Greenberg leaves Rangers; Ryan named CEO

Greenberg leaves Rangers; Ryan named CEO
Hall of Famer will oversee both baseball, business operations

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- The Rangers' ownership group, which was intended to bring stability to a franchise that had experienced a difficult period, is undergoing a major change.

The club announced on Friday that Chuck Greenberg is stepping down as managing partner and chief executive officer. He is also selling his interest in the Rangers and will no longer be associated with the franchise. Club president Nolan Ryan will assume the title of CEO and oversee all aspects of the Rangers operations on both the baseball and the business side.

Greenberg put together the ownership group that purchased the Rangers from former owner Tom Hicks last August.
Chuck Greenberg put together the group that purchased the Rangers from Tom Hicks last year. (AP)

"Chuck's determination during an extremely long and complicated sales process was crucial in delivering a positive outcome for our ownership group last August," Ryan said in a statement released by the team. "We owe him a great deal of thanks for those efforts and I wish him only the best.

"I am excited about the future of the Texas Rangers in so many ways. Our front office is comprised of talented and passionate people who come to work every day with the goal of making us the best organization in Major League Baseball, on and off the field."

Greenberg put together Rangers Baseball Express, but the largest investors are Dallas businessman Ray Davis and Fort Worth oilman Bob Simpson. Greenberg's abrupt departure suggests there was conflict within the ownership group about the way the club had been operating.

Simpson and Davis issued a joint statement through the club: "We greatly appreciate Chuck Greenberg's hard work, professionalism and unwavering commitment to the team, our fans and the Dallas-Fort Worth communities. Chuck is a dynamic leader with superb strategic, operational and business development skills, and under his and Nolan Ryan's direction, we have accomplished a great deal in a short time.

"We thank Chuck for his many contributions to the organization, and wish him well in his future endeavors. At the same time, we are very confident in the continued success and further development of the Texas Rangers under Nolan's leadership."

A baseball source said Greenberg and the other owners had been in mediation for the past week to resolve remaining issues between the two sides. The move was made with the Rangers three weeks away from Opening Day.

Greenberg acknowledged differences in opinion among the owners in his statement.

"I have great respect for the Texas Rangers franchise and am enormously proud of all we have accomplished together since August," Greenberg said in a statement released by the team. "Unfortunately, Nolan Ryan, the co-chairmen and I have somewhat different styles. While I am disappointed we did not work through our differences, I remain wholeheartedly committed to doing what's right for the franchise.

"Together we concluded it is best for all concerned for me to sell my interest back to Rangers Baseball Express and move on. I do so with a heavy heart, but with every confidence in the direction that the new management team is taking the Rangers and, with Nolan at the helm, I know this franchise will continue to thrive and reach even greater heights both on and off the field."

Ryan was in camp this week but returned to Texas on Friday for an expected announcement. General manager Jon Daniels was in Surprise but would not address the issue prior to the announcement.

As far as changes impacting the baseball team, Daniels said, "Nothing has changed."

Players in the clubhouse said the same thing and were caught by surprise when they heard the news Friday morning.

"I like Chuck," infielder Michael Young said. "Chuck is a good guy. Apart from that I don't have anything to say."

Added second baseman Ian Kinsler: "Chuck was a great guy from the times that I talked to him. It seemed like he had some good ideas. Other than that, I don't know what happened. It doesn't affect us in the clubhouse or on the field. It might affect the hotel we're staying at or the food we eat but it doesn't affect us on the field."

Greenberg's group won control of the Rangers on Aug. 5 by being the highest bidder in an auction conducted in United States Bankruptcy Court. Their final bid of $590 million won over a group led by Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and Houston businessman Jim Crane.

Major League Baseball approved the sale on Aug. 12. The Rangers finished the season by winning the American League pennant for the first time in club history and advancing to the World Series, which they lost to San Francisco in five games.

"We showed last year things like this don't affect us on the field," outfielder David Murphy said. "I know for the time Chuck was here, he was an awesome guy. He seemed like he was steering in the right direction ... it has been a constant revolving door around here. We're used to people coming and going.

"Maybe we need something like this to be successful. We're just creating drama to add flavor to the team. What would Rangers Spring Training be without some drama?"

Since the World Series, the Rangers' front office has added Rick George as chief operating officer and three vice presidents: Todd Taylor (ticket sales and marketing), Joe Januszewski (business partnerships) and Jay Miller (sales). The Rangers also announced a $13 million overhaul of the video and sound systems at the Ballpark in Arlington, which includes a new state-of-the-art video board on top of the Home Run Porch.

Greenberg also negotiated a potentially lucrative television deal with FOX Sports Southwest and arranged for the Rangers to move their Class A affiliation from Bakersfield to Myrtle Beach. Greenberg is still part-owner of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans and the Rangers are still scheduled to play an exhibition game against Coastal Carolina on March 29 in Myrtle Beach.

Simpson and Davis said: ""Chuck's departure will have no effect on the team's operation and we look forward to working with Nolan Ryan as this organization continues to grow and prosper.

"The baseball group has demonstrated its quest for excellence under the skillful leadership of Jon Daniels. On the business side, we also have a deep bench of experienced executives who always put our fans first and will ensure our ambitious plans for the 2011 season stay on track."

Under the ownership arrangement, Ryan was supposed to oversee all baseball operations while Greenberg would be in charge of the business side of the franchise. Those lines started to blur when Greenberg took an active role in negotiations with pitcher Cliff Lee.

