre-Urban Meyer Utah, and Utah State. But Jackrag Harrington was complaining about the "East Coast Bias". F Harrington!

 

[yankeeND]

Mark May is never gonna give us respect, and as for the rest of the media being ridiculous, don't sweat it! This may actually mean that we are back! The more we win and the more hate we get the more I know the ND is a very and I mean very good football team! If you don't get that then I am not sure you understand the history of this school. I mean I actually became a fan in 1993 during the FSU game. Not just because they won but because my step-dad actually despises them. Not that I don't love my step-dad but there was something behind that hate that made me look further and that's where I found out about 11 NC's, 7 Heismans Trophy winners, all the All-Americans, Knute Rockne, The Rocket, etc etc. I am forever indebted to him for leading me to be a fan of this amazing program and school! Others have said it but I will say it again Embrace the Hate!

 

[IrishLax]

The ESPN rules expert was pretty fair.... it's not clear whether or not:

1. His progress was already stopped and the play blown dead (though it sure appears that way with the ref running in from the side and him laying on top of bodies).

2. His elbow touched prior to the ball crossing the goal line.

IF YOU ARE NOT 100% SURE ON BOTH OF THOSE COUNTS THEN THE PLAY STANDS AS CALLED.

 

[Emcee77]

Because the whistle blew, they really shouldn't have even reviewed it. I see that even as more of a courtesy.

Right? I mean its pretty clear from the replay ... At a certain point, ND's defense started celebrating and Taylor only halfheartedly reached across the goal line ... Because the whistle had blown. Totally unfair if you reverse that.

But ... I thought he got in on second down. I would like to see that one again.

 

[greyhammer90]

Right? I mean its pretty clear from the replay ... At a certain point, ND's defense started celebrating and Taylor only halfheartedly reached across the goal line ... Because the whistle had blown. Totally unfair if you reverse that.

But ... I thought he got in on second down. I would like to see that one again.

This I can agree with. I even told my gf that they were gonna review that and it was a touchdown.

 

[Who'saWildManNow]

Per ESPN blog.. I remember hearing the whistle blow before he reached the ball out.. whatever, we're catching the breaks this year, deal with it.

Pereira: Stanford did score TD on 4th down

By Ted Miller | ESPN.com
RECOMMEND19TWEET3COMMENTS93EMAILPRINT
Yes, Stanford scored a touchdown and should have been a PAT away from tying Notre Dame and forcing a second overtime, according to Mike Pereira, former NFL vice president of officiating and current rules analyst at Fox Sports.

It doesn't matter, of course. The 20-13 final score will remain in the favor of Notre Dame. And there were plenty of ways Stanford could have left no doubt.

But if it feels good -- or good in a bad way -- to hear this then hear this: Stanford, you did get screwed.

At least, that's Pereira's take.

Pereira told the Fox studio and then later explained with his Tweets afterwards that the Pac-12 officiating crew blew the call.
Tweet one: "We have looked at ND/STA last play from every angle & feel that it is a TD. Progress was not ruled & runner was not down. Ball broke plain [sic]."

Tweet two: "Back to ND/STA. Piece all the shots together. Field level shot from inside near the goal post shows the left elbow is not down before TD."

Said Stanford coach David Shaw after the game: "Well, I didn't get to view the last play. Stepfan [Taylor] swore to me that he got in and that he put the ball over the goal line on the second effort. Officials looked at it and they said he didn't get in, so we didn't get in."

When asked to comment on the officials, Shaw said: "I'm not going to comment on the officials."

Officials blow calls all the time. Don't forget this was a Pac-12 crew. And it was a close call.

But the sting of a tough loss probably will sting a little bit more on the Farm based on how it ended.

 

[IrishJayhawk]

The ESPN rules expert was pretty fair.... it's not clear whether or not:

1. His progress was already stopped and the play blown dead (though it sure appears that way with the ref running in from the side and him laying on top of bodies).

2. His elbow touched prior to the ball crossing the goal line.

IF YOU ARE NOT 100% SURE ON BOTH OF THOSE COUNTS THEN THE PLAY STANDS AS CALLED.

^This

I was surprised they didn't reverse it, but the second (fourth?) effort appeared to be after they had already called forward progress stopped.

Doesn't matter. Don't care. We win. Suck it.

 

[BGIF]

First of all if that was Wood with the ball and ND going for the tying score, most of you same guys complaining it wasn't a score, would be complaining it was.

I thought he reached out with second, third, or fourth effort and did break the plane with the ball.(BTW, what professional head of NFL officials spells the word "plain". You and I may make those spelling errors not someone making interpetation of rules his life work.)

