Don't Even Bother

Later today we will likely have the most useless thing in the world of sports: the post-game conference apology for officiating ineptitude.  The PAC-12 Conference will issue a press release saying that it has reviewed the game film from Saturday night's game between Arizona State and Wisconsin and has determined that the referees did not properly handle the final few seconds--preventing the Badgers from attempting a game-winning field goal.

First, the PAC-12 will admit the officials blew Rule 4, Section 1, Article 3(o): "A live ball becomes dead and an official shall sound his whistle or declare it dead … When a ball carrier simulates placing his knee on the ground"--meaning that even if they weren't sure if Joel Stave's knee touched the ground--it still should not have mattered. 

And the Commissioner will also admit that Arizona State players violated Rule 3, Section 4, Article 3 "Delay of game--action that prevents officials from marking ball ready for play" when their players jumped on the ball and did not allow the umpire to spot it--and that the officials should have enforced Provision 2 "The game clock should be started on snap if delay foul is by team ahead in the score." 

And the statement will also admit that the above errors all could have been corrected by holding an on-field conference--or asking the replay official to review the tape to determine the proper spot and time remaining on the clock--instead of the officiating crew just running off of the field after the final gun.

There may even be an admission that the officials failed to properly enforce Rule 8-4-1-a that states: "A field goal shall be scored for the kicking team if a drop kick or place kick passes over the crossbar between the uprights of the receiving team's goal before it touches a player of the kicking team or the ground." and Provision b which states "The crossbar and uprights are treated as a line."--meaning the 1st quarter ASU field goal attempt that passed over and not inside the right upright should not have counted.  That was kind of a big deal in a game decided by two points.

So go ahead PAC-12, issue your little apology and tell us all about how these issues "will be addressed with the officials".  It doesn't make a bit of difference.  It doesn't change the L to a W for Wisconsin.  Kyle French won't get to run onto the field tomorrow to attempt the 36-yard field goal.  It doesn't restore the BCS computer ranking points and it doesn't return the money to those who may have had the Badgers to win straight up. 

Or perhaps the time spent on the statement and answering questions about the cluster#*%! Saturday night would be better spent on finding officials who know what the hell they are doing.