The Rangers have had six owners or ownership groups since moving to Arlington from Washington, D.C., in 1971. Bob Short brought the team to Texas and sold to Brad Corbett in 1974. The team was sold to Eddie Chiles in 1980 and then to a group led by George W. Bush and Rusty Rose in 1990. Hicks bought the team in 1998.

Hicks ran into financial trouble and announced two years ago during Spring Training that he was seeking minority investors. He later decided to sell controlling interest and Greenberg's group emerged as the leading bidder. Greenberg associated himself with Ryan early in the process and that strengthened his bid.

Hicks agreed to sell the team to Greenberg's group on Dec. 15, 2009, but the sale was not approved by the lending institutions that held debt on Hicks Sports Group. The Rangers, while operating under severe financial constraints, ended up in U.S. Bankruptcy Court and were sold at auction to satisfy the lenders.

Dean named PA announcer for Cowboys Stadium

Dean named PA announcer for Cowboys Stadium

08:09 PM CDT on Thursday, August 20, 2009

When the Cowboys play their first game inside their new stadium tonight against Tennessee, they will have a new voice.

Jody Dean, a member of the Texas Radio Hall of Fame and KLUV-FM (98.7) talk show host, will be Cowboys Stadium's public address announcer.

Dean replaces The Ticket's George Dunham, the longtime voice of Texas Stadium. Dean had been the associate producer and creative director of the Dallas Cowboys Radio Network at KVIL.

"We are thrilled to have Jody returning as part of the Cowboys family," owner and general manager Jerry Jones said in a prepared statement. "He played a key role in helping our games become the first in the NFL to be broadcast in stereo back in the early 1990s.

"He has a wonderful and familiar voice that sounds great over our sound system in Cowboys Stadium, and we look forward to Jody bringing the creativity and enthusiasm that have been his professional trademarks to our game entertainment experience at the new venue in Arlington."

a milestone

The 2009 Football season marks a milestone for me as I return to my alma mater as the VOICE OF THE PIRATES. I began my announcing career as an eight grader at Paint Creek School. This year I will be announcing all but two games. The Jayton Jaybirds and the Bryson Cowboys. It should be an exciting year at Paint Creek. With Homecoming this year.

Texas Rangers Game

I was able to go to the Rangers Home opener. It was a blast. It was a privilege to see the Rangers beat the Boston Red Sox at the ballpark in arlington. Robinson Tejeda pitched an excellent game. Shutting down David ortiz and the Boston red sox.

Rule head coach Mike Reed is no stranger to big wins. As a running back for the Gordon Longhorns during his high school days, he played in a number of

Rule head coach Mike Reed is no stranger to big wins. As a running back for the Gordon Longhorns during his high school days, he played in a number of big games.

None, however, may be as big as his last.

Reed guided the Rule Bobcats to a stunning 45-0 victory over the Meadow Broncos Saturday evening at Lowrey Field in Lubbock. With the victory, the Bobcats earned the team's first-ever trip to the state finals. Rule will face the Richland Springs Coyotes this Saturday in the Division I state six-man football championships.



Jayton head coach Nathan Hayes taks to quarterback Josh Wood during the third quarter. Jayton defeated Whitharral Saturday and earned its first trip to the state finals since 1989.

Ranked among the nation's best all season, Rule didn't waste any time in setting the tempo. The Bobcats took a 6-0 advantage late in the first quarter when Stephen Pace scored on a short 3-yard run.

Pace's TD came with just 1:38 left in the initial frame.

The Bobcats struck again midway through the second period when quarterback J.T. Spitzer scampered into the end zone from 5 yards out to up the RHS lead to 14-0.

The Bobcat defense took over from there. After a long kickoff return by Meadow's Adrian Sanchez was called by because of a penalty, Rule forced the Broncos into a punting situation in the shadows of their own goal. On fourth down, Austin Flores managed to penetrate the MHS line and blocked Meadow's punt.

Following Flores' block, the ball bounded out the back of the end zone for a safety – and a stunning 16-0 lead.

Rule, which held meadow to just 135 total yards and five first downs, stretched its lead to 31-0 at the half with second-quarter touchdowns by C.J. Saucedo and Kade Kittley.

Spitzer, who threw for 210 yards in the win, added to the RHS lead in the third with a 21-yard TD strike to Jonathan Rincones.

He added a second rushing TD just 1:16 into the fourth quarter to enabled Rule to end the game via the 45-point mercy rule.

The Rule Bobcats weren't the only players celebrating a big-time win on Saturday. The Jayton Jaybirds earned their first trip to the state finals since the 1980s by racing to a wild 75-60 victory over the Whitharral Panthers in Post.

Jayton, which won the state title in 1984 and 1985 and finished second to Fort Hancock in 1989, built a 30 point lead early in the third quarter and then off a furious rally by Jake Baker and the Panthers to nail down the win.

Whitharral had a chance to pull to within two late in the game. With the ball inside the Jaybird 3, the Panthers misfired. Jayton recovered a WHS fumble and all but sealed the contest.

Jaybird running back Tyler Sped led the JHS attack, rushing for more than 170 yards.

With the victory, Jayton now advances to face Vernon Northside this weekend in the Division II state finals. Northside (13-1) is making its deepest appearance in the six-man playoffs since 1958 when the team advanced to the regional round. Six-man teams did not advance past the regional round until 1972 when the University Interscholastic League staged its first six-man state title game.

Northside defeated Gustine on Friday to net its berth in the finals.

