Montreal has a TD called back because Jake Ireland called the play dead when replay gives the ball back to Montreal.
A costly fumble ruled a non-fumble..
Much like the '96 Grey Cup and the Flutie non-fumble that lead to an Argo score and helped swing the Cup their way.
Both calls by Ireland.
(and still wondering why Als didn't challenge the late fumble on the BC 4 yard line... looked to me from one TV angle that the runner's hip/butt was on the ground when the ball came loose)
If Don Matthews had been the coach in that situation, I believe the challenge flag would have been thrown, regardless of the flawed advice from upstairs.
If Robert Edwards said he was down, out comes the flag. If he said, “I don’t know,” same deal…
The point is that you never take that chance to miss an overturn of a call in that situation in that big a game…PERIOD!
The Don would have challenged the call. But then again The Don is the most experienced coach in CFL history.
Jim Popp, according to my reasoning, has to be the least experienced head coach in Grey Cup history. Think about it. How many other guys can get to the big game after a total of 6 or 7 games of coaching experience?
In the COUNTRY music vernacular ... can I get a "HELL YAH"!! - in answer to the question posed.
Unfortunately, this is an unfortunate example of just how unfortunate we fans of the CFL are. That EFFFING IRELAND should be BANISHED from the CFL ... FOREVER !!
Talk about PLAIN and SIMPLE !! This guy is a MENACE to ALL CFL FANS !! Talk about CONSISTENTLY MEDIOCRE !!!?? (Danny Barret can own that claim) ... Ireland is just FLAT OUT HORRIBLE when it counts MOST ... CONSISTENTLY!!
Outside of Calvillo's out of body experience in the 1st half, (and a bakers half dozen other Als offensive players) nothing contributed MORE to the Als loss than Ireland's HORRIBLE OFFICIATING !! (ok, maybe an Edwards goal line fumble had something to with it too ...) but the point remains he most definitely, abbsolutely, INFLUENCED the game ... negatively ! ... unfortunately.
The game definitely lacked energy BUT !! And this is a BIG BUTTTTTTT!! IF Ireland gets the call RIGHT (which is about as often as a Boreham 47 yard field goal, but I digress) - then this game is a lot MORE DRAMATIC ... atleast.
So, in case I did not answer the question direct enough ...
After a couple years absence from the Grey Cup, I wonder if this will lead to the retirement of Ireland.
Anyway, I am going to have to stick up for John on this one. When you are on the back side of the play (and I have been in the same situation for games), it is sometimes hard to see the whole play. If he sees the player go down, the whistle will be blown. You can't always wait for someone on the front side to blow their whistle. This is when injuries can happen.
It's just an unfortunate situation that some people are feeling the need to jump all over him for.
The ball carrier in this case, was firmly in the grasp of the lineman who had fully stopped the ball carriers forward progress motion. Upon this occuring the referee blew his whistle and the ball became dead, even though the ball carrier was not yet on the ground. The ball gets spotted at the point of the ball carriers most forward motion while he was in the grasp.
Simply, the ball came loose after the referee ruled the ball carriers forward motion stopped, so, dead ball, no fumble.
PS I am not wrong about this. :twisted: :twisted: [/b]
the fumble recovery at mid field by Montreal was the correct call.
Some people just like to bash for the sake of bashing
WELL DUH !!??
The POINT is : the blind, old coot got the ORIGINAL CALL WRONG !! The dumba$$ was not in position to make the call and he (yes, IRELAND) ERRONEOUSLY blew the whistle TOO EARLY …
All you DEFENDERS of the stripes, can go blow it out your snoggins too … CFL REFS are the WORSTE in all Pro Sports, PERIOD.
blowing the whistle when the knee touches the ground is too early???
If the knee touches the ground without CONTROL of the FOOTBALL ... yes !!
What do you find so HARD to COMPREHEND here ? Jake Ireland was NOT in a position to make the call he did … HE ASSUMED Dave Dickenson was IN CONTROL of the football when his knee touched … this is where the OFFICIALS must work as a TEAM … if the old coot could not see then he should have DEFERRED BLOWING the play DEAD to his LINE JUDGE …
Maybe I am being a little harsh, maybe life isn’t perfect … but the FACT is Ireland BLEW this call - and it is not the FIRST time …
Yes, why would he be so quick to blow a play dead?He always has the option of waiting a second and blowing the whistle then confering with his fellow officials etc...
Maybe he was trying to protect QB Dickenson with the quick whistle,at least that is the only reason I can see for doing it.
It doesn't relly protect a QB by blowing the whaistle quick ,so that gets thrown out,maybe he likes BC?
He was early on the one on mid field. In that situation, he should have waited on the whistle and allowed the play to go on. BC then would have had the option to challenge if it was fumble (they would have lost) and the TD would have counted. Then it would have been a completely different game.
However, I cannot judge a man until I have been in his shoes, and I have no idea what it would be like having to make that split second decision in real time during a game.
At least with instant replay, Montreal got possession of the ball.
:lol: