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Human error may have led to clock flap

Associated Press
Originally published 06:34 p.m., February 12, 2008
Updated 08:56 p.m., February 12, 2008

The inventor of the timing device used in No. 1 Tennessee’s 59-58 win over No. 5 Rutgers, suspects human error led to the disputed ending of Monday night’s game.

The game clock appeared to pause for more than a second just before reaching zero, and Tennessee made a pair of foul shots with two-tenths of a second remaining.

“I can only conclude that we won the game in regulation and ask that the NCAA basketball committee take this into consideration when they seed the teams,” Rutgers athletic director Robert Mulcahy said.

Precision Time Systems inventor and president Michael Costabile said there is plenty of room for human error in running the game clock. At issue is whether or not Rutgers’ Kia Vaughn fouled Nicky Anosike before time expired.

“The system works really, really well,” said Costabile, who watched the game on TV. “Have we had somebody hit the wrong button? Yes.”

The SEC and Big East said Tuesday that both leagues’ coordinators of officials spoke with the game officials and clock operator.

“The officials discharged their duties properly and there is no indication that anything improperly was done by anyone involved,” the SEC’s statement said. “There will be no further comment on this issue as the leagues, institutions, coaches and teams look to move forward.”

Television replays showed the game clock seemed to pause at two-tenths of a second for about 1.3 seconds before running to zero as Anosike came down with an offensive rebound and was grabbed from behind by Vaughn.

Officials replayed the video and ruled the foul came just before the buzzer. Anosike calmly stepped up and hit the two free throws to take the victory.

The Precision Time device, which keeps time for all NBA games and many at the college level, uses small microphones attached to the referees’ whistles that communicate wirelessly to devices worn on the referees’ belts which stop the game clock. When the device picks up sound from the whistle, the clock stops.

The official must hit a button on his belt pack to restart the clock.

At the same time, the official timekeeper manually controls the clock. Whichever signal is picked up first — the sound of the referee’s whistle, the click of the belt pack button or the pressing of the timekeeper’s button — officially controls the clock.

Costabile said because the clock seemed to pause before reaching zero indicates to him that either an official or the timekeeper may have stopped the clock, anticipating Anosike would be fouled, and then restarted it when that wasn’t immediately the case.

“That can take as much as 0.8 seconds to 1.5 seconds,” he said. “That’s telling me people froze up. It’s only as good as someone pushing the button.”

Barbara Jacobs, assistant commissioner in charge of Big East women’s basketball officiating, said the officials were not aware that the clock had stopped.

“I believe that they thought they reviewed it and got it right,” she said. “In other words, they were not aware that the clock had stopped.”

The SEC assigned Bob Trammell, Tina Napier and Bonita Spence as the game’s officials because they work several conferences, including the SEC and Big East.

Mulcahy said his concerns were that the officiating crew neither asked the timekeeper to review the clock nor used a stopwatch while watching the replay monitor to check for inconsistencies.

“It’s one thing for human error to occur. That happens, we accept that,” he said. “It’s entirely another thing when the appropriate steps aren’t taken to correct it.”

Tim Reese, the manager of Thompson-Boling Arena said new batteries are put in the Precision Time devices before every game and the unit was tested before and after the game to ensure it was working properly.

“How long does it take the signal to get to the base unit?” he asked rhetorically after the game.

Replays of the final seconds airing nationally on ESPN2 show Trammell at the baseline near Anosike raising his arms to signal the foul as the clock strikes zero. Neither Napier nor Spence are in view and either one may have signaled a foul before Trammell did.

Costabile said his Bolivia, N.C.-based company offers a system that can track whose whistle or button is responsible for clock stoppage, but Tennessee doesn’t use that system.

“There is a way to track every play. If somebody does something, we know what happens,” Costabile said. “They don’t have it set up there, but I’m certainly going to recommend it to them.”

Tennessee spokeswoman Debby Jennings said those decisions are usually made at the conference level. She said “Tennessee turned the matter over to the league offices to review,” and did not plan further comment.

Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer said she was saddened that the controversy has overshadowed the game.

“The controversy at the end of the game last night at Tennessee was an unfortunate incident and Rutgers deserved to win,” she said in a statement.

“The one thing I have learned over my 36 years of coaching is in the waning moments of a game you can never allow officials or others to determine the outcome.”