FOX Sports finalizes BCS broadcast teams

FOX Sports finalizes BCS broadcast teams:
Hall of Fame Analysts Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long join Kenny Albert for Jan. 3rd ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL
Veteran Analysts Pat Haden, Terry Donahue and Play-by-Play Announcer Matt Vasgersian call FEDEX ORANGE BOWL on Jan. 2nd
In many parts of the country, November's crisp winds and fallen leaves mean only one thing: college football's fight for the National Championship is coming to a boil. As the nation's No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams brace for a fierce regular season confrontation this weekend, FOX Sports announces its upcoming and highly-anticipated Bowl Championship Series broadcast teams. The announcement was made today by Ed Goren, President and Executive Producer of FOX Sports.
FOX NFL SUNDAY teammates Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long, both former college football standouts before embarking on Hall of Fame professional careers, enter the game booth together for the first time to call the ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL, live from the Superdome in New Orleans on Wednesday, Jan. 3 (7:30 PM ET).
The ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL marks Long's first-ever assignment as a game analyst, while Bradshaw enters the booth for the first time in a traditional setting since working for CBS in 1989. Bradshaw and Long work alongside seasoned FOX Sports play-by-play announcer Kenny Albert. Reporting from the sidelines is Jeanne Zelasko, host of the Emmy Award-winning MLB on FOX pregame show and NASCAR on FOX pit reporter. Producer Pete Macheska and director Sandy Grossman steward the broadcast from the production truck.
"Over the course of their 13 years together, Terry and Howie have established an on-air chemistry that is unmatched in this business," said Goren. "Add to that their passion and knowledge of college football, and we're set for the same entertaining and insightful brand of analysis that we see from them on Sundays."
On Tuesday, Jan. 2 (7:30 PM ET), former UCLA head coach and San Francisco 49ers general manager Terry Donahue joins former USC and Los Angeles Rams quarterback Pat Haden for the FEDEX ORANGE BOWL, live from Dolphin Stadium in Miami.
Donahue is currently calling NFL on FOX regular season broadcasts, while Haden handles analyst duties for NBC's coverage of top-ranked Notre Dame. Prior to joining NBC, Haden analyzed college football action for TNT and CBS. Donahue and Haden are accompanied in the booth by talented play-by-play announcer Matt Vasgersian, who has been calling NFL and MLB on FOX games this season. Handling sideline reporting for the FEDEX ORANGE BOWL is FSN's pro and college football reporter Laura Okmin. Jeff Gowen produces and Emmy Award-winner Bill Webb directs.
FOX Sports' lead BCS broadcast team has also added its final appointment as Emmy Award-winning reporter Chris Myers joins accomplished play-by-play announcer Thom Brennaman and lead analysts Barry Alvarez and Charles Davis for the TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL on Monday, Jan. 1 (8:00 PM ET) and the TOSTITOS BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME on Monday, Jan. 8 (7:30 PM ET). Producer Mike Burks and director Rich Russo lead the production team.
As previously announced, former University of Miami head coach Jimmy Johnson teams with FSN's Chris Rose to anchor each BCS on FOX contest's pregame, halftime and postgame coverage. It is planned for the two to be joined on set by one or two collegiate coaches, whose teams do not qualify for a BCS game this season.
"College football's premier events are in very good hands with this unique and very capable roster of broadcasters and production personnel," said Goren. "FOX Sports could not be more excited to launch our BCS coverage, and like the fans, we're counting down the days to January."
On Sunday, Dec. 3 (8:00 PM ET), FOX Sports officially kicks-off the month-long BCS season when it presents the ALLSTATE BCS SELECTION SHOW. The match-ups for this season's BCS games are being unveiled for the first time ever on national prime time television during this special half-hour program. Further details are available in a separate news release issued today.
In November 2004, FOX Sports and the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) reached an exclusive four-year agreement covering all media distribution and sponsorship rights for the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, FedEx Orange Bowl and Allstate Sugar Bowl from 2007 through 2010, as well as the new Tostitos BCS National Championship Game from 2007 through 2009. In addition, FOX Sports also continues as the exclusive broadcast home to the prestigious Cotton Bowl through 2010.
2007 BCS Schedule
Date
Time
Bowl Game
Site
TV
Jan. 1
8:00 p.m. ET
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
Glendale, AZ
FOX
Jan. 2
7:30 p.m. ET
FedEx Orange Bowl
Miami, FL
FOX
Jan. 3
7:30 p.m. ET
Allstate Sugar Bowl
New Orleans, LA
FOX
Jan. 8
7:30 p.m. ET
Tostitos BCS National Championship Game
Glendale, AZ
FOX
2007 BCS ON FOX BROADCASTER INFORMATION
Thom Brennaman: The first broadcaster assigned by FOX Sports to work its BCS broadcasts, veteran play-by-play announcer Thom Brennaman anchors the lead broadcast team alongside analysts Barry Alvarez and Charles Davis. This broadcast trio handles the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1st, and the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game on Jan. 8th, both from Glendale, Arizona. Brennaman has served as play-by-play announcer for FOX Sports' coverage of the Cotton Bowl for the last seven consecutive years. This past October, Brennaman notched his sixth consecutive season calling Major League Baseball's Division Series and League Championship Series for FOX Sports. This followed regular season duties as play-by-play announcer for the Emmy Award-winning FOX SATURDAY BASEBALL GAME OF THE WEEK, a franchise he has contributed to for over a decade. Brennaman's duties also include play-by-play announcer for the NFL on FOX.
Barry Alvarez: Former University of Wisconsin head coach Barry Alvarez joins FOX Sports' coverage of the BCS, working alongside Thom Brennaman and Charles Davis on the lead broadcast team. Alvarez retired with the school record for wins as head coach and was the architect of three Big Ten and Rose Bowl championship teams. He is also the only Big Ten coach in history to win consecutive Rose Bowls and is one of just two coaches (Ohio State's Woody Hayes is the other) to win the Rose Bowl three times. He led the Badgers to their three most-win seasons ever and compiled an impressive 108-70-4 overall record (8-3 in bowl games).
