You might’ve seen the grisly scene of Texas Longhorns fans, frustrated by a horrendous pass interference call against them, chuck debris onto their home field in a rather harmless protest as far as ones involving flying projectiles go.
Texas fans threw debris onto the field after an interception was called back due to pass interference.
The refs reversed the call after further discussion. pic.twitter.com/3PAgLcD1hQ
— ESPN (@espn) October 20, 2024
Can you really blame them? What else were they supposed to do? I legitimately could not tell you the last time bad officiating resulted in any meaningful disciplinary action for the crew. They get off scot-free, but if a player so much as breathes on them from too close a range? A 15-yard penalty at least that could cost them the game. An ejection is even in play. A five-figure fine in the NFL. And so on.
Whenever players complain about a call that’s obviously wrong — if only there was technology in Year 2024 to stop the game for 10 seconds and correct a plain as day blunder — they’re demonized. The fans took action this time around, and well, the Southeastern Conference retaliated by hitting Texas with a $250,000 fine and potential Prohibition.
All you really need to know is in the two tweets below.
Texas is being FINED $250K💸
Alcohol ban is being threatened😳#HookEm #SEC #CFB 🏈 pic.twitter.com/a7LDh0AojV
— Inside Texas (@InsideTexas) October 20, 2024
SEC announces Texas will be assessed a financial penalty of $250,000 and also “required to use all available resources, including security, stadium and television video, to identify individuals who threw objects onto the playing field or at the opposing team.”
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) October 20, 2024
This is pocket change for the Longhorns given how much NIL money they’re shelling out and the fact that they can afford to display an on-campus lineup of Lamborghinis to entice new recruits. Still, who’s going to hold bad refs accountable?
I wouldn’t be on the fans’ side so much if it didn’t actually work. How many times do you become enraged on a Saturday or Sunday when you’re watching your team and they either get a penalty called on them that isn’t one, or they don’t get the friendly whistle? Look what happened in Texas’ case. The penalty got reversed! Actual, actionable change!
Not sure how heavily surveilled the stadium is in Austin, but I’d be shaking in my boots a bit if I were one of the students who chucked debris onto the turf. There’s no way Texas won’t allow drinking at their football games. They merely have to come to the SEC with modified SOPs to curb some of the drinking. Or at least make sure an incident like that doesn’t happen again.
Understood. Totally valid. Also though, maybe the refs could do their jobs good and make good calls so that debris isn’t launched onto the field in the first place.
I’m not the only one with this take, ye leadership at the SEC. The reactions to your excessive fine align with my views and I didn’t even look until I wrapped this piece up.
Okay. Now how will the ref be disciplined?
— CFB Maps 🗺️ (@CFBmaps) October 21, 2024
Had this not happened, would the SEC Officials have overturned the RIDICULOUS PI penalty on Texas? I’m not condoning what the fans did, and if they can identify them, they should be punished. But my question still stands.
— Jeff Coker ᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ່࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊ࠢ࠘𐡏💥 (@JPC81) October 20, 2024
Maybe ban crappy officiating
— Brett Buechel (@BrettBuechel) October 20, 2024
Dumb. Where is the punishment for horrific officials?
— Jason Bell 🇺🇸🦅 (@JBellSATX) October 20, 2024
Maybe fix your shitty refs there no accountability for terrible calls maybe we need replay assist like nfl to fix your refs🤣
— DropTheLDown (@Dropiscracked) October 21, 2024
That’s cute. The SEC thinks they are tough.
— Trent Harvey (@TheTrentHarvey) October 20, 2024
Ok, what repercussions do the refs have? Refresher training (and am actually being serious…. would love to know what was said in the ref huddle)
— Jimi's Gal (@jimisgal) October 21, 2024
Would actually love to see the SEC try to enforce an alcohol ban with the level of partnership companies like budlight have with Texas athletics.
— lindley ferguson (@Lindley_Nicole5) October 20, 2024
