I've read many times on this platform, that there is a bias, amongst Delaney and other conference leaders in favor of Ohio State and Michigan. I understand the history the Big Ten etc etc. But can anyone point out specific actions, aside of the sanction issues, by these people which confirms the bias?
tOSU and UM discussion
- Thread starter Alphalion75
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I see you been around on this board since 2001. Can you honestly say you haven't seen it?
pandaczar12 posted this link in the thread "It's OSUs World; Were just living in it". It's a good place to start
http://btn.com/2014/10/27/video-big-ten-responds-to-controversial-ohio-state-penn-state-calls/
http://btn.com/2014/10/27/video-big-ten-responds-to-controversial-ohio-state-penn-state-calls/
I've never been one to complain about referee calls because those things cut both ways. There's a simple reason why I don't complain about the referee calls. I'm an old school guy. I don't advocate reviewing calls. We should play the game as the referees call it, wrong or right.
Oh so if the refs are blatantly biased, it's ok?
For example how Alabama benefitted from this official, it's ok?
It's not sarcasm. I would really like some facts that I can point to when having such discussions. And please don't point out officials calls during games nor what took place as a result of the sanctions.
So the officials conscientiously decided to screw Clemson or could it be that they simply blew it?
Fair enough. Many people feel bad calls even out over the course of a game. The problem with the 2014 OSU game was there were no calls which resulted in us getting a free possession or three free points. You can even look back a decade ago when OSU converted a big third down on a clearly dropped pass to the TE. It may be true none of the botched calls were intentional and the game officials are simply incompetent. If that's the case the conference should hire people who are competent - but they don't. The definition of job security is "Big Ten official".
Good post Nittpicker. I believe you nailed it. The problem isn't that the B1G leaders have made a conscientious decision to promote only tOSU and Michigan, but that the officiating is questionable to a level of incompetency. I agree that B1G officials are not the best and the problem needs to be addressed.
I concur, living in Columbus since I graduated from PSU, I've had the chance to see Big 10 officiating well before PSU was even a thought as a member. It's bad--really bad. And it tends to hurt the Big 10 teams when they get out in the real world. Part of it is a "no blood, no foul attitude"--the Big 10 plays more physical than is allowed in many conferences. Part of it is just plan bad officiating--though I do not think the Big 10 has a monopoly on that.
I've yet to hear a good explanation as to why the Big Ten would bother to acquire two of the biggest brands in the sport, only to try and devalue them for the sake of Ohio State and Michigan. Or why 8-12 other schools would go along with a conspiracy from the top level towards two programs.
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anon_xdc8rmuek44eq
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I don't recall ever seeing an in conference transfer being granted a waiver to sit a year - until it happened with Michigan and Rudock this year.
How many in conference graduate transfers have happened? I personally don't know of any others.
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anon_xdc8rmuek44eq
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Right - mostly because kids don't want to have to sit out a year.
Iowa granted Rudock his release to any school, the BIG 10 had nothing to do with. Grad Transfers don't have to sit a year as they've already graduated
And who has tried to get a waiver in the past? Which schools have been rejected?
Right now you're making an argument based on zero points of data. At best, one point: Jake Rudock being granted a waiver.
So, to sum up the data: Michigan has applied for a waiver once and been granted a waiver once. No one else that we know of has applied for or been granted a waiver.
Conclusions we can draw from this: 1) Michigan is the only program that will ever be granted a grad transfer waiver. 2) Jake Rudock is the only student that will ever be granted a grad transfer waiver. 3) Only quarterbacks going to Michigan will be granted grad transfer waivers. 4) Jake Rudock and Michigan were the first to apply. He was released and cleared by Iowa so they granted the waiver. Future transfers may or will be treated the same.
The Big Ten doesn't have an exception in place, as of any information I can find, for grad transfers.
http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2015/04/report_big_ten_clears_jake_rud.html
Interesting, when I open this thread, I thought I'd be reading all the examples of B1G officials promoting bias in favor of tOSU and UM. The only items posted in this vein, has been the officiating and the Rudock transfer. Are there no other examples supporting this bias theory?