OK, for the moment, accept for the exercise that he broke the plane, so why didn't either of the two PAC 10 Officials that were right on top of the play, the Umpire, in the End Zone no more looking down at the plane from 3 feet away directly in front of the play, and the Head Linesman right on the goal line signal "TOUCHDOWN"?

Both with a clear, unobstructed, local view of the play yet neither one signaled TD on their own and after conferring again neither signalled "Touchdown".

So why no TD, because the whistle blew ending the play in the those two officials viewpoint before Taylor broke the plane. Taylor could have run the ball into the end zone but the play was d-e-a-d before he got there.

The play was reviewed approriately as it was the major play of the game and there was not sufficient evidence to overturn the field call.

This wasn't a team cheated out of it's last down or given an 5th down. It was simply a call of forward progress stopped and the whistle blown ending the play (and game) before the ball broke the plane. Doesn't matter where his elbow, knee or anything else was.

One may argue the ref blew the whistle too soon but an inadvertent whistle still blows the play dead. BUT this wasn't inadvertent. The ref blew the whistle in his judgement when the play was over and since it was 4th down in OT by the defending team (took the ball second), GAME OVER!

Announcers and writers with no bias will discuss the play. The Bush Push was a rules violation and a penalty BUT it was NOT called so "TOUCHDOWN" and ND lost. It made for a lot of hits on websites, sold papers, and got viewers to tune in to hear about/see it. So will this. For those with bias it will feed those closed minds.

Judgement calls are part of sports. This judgement on the field made by at least two refs, not one rogue ref, both in position, on top of the play, not 30 yds away, was upheld correctly by the replay offical.

Then there's the point that no other official on the field signalled Touchdown. There was no disagreement within the officiating crew.

 

[OhioIrishFan]

Haven't seen anyone on here mention it yet, so if you have sorry I missed it but ...

Don't anyone feel ONE BIT SORRY for this if you feel we 'got away with one' ... We've been OWED ONE SINCE THAT DIRTY SOB REGGIE BUSH SHOVED LEINHART IN SEVEN YEARS AGO.

Anyone who wants to give ND grief over that better have been just as upset when Bush pushed in his QB ... but I'm sure they weren't.

 

[Jebediah Springfield]

From what I can tell from the replays Taylor didn't score on 2nd down nor 4th down.

 

[BGIF]

Haven't seen anyone on here mention it yet, so if you have sorry I missed it but ...

Don't anyone feel ONE BIT SORRY for this if you feel we 'got away with one' ... We've been OWED ONE SINCE THAT DIRTY SOB REGGIE BUSH SHOVED LEINHART IN SEVEN YEARS AGO.

Anyone who wants to give ND grief over that better have been just as upset when Bush pushed in his QB ... but I'm sure they weren't.

The clip on Rocket's K.O. TD versus Colorado.

The phantom call in the Coliseum that cost a National Championship in '64.

The lack of holding calls in any Michigan game.

etc, etc, etc

They don't even out.

Syracuse is still bitching about Perkowski's extra FG attempt After The Gun in '61 that won the game for ND. Syracuse's President wrote a letter to Fr Hesburgh appealing to his sense of fair play to give the victory back to the Orangemen. Fr Hesburgh politely wrote back that officals who know the rules made the correct call and we're keeping the victory, thank you. Syracuse commited a foul on a game ending missed ND FG. The refs ruled on the field that the game couldn't end on a penalty although there was no rule stating that at the time. It was subsequently added.

 

[Grahambo]

Would be nice to hear the opinion coming from the refs themselves. It would minimize the chatter.

Even if the whistle wasn't blown as some claim, the refs can rule a play dead. I've seen that before too.

As has been pointed out numerous times, the ref was running in to spot the ball before Taylor did anything else. His forward progress was stopped.

People hate because it gets them clicks and comments. Haters get attention more then supporters. Its fuel to a fire.

Read Pat Force's column this AM, you'll feel better.

 

[wakeuptheechoes]

We all remember the "Bush Push." Or better yet, Colorado's 5th down in 1990 against Missouri that preceded the phantom call in the Orange Bowl against ND that invariably stole the game. Both of these plays benefited Colorado, but no one cares when they talk about the NC that Colorado won

I personally thought that forward progress had been stopped. However, I am admittedly biased. It was really really close. We are fortunate that he was called down on the field. I do not believe they would have reversed the call if they had signaled TD on the field. I don't believe they thought they had enough to reverse the call, so whatever was called on the field was going to stand. That being said, if we continue to win this will be a non story.

 

[Count_on_Me]

**** them all!! Just means we are back!! 6-0

I would love to hear some talk of Stanford and their intimidating the Qb all game with no call late hits.

