College football official gets death threats after blown call

[Bluebear]

(Honest to Pete, imagine the mentality to actually pick up the phone and make said threat.)

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PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- The instant replay official whose failure to overturn a bad call led to a narrow victory for Oregon over Oklahoma said he feels like he is under siege after receiving menacing phone calls and a death threat. Gordon Riese said he would make a decision soon about whether to finish the season, or even whether to return next year.

"I'm struggling with it," Riese said in an interview at his home. "I feel so bad I missed that call, it's driving me crazy...I can't sleep, I can't eat, my blood pressure is skyrocketing," Riese said, looking haggard and worn as he sat on the front porch of his house.

His wife is a registered nurse, and has been checking his blood pressure every four hours, he said.

Riese said he has stopped answering the phone, and police are investigating the threatening calls while keeping an eye on his neighborhood.

"They not only threatened me, they threatened my wife and kids," Riese said. "I don't know how to deal with it," he said. "I guess it's just one of those things."

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news?slug=ap-oklahomareplay-official&prov=ap&type=lgns

[Botany]

1. The President of U of O

Hasn't helped either issuing statements about "the game."

Memo to Sooners don't give up 500 yards of offense and you
might not have to worry about "blown calls."

[acmejack]

3. Gee, what would you be saying if you lived in Norman?

For the record, I abhor Joklahoma, but those were two (not one but two) very bad calls. If it were THE ohio state universtiy so afflicted would you be so sanguine?

Just gotta know, man...

[Botany]

11. I love Ohio State Football

And if some really bad calls went against Ohio State I would be really pissed
but when reality sets in then I would think that it is just a football
game and not that important.

[acmejack]

15. Fair enough.

I knew how you felt about the Buckeyes, I had to ask. I was surprised the President of the University felt compelled to speak out on the matter. I agree with you, btw. I'll cry about the calls for the rest of the evening, maybe even for the weekend. But like you say it is just a game.

And I still hate Oklahoma! Their running back Adrian Peterson made a big point of saying when he signed with OU he wanted to win a National Championship and that he just wouldn't be able to get that done going to Texas...

fwiw, there is a member of my Dad's RV club who will not drive through Oklahoma-that is a rabid fan!

[NOLADEM]

7. U of O is Oregon, OU is Oklahoma

Just for clarity...OU's prez issued the statements, not Oregon's.

[Botany]

12. Opps

Botany = :dunce:

And I am an OU product too.

[11 Bravo]

18. I was all set to chime in here telling you that you are NOT a

:dunce:, but then you had to go and misspell "oops".

:evilgrin:

[NOLADEM]

19. HAHA

[madokie]

10. what a crock

I hope David Boren issues a few more statements concerning this. At least everyone knows OU won the game or would have if not for the officials.

[RC]

2. Golly Gee...

If only these people would get as upset at the bu$h government in their criminal activities...

[michreject]

4. A lot of people

lost a lot of money on that game.

[sendero]

5. How do you mess up a call.

....when there is video right in front you? These bad calls RUIN football for me, I've seen this sort of crap in pro ball even, and I fail to understand how a ref can make a mistake like that when there is tape. And I'm pretty sure others don't understand it either.

That said, threatening anyone over a football game is ridiculous. Assholes who do that should spend a while in jail.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

21. Yeah, I can't watch football anymore.

Not after what they did to the Seahawks. My heart just can't take it.

[Libby2]

6. Some real sicko jerks out there.

The mentality this country has towards sports, makes me ill.

[annabanana]

8. I'm sure the thug who threatened them is from a

good "football family".:eyes:

[NOLADEM]

9. I don't condone the death threat, but more is going on here

There were numerous calls that weren't blown, they were intentionally decided for Oregon. That is the only way to see it unless this guy had undiagnosed glaucoma or a brain lesion.

They blew multiple calls of basic rules with GREAT video evidence to show their errors and refused to correct them, and there is only one possible explanation...corruption. The PAC-10 doesn't allow any visiting teams from other conferences to bring any officials from their conference, so that the PAC-10 officials can call games for the home teams.

When you get your paycheck from the PAC-10 and a team from outside the conference comes in, you subconsciously might make favorable calls that fly in the face of facts. In many other conferences, a mixed crew or alternated crew is used.

Solution? All officials in all conferences should be in the employ of the NCAA not the conference, so no conference bias can develop over subconscious loyalty or job security fears.

This game was a MASSIVE fraud.

Now, for the morons who care so much they threaten lives? They should really get a fucking clue about what is important.

[nolabels]

13. The weak threaten, the strong just take and the zebra's will beat you too

Any visiting team (or any team for that matter) in any sport should always realize they will have to beat the other team, the crowd, the rule book, the statistics and the REFEREES if they expect to get anywhere. All good teams do and get more rules written and enforced because of it.

Both teams were obviously mediocre and that ole obvious home time cooking applies here. Pac 10 teams get jacked all the time too so whatever sports announcers that are trying to hype this probably just have some east coast bias

[Botany]

14. ROTFLMAO

That is the only way to see it unless this guy had undiagnosed glaucoma or a brain lesion.

[acmejack]

16. Bugsy threatening to break your kneecaps does funny things to your vision

[Rainbowreflect]

17. I was disgusted & pissed by the bad calls,

but come on death threats???? I love football, but it is a freaking game!

[moondust]

20. I saw the call and all the replays.

The TV commentators were both just sure it was a bad call.

It appeared to me that the football first bounced off the helmet of a receiving team player, making it a free ball which Oregon recovered. I watched the replays and deliberately tried to see it the other way but ended up where I started: good call. This poor guy shouldn't feel bad.