© 2008, The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

       100 Comments

Posted by ncvol17 on February 12, 2008 at 6:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Brother are the women in my office talking about this way over here in NC. They say the Vols cheated but it seems as though it was the timekeepers.

Posted by jsmithnga on February 12, 2008 at 6:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I will accept this human error if they will accept the human error on the non charge call a couple of plays earlier which would have made this play a non factor.

Posted by AlpharettaVol on February 12, 2008 at 6:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Rutgers AD -- stop your whining! To indicate that your team should receive some special consideration later this year shows how little you know about the way college athletics operate. This is pure and simple grandstanding for your own fans. Sorry, fella, but nobody likes a cry-baby. No one is willing to stand up anymore and just accept that they lost. It must be someone else's fault. Just get over it.

Posted by jcherrie on February 12, 2008 at 7:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Rutgers outscored us for 40:00 minutes but we outscored them for 40:01 minutes. I'm sure that there are other instances of clock error all the time. With all the starting and stopping it won't ever be exact. Measurement error is inherent in any process and it compounds because of the multiple starts and stops. It's definitely more noticeable at the end of the game.

Rutgers felt like they should of won - but games like this always have some element of judgement. Anyway, we might play them again.

Posted by utfreakster on February 12, 2008 at 7:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I agee with jsmithnga.....There was definitely a charge when she obviously lowered her shoulder to get Candace out of the way of her shot. But these things happen, we just happened to get the lucky end of this. I just hope we don't see Rutgers in the tournament. Talk about the revenge factor and motivation!!!!

Posted by smokey90 on February 12, 2008 at 7:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

In sum, Rutgers did foul, and UT hit the following free throws. Rutgers fouled one too many times. UT won.

Posted by utang1602 on February 12, 2008 at 7:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

If the officials had called one of the three players fouling Candace (out of 4 defenders) seconds before this, none of this would even be in question.

In addition, why isn't the uproar over why Rutgers was fouling anyhow? If the game was already over, what were their players doing hitting Anosike?

It's over already, Rutgers needs to let it rest.

Posted by ATLVOLFAN on February 12, 2008 at 7:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Smokey90. I could not agree with you anymore. What I dont get Rutgers had a lead with little over a minute left, and they thought they won. The ladies did not give up. If they would of played defense against the two players who was struggling the whole night they would of won this game. Rutgers foul pretty much the whole entire game cause they could not guard the lady vols. What they need to look at is how Bobbitt and Angie hit two beautiful shots against them. So suck it up play basketball everything is not going to go your way in life. Go Vols!!!!

Posted by BigOrangeVol on February 12, 2008 at 7:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Vivian exudes class; I felt sorry for her and her team. Just imagine the juvenile tantrum if the opposing team had been from Storrs!!! That Stoors Hobbit would have chased the refs out of the gym, stomped around the court for an hour cursing and looked for the FIRST television camera and microphone to whine into demanding a Congressional hearing. Come to think of it, I’d love to have seen that! Gollum Auri-ennema!

As was stated, it is probable that the whistle was blown and the call was made by one of the other refs initially, not by the baseline guy. After getting hacked earlier and the no-call on the charge… I’m with Jennifer, it all evens out. I would rather have won by 20 though. Rutgers Media Guide next year will have an asterisk by this game.

Posted by orangeblood1966 on February 12, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Had she not grabbed NA by the shoulders, they would have won. Since she did grab the shoulder, we won. Pretty simple when you think about it. Joe Dean Jr pointed out several times Saturday that these things even out during the game.

Posted by Musicman74 on February 12, 2008 at 7:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Fact, TENNESSEE 59 Rutgers 58. They can cry all they want. There is nothing that they can do about it now. It was a judgment call, and the NCAA will tell them that and that there is nothing that they can do. Rutgers fans you have nothing to feel bad about you are number 3 in the polls. so unless you lose the rest of your games you should get a number one seed.

The Lady Vols need to get down to work, and beat LSU. that way no one can say that they don't deserve to be number 1. We know Uconn is not the best team. Tennessee is right where they should be.
GO LADY VOLS!!!

