No harm, no foul

Quinton Dial will be playing in the national title game.  The hair the SEC split belonged to Aaron Murray:

Shaw, speaking today with the Smashmouth Radio Network on ESPN 97.3 The Zone in Birmingham, said the nature of the play was “very different” than the three that have resulted in one-game suspensions over the past two years.

“This was an interception return. The player being blocked, no question he was the quarterback, but if he moved to participate in the play, he’s a defender,” Shaw said. “From an officiating perspective, we had a missed call. There should have been a flag on the play for a personal foul, unnecessary roughness.”

The conference went on to say that all subsequent action will be handled internally by the two institutions.  I guess Aaron will have to run stadium steps for letting himself be turned into a defender.

79 Comments

Filed under SEC Football

79 responses to “No harm, no foul

  1. Spike

    Who didn’t see that coming? Sarcasm ends.

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  2. Puffdawg

    “…subsequent action to be handled internally by the two institutions.”

    Are we getting a player to be named later?

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  3. Cojones

    You said it. It was a missed foul, no more. Murray became just another defending player who was fouled and it wasn’t because he was the QB. Sorry it happened. Murray stated that he had the breath knocked out of him and that’s why he was recovering on the sideline. That ends the story for me and Dial plays.

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    • Gerga Bulldougs

      You and Shaw have both missed the point. The “nature of the play” is bullshit. It was a helmet to helmet shot. That is all that matters, it is black and white. The SEC isn’t showing any consistency in it’s procedures. This gives the perception that if the next game is important enough, we’ll let it slide.

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      • Cojones

        If it was a normal and legal block why would Shaw agree that a foul was missed? You have missed the point if you can’t see that he and I agree with you. It was MISSED. He isn’t condoning it and neither am I. Unlike you, we concede that it was missed.

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        • Gerga Bulldougs

          That’s nice. That also has nothing to do with what my post was about. I thought I made it pretty clear that I am referring to the AFTERMATH, not the in-game incident itself. Dial should be suspended. It’s that simple. If you can’t see that than there’s not much I can do to convince you.

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        • Uglydawg

          Here’s why it’s bullshit….The player who had (not) caught the ball was on the ground when he made the play..Even if it were and interception, the play was dead immediatly. The hit on Murray was as he was leaving the field because of the “turnover’…This “legitimate block” thing is pure and simple bullshit. I don’t think he should be suspended…I think the ref should be suspended for a year for not calling it.

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  4. If WR’s are defenseless, then why aren’t defenders? The NFL has acknowledged there is no difference. If the SEC is going to suspend people, they need to adopt a more rational thought process for doing soHAHAHA… no, I’m kidding. Rational thought has nothing to do with football at any level.

    But, seriously, a helmet-to-helmet hit on a defenseless defender (fifteen yards away from the tackle, mind you) should carry the same weight as a safety lighting up a WR with his shoulder… which is to say, perhaps the SEC shouldn’t be suspending people for these hits. Flag it then. Make the play affect the current game. Don’t let it affect another game. If you don’t get it flagged, train the refs to do better or find better refs.

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    • Cojones

      Be careful with the mature and reasonable thought here, Trey. Because it happened to a guy we all love, invoking reason puts you on an island with the likes of me. Trying to get folks to accept it and decrease their anger will put us both in a rowboat with a leaky bottom.

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      • I’ll buy some Flex Seal. I hear it does wonders on boats with leaks.

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      • Hackerdog

        Just because some of us would like to see consistency from the conference office doesn’t mean we’re unreasonable and immature. We just like consistency. Dial made a helmet to helmet shot that everyone has acknowledged should have been a personal foul. This season, the SEC has stated that helmet to helmet hits are an area of focus that will result in suspensions. And they have suspended a few players because of that. And now they have chucked all that and stated that they weren’t serious.

        It seems obvious that the more reasonable approach would be a consistent one. Either keep up with suspensions for your special area of concern of helmet to helmet hits, or just acknowledge that it’s football and people are going to get the snot knocked out of them and you’re not going to do anything about it. I can live with either one. But I don’t like a South Carolina player getting suspended and an Alabama player getting a pass.

