Kevin Cremin, (9/19/2006 6:33:10 PM)

Perhaps the problem wasn't Mr. Riese. In the Pac-10 the television produver in the truck and an associate producer in the replay booth have control over what the replay official sees, if he only saw one frame on which to base his call maybe someone else should be shoulderinjg some blame.

Edwin Cheek, (9/19/2006 9:56:54 PM)

Mr. Strain, I think you shouldn't be so quick to say with certainty that the rediculous harrassment and death threats came from "an OU fan". It could have easily come from some derainged gambler and not anyone associated with the university. At least I hope that is the case because I too would be embarrased to be a sooner if it indeed was an upset person who has no idea how to conduct himself.

Jim, (9/20/2006 8:39:36 AM)

I still have a lot of trouble seeing how the responsibility for the loss does not sit on Stoop's and the team's shoulders. There was one touchdown and one "should have been" touchdown that were nullified by holding and false start penalties committed by the offense. That OU did not snatch a cheap win from the jaws of deserved defeat is probably the demonstration of justice, and not the offense against the Sooner Nation that so many have called the officiating. What does all this really say about the psyche and esteem of Oklahoma? That the University President has no more pressing academic and administrative challeneges, that he can subordinate these issues to spending his Monday demanding something which has never been given anyone in the history of the NCAA - a nullification of results for the football team. That the State has nothing to be proud of other than a football team - so much so that harrassing phone calls are made to officials? What ever happened to "dignity"? Whatever happened to "grace"? Both apparently absent in the State of Oklahoma.

Echo, (9/20/2006 9:08:17 AM)

I don't buy the death threat deal. I think it's his ploy to recieve sympathy and forgiveness. I'm not buying it, sorry. This man has been involved in a lot of really poor officiating situations in the past. I have read that he was sent to the viewing booth because he had made so many bad calls on the field. The man should not retired, he should be fired. The other officials that were involved in the situation should be sent to the locker room for the rest of this year.

LifeGoesOn, (9/20/2006 4:55:35 PM)

Pick a cliche':

1) Don't cry over spilt milk
2) I calls 'em like I see's em
3) Bad calls balance out over the course of a season

The positives that can be taken away from the Sooner game on Saturday are:

1) Stoops' team knows who righfully won that game. Who knows? This could potentially be the rallying moment that brings this team tighter together as a cohesive whole after the Bomar incident left them shattered. I expect a more focused and determined Sooner squad on the field the rest of the season.

2) The OU uniform still looks better than those garish things the Ducks wear. Yeeeeesh!!!

bob carter, (9/20/2006 9:34:55 PM)

Injustice is a part of everyday life and particularly in football. Yes, unfortunately OU got robbed, but every week teams get the short end from officials. Usually it is more subtle like where a ball is spotted (favorable - usually to the home team resulting in a first down), early whistles (early when the home team fumbles (no fumble) and late when the visiting team fumbles resulting in a turn over), holding, etc. Just watch any game at Notre Dame stadium and see how well ND does on their home town calls. Just look at how LSU got home towned against Auburn last Saturday.

The only difference here is the video and the fact that the game turned on the bad calls at the very end. . If a bad call takes place early in a game, it is not perceived as such a bad thing in that the offended team has lots of time to make up for it. Take UT's touchdown in the Rose Bowl last year where V. Young knee was clearly down at the 25 yard line yet he ran into the in zone for a TD - which proved to be the margin in the national championship game. If that play came at the end of the game you can bet their would have been outrage, but since it was early, no one made a big deal out of it. It was found out later that even if USC had tried to review the play they could not as there were equipment problems and no tape was available for the officials to review. You didn't hear a word from USC about this bad call but yet OU continues to go on and on about the Oregon call.

After a point, continued complaining makes OU look bad. OU should have made their initial formal protest and moved on. College football fan is smart and knows a shallow victory when they see it and has empathy for OU. Too much complaining just harms OU.

Dave, (9/20/2006 10:27:13 PM)

I am a Ducks fan and was born in Colorado. Two reasons why I should not like the Sooners! I was also a former high school student of a tremendous teacher, Mr. Gordon Riese, the now oft-vilified replay official. Let's get one thing straight--he blew it--twice! However, let's get another thing straight, it wasn't Gordon Riese who let the receiver get 5 yards beyond him wide open for a touchdown. Sooner fans, you were robbed. That happens in sports and in life. I know Gordon Riese and he is an honest, fair man. For those of you ready to string him up--two thoughts. Since when did you get so perfect and, c'mon, get a life. Let's hope we hook up in a bowl game.....with some ACC refs!

Lea, (9/21/2006 1:26:00 AM)

I'm sure that in many respects Mr. Reise is a fine individual that caved in to what his boss and the official on the field demanded that he do. I'm having trouble buying that he was threatened by an OU fan as we didn't know who he was for several days. The folks in Oregon certainly knew who he was, as did the referee on the field and the Oregon coach. Perhaps they could smell this suspension coming and weren't crazy about a little unpaid time to think it overafter being caught red-handed by the networks. Perhaps it was his assistant who, now that Riese has been granted a leave of absence by the Pac-10, won't be working for the rest of the year either or maybe it just didn't happen at all. There is inconclusive evidence to justify his charge of threats but ample video evidence to support what he did. There is plenty of grace and dignity in the State of Oklahoma but there is also an inherent belief that wrongs should be made right to the maximum extent possible. Without President Boren's intervention do you really believe the Pac-10 would have issued a statement? With a new story every day (by the media who doesn't want to talk about it anymore) perhaps he should have demanded a full investigation of everyone involved, who they went to school with, drink beer with on Sunday, etc.
Lastly, President Boren has proven over and over that he is more than up to the task of managing the academic and administrative challenges of OU so I don't expect the wheels of education ground to a halt for more than a couple of hours.

