We've had a lot of discussion and debate on this subject. I'd doubt many folks have changed their views from their original position as both sides have presented seemingly irrefutable fact and figures to substantiate their beliefs.. It is a more important subject than first meets the eye, so at the risk of beating a dead horse, I would like to share my thoughts on a related aspect of it all.
What you believe leaves you with one of two preconceived notions prior to kick-off:
PRECONCEIVED NOTION 1- The final outcome of this game will be decided by overall quality of the play between the two teams as determined by who has the best game plan, them best athletes, blocks and tackles the best, most limits turnovers and penalties,, best coaching, a little luck, crowd support, etc., etc. All just as it was intended
to be decided in that first game over a hundred years ago.
This game is a violent and fast paced contact sport and has rules equally applicable to both sides. Rules are enforced by a group of paid, unbiased, professional officials, headed by a referee, who are trained and experienced at what they do, and are rated post game by a group of their peers. They are aided by instant replays, and booth reviews, with cameras at various angles with the power to overrule a call on the field if justified, They still make mistakes,but they realize that they are responsible to the teams, the integrity of the game, and hundreds of thousands of attending fans and viewers, and thus take their jobs very seriously and professionally.
OR
PRECONCEIVED NOTION 2- I know that we face an uphill battle because the conference HQ is located in enemy territory and has lots of local grads, all of which will cheat because of where they went to school, including these officials who the opponent has in their back pocket. First the head of scheduling makes an independent decision giving us the hardest games, and then we'll get screwed on the field by these F'ing refs who hate us and got together last night and figured out ways to do just that. They'll fvckin "Ritterize our guys for sure
So Ill fight to find a place to park, pay ridiculous prices for that, tickets, and a coke and popcorn, sit in the end-zone, tote the kids, fight the traffic jam to take 2 hours to get on the freeway home, etc., so I can cheer for my team, enjoy the atmosphere, the color, the band, the cheerleaders and the Golden girls, the time with my family and all of that, but sadly as for the game itself being decided on the basis it is supposed to be, well...........according to a certain group of my friends, who somehow claim to be the positive ones that is a PIPE DREAM. That's just the way it is because of those @#$%$# mf'ing SEC juvenile thinking people and their sorry assed trained zebras, and even though we are a founding and respected member of he organization we're to chicken to do or say anything about it.
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As for me personally I fall in the first group. I not only want to believe it, I honestly do. Some things in life are pretty much as they are supposed to be, and should be, and are advertized to be. Not everything has an ulterior motive or is a conspiracy against my team or anyone else. I think that a huge majority of officials approach their jobs in a very professional manner. Like doctors who's first responsibility is to do no further harm, and take seriously their oath.I think the officials approach their jobs in a sort of the same manner, like an unwritten but well understood code in the profession.
I believe that these constant claims that their first priority is to the school they went to rather than the integrity of the game is pure bull spit. And those who say it are really telling us a lot about themselves, but just because they would do it that way doesn't mean the everyone else would take such position. Most of us left that juvenile playground-spat mindset behind in grammer school.
And I further think that it is a disservice (for lack of a better term) for any prominent poster on this board to post stuff to promote things that lead others to fall into the second group.
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It is of course, up to the individual what they believe about all of this stuff, but I sure do hope that most fall into the first group because it can't help but affect the enjoyment of the game. The way they view the game, so to speak.
What you believe leaves you with one of two preconceived notions prior to kick-off:
PRECONCEIVED NOTION 1- The final outcome of this game will be decided by overall quality of the play between the two teams as determined by who has the best game plan, them best athletes, blocks and tackles the best, most limits turnovers and penalties,, best coaching, a little luck, crowd support, etc., etc. All just as it was intended
to be decided in that first game over a hundred years ago.
This game is a violent and fast paced contact sport and has rules equally applicable to both sides. Rules are enforced by a group of paid, unbiased, professional officials, headed by a referee, who are trained and experienced at what they do, and are rated post game by a group of their peers. They are aided by instant replays, and booth reviews, with cameras at various angles with the power to overrule a call on the field if justified, They still make mistakes,but they realize that they are responsible to the teams, the integrity of the game, and hundreds of thousands of attending fans and viewers, and thus take their jobs very seriously and professionally.
OR
PRECONCEIVED NOTION 2- I know that we face an uphill battle because the conference HQ is located in enemy territory and has lots of local grads, all of which will cheat because of where they went to school, including these officials who the opponent has in their back pocket. First the head of scheduling makes an independent decision giving us the hardest games, and then we'll get screwed on the field by these F'ing refs who hate us and got together last night and figured out ways to do just that. They'll fvckin "Ritterize our guys for sure
So Ill fight to find a place to park, pay ridiculous prices for that, tickets, and a coke and popcorn, sit in the end-zone, tote the kids, fight the traffic jam to take 2 hours to get on the freeway home, etc., so I can cheer for my team, enjoy the atmosphere, the color, the band, the cheerleaders and the Golden girls, the time with my family and all of that, but sadly as for the game itself being decided on the basis it is supposed to be, well...........according to a certain group of my friends, who somehow claim to be the positive ones that is a PIPE DREAM. That's just the way it is because of those @#$%$# mf'ing SEC juvenile thinking people and their sorry assed trained zebras, and even though we are a founding and respected member of he organization we're to chicken to do or say anything about it.
___________________________
As for me personally I fall in the first group. I not only want to believe it, I honestly do. Some things in life are pretty much as they are supposed to be, and should be, and are advertized to be. Not everything has an ulterior motive or is a conspiracy against my team or anyone else. I think that a huge majority of officials approach their jobs in a very professional manner. Like doctors who's first responsibility is to do no further harm, and take seriously their oath.I think the officials approach their jobs in a sort of the same manner, like an unwritten but well understood code in the profession.
I believe that these constant claims that their first priority is to the school they went to rather than the integrity of the game is pure bull spit. And those who say it are really telling us a lot about themselves, but just because they would do it that way doesn't mean the everyone else would take such position. Most of us left that juvenile playground-spat mindset behind in grammer school.
And I further think that it is a disservice (for lack of a better term) for any prominent poster on this board to post stuff to promote things that lead others to fall into the second group.
____________________________________________________________
It is of course, up to the individual what they believe about all of this stuff, but I sure do hope that most fall into the first group because it can't help but affect the enjoyment of the game. The way they view the game, so to speak.
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