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  5. Lrgk9

    A HELL of a lot more flagrant than the call on Ogletree !

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    • Kyle

      Yeah the worst thing about the whole situation is that Ogletree got a helmet-to-helmet foul earlier in the game that was MUCH more questionable than the hit by Dial.

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      • Derek

        What was just awesome about the play with tree was that there was no flag until McCarron jumped up, turned around and whined to the ref. Then the flag came out.

        This is is why I favor the dont get mad, get even approach. If dial wants to line up our qb and try to take him out, do the same to their guy. The next time a player has a chance to do it they should have had him do the nick fairley move where you square him up, grab both hips, pull him closely lifting the feet just off the ground and then a full weighted nose dive. Take the 15 and send the message that we didn’t appreciate dials “block.”

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        • Mayor of Dawgtown

          Personally I favor retaliation against the guy who did it. Next time Dial was on the field multiple players should have hit Dial legally, if possible, and otherwise, too. Cut blocks, chop blocks, helmet shots from the blind side, shots in the back–you name it. Stomping on a hand. You gotta stand up for your teammates if the refs are crooked. Otherwise people will think you’re wusses and will do more of it.

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      • And yet no talk of Ogletree being suspended?

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  6. Rocket Dawg

    Typical hypocrisy and double standard from the SEC offices Re: any team that has a shot at the MNC. If we had won the game the Bammers would have been howling about the hit on McCarron and having Tree suspended. That wouldn’t have happened either. It’s all about $$$$$

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  7. chuck

    Damn, just saw some guys at Roll Bama Roll talking about this play: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze9FrbEBp9k . I’ll not say a word about the Dial incident again.

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    • Two wrongs don’t make a right. Suspend the shit of that moron too, but don’t tell me that they don’t deserve it.

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      • Debby Balcer

        +1

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      • heyberto

        Exactly. I’m not going to Suggest we get a pass. The flagrant nature Of Dawson’s infraction is far less defensible than Dial’s, quite honestly. But I’m not going to say one cancels the other out.

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        • Debby Balcer

          really launching and hitting helmet to helmet is much more dangerous.

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          • heyberto

            I understand that, I’m only saying one issue does not negate the other, and our guy deserves to be punished for the infraction he committed. Dial’s may have been just as flagrant, but it’s getting a benefit of the doubt because it was associated with the play, and not some smack talk that happened between plays.

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  8. wnc dawg

    I’m just glad they settled the question of if it was the quarterback or not. Steve really stepped up and made a definitive statement. Good for him.

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  9. Bulldog Joe

    “all subsequent action will be handled internally by the two institutions”

    Does this mean Murray is suspended for the bowl game?

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  10. Uglydawg

    The play was dead when the player hit the ground not catching the ball.
    Suspend the Ref that didn’t call it. For a year or forever would suit me.

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    • sniffer

      Ugly, are you having a hard time following this thread? Are we talking about what you’re talking about?

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      • Uglydawg

        It’s quite possible. :C) either way. . I was thinking the ugly hit on Murray came after the interception during Georgia’s last possession. I guess it was earlier. Please pardon my poor memory. I remember Murray trotting to the sidelines when he was hit pretty late.

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  11. South FL Dawg

    Hit to the head. I don’t know that I’m utterly shocked but I am moderately surprised. Silly me.

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  12. Brian Dawg

    AJ gets flagged for basically scoring a late TD against LSU-that year’s darling of the SEC. Fairley gets away with assault on AM b/c AU is in the top spot. AM gets hit hard helmet-to-helmet while playing AL-surprise. NO FLAG. It seems that, the bigger the stage, the more likely we get flagged for PWG or either we get these egregiously atrocious non-calls (even worse).
    Or maybe it’s just me…

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  13. El Dawgo in El Paso

    I don’t necessarily agree with the ruling, nor with the lack of penalties called on the Gumps during the game, but I want to point out that Aaron Murray is one tough cookie and a DGD!