The BTN is a business and as a business, it is to try to bring in the most revenue. The way to bring in the most revenue is to put content on that brings the greater audience, which, in turn, begets the greater revenue from advertisers.
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anon_xdc8rmuek44eq
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Wrong; any transfer within the B1G is subject to having to sit a year - it's well documented that Rudock received a waiver to go to Michigan.
From Freep: It took a release from Ferentz and a waiver by a special Big Ten subcommittee to transfer within the conference to get him to Michigan as a graduate student.
You're only posting what we know, which while true, doesn't discount what we don't know, which includes the possibility that others have been denied in the past (which is what I am speculating). Certainly, Iowa granting a release without penalty or issue is rare (hmmmm....), as it's well known that most B1G schools do not grant releases for in-conference transfers and/or to schools on their schedules.
http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebask.../58173/big-ten-makes-changes-to-transfer-rule
The fact that Michigan gets one at a serious position of need in Harbaugh's first year leads me to believe, because I don't trust this conference or Delany (the Snake Charmer) one bit, that someone told Ferentz to get in line and be a good little conference puppet.
Is it your belief that Ferentz would not have signed a release if Rudock was going to PSU?
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anon_xdc8rmuek44eq
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There was a pretty comprehensive article from Onward State a few years ago detailing B1G Official Dave Witvoet's history of screwing Penn State (including in our game against Alabama, Michigan in 2014, and several others), but it's since been taken down. Witovet is a Michigan native and has reffed nearly all our games against Michigan. There have been other articles and instances - Lehman's TD against Nebraska, three huge errors in the OSU game, Jesse James 'offsides' on an onside kick recovery against Michigan, and a ref flat out telling McGloin 'you're lucky to be playing'. These are just in the last two years. Go back to Michigan getting time on the clock, heel/toe, and another huge gaff against OSU some years back when their TE wasn't close to catching the ball and it was ruled a catch. Curiously enough, most of our ref issues are with OSU and Michigan.
Not a TD according to B1G Refs:
Offsides according to B1G Refs:
An interception according to B1G refs; and 'plenty of time on the clock' for a FG attempt:
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anon_xdc8rmuek44eq
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Oh, Ferentz may have granted a release for Rudock for Penn State - but I seriously doubt the B1G would approve the waiver so he wouldn't have to sit a year.
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anon_xdc8rmuek44eq
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If you're serious, what you're saying is that a 7-5 Michigan team is more valuable and will bring in more dollars than Penn State potentially playing for a national title (though I still think they would have had a really hard time jumping Texas or USC).
Like @PSU-Knocker said, it's a business. Make the business case for me that having two of the top brands (or one the last decade) in the sport competing on the national stage is more valuable than having four.
So your argument is based entirely on your own speculation that there have been other waivers denied, with absolutely no evidence whatsoever? I mean come on, it's 2016. If someone were trying to transfer in conference there would be a blog story, a message board post, an army of angry commenters when Rudock got approved. Let's see anything.
And again, show me where another program hasn't released a grad transfer to an in-conference opponent. Iowa did. One point of data. Who else has blocked a grad transfer from another Big Ten program?
I admit I was wrong didn't see Big 10 had to grant it as well as Iowa. But still you have nothing but a made up conspiracy that you concocted in your own head. Alpha was looking for something tangible not a fantasy which you provided
There was a pretty comprehensive article from Onward State a few years ago detailing B1G Official Dave Witvoet's history of screwing Penn State (including in our game against Alabama, Michigan in 2014, and several others), but it's since been taken down. Witovet is a Michigan native and has reffed nearly all our games against Michigan. There have been other articles and instances - Lehman's TD against Nebraska, three huge errors in the OSU game, Jesse James 'offsides' on an onside kick recovery against Michigan, and a ref flat out telling McGloin 'you're lucky to be playing'. These are just in the last two years. Go back to Michigan getting time on the clock, heel/toe, and another huge gaff against OSU some years back when their TE wasn't close to catching the ball and it was ruled a catch. Curiously enough, most of our ref issues are with OSU and Michigan.
Not a TD according to B1G Refs:
Offsides according to B1G Refs:
An interception according to B1G refs; and 'plenty of time on the clock' for a FG attempt:
AND, as a reminder, all these visual aids that Midnighter posted occurred after instant replay review was instituted. I'm sure there will be more in the future.