Charles Davis: Former University of Tennessee defensive back Charles Davis joins Thom Brennaman and Barry Alvarez to form the lead BCS on FOX broadcast booth. Currently in his fifth consecutive year as lead analyst for TBS' college football coverage of the Big 12 and Pac-10 conferences, Davis' other broadcasting assignments include sideline reporter for TNT's NBA playoffs and CBS' coverage of the NCAA basketball tournament.
Chris Myers: Versatile Emmy Award-winner Chris Myers serves as sideline reporter on the BCS on FOX lead broadcast team, handling the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1st, and the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game on Jan. 8th. One of the busiest broadcasters in sports, Myers hosts FOX Sports' NASCAR coverage and also contributes to the network's NFL and MLB coverage, serving as reporter and occasional play-by-play announcer during regular and postseason contests. In addition, Myers hosts his own interview show on FSN, CMI: THE CHRIS MYERS INTERVIEW and hosts a weekday show on FOX Sports Radio.
Kenny Albert: Seasoned play-by-play announcer Kenny Albert joins FOX NFL SUNDAY teammates Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long to cover the Allstate Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2nd. Currently working his 13th consecutive season in the NFL on FOX broadcast booth, Albert's FOX Sports resume is vast and includes work as a play-by-play announcer for the network's MLB coverage, five seasons of the NHL on FOX, as well as two years as host of the NTRA Champions on FOX thoroughbred series.
Terry Bradshaw: Terry Bradshaw, widely acknowledged as today's preeminent NFL studio personality, works alongside Howie Long and Kenny Albert for coverage of the Allstate Sugar Bowl on Jan. 3. Bradshaw's work on FOX NFL SUNDAY earned him Sports Emmy Awards in the Outstanding Sports Personality/Analyst category in 1999 and 2001. The first player chosen in the 1970 draft, Bradshaw became one of the most prolific quarterbacks in history, leading the Steelers to four Super Bowl championships, six AFC championship games and eight straight playoff appearances (1972-79). Bradshaw, a two-time Super Bowl MVP (Super Bowls XIII and XIV), was also a four-time All-Pro selection. He retired just prior to the 1984 season. In 1989, Bradshaw was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. A 1996 inductee to the College Football Hall of Fame, Bradshaw led Louisiana Tech University to a conference championship in his senior year. He was a first team Associated Press All-America as a senior in 1970. In both 1968 and 1969, he was named quarterback on the Football Coaches All-America and was Athlete of the Year in the Gulf States Conference.
Howie Long: Hall of Famer Howie Long joins Terry Bradshaw and Kenny Albert to call FOX Sports' coverage of the Allstate Sugar Bowl from New Orleans. Long took network sports television by storm in 1994 with his keen insights, thorough research and smooth delivery as an NFL studio analyst for FOX NFL SUNDAY. Long is now widely regarded as one of today's top NFL studio analysts, as evidenced by the Emmy Award he received in 1997 for his work as Outstanding Sports Personality/Analyst. He was the last active Raider to have played for the franchise when it was first based in Oakland. Long was named a defensive end on the NFL Team of the '80s, was voted by fans as the 1984 and 1986 Defensive Lineman of the Year and was named 1984 NFL Defensive Lineman of the Year by the NFL Alumni Association. As defensive lineman at Villanova University, Long was a four-year letterman. He was All-East and honorable mention All-America as a senior. He was named MVP in the 1980 Blue-Gray Football Classic. Long graduated from Villanova in 1981 with a degree in communications.
Jeanne Zelasko: Experienced and versatile reporter Jeanne Zelasko joins Kenny Albert, Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long for FOX Sports' coverage of the Allstate Sugar Bowl, live from the New Orleans Superdome on January 3rd. Zelasko's other FOX Sports duties include hosting the network's Emmy Award-winning MLB on FOX pregame show and serving as a NASCAR on FOX pit reporter. Previously, Zelasko was an anchor on FSN's National Sports Report, as well as a reporter on FOX NFL SUNDAY.
Matt Vasgersian: Talented NFL on FOX play-by-play announcer Matt Vasgersian anchors FOX Sports' coverage of the FedEx Orange Bowl on Jan. 2nd, accompanying analysts Terry Donahue and Pat Haden. Currently completing his first full season as an NFL on FOX play-by-play announcer, the versatile Vasgersian has spent the last five seasons as the San Diego Padres lead play-by-play man. Before joining FOX Sports, Vasgersian spent several years contributing to NBC Sports coverage, including the 2001 Gator Bowl, the XFL and various assignments for both the Athens and Torino Olympic Games.
Terry Donahue: Former UCLA head coach and San Francisco 49ers general manager Terry Donahue joins FOX Sports' coverage of the BCS, accompanying Matt Vasgersian and Pat Haden in the booth for the network's coverage of the FedEx Orange Bowl on Jan. 2nd. Terry is currently working a slate of NFL on FOX games and previously spent three seasons as the lead analyst on college football broadcasts for CBS. As a UCLA walk-on, Donahue started two seasons (1965-66) at defensive tackle for the Bruins. After graduating, he left to become a defensive line coach at Kansas and returned to UCLA where he eventually took over as head coach when Dick Vermeil left the Bruins to coach the Philadelphia Eagles in 1976.
Pat Haden: Former USC Trojan and Los Angeles Rams quarterback Pat Haden joins FOX Sports' Matt Vasgersian and Terry Donahue in the booth for the network's coverage of the FedEx Orange Bowl on Jan. 2nd. Haden currently serves as an analyst for NBC's coverage of Notre Dame football and previously covered both professional and college football action on TNT and CBS.
Laura Okmin: Experienced reporter Laura Okmin patrols the sidelines of Dolphin Stadium this Jan. 2nd for the FedEx Orange Bowl. Okmin added her FSN national duties in 2005 after serving as an anchor/reporter for FSN South (2002-2005) and Turner Sports (2002-2003). Okmin currently serves as host of FSN's TOTALLY FOOTBALL and reporter for FSN's PRO FOOTBALL PREVIEW