Posted by ggriggs939 on February 12, 2008 at 7:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It is my understanding that 'regulation' is 40.0 minutes, not 39.8. As Yogi said, "It ain't over till it's over," and Rutgers chose to get in a few more cheap shots, but the last one rose up and bit them. Now they don't want to be held accountable for their actions.
I would have no problem with facing Rutgers in the NCAAs because I don't think the Lady VOLS can play any more poorly than they did in this game.
Next year's media guide for Rutgers could show an asterisk beside this game to show that it was another loss to the Lady VOLS or that it was a loss to a team they haven't beaten anywhere except on their own home court.

Posted by nholme31 on February 12, 2008 at 7:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

rutgers has to take responsibility for how they played the game. they only had a one point lead. in any sport if your only up by one point you are in a position to lose because of a quirk in a game, you are vunerable to those kinds of things. if your upset by the result of the game then practice harder, get better and next play time harder. if you sit around and make excuses about refs your robbing yourself of the challenge to get better...if we do play them again i d kinda rather be the team on that got robbed. it can give you motivation.

Posted by pdhuff on February 12, 2008 at 8:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)

ZZZZzzzzzzzzz. Go tell it to UConn. You agree to abide by the decision of the officials when you sign the contract for a game. It doesn't say things will always be perfect.

Posted by hollywood44 on February 12, 2008 at 8:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I mean didn't Les Miles say that LSU was undefeated in regulation because their losses were in overtime? I mean why don't we just keep records of regulation and then other records just for fun. I attended the game, and for a little while today felt bad for Rutgers because it was such a tough way to lose a game but now I'm getting annoyed that they are being such babies about it. Just prove yourself in March that's all anyone remembers in the end.

Posted by mtnvol on February 12, 2008 at 8:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The victim mentality is draining!

Posted by volfan_in_mississippi on February 12, 2008 at 8:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

In the grand scheme of things, what does this really matter? I mean, yeah, if we were on the other side of this I would not be happy. That being said, Rutgers and Tennessee are still going to be seeded the same in the tournament regardless of who won. Even if TN lost, if the rest of the season goes the same as started they will be a 1 seed. A win for Rutgers might get them to a 1 seed, but they are probably a 2 seed either way after UConn beats them in Storrs the last game of the season. 1 or 2 seed really does not matter come tournament time. Either can make it to the Final Four.

Posted by VolnDothan on February 12, 2008 at 8:25 p.m.

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Posted by kjneel on February 12, 2008 at 8:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Please dont use Les Miles as a reference point. The guy is 60% brain dead.
Fact is we got lucky, lets hope we learn not to make stupid mistakes again like the technical foul for taunting. March madness is where it all counts, this is just a training ground.

Posted by HotlantaVol on February 12, 2008 at 8:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Play til you hear the whistle. The rest will take care of the rest.

Posted by PatStev on February 12, 2008 at 8:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Both teams have incredible, respectable coaches and players. Lady Vols played an amazing 1st half and Rutgers came back and played an amazing 2nd half...but they couldn't stop Candace without fouling her. The fouls made the difference. But either team would have been upset with such an ending - it's not the way you want to WIN ...or LOSE. I congratulate the teams on a great performance!

Posted by volfan_in_mississippi on February 12, 2008 at 8:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Come on VolnDothan, there is no need for that. It is classless.

Posted by reg_mza on February 12, 2008 at 8:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Agrees with volfan_in_mississippi...they will both be high seeds in the NCAA tourney and if Rutgers wins out the rest of the way(meaning they beat UConn at UConn and then again in the Big East Tourney), then they are a #1 seed.

Maryland, NC, and Duke will all pound each other to death in the ACC. LSU and TN will pound on each other in the SEC. ASU, Stanford, UCLA, USC, and Cali will beat on each other in the Pac 10 so there will be more wins and losses for all of these teams with an exception of perhaps the #1 and #2 teams in the nation who will more than likely win their tourneys and win out going into the NCAA tourney.

I abhor how this ended but there is light at the end of the tunnel for both teams or it could be a beginning of the end for one or the other team. All depends on the players and the coaches to move on so I'm hoping that we all can move on now.

Posted by willievol111 on February 12, 2008 at 8:40 p.m.

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Posted by Embarrassed on February 12, 2008 at 8:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)

As a vol fan I am really EMBARRASSED by the attitude of our fans.....Lets be honest here. A huge mistake has been made. Do we really want to win that way????