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  14. Mark

    Dial left his feet and led with his helmet. I guess that suspension is no longer required for such hits. Or more likely, if your next game is big enough, there won’t be any suspension even for illegal hits. So much for player safety.

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  15. cube

    Figures. And zero mention of the fact that he led with his helmet right into Murray’s helmet.

    I hope Notre Dame kicks the crap out of Bammer.

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  16. HVL Dawg

    Cam Newton’s daddy couldn’t possibly have been a real agent, so Cam’s suspended for yesterday and is reinstated today.

    Go SEC!

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  17. We know Little Nicky isn’t going to sit Dial. My question is whether he ends up with any discipline. Maybe the only punishment would be to force him to go to class for one hour. Does anyone think the Bammer media will ask Saban anything about it?

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    • Cojones

      Richt has already disciplined Dawson for the perceived eye poke which he freely admits to. Richt can only take care of what UGA players do and has done so. We man up. If others don’t, then that’s their problem and there isn’t shit we can do about it except bitch, but if you wish to see an example of childish fan behavior, go to the Bama thread (chuck: 11:37) and read the remarks. If you want to come off like that, have at it.

      Hang’em high, yall.

      On other fronts the Dawgs practiced for the first time since the SECCG. Anyone know how that went?

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      • I thought CMR did the right thing by disciplining Dawson and being public about it. I also like that Dawson manned up and apologized. My only point is that the Alabama media doesn’t have the guts to ask Saban. They’re afraid of being 37Fed.

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  18. 69Dawg

    SEC = Bad Refing. It is an old story. The fact that the refs favor some teams and purnish others is a fact. I had hoped that Shaw would finally bring some professionalism to the mess but I guess he is just another toady.

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  19. Dog in Fla

    Between Nick Fairly and this hit, there is no reason in the world why Aaron Murray should hang around for another year. If he’s going to have to put up with bullshit like this, go pro and get paid for it.

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    • Cojones

      That’s the greatest reasoning for Aaron to go pro that I’ve seen. Yep, he won’t get hit any worse than from a D in the SEC. Our D’s are as big as the NFL’s and hit just as hard. His badge of courage has been well earned and should never be forgotten by us.

      For those wanting revenge (as I did for Fairley’s hit and Taylor’s antics), we have started by kicking Auburn in their collective asses for two years and two more years should just about pull us even for that incident and slight. Do that to Bama starting next year and that ought to get us started back on that road to self respectability. But, gee, the regular season schedule will be so watered down with the fans by then that I doubt that anyone will do anything except yawn. I have that word straight from the chrystal ball gazers into the future of what a playoff will do to our cfb world.

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      • Slaw Dawg

        Yep, takes about 4-5 years of beating AU’s brains in to even up 2010. But we still have a number of other historical wrongs to avenge with those people, so a double digit run of beat downs seems in order to me. I’m just starting to think we almost have the ship righted with the NATS. And we need to rain blows on the Saurians like Holyfield on Tyson (or Tyson on Spinks) for a couple of decades.

        All that and an SEC title or 10 the next few decades, and the world will feel pretty good to me before I cash in my chips.

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      • heyberto

        I’ve found beating Auburn so handedly a moderate consolation, mostly because I saw Chizik preaching that cheap shots is not indicative of an AU team (Bullshit), and karma came back around on him pretty hard, both at UGA’s hands on the field and at AU’s hands after the season. But I have to admit, I hate we never got another shot at that thug Farelly, probably more so than anyone else.

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        • cube

          We didn’t have to wait for another shot at him. We had our chance DURING the 2010 game and did NOTHING. After one final cheap shot at the END of the game, a couple of linemen FINALLY went after him.

          We have nobody to blame but ourselves.

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  20. Cojones

    By the way, I hope Bama wipes the deck with ND since we can’t be there to do it..

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  21. heyberto

    Let me get this straight. AJ got benched for 4 games for selling a Jersey he owned. Dial gets nothing for a dangerous helmet to helmet illegal hit. Yeah, that makes sense.