Rush to judgment

By Josh Peter, Yahoo! Sports
November 10, 2006

Yahoo! Sports report on instant replay: Restructuring replay The blame game


The biggest fumble in last season's epic national championship game between Texas and Southern California didn't occur on the field. It happened in the instant replay booth.

The error at the Rose Bowl was not mechanical, as the supervisor of officials told ABC broadcaster Keith Jackson. It was a human blunder, one that might have impacted the outcome of Texas' 41-38 victory, a game decided in the final seconds.


Vince Young's knee touched the ground
before he lateraled. (ABC Sports)

Yahoo! Sports has learned the wrong television feed had been plugged into one of the monitors of the video replay system. The mistake meant that replay officials did not have the necessary camera angle to properly review Texas' first touchdown. A replay official said the feed mixup might have led to another mistake earlier in the game. On that play, it was ruled that USC's Reggie Bush fumbled.

Ten months after Texas' victory, replay officials and their supervisor still haven't formally addressed what went wrong. But this much is sure: Instant replay, instituted as a backstop to ensure proper calls were being made on the field, failed.

It failed in the championship game. It continues to fail, as evidenced by an erroneous call in this season's Oklahoma-Oregon game. And it very well could fail again, considering there have been no followup meetings or discussions to establish consistent, national standards and practices for the oversight, training and equipment for replay officials and technicians.

With millions of dollars at stake for schools vying for spots in the five Bowl Championship Series games, the problems that cropped up in last year's title game haven't been rectified. The instant replay system, though flawed, goes on, possibly impacting games throughout this season – possibly impacting who will win the next championship.

ROSE WOES

Details of the Texas touchdown in question and the confusion that ensued at the Rose Bowl on Jan. 4 remain fresh in the minds of the replay crew.

Second quarter. Just over five minutes left. Texas trailing 7-3 with the ball at the USC 22-yard line.

Quarterback Vince Young takes the snap, circles around the left end and runs 10 yards before a USC defender latches on. As the Texas quarterback tumbles, he pitches the ball to running back Selvin Young, who dashes 12 yards and into the end zone.
INSTANT REPLAY GUIDELINES
How it works: Each crew includes a head instant replay official, an assistant replay official and a technician, who’s responsible for operating the system. To overturn a call, the head official alerts the on-field referee with a pager and stops the game before the ensuing snap. Once the game is stopped, the crew has unlimited time to review the play in question and can call the TV production truck for additional shots from different camera angles. The head replay official is required to review every play of the game. But by NCAA rules, he can consider overturning the call only on plays that have a “direct competitive impact” on the game. He also must have “indisputable video evidence’’ to overturn a call. Each coach has one challenge, during which he must use a timeout to stop play for more extensive review. Though he can seek input from the replay assistant, the head replay official makes the final call.

How it differs from NFL: From 1986 to 1991, the NFL used a system almost identical to the one used by college football but abandoned it because it led to too many stoppages. The NFL system in use since 1999 is prompted primarily by coaches challenges. Each coach has two challenges, when he can stop play for review. But after the two-minute warning, only the instant replay officials can stop play for review. With assistance from the replay booth, the on-field referee makes the final call.

Notable: Unlike NFL coaches, college coaches cannot use TV monitors to help them decide whether to challenge calls. NCAA rules bar use of any such technology, with officials saying the rule was put in place to level the playing field for schools that can’t afford the technology.


The referee signals touchdown.

To the naked eye, it was virtually impossible to tell if Young's knee had touched the ground before the pitch, which would have nullified the score and brought the ball back to the 12. But the ultimate decision no longer depended on the naked eye, or the officials on the field.

College football was using instant replay for the first time in the BCS championship game. Gathered in the replay booth were Jim Augustyn, head replay official; Dick Honig, assistant replay official and Mike McComiskey, the technician in charge of replay equipment. Augustyn watched the original shot from the ABC broadcast on his monitor as McComiskey rewound the footage with TiVo – a digital recorder available at any retail outlet for less than $200 – and Honig watched a second monitor, waiting for ABC to air a second shot from a different camera angle that might provide a clearer view of the play.

"I've got nothing coming," Honig said.

McComiskey continued to rewind the original shot. Augustyn continued to study it in vain. Honig continued to watch the second monitor and wait for ABC to show another camera angle.

"I've got nothing coming," Honig repeated.

Texas lined up for the extra point. Augustyn had only seconds to decide whether to stop the game. Once Texas attempted the extra point, it would be too late to reverse the call.