Posted by volster on February 12, 2008 at 8:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree with you, mtnvol. It was a tough loss for Rutgers, now go home and get ready for your next game, this one is over. You cheapen yourselves when you keep crying about a tough loss and expect everyone to feel sorry for you. You lost a damn basketball game, now get over it.

Posted by daddyaxe on February 12, 2008 at 8:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

NO CLASS...We don't need that on here......I love the VOLS, but bottom line the clock froze and the decision should have been made at court side...I know that this is a touchy situation, but the LADY VOLS need to just go on and not get caught up in any kind of quotes about this game. They did not deserve to win as much as they did not deserve to lose. Just thank heavens this did not happen in a tournament game
Because win or lose, the call was made but in my opinion the call was wrong and it was right there to see. Use the technology that is out there and get it right.

Posted by HotlantaVol on February 12, 2008 at 8:46 p.m.

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Posted by volster on February 12, 2008 at 8:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Come on HotlantaVol, why bring his seven-year-old into this. Let's all show a little class.

Posted by faithfulvol on February 12, 2008 at 8:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)

VolnDothan....that is so WRONG!!!!! You are no different than some of these other classless postings!!!
I think so much is just getting blown way out there. This was a simple mistake! Nobody cheated, no one sat back and planned "oh the Vols are gonna cheat the Rutgers out of a win". It was all TECHNICAL ERROR. To even entertain the thought that Pat Summitt and the team CHEATED is nothing but garbage. No coach, no player or no fan had anything to do with this instance. IT JUST HAPPENED and looking at the whole scheme of things, if NA wouldn't have gotten tackled in those final tenths of seconds, it would have all taken care of itself. All of this is too close to call, if you are a reasonable person who sits down and really looks at all of these replays. IT TRULY IS TOO CLOSE TO CALL because she was fouled the moment the clock hit .2
We all just need to suck this up, move on and look to March because I feel confident both of these teams will meet again. I feel so bad for both of these teams. These are kids and neither one of these teams deserve all of this criticism, ridicule and MESS!!! Go Lady Vols....Go Rutgers (until we meet again)!

Posted by marc_ash on February 12, 2008 at 8:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hey UCONN, funny how you dodged my earlier posts about the class of your former players. I think Taurasi was one of the most unclassy players I've ever seen. She was almost as foul mouthed as Geno. I could hear her 10 rows up cursing and taunting players when she would hit a shot on them.

"And she can be as flamboyant as she is skilled. After UConn defeated Duke, then undefeated and ranked No. 1, on the road in February, Taurasi turned toward the Duke students who had been taunting her and placed her thumb and little finger to the side of her face. ''Call me,'' she motioned in mocking payback."

This was an excert from a UCONN article...in their words "mocking payback": So...don't come on this site and say your schools players don't taunt. Nobody wants to hear your hypocritical garbage.

Posted by faithfulvol on February 12, 2008 at 8:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Glad VolnDothan post got taken off

Posted by marinevol on February 12, 2008 at 9 p.m. (Suggest removal)

HotlantaVol, are you some kind of a stalker?

Posted by rpoll1095 on February 12, 2008 at 9:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

ok.......human error, bad call, shoulda been, etc. Yea, yea. Anybody involved in sports has seen these things over and over. Tennessee lost to Florida on a horendous end zone call giving Florida a TD.. At the end of the day it comes down to "so what!" None of that shows in the record books and you move forward. So Rutgers!!! SHUT UP! You want to proove you are #1? Go win out and we will see you in March. Gonna be the same results as last year, but we look forward to seeing you.....IF, you actually get that far. GO VOLS!!!

PS I have lived in Joisey since I got out of the service, but am moving back to Knoxville this summer....I just can't wait!!!!! LOOOVE that K'ville. :)

Posted by marc_ash on February 12, 2008 at 9:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)

UCONNfan,

Yet another article written by a uconn paper. Again, do your homework before you put your foot in your mouth.

"Auriema has taken UConn women’s basketball to a different level.

The fans: The Husky fans are by far the loudest and most supportive out of all the women’s college basketball fans.

They never get down on their team and they show great pride for their school. The Husky fans not only cheer on their team but they taunt UConn’s opponent and jump on them whenever they make a mistake."

Posted by TurboFan on February 12, 2008 at 9:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Here's a question to ask an official: when is a foul a foul? When contact is initiated? When the foulee is laying on the ground? Somewhere in between? Or when the whistle blows?

