# Ref blocks player on purpose **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 20, 2008, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799 "2008-10-20T21:39:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/1 "2008-10-20T21:39:38Z")
[Video here.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcdWdBgUBqw&eurl=http://www.faniq.com/blog/Video-Referee-Tackles-South-Carolina-Quarterback-Stephen-Garcia-During-Game-Against-LSU-Blog-12870) ---
**Author:** ![CapnPitt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/edb3f5/32.png) [@CapnPitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CapnPitt)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/2 "2008-10-20T21:42:00Z")
What was that all about? It sure did look like it was on purpose. ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/3 "2008-10-20T21:46:42Z")
That QB needs to hit the weight room. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/4 "2008-10-20T22:12:35Z")
Pretty borderline, but my vote is on “Fight or Flight”. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Badger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/848f3c/32.png) [@Dead\_Badger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Badger)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/5 "2008-10-20T22:26:03Z")
Terrible video, but from the other angle it looks more like he’s trying to step inside the player, but gets it all wrong: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/V3Z-kAmbZCc/hqdefault.jpg "Umpire takes down South Carolina quarterback Garcia 2008") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3Z-kAmbZCc) I love the way the comments on that first video appear to have devolved into an argument about the Bush/Gore election. Ah, Youtube. ETA: so what was the call on the play? Anyone know? ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/6 "2008-10-20T22:52:51Z")
[Better video](http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?videoId=3653920), from the other thread started about this. It’s possible that the ref was ticked at the player and temporarily lost his mind, but I think it’s more likely that he was just cornered and picked the wrong escape hatch. The defenders were barreling toward him from his left, so if he just stood there he would be blocking for the QB instead of tackling him. If the QB had continued running horizontally the ref would’ve skirted just past him, but instead the QB turned upfield just as the ref made started to make his own move, hence the collision. I think. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/7 "2008-10-20T23:04:10Z")
It sure like he moved towards him on purpose to me. The other angle seems to confirm it. ---
**Author:** ![regginbrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ba9def/32.png) [@regginbrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/regginbrow)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/8 "2008-10-20T23:06:16Z")
I think it’s pretty clear from **VarlosZ** ’s video that the ref just got unlucky, and that he wasn’t purposefully trying to level the QB. Much harder to tell in the Youtube video. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/9 "2008-10-20T23:43:27Z")
It looked to me like for a moment, the ref thought he was playing the game. When he takes a few shuffle steps to line up with the QB, then realizes that he shouldn’t do that and moves out of the way a bit too late. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/10 "2008-10-20T23:59:33Z")
> [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](#): > > It sure like he moved towards him on purpose to me. The other angle seems to confirm it. He unmistakably accelerates his arm and right shoulder towards the quarterback as he leans into the collision. It’s possible he did that to save himself (or instinct took over) when he realized a collision was going to happen, but he definately participated in that hit. Otherwise physics says the collision would have looked different (he would have been bounced back or sideways if he was just hit while trying to get out of the way). ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/11 "2008-10-21T04:24:28Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#): > > He unmistakably accelerates his arm and right shoulder towards the quarterback as he leans into the collision. > > It’s possible he did that to save himself (or instinct took over) when he realized a collision was going to happen… I’ve played a lot less football than I’ve played rugby, and dropping that shoulder like that is the (now?) natural response when somebody is near you, even if they’re on your own team. If I’m going to take a hit, darn right I’m going to present the hard part of my body. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/12 "2008-10-21T04:32:52Z")
> [@Santo\_Rugger](#): > > I’ve played a lot less football than I’ve played rugby, and dropping that shoulder like that is the (now?) natural response when somebody is near you, even if they’re on your own team. If I’m going to take a hit, darn right I’m going to present the hard part of my body. Dropping the shoulder = reflex Dropping the shoulder and stepping into the guy like you’re throwing a shoulder block = WWE ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/13 "2008-10-21T05:23:00Z")
If you don’t step into the guy, you’re gunna be the one getting knocked on your ass, and dropping the shoulder will have been for naught. It’s the same reflex, IMHO. Note that the ref doesn’t take the step forward until after Garcia cut and had already taken two steps directly at the ref. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/14 "2008-10-21T09:50:32Z")
> [@Santo\_Rugger](#): > > If you don’t step into the guy, you’re gunna be the one getting knocked on your ass, and dropping the shoulder will have been for naught. It’s the same reflex, IMHO. Note that the ref doesn’t take the step forward until after Garcia cut and had already taken two steps directly at the ref. All of which misses the point that the official’s response should have been to side step the player, not take a step INTO him. It’s the step INTO the player that is the key to seeing that this wasn’t just a normal player v. umpire crash. Umpires get run into a lot; it’s one of the more common hazards of that particular position of football officialdom. But they don’t usually get run into while staring directly at the player who is doing the running (he’s not supposed to be watching the ball carrier in the first place, he’s supposed to be looking for various common fouls in his area, like holding by the linemen, etc.), and they damn certain don’t get run into while taking a step forward into the player and giving them a forearm shiver. I hear that the SEC office is saying that he was properly positioned and merely defending himself. Sorry. For my money, some sort of message was being relayed to the South Carolina quarterback by that particular positioning and method of defending himself. And none of it had to do with proper officiating. Hopefully, he’s getting a private word from the bosses on the subject. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/15 "2008-10-21T14:45:16Z")
Quick footwork to avoid hits is the key to being a football umpire. I don’t buy the “accident” explanation either. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/16 "2008-10-21T14:52:56Z")
I think you guys are underestimating how fast college ball players are, and how quickly one can find themselves out of position when they’re -trying- to make a tackle. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/17 "2008-10-21T14:58:35Z")
> [@Santo\_Rugger](#): > > I think you guys are underestimating how fast college ball players are, and how quickly one can find themselves out of position when they’re -trying- to make a tackle. A white quarterback? Fast? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/18 "2008-10-21T14:59:18Z")
I can believe it happened fast. That does not mean it was an accident, save for a very loose definition of “accident”. The ref botched things up. Whether he was deliberately screwing with the game, I don’t know. But either he’s incompetent or dishonest - there ain’t no other option. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/19 "2008-10-21T15:09:57Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > A white quarterback? Fast? 😃 These days, I’ve got the antithesis of what would consider a “fast” frame (front row forward), but you should see me run when I get the ball. Whoah, boy! Also, Garcia is generally not the first surname that comes to mind when I think of a white guy. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/20 "2008-10-21T15:12:03Z")
> [@Santo\_Rugger](#): > > These days, I’ve got the antithesis of what would consider a “fast” frame (front row forward), but you should see me run when I get the ball. Whoah, boy! Fear can be a wonderful incentive, eh? 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799.md?page=2)