🏈 maybe it's a touchy topic but the McClain...

[4th-and-1]

after watching the replay, the initial shove from RO's left hand looked alot worse than what it was.. the VT player had to be off balance.. there is no way that some one could shove a 300 lb lineman on his butt with one hand.. RO was deffinately hit in the back and retaliated almost instantly.. to me the whole situation has been way overblown.. this is in no way comparable to the oregon situation.. i have seen the same reaction from bama players go unflagged on many occasions.. pushing the refs arms away was debatable, but at that time the VT player was approaching RO with the same intentions as him.. i don't think RO was even looking at the refs.. bad decipline?.. yes.. but this is no different than the scuffle that broke out at the end of the florida game last year when the bama got kicked on the ground.. were our players right for retaliating then? did they stop immediatly when the refs stepped in?.. this is a no story.

 

[Roll Tide Rev]

so what are you saying:headscratch:

I was just saying the "push" was not intentionally at a referee. Traditionally "pushing" a ref would mean you were upset at the ref. This was tring to get to another player.

Which is not good I know, but better that intentionally pushing a ref.

 

[gumboman]

Striking a ref....That's funny. That is how I would it expect it to be reported from CNN or ABC.

 

[UAgrad93]

I was shocked but at the same time I was amused that a flag was thrown for a 350 lb lineman taking a flop. The second flag was indeed worthy of a flag and possible ejection. Glad to see Ro calm down and then apologize to the player and ref for his actions.

 

[Homeslice]

I think the first flag, unfortunately was justified, but correct me if I'm wrong but didn't the OL get up and push RM after RM shoved him to the ground?

Second, and I'm sure I'm unpopular with this, but when the ref was trying to "separate" the two of them, he was pushing RM. Since when do refs push/shove players? You grab them and start steering them away, you don't push or shove. I'm not arguing RMs brush with the ref, but refs are not suppose to push/shove players.

Great Point :smile: I dont think that ref would have 'pushed' Rolando if they were on the streets.
And further more, 'strike' is silly and overstatement. :a::a::a:

 

[usn92]

Ro Mac reacted like an idiot, and he knows it.
He apologized to Saban, the team, Coach Beamer, the VT player, and the ref.
None of these individuals saw it as anything other than a player letting his emotions get to him. In fact there are parts of the game where that official and Ro talk like nothing happened.
So, if it's a non-story to everyone involved, then why are the fans so upset?

Because we were conditioned by Musberger and Herbstreit who played it up as him attacking the ref. Just to prove my point I'll take a play from BAMA history.

If you've ever watched the 93 Sugar Bowl there's a play where Miami OT Mario Cristobal (HC at FIU) and Eric Curry get into a fight. The ref (Rogers Redding) gets between the players to separate them. Eric Curry pushes the ref away, not hard but he definitely pushed him (harder than Ro did Sat night). The ref doesn't even throw the flag, he just reminds the players to keep their poise and offers a warning. Both players get the message and no further issues arise. The reason people didn't get upset was because the announcers (Keith Jackson and Bob Griese) mentioned it but didn't overreact. In fact they laughed at a ref getting between two big uglies.

So, although Ro Mac was wrong on every level this is getting way to much attention when everyone involved moved on. BTW I guess Stallings was wrong for not sitting Curry.

 

[RollTideinGA]

So, although Ro Mac was wrong on every level this is getting way to much attention when everyone involved moved on. BTW I guess Stallings was wrong for not sitting Curry.

Good point. I forgot about the Curry play. It happens! I love how everyone on the message boards acts if they would have reacted differently. And how the rival fans act like Ro decked the ref and then kneed him in the face.

Things happen in the heat of battle. No one is perfect and if they are close to it they arent all the time. Some of us have a lapse in judgement from time to time. We are after all human.