Posted by jawjavol on February 12, 2008 at 9:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Knoxville has its share of controversies in officiating. Kinda reminds me of Aloma Matthews signaling a touchdown for Jabar Gaffney in the corner of the north end zone. Hey Rutgers.... Sucks to be you! just be thankful Bobbitt committed the Technical or this controversy never would have happened. I hope we play Rutgers again and we shoot better than 26% and C. Vivian Stringer cries foul again and Don Imus gets in trouble one more time.

Posted by orangeinindy on February 12, 2008 at 9:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Anybody who's saying that Vivian Stringer handled last nights debacle with class probably hasn't read her and the Rugter's Athletic Director's official statment from their website.

http://scarletknights.com/news/releas...

She says "It is the unpredictably of those situations at an opponent's court that allow for those kind of errors and unfortunately Rutgers was on the losing end at this time."

In other words, something like this never would have happened at their place, and only happens to them on opponents courts. And she also asserts that it's not over by saying that Rutgers was on the losing end "at this time".
The Athletic Director's comments aren't any better. Anybody who's been around UT women's basketball long enough knows that if the shoe was on the other foot Coach Summitt would'nt let it bother her much at all because to her it's all about winning National Championships. Coach Stringer needs to let it go.

Posted by arkyvol on February 12, 2008 at 9:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

to hear the usual suspects on the espn boards tell it, pat was guilty of everything, including being the suspect on the grassy knoll. home cooking is one thing; being the innocent recipient of the favor of the basketball gods is another. had the situation gone the other way, i don't think rutgers would be offering to amend the record book. to all those belly aching boobs, i say: deal with it.

Posted by vols1986 on February 12, 2008 at 9:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)

let's move on... crying babies... IT IS ALL OVER

Posted by VOLS85 on February 12, 2008 at 9:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Embarrassed...why don't you quiet your mouth, Tennessee did not create this problem, the officiating crew and time keepers were not from tennessee. You created a name out of spite as a result of this game. I get the impression that you are not a UT fan and I encourage you to change your name to "EMBARRASSEDBYTHETIMEKEEPINGCREW". UT DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG, SHUT UP.

Posted by anthony on February 12, 2008 at 10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Maybe Jessee Jackson should come in and solve this one, like he did in the 2000 elections. Let's just call this one, the hanging clock chad!!!!!! Don't you just love it when we're on the winning side!! Don't you know that they would have called us crybabies if we'd bitched about this calling going the other way, don't you22222

Posted by TurboFan on February 12, 2008 at 10:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Stringer should have used an editor before publishing that statement.

"It is the unpredictably of those situations" doesn't make any sense.

McBrim, I ask again, when is a foul a foul? When contact is initated or when the foulee is on the floor? Vaughn had her hands on Anosike at minus 0.2 and Anosike was on the floor at plus 1.1. At what exact moment in time did the foul occur?

Posted by faithfulvol on February 12, 2008 at 10:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree with VOLS85 that the Lady Vols have nothing to be emabarrassed about. That is ridiculous, this was not any of fault of UT.
Now some of these people who have made these horrific posts should be embarassed. That I can see!

Posted by orangeinindy on February 12, 2008 at 10:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Sometimes when the 4 year old is throwing a tantrum you have to give in to them just to shut them up. So here ya go Rutgers. Here's your W. Feel better now?

Posted by PatStev on February 12, 2008 at 10:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Come on Fans! Of course the Lady Vols and Rutgers didn't want this ending. Either team would complain with such an ending.. but these responses???

rpoll1095
So Rutgers!!! SHUT UP! You Gonna be the same results as last year, but we look forward to seeing you.....IF, you actually get that far.

In response to marc_ash - UConn fan
Re. Geno - Any coach who taunts opposing players on the field and publicly criticizes their fans is classless!! Let’s see him do that to Lady Vols!!!!

Posted by snowvol on February 12, 2008 at 10:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

For argument's sake -- and bear in mind I'm a diehard UT fan -- what if the whole scenario was reversed, but it still happened in TBA. Everyone on here would be screaming that it was a Big East/ESPN agenda and conspiracy.

Hey, this kind of thing happens. It's unfortunate. Although I'm glad we won, Rutgers got the rug pulled out from under them. But had it been the other way around, everyone on hear telling Rutgers fans to i.e. shut up and move on would be singing a dramatically different tune.