 

[IrishFBfanatic]

He did score...after the play. That's the equivalent of Cierre Wood getting up after being tackled on the 25 and running past all the defenders and refs to the end zone...it wouldn't count because the play is over. These guys are assuming Taylor gets all the time in the world to score. His momentum was stopped...TWICE. Refs decided "OK he's stopped" they blow it dead. ND celebrates (letting up their push) and Taylor falls forward, squirreling his way close to the endzone and fumbling the ball across the line.

No Whistle: Manti breaks that kid in half. Whistle: NO TD WE WIN! Cant score whenever you want to...gotta score DURING the play. GO IRISH! 6-0

 

[phork]

IMO.

 

[shalom]

He did score...after the play. That's the equivalent of Cierre Wood getting up after being tackled on the 25 and running past all the defenders and refs to the end zone...it wouldn't count because the play is over. These guys are assuming Taylor gets all the time in the world to score. His momentum was stopped...TWICE. Refs decided "OK he's stopped" they blow it dead. ND celebrates (letting up their push) and Taylor falls forward, squirreling his way close to the endzone and fumbling the ball across the line.

No Whistle: Manti breaks that kid in half. Whistle: NO TD WE WIN! Cant score whenever you want to...gotta score DURING the play. GO IRISH! 6-0

That Taylor and Shaw are even disputing this is a complete lack of class. Watching the game live the play is clearly dead. The announcers even declare that Notre Dame has won before Taylor wiggles his way into the end zone AFTER the Notre Dame players stop playing.

On the replay Teo is RIGHT BY the ball in Taylor's hands and he leaves the pile to celebrate before Taylor sneaks into the end zone. FFS you can see the SIDELINE OFFICIAL already running into frame before Taylor crosses the plane. That's a sure sign that the play had been called dead on the field.

If you need any reassurance rewatch how Manti reacts during 3rd down, when he meets Taylor on top of the pile when Taylor tries to go over. He continues to shove Taylor AFTER he's stopped his progress for a good 2-3 seconds until the whistles blow. Just watch the last 2 plays. It's very clear. Teo would never have stopped on the final play, let alone leave with Taylor right next to him unless the play had been called.

Shaw is embarrassed that he failed with 4 straight run plays so he's crying about everything from the crowd to officiating to lost 3rd down conversions, etc

Taylor, like a disgrace tries to sneak a ball in after the play is dead then has the gall to complain about being called on it by officials.

Pereira is a disgrace. First of all in that blog he doesn't talk about the actual blown call: the ball misspot after the 3rd down review. He doesn't know the BCS RULE for helmet to helmet tackling. Then he obviously didn't even watch the game live and comments based on replay.

To be clear, Taylor DID cross the plane. After the game was called over by the officials. The replay can only do what it does: show whether Taylor crossed. He did. What it doesn't show is when the whistle was blown. You don't get 5 years to cross after you'd already been stopped in forward progress and the play is whistled the players leave the pile, the officials start running in and then you sneak the ball in for a TD.

 

[Riddickulous]

MGoBlog (surprise!) complaining about stadium music, fake whistles, Notre Dame home referee bias, etc.:

Notre Dame home games, fake ref whistles, and a pattern. | mgoblog

 

[MPClinton22]

MGoBlog (surprise!) complaining about stadium music, fake whistles, Notre Dame home referee bias, etc.:

Notre Dame home games, fake ref whistles, and a pattern. | mgoblog

Just one question. Do we have our players taught to ONLY react to the REAL whistles? Because if not then how do they know to ignore the fake ones? What a joke. Teams and fans are looking for any excuse for Notre Dame not being back. They're going to have to continue to get more creative. That's all I can say.

 

[gkIrish]

MGoBlog (surprise!) complaining about stadium music, fake whistles, Notre Dame home referee bias, etc.:

Notre Dame home games, fake ref whistles, and a pattern. | mgoblog

To be perfectly honest, I have never heard other schools pump music into the stadium after the snap count begins. I wonder if it breaks an unwritten rule to do what we do.

 

[MPClinton22]

I may be remembering incorrectly but doesn't the music stop once the team gets up to the line of scrimmage? I'm usually pretty distracted and not paying attention to the music.

It's just stupid that Shaw made these comments publicly. Just makes him look like a whiny baby who refuses to believe his team got beat.

 

[kmoose]

So ND has genetically altered it's football players so that they can tell the difference between the "real whistle" of the referees, and the "fake whistle" of the man planted in the stands. A fake whistle would affect BOTH teams equally!

 

[rikkitikki08]

This people are seeing what they want to see, they are upset because ND won.....It was the right call, and i would honestly say that if it was stanford on defense.