Boren: Game Should Not Go in Books

Courtesy: SoonerSports.com
Release: 09/18/2006

NORMAN, Okla. -- Today, University of Oklahoma President David Boren released a letter calling on the commissioner of the Big 12 Conference to take action related to the breakdown of officiating in the Oklahoma-Oregon football game last Saturday.

The text of the letter is below.

Dear Commissioner Weiberg:
To describe the lapses in accurate officiating at the Oklahoma-Oregon football game last Saturday as constituting an outrageous injustice is an understatement. Since officiating is a conference responsibility as opposed to an individual institutional responsibility, we must look to you to launch a vigorous effort to correct the situation.

On behalf of the University of Oklahoma, I ask that you as Big 12 Commissioner take the following actions:

• First, seek an apology from the Pac-10 Conference for the gross errors in officiating.

• Second, since institutions, players, and coaches are held responsible by conferences and the NCAA for their actions, those who officiate games should also be held responsible. At the very least, those found responsible for reviewing the onside kick call and the interference call in the closing minutes of the game should be suspended from officiating for the rest of the season.

• Third, it is my understanding that the Pac-10 Conference has a rule that they will only use Pac-10 officials at games with other conference institutions hosted by Pac-10 members. In light of what happened Saturday, the Big 12 should request that the Pac-10 change its rule to assure impartial officiating.

• Fourth, the Big 12 should request that the game should not go into the record books as a win or loss by either team in light of the level of officiating mistakes.

• Fifth, the Big 12 should place on the appropriate agendas of NCAA meetings and meetings of the conference commissioners a discussion of how the film review process should be implemented.

Since the University of Oklahoma and its officials are required by conference sportsmanship rules to limit their comments in situations like this, we must look to you as the commissioner of the Big 12 Conference to vigorously demand that our teams be treated fairly when participating in non-conference games.

It is truly sad and deeply disappointing that members of our football team should be deprived of the outcome of the game that they deserved because of an inexcusable breakdown in officiating.

Sincerely,
David L. Boren
President, The University of Oklahoma