🏈 Penn Wagers won't be calling SEC games this year (SportingNews.com gets it wrong though)

[TerryP]

SEC fans rejoice: Official Penn Wagers retiring

We can all agree that the SEC is full of rabid — occasionally delusional — fanbases (you know who you are).

And that passion carries over to football Saturdays and often gets directed toward the officiating.

But on Thursday those fans all can agree on one thing — they're glad that Penn Wagers won't be back for the 2015 season.

Penn Wagers, who found himself on the receiving end of a lot of that criticism over the years, is retiring.

SEC coordinator of officiating Steve Shaw told WJOX 94.5-FM in Birmingham on Thursday that the SEC's head of officials is done.



As the league's top official since 2002, Wagers has seen and heard plenty.

He's had a run-in with Georgia coach Mark Richt. And the list of complaints goes on and on and on some more.

As the head of officials, that's the sort of thing that comes with the territory. But it's a good bet that Saturdays this fall will be less stressful for Wagers because a new villain in black and white stripes will emerge.

In the meantime, how are folks around the SEC feeling?

_________________

Penn won't be calling SEC games, but he isn't retiring. He'll be calling ACC games this fall.

 

[bama alum]

Get Bug Eyes (Ritter) out and suddenly there's a new feel to the SEC.

 

[rammerjammer]

I have never really had an issue with :shock: Ritter. He is one of the few that will give explanations, especially on jacked up calls. Kind of like explaining the rules on certain calls.

Find it odd that Wagers would go to the ACC......last time I did some digging, the SEC had the highest paid officials. I'm sure it wouldn't be much of a pay decrease.

 

[TerryP]

Find it odd that Wagers would go to the ACC......last time I did some digging, the SEC had the highest paid officials. I'm sure it wouldn't be much of a pay decrease.

I'm not sure of his license but I do know of his experience working in the finance industry. The same type of work you'd see an Edward Jones guy doing.

He lives in Charleston. I'd have to really look, but my instinct tells me he'd get better travel arrangements with the ACC job. Think about it this way. From Charleston to where...Maryland would be his farthest trip? Then consider College Station, or Columbia, MO. Baton Rouge. Hell, flying anywhere close to the Mississippi schools.

 

[rammerjammer]

I thought travel might play a part. Like you say, all the ACC schools are closer together.

 

[UAgrad93]

Penn Wagers is the Tony Maners of football! When it comes to sticking it to BAMA no one does it better!! I know we have one in basketball that likes to stick it to us as well but his name escapes me at the moment.

 

[Max]

Tony Maners

who is that?

 

[UAgrad93]

@12gage, Maners is a baseball umpire in the SEC. He sucks ass!!! He missed a call at the plate against A&M on Wednesday that turned the momentum in their favor. With a runner at second, the batter hits a single to right. Casey Hughston comes up firing and throws a laser to the plate. Will Haynie catches the short hop and applies the tag on the runner. Meanwhile, Maners has gone down the first base line about 10-15 feet to gather the bat and move it!! What the hell for? No one knows!!! He has his back to the damn play at the plate as the ball is caught and the tag applied. He is actually turning around as the tag is made and assumes the runner got in under the tag. Piss poor positioning for a guy that has 20-25+ years as a SEC umpire!!