In my opinion, there is no Big Ten sponsored bias against Penn State or for tOSU and Michigan. There has been examples of bad officiating and maybe some individual bias by some of the officials. As for the Big Ten, they (Delaney) only wants to promote the Big Ten... it's often that having tOSU or Michigan be involved in the national championship hunt is what's best for the conference. I don't think there is ever any real conspiracy to affect the outcomes of games, but there may be decisions (division alignment, scheduling, etc.) that result in benefits to tOSU and Michigan. There is absolutely no way that anyone from the Big Ten is coaching officials to give tOSU and Michigan help with calls during the game.
Witvoet is a native of Iowa.There was a pretty comprehensive article from Onward State a few years ago detailing B1G Official Dave Witvoet's history of screwing Penn State (including in our game against Alabama, Michigan in 2014, and several others), but it's since been taken down. Witovet is a Michigan native and has reffed nearly all our games against Michigan. There have been other articles and instances - Lehman's TD against Nebraska, three huge errors in the OSU game, Jesse James 'offsides' on an onside kick recovery against Michigan, and a ref flat out telling McGloin 'you're lucky to be playing'. These are just in the last two years. Go back to Michigan getting time on the clock, heel/toe, and another huge gaff against OSU some years back when their TE wasn't close to catching the ball and it was ruled a catch. Curiously enough, most of our ref issues are with OSU and Michigan.
Not a TD according to B1G Refs:
Offsides according to B1G Refs:
An interception according to B1G refs; and 'plenty of time on the clock' for a FG attempt:
You're catching on fast, kid. The problem is, you haven't wrapped enough tin foil around your head to be able to tune in to the conspiracy yet.
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anon_xdc8rmuek44eq
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If you're serious, what you're saying is that a 7-5 Michigan team is more valuable and will bring in more dollars than Penn State potentially playing for a national title (though I still think they would have had a really hard time jumping Texas or USC).
Like @PSU-Knocker said, it's a business. Make the business case for me that having two of the top brands (or one the last decade) in the sport competing on the national stage is more valuable than having four.
So your argument is based entirely on your own speculation that there have been other waivers denied, with absolutely no evidence whatsoever? I mean come on, it's 2016. If someone were trying to transfer in conference there would be a blog story, a message board post, an army of angry commenters when Rudock got approved. Let's see anything.
And again, show me where another program hasn't released a grad transfer to an in-conference opponent. Iowa did. One point of data. Who else has blocked a grad transfer from another Big Ten program?
I never said I had a binder full of hard evidence - it's anecdotal based on my own experience and readings for the past 20 years or so. My guess is that for the most part, universities blocked within conference transfers or made the threat, and kids went elsewhere (wherever their coach would allow). Prior to 2012, the conference didn't allow intra-conference transfers at all, so if a kid wanted to leave (like Sam Okey, who left Wisconsin and paid his own way to go to Iowa) he had to pay his own way. Certainly, allowing an intra-conference transfer of a high profile position to one of the conferences premier programs is eye-raising, isn't it? I'm not alone here - from a 2012 article...
However, especially in the so-called major sports like football or men's basketball, it's unlikely for schools to grant a student-athlete free reign when picking a school. So don't expect Wisconsin to allow Uthoff, a Cedar Rapids Jefferson graduate who wants to transfer, to just show up at Iowa or Indiana and, after sitting out a season, compete against the Badgers at least six times in his career. Likewise, I can't imagine Michigan or Ohio State allowing its fifth-best running back to leave for Minnesota or Indiana.
Of course there's not. Heck, there are two former PSU football players that have officiated B1G games over the years. You don't think they would catch wind of all these dirty officials? The idea is laughable.
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anon_xdc8rmuek44eq
Guest
Does there have to be more? I think most PSU fans consider 'the conspiracy' to consist mostly of biased officiating. What else do you want? Does there need to be more? The B1G hammered Penn State with additional and unnecessary sanctions after the NCAA already overstepped it's bounds; when were those withdrawn? Was there any restitution? Are you okay with how the B1G handled this situation?