Without the benefit of another camera angle and without indisputable evidence that Young's knee had touched the ground, Augustyn let play continue. Texas missed the extra point and, seconds later, the replay officials realized they had blown the call.

While Augustyn had been reviewing ABC's original shot, the TiVo had recorded everything else ABC had aired after the touchdown – everything Honig assumed he was seeing on the second monitor. As the three men watched the recorded footage, they suddenly saw a replay from a different camera angle that clearly showed Young's knee was down before the quarterback pitched the ball.

"Where the hell did that shot come from?'' Augustyn asked.

At that same time, Dave Parry, the supervisor of officials who helped usher instant replay into college football, was standing in ABC's broadcast booth in case announcers Jackson and Dan Fouts had any questions. Suddenly Jackson, Fouts and millions of viewers who'd seen footage that showed the touchdown should have been overturned were asking the same thing: What just went wrong?

Embarrassed and perplexed, Parry headed for the replay booth in search of answers. He returned to ABC's booth for the second half, told Jackson the replay equipment had malfunctioned and Jackson relayed the report to his viewers. But Parry was still concerned about the incident.

"We thought we were going to get all kinds of e-mails and letters and all kinds of people raising Cain,'' Parry said during a recent interview. "We only got three letters. Surprisingly, very little outcry. But Keith Jackson did announce there had been a malfunction and that seemed to put it to rest.''

But there was no equipment malfunction.

Contrary to what Parry told Jackson and Jackson relayed to the TV audience, there were preventable human errors.

As McComiskey discovered, too late, the wrong television feed had been connected to the second monitor. Honig never had the benefit of seeing the shot of Vince Young's knee clearly hitting the ground, as ABC's broadcast feed showed. The replay officials had stopped play twice before in the game but apparently got the shots they needed on the first monitor to make the correct calls.

Though replay officials routinely check television feeds before games and check again as the game begins, they did not do so this time – not with the national title on the line. BASIC EQUIPMENT
All instant replay systems feature at least two monitors, one for the head instant replay official and one for the instant replay assistant.

THE SYSTEMS

DVSport – The high-end system features touchscreen capability that distinguishes it from competitors’ products. No remote needed. Just a tap of the finger boots up replays. In addition to having the touchscreen capability, instant replay officials can view the image of up to nine replay angles on one of the two monitors. The system noted for its speed was developed by former Boston College placekicker Brian Lowe. Estimated Cost: $15,000 to $20,000 per school. Used by: ACC, Big East, Big Ten, SEC.

XOS – A TiVo-based system noted for its speed and operated with a 10-button remote control. Assistant replay official saves each replay – known as "tagging" or "marking" – ¬ as it flashes on one of the two monitors. As the head replay official sorts through the saved replays, he can view the first image of each camera angle. XOS Technologies provided video equipment for dozens of college and professional teams before developing the instant replay system. Estimated cost: $7,000 to $10,000 per school. Used by: Big 12, Pac-10, Mid-American, Sun Belt.

Digital Video Recorder – he system was developed specifically for Conference USA. It features an upgraded DVR, a consumer-based product. Estimated cost: $7,500. Used by: Conference USA.

NALU – Similar to the TiVo-based systems and developed by NALU, a company-based in Honolulu. Based in part on the TiVo model originally used by the Big Ten. Estimated cost: $5,000 and $7,500. Used by: Western Athletic Conference.

TiVo – The most economical of all replay systems. Used in 2004 and 2005 by the Big Ten, which ushered instant replay into college football on an experimental basis in ’04. Also serves as the backup system for DVSport and XOS. Estimated cost: $2,000 per school. Used by: Mountain West.

Editor's note: Cost can vary depending on additional software, equipment and services provided by the manufacturing companies.


Nor did the instant replay crew have state-of-the-art equipment. Instead, it was using a TiVo and two television monitors – a basic setup that costs about $2,000 compared to the $125,000 system used by NFL teams and a $20,000 system that was used for other college bowl games. McComiskey said the crew might have avoided the breakdown if it had used DVSport, a more expensive system that the ACC, Big East and SEC used during the 2005 season.

"The DVSport would have been greatly helpful,'' he said.

The Big Ten, which took in more than $100 million in revenue during the 2004-05 academic year, considered buying the DVSport system, McComiskey said. The decision not to purchase DVSport saved the Big Ten approximately $400,000. After the 2006 Rose Bowl, the conference dumped TiVo and bought DVSport.

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany could not be reached for comment.

McComiskey, the Big Ten's assistant commissioner for technology, said the decision to upgrade equipment had nothing to do with the blown calls during the national championship game. He said the schools' football coaches and administrators simply asked the Big Ten to reevaluate the available technology.

"We came back after the evaluation and we picked the system that we thought would be the best at this time,'' he said. "The DVSport system is a very good tool.''

While McComiskey suggested more sophisticated equipment could have saved the instant replay crew from embarrassment in the Rose Bowl, Augustyn and Honig assumed part of the blame, saying they should've stopped the game and called ABC's production truck from a phone in the booth set up expressly for the purpose of checking if the network had additional replays to review.

Parry said he told Jackson all he knew about the breakdown and that he never understood extent of the problem.

"I'm not a technology expert,'' Parry said.

But Augustyn said he offered a more detailed explanation when Parry came looking for answers at halftime.

"He came in and he asked what happened and I said we didn't have the right feed and we weren't getting the replays,'' Augustyn said. "… I guess he believed us because he was trying to figure out a way that he could go back and explain that to Keith Jackson and Dan Fouts that might make some sense as to why we didn't run the play back. … I think Dave was worried.''