Dan Jensen, (9/21/2006 8:16:40 AM)

It's always good to get an "objective" opinion from the likes of ol' Lea, one who is not objective enough to give his own name.

Ed, (9/21/2006 3:42:20 PM)

Thanks for writing this column. Even though I am an OSU fan, I am first and foremost, a proud Oklahoman and I feel embarassed for our state that Boren, a lifelong politician, chose to pander to the ou fanbase in such a ridiculous way. He should have kept his mouth shut and listened to his athletic director who is the only person from ou showing any class regarding this issue. Castiglione has said that future discussions with the Washington and the PAC-10 'should be held when people are more rational'. Sadly, Joe will be waiting a long time for that group of coaches and fanbase to reach that point.

ou could have won that game, bad call(s) and all, but they didn't. They had multiple chances to end the game in their favor. Cover the receivers properly, make a field goal, etc. and their players couldn't. Players win and lose games, period.

ou has won games in the past with the help of blown calls. Will they set aside the outcomes of those games in a sense of fairness? Ask Texas Tech basketall if they feel cheated when an ou employee timekeeper allowed the clock to stop several seconds after play resumed and ou made a tying basket. Will ou set aside the outcome of that game. How about last year when Byron Eaton was called for a controversial block. Will we get a 'do over'? I hope the ou fans will stop the insanity and stop do harm to our great state.

Tom Power, (9/21/2006 4:32:30 PM)

Let's get to the CORE of the problem. Instant Replay allows everyone including "officials" to look at the same play over and over agian ulike real action. ANYONE can miss something LIVE but the luxury of replay makes a blatantly bad call on the field correctable........UNLESS you use refs in the REPLAY booth. THEY protect each other. GOD knows why. It's as if they can't admit they may have missed something on the field. Replay doesn't work because THEY USE REFS IN THE REPLAY BOOTH and refs HATE to over rule another ref. The solution is simple. Have the replay booth elsewhere from the stadium. Have a professional crew that knows EVERY rule and has no loyalty to the refs on the field. As it stands now, we got the buddy system in the booth.

scott hansen, (9/22/2006 12:31:54 PM)

I love the fact that there are so many Sooner fans out there who have mage much bigger mistakes in life than missing a football call. This doesn't excuse the fact that it was a blown call and it cost OU the game. But it means you are in no position to be bad-mouthing this guy AS A PERSON, not to mention giving him death threats. You were outplayed anyway. Oregon's offense had 550 or so yeards off you. Your defense stunk it up. Plus, you benefited from a touchdown in the first half where there were clearly 2 penalties. I guess he didn't hate you guys then though, did he? His hate just built and built from then on till the end of the game and he just had to screw you over!!! Get over it. You're going to have at least 3 losses at the end of the year anyway. Also, I know OU's acadmeics aren't the best so doesn't your president have something more important to worry about?

Aimee De La Cruz, (9/22/2006 4:50:23 PM)

I grew up in Oregon. My dad and two sisters graduated from U of O and I would have, had we stayed in Medford one more year. I am a Duck fan and have been my whole life. My car and home and office are strewn with very proud green O's and Oregon pictures, pillows, beads, items everywhere.
I agree the call was bad. My problem is that as long as I've been watching football - 39 years - there have been bad calls every single game. This goes for other sports too. Yes it is infuriating but it has gone on since the first sport ever played. Grow up and take it like those before us have. I cannot count HOW MANY bad calls I see everytime I watch a sporting event. I am an avid sports nut. Even with Instant Reply everyone, commentators included, notice bad calls. This poor man. His year is RUINED. He waited all off season, with baided breath (like the rest of us) for the season to begin and this is what happens.
And yes I now think of Oklahoma as sore losers, death threaters, and an unforgiving bunch of REDNEC.. Sorry but this article is true. I work in a Law Office and everyone I have talked to says you are all "sour grapes." And I now live 2000 miles away from Oregon, so not only have you affected Oregon, but all who love and admire their school. We spent about 30 years at the bottom of the Pac-10 in football. Only these last few years with Joey Harrington, Akili Smith, A.J. Feeley, Kellen Clemmens leading our teams have we had a half a chance. For goodness sake everybody knows we all are just "playing for second" (USC being #!, we cannot possibly get there)
Please just give us a break. We are not a big school with a big name. We aren't even a big conference. I know Oregon never even wins their bowl, should they go 10-2 (a decent record) and make it there. Have some pity. And forgiveness. Only then will I think about forgiving Oklahoma.
I do thank you to whoever wrote the article I am responding to. I will keep in mind everything you said, and hopefully it will sink in. I liked Bob Stoops and Oklahoma once, it's bound to happen again.
Let's see the hate responses to this person's honest opinion.