Steve Usecheck, the referee from Monday’s Gator Bowl, responded to the Marcus Vick incident:
“We missed that, and I’m sorry we did,” [Big 12 Conference official] Usecheck told the Newport News Daily Press from his Colorado home. “The TV, everybody saw it but us. I wish we had the opportunity to talk to (Vick) because that was complete (expletive). You bet I would have thrown his ass out.”
Usecheck said he has not seen a replay of the Vick incident but that purposely stomping a defenseless opponent warrants ejection. …
…“I was really disappointed,” Usecheck said. “We don’t see football like that (in the Big 12). Those kids were just completely out of control. Louisville wasn’t as bad. Virginia Tech was brutal.”
I have two words for Mr. Usecheck: shut up. He didn’t see the play when it happened. He hasn’t seen it on replay. Those of us who saw it know what the proper action should’ve been. There’s nothing more gained from Mr. Usecheck’s input.
Specifically, those quotes confirm exactly what I screamed at my television on Monday. The officials missed most of the game. They didn’t see Vick’s deplorable step. They didn’t see other penalties, on both teams, that should’ve been obvious. They saw penalties, again, on both teams, that simply never happened. Mr. Usecheck also seemed to take glee in calling penalties on Virginia Tech. It was a pathetic job from kickoff until the final ticks.
Mr. Usecheck shouldn’t perpetuate that by babbling about something he can’t be bothered to see at least once.