McComiskey had set up the replay equipment for all of the Big Ten schools. But the Rose Bowl was only the second game he had worked as a booth replay technician, and he made his debut only a week earlier at the Holiday Bowl in San Diego, according to Augustyn.

"My understanding as to why they flew him down there was because he was the so-called expert from our conference,'' Augustyn said.

When questioned further about the breakdown at the national championship game, Parry said, "To come back and blame someone and say you're wrong and somebody was at fault, that just wouldn't be fair.''

In the aftermath, there appeared to be no sense of urgency to determine who or what was to blame. Parry did not discuss details of the breakdown in January when the NCAA called a special meeting for instant replay, three officiating supervisors said. Nor did he discuss details when he presided over the officiating supervisors biannual meetings, one in February and another in June.

TOO FAST?
HOW REPLAY CAME TO BE
During the 2002 season, Penn State coach Joe Paterno complained about two calls that went against his team. That triggered a rash of complaints by other Big Ten coaches and led the conference to review its officiating practices. Two years later, with approval from the NCAA, the Big Ten introduced instant replay on an experimental basis. The following year, nine of the 11 Division I-A conferences used instant replay on an experimental basis, with only the Sun Belt and Western Athletic conferences holding out. In 2006, the NCAA approved uniform guidelines for instant replay, and all 11 Division I-A conferences are using it this season.


In May, when the NCAA approved instant replay for all conferences, it issued guidelines on reviewable plays and criteria for overturning calls – indisputable video evidence. But the NCAA issued no standards for training replay officials or for the technology used and designated no one to monitor the system nationally.

Ty Halpin, the NCAA liaison for the Football Rules Committee, said the absence of an expert to field concerns and questions regarding instant replay is "probably a relatively valid concern.''

"I think if we can somehow have a centralized clearinghouse. … that'd be great,'' Halpin added. "We're just not 100 percent sure where that's going to go.''

Verle Sorgen, supervisor of Pac-10 officials, has taken it upon himself to circulate e-mails with questions and concerns about the system to other conference officiating supervisors. But Sorgen has failed to disclose details to the media or his counterparts about the most notorious instant replay breakdown yet: the fiasco during the Oregon-Oklahoma game that one of Sorgen's Pac-10 crews worked.

Interviews conducted by Yahoo! Sports indicate the confusion has yet to be sorted out and potential problems remain uncorrected.

DUCK AND COVER?

The fiasco on Sept. 16 in Eugene, Ore. began in the fourth quarter when Oregon recovered an onside kick, leading to the winning touchdown in the Ducks' 34-33 victory. Video replays showed that on the kick, an Oregon player touched the ball before it traveled the required 10 yards, meaning Oklahoma should have been awarded the ball.
NOTABLE BREAKDOWNS & BLUNDERS
Oct. 21, 2006: During a game between Louisiana-Lafayette and Florida Atlantic, an interception was awarded to Louisiana-Lafayette despite replays that showed Florida Atlantic should have retained possession. ESPN2 aired the telling shot during its telecast, but the Sun Belt officials never saw it because the Sun Belt – unlike every other Division 1-A conference – uses no TV video. The Sun Belt only uses video captured by its own cameras. That policy came under fire after Florida Atlantic’s 6-0 defeat.
Oct. 7, 2006: In the first half of a game between Michigan and Michigan State, the instant replay crew failed to stop play to review Michigan’s first touchdown, on a 13-yard pass. Video replays aired during the telecast showed Michigan receiver Adrian Arrington was out of bounds when he caught the ball. Michigan took a 7-0 lead on the touchdown and went on to win 31-13.
Sept. 23, 2006: In a game between the University of Houston and Oklahoma State, Oklahoma State recovered a fumble in what video showed was the correct call. But the head instant replay official reversed the call. Worse, he cited forward progress in an instance where it was non-reviewable. A runner's forward progress may be reviewed only to determine whether it resulted in a first down. Conference USA suspended the replay official for one game after Houston’s 34-25 victory.
Sept. 16, 2006: In a game between Oregon and Oklahoma, the instant replay official incorrectly upheld a call awarding the ball to Oregon on an on-side kick. On the subsequent drive, Oregon scored what proved the game-winning touchdown in its 34-33 victory and the blown call set off a storm of controversy. The Pac-10 suspended the officiating crew for one game and Gordon Riese, the head instant replay official, took a leave of absence for the remainder of the season.
Jan. 4, 2006: In the national championship game, video replays showed Vince Young’s knee hit the ground before he pitched the ball to Selvin Young on a 22-yard touchdown play. But the replay crew never saw the video because they had the wrong television feed hooked up to one of the monitors. Texas went on to win, 41-38.
Jan. 4, 2006: Early in the second quarter of the national championship game, on a mad dash downfield, USC’s Reggie Bush pitched the ball to a teammate. The ball fell to the ground, Texas recovered and maintained possession after on-field officials ruled the ball a fumble. But video replays showed the play was a forward lateral, meaning USC, not Texas, should have maintained possession of the ball.
Dec. 28, 2005: In the Alamo Bowl, which matched Michigan against Nebraska, the pager the instant replay officials were supposed to use to contact the on-field referee to stop the game reportedly malfunctioned. That forced Michigan coach Lloyd Carr to use a timeout to stop the game so replay officials had time to review video of a questionable touchdown by Nebraska. Officials overturned the call. Nebraska won, 32-28.


