NC State Wolfpack

As we all know by now, the Atlantic Coast Conference put its foot down earlier this week when it suspended six game officials for errors that were made in last Saturday's NC State-Clemson football game at Carter-Finley Stadium.

The 'company line' on the officials was that they had "errored in their application during the course of the contest." Indeed they did. In the second quarter, a holding penalty on an NC State pass play was marked off from the spot of the foul. The rule states that holding on a pass play should be walked off from the line of scrimmage.

Another mistake was made in the third quarter when the play clock ran out before the Wolfpack snapped the ball on fourth and goal from the one. It just so happens that the Pack scored the go-ahead touchdown on that particular play. Instead of being called for delay of game, NC State got six.

Now for what the ACC isn't telling you about the six officials who were suspended. A not so informed source, we'll call him deep nose, is telling me that Tommy John surgery will be performed on two of the officials who sustained torn rotator cuffs in their shoulders. Three others are experiencing elbow tendinitis.

Only so many flags can be thrown in a career and the 26 penalties that were called on Saturday night definitely took their toll.

I did notice that the line judge working Saturday's game put an awful lot of strain on his shoulder by delivering his flags sidearm. He really should consider throwing from over-the-top to prolong his career. If I recall correctly, the back judge was a lefthander. The flags he threw had a natural sinking action to them. It was really nice to see.

Some of you want a clarification of the two yard 'halo' rule which is designed to give a punt returner room to catch the ball. That penalty was called more than usual on Saturday night. Upon further review, the ACC determined that one of the officials mistakenly thought it was the two-MILE halo rule, thus explaining why the call was made so frequently.

There you have it-the behind the scenes story on why the six officials received one game suspensions. On a serious note, game referee Jim Knight will survive his suspension with ease. Why shouldn't he? This is a man whose heart stopped beating four times at Kenon Stadium a few years ago.

I, for one, am glad he's still around to make a few bad calls every now and then.