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    • The Lone Stranger

      But, see, here is what you’re missing … in the AJ case the NCAA was kept out of the loop on a lucrative money-making transaction by one of its “field hands” (so to speak, of course). With pesos involved the “governing” body just cannot be expected to sit idly by. With Murray and the Dawgs out of the way, the SEC and by extension NCAA can reel in those 30+ million sets of eyeballs (and MUCHO pesos) in the title game “everyone” lusted for.

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  22. Slive should have his face stepped on by a hobnail boot. LOL

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  23. Lrgk9

    Somebody post a pic or 2 of Dial leaving his feet and the Helmet to helmet.

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  24. Will Trane

    They missed the call. “The conference” reported. Director of SEC officials said so almost immediately after the game and now nearly a week later and possibly thousands and legions of film replay, different angle shots, numerous discussions, gallons of coffee, millions of phone calls back and forth…we understand “the conference” decision. Well, most of us knew what that decision would be at the end of the fourth quarter when the clock stood at 00:00, and Bama goes to National Title game to represent the SEC.
    Frankly, I’m not interested in Dial. But I am very interested in that officiating crew.
    I would like for the SEC to publish every crew prior to each game, the grade of each official after every game, and their cumulative performance as the season progresses.
    This crew, allegedley the best, should be suspended for a minimum of two games, any member should be prohibited from offciating next year’s SEC title game, and officially apologize to Aaron Murray, the UGA coaches, and the AD Department.
    Next the UGA should seek compensation from the SEC for failure to professionally and properly officiate a call and game. “The conference”, if that is what they want to be knows as and retain their statute, should make a monetary paymen to UGA.

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    • Can UGA fans sue SEC and the officiating crew as a group and demand for damages? Similar to lawyers suing companies that go bankrupt for their stake holders? I think it will be a good project for some undergrads in the Law School.

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  25. Always Someone Else's Fault

    The official saw a block, from behind. He was probably looking past that block to the ball-carrier and blockers 7 yards past the Dial/Murray contact. To the extent he saw the block, he did not see what is trained to look for on a play like that, such as a block in the back or the other typical fouls you see on that sort of play.

    Dial’s helmet caught Murray’s around the lower edge and chin strap in the front, which means an official behind the play is going to not going to see the actual point of contact, only the effects. Murray’s head turned, and his body as a whole went backwards quickly and suddenly, but it wasn’t as if his head whipped back in a way that would clearly indicate from behind that the head the first point of contact. Dial’s block, from the official’s angle, doesn’t look like the classic targeting/spearing/launching position.

    So, I’m guessing the official saw the block, but he did not see what WE see – which is the whole hit, frame by frame, from the other side of Murray, the angle which clearly shows helmet hitting helmet.

    It was missed, but it wasn’t a matter of gross negligence or incompetence. I don’t even know why I’m arguing this, because none of it matters, but if we’re all going to be analysts, then we might as well try to at least take a critical look at the facts and attempt to see it from other perspectives, even if we don’t necessarily agree with them.

    It was a physical game, and the officials generally let most of it go, which is actually what I, as a fan, prefer in a game like that – unless I have a direct rooting interest in one team over another. If a ND player lays out McCarron like that, I’m certainly not going to be hitting message boards and demanding that the player be suspended or the crew sued.

    Water under the bridge. Move on.

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    • Brian Dawg

      The hypocrisy of “The Conference” suggesting that they would aggressively address helmet-to-helmet contact-and then totally whiffing on this one is very interesting.
      In the NFL, Dial would be fined at the very minimum.
      Here, they spend a week and then find a way to justify it.

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      • cube

        Exactly. I don’t think anyone is still that peeved about the refs missing the call during the game. This is about the SEC office abandoning their stance on headhunting and player safety in the name of the almighty dollar.

        But it was a nice strawman attempt though.

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  26. Dan

    Says Steve Shaw, Bama alum.
    Sounds about right.

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  27. JaxDawg

    Fuck Dial and fuck Bama. I hope the Domers beat their ass. Yeah, I said it. Fuck you Bama.

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