But the field officials gave the ball to Oregon, and, after reviewing the play, the instant replay officials upheld the call. The Pac-10 conference suspended head replay official Gordon Riese and the entire officiating crew for one game.

Yet the technician who operated the instant replay system said the Pac-10's technology is sub par, that the reception on the replay monitor was blurry and the equipment was to blame during the Oregon-Oklahoma game. Jess Yates, the technician, said he was so upset following the game that he immediately sent an e-mail to Sorgen. He also said he reiterated his concerns about the equipment during a phone conversation with Sorgen.

"I feel so bad that Gordy had to take the fall for that,'' said Yates, who serves as the instant replay technician for all games at the University of Oregon. "… We're not up to speed yet with the equipment itself.''

Pac-10 spokesman Jim Muldoon said the equipment has been "thoroughly reviewed'' since the game.

"We're satisfied with the equipment and I think the fact we haven't had other issues with it supports that.''

Five instant replay technology systems are being used by the 11 Division I-A conferences. The Pac-10 opted for a less expensive system than the one used by four of the six other BCS conferences.

But in a recent interview, Sorgen said, "There was no problem with technology. … There was a mixup in the (instant replay) booth that caused the glitch.''

Riese complained during interviews after the game that he could not "freeze-frame'' the video on the instant replay monitor and he didn't get a replay from the proper camera angle. When contacted by Yahoo! Sports, Riese was more cryptic.

"I'm still employed by the conference and they asked me not to talk,'' said Riese, who asked the Pac-10 for a leave of absence. "I'll take the heat for now, but eventually I'll have an announcement to make.''

Halpin, the liaison for the Football Rules Committee, said conference officiating supervisors can work together to make sure they stay on the same page. But Parry and Sorgen have yet to share details of the high-profile breakdowns. Futhermore, several officiating supervisors described "turf wars,'' where officiating supervisors from different conferences interpret the rules how they want and position their officials how they choose despite instructions from Parry, the national coordinator, and John Adams, the secretary-editor of NCAA rules.

The biggest problem, several officiating supervisors said, is that Parry faces a conflict of interest by working for the Big Ten and serving as national coordinator of football officiating. Several supervisors also said they suspected there was more to the instant replay breakdown during the national championship than Parry disclosed and that details might have been withheld to protect the Big Ten from national embarrassment.

"What's good for the Big Ten might not be good for everybody else,'' said Tim Millis, who retired as the Big 12's supervisor of officials after the 2005 season. "You might be willing to talk about problems in other conferences, but not your own.

"Dave is serving two masters, and that doesn't work.''

Parry declined to say how much he earns as national director, but said the bulk of his income comes from the Big Ten.

"I don't think there's been a conflict of interest,'' he said.

But the national championship game has led to conflict.

Parry seemed taken aback when his Pac-10 counterpart, Sorgen, contended the Big Ten instant replay crew missed yet another critical call in the national championship game. The play in question took place early in the second quarter and before the officials realized the second monitor was hooked up to the wrong television feed.

USC led 7-0 and had the ball at its own 45. Quarterback Matt Leinart passed to Reggie Bush, who carried the ball to the Texas 20 before his attempt to pitch the ball to teammate Brad Walker went awry.

Texas recovered at the 18 and kept possession after officials ruled the ball was a fumble. But Sorgen said video replays showed the play was a forward lateral, which means USC should have maintained possession.

The Longhorns drove to a field goal, making the score 7-3.


Reggie Bush turned to lateral the ball
while running forward. (ABC Sports)

"I don't know why the Bush lateral play has stayed under the radar the way it has," Sorgen, a USC graduate, told the Riverside Press-Enterprise.

Responded Parry in an interview with Yahoo! Sports: "Verle is for the Pac-10, so of course he's going to push the envelope in their favor.''

Later Parry agreed with Sorgen's assessment but defended the Big Ten's instant replay crew while saying video replays of Bush's supposed fumble "indicated the pass was a little forward. But that's going in slow, slow, slow motion.'' Of his instant replay crew, Parry also added, "Their view was they didn't have indisputable evidence, so they left it alone.''

But in a recent interview with Yahoo! Sports, Honig, the assistant replay official, said the botched television feed might have prevented the crew from seeing the angle they needed to make the correct call.

There's no evidence that college football is taking aggressive steps to fix problems with instant replay, either.

Parry said he recently talked to the NFL's officiating supervisor, Mike Pereira, about setting up an offseason replay clinic for all 11 Division I-A supervisors. But before the 2006 season, three of the 11 conferences brought in the NFL's instant replay guru, Dean Blandino, during training sessions for their own instant replay officials. The conferences were so focused on training their own officials that no one bothered setting up a national training seminar.

Parry said he would have organized the session last year, but conferences were using different instant replay rules. Asked how it would be any different after this season, with five different replay technology systems in use, Parry replied, "That's a good question.''

Many questions remain. For example, Tommy Hunt, supervisor of officials for the ACC, has compiled a list of at least 50 plays where the proper call was open to interpretation. But without anyone overseeing the national implementation of replay, Hunt said he will wait until the conference officiating supervisors meet in February to get answers.

If everything goes as Parry hopes, the NFL might have a representative at one of the officiating supervisors' biannual meetings.

"We're talking about having a one-day deal,'' Parry said. "We haven't had a chance to run it by our CEOs, the commissioners, yet. But we hope we can set up a training day to work through some problems."

Josh Peter is a writer for Yahoo! Sports. Send Josh a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.