Posted by rpoll1095 on February 12, 2008 at 10:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I am telling you guys, you ought to hear it up here in Jersey. The carping and crying is unbelievable!! I had a guy at work call ME a "thieving b***tard" like I was the clockman. lol. But oh, had the tables been the other way round, then I would just have to man up and admit that we were "outplayed anyway." Rutgers is famous for their crybaby antics. From football to basketball, its all the same. They cry any time something doesn't fall their way. But watch what they do to our Navy midshipmen in THEIR stadium and the classless way they behave....oh, that's OK...it's Rutgers. Let them keep their cess pool campus and hard feelings. They will NEVER have a program like Tennessee. NEVER!

Posted by orangeinindy on February 12, 2008 at 10:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm sure that had the the situation been reversed there would have been a lot of yelling and screaming on here by us Tenn fans. But I'll bet you anything you wouldn't have seen a statement from Coach Summitt like Coach Stringer and the Rutgers AD did.

Posted by TurboFan on February 12, 2008 at 10:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

McBrim, the game is not over with 0.2 seconds left.

Posted by iowavol on February 12, 2008 at 10:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Can't wait to play Rutgers again in the turney. Sure hope it happens. It won't be close. Vivian may be a class act and good coach, but she aint showing it here. Rutgers played good interior defense and offensively, they played a great 2nd half, but Tennessee missed wide open shots all night long. Yet Coach Stringer talks like Rutgers was responsible for all that. The truth: they were lucky to be in this game. Can't wait for the rematch - Lady Vols by 20 with at least 3 Rutgers fouling out and possibly 2 flagrant fouls when the game is out of reach. Cry baby, cry.

Posted by TurboFan on February 12, 2008 at 10:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

McBrim, you apparently have no concept of the difference between an event and a process. The process was one in which Vaughn grabbed Anosike and pulled her to the floor. That took 1.3 seconds from beginning to end. The event, the instant of time, two shakes of a lambs tail, of the foul occurred, based on your statements, when Anosike hit the floor. I don't know if that is the official rule.

Don't blame me for your lack of insight and objectivity to see beyond your bias.

Posted by marinevol on February 12, 2008 at 10:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I just read the comments by Stringer and the Rutgers AD on the Rutgers site. Does anyone still want to talk about how classy they are? Makes me feel better about the game ending the way it did. I just hope the teams meet again for the NC.

Posted by TurboFan on February 12, 2008 at 10:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

If you don't know what two shakes of a lambs tail is, look it up in a quantum physics book.

Posted by coach75 on February 12, 2008 at 11:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)

and mcbrim you still won't get the fact that the timekeeper is an official that is sent with the officiating crew. the game is over and like some others have stated if the shoe had been on the other foot you would not see rutgers giving the game to tennessee. this non-sense is utterly ridiculous. everyone is blaming the lady vols and pat when not a one of them were running the clock or calling the foul that the referee called. and the big east can't say much look what happened in the georgetown-villinova game last night.

Posted by hcjournals on February 12, 2008 at 11:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

If you want the bottom line, then here is the bottom line. Vaughn of Rutgers fouled Anosike of Tennesee. The referees called it. If Vaughn had not fouled our player, it would have been a moot point. The referees determined that it occurred during the game, not after it. They reivewed the play. They could have changed the call. Three referees did not change the call. Rutgers lost the game. Believe me, if you are a Vols fan, you have been through this feeling many times unfortunately. The biggest one that comes to mind was the Florida game a few years ago when the gators were credited with a touchdown when the receiver dropped the ball. We lost. Everyone will get another chance, or several to prove their prowess. Let's move on...............

Posted by BloneyBoy on February 12, 2008 at 11:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

One thing about it. Women's Basketball hasn't had this much publicity since Pat passed the guys in total wins. Maybe people will look in on the games and discover that these girls got game. It's different than men's BB. More like what we played in high school and college intramurals. (Except they are alot better than we ever thought about being)

Posted by Titan on February 12, 2008 at 11:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)

mcbrim - your biases totally rule out a logical discussion. When the game got recorded in the record books last night, the Lady Vols got the W. 100 years from now, they will still have the W. May not be fair and certainly isn't what you want, but it's not going to change. Cry on.

Posted by faithfulvol on February 12, 2008 at 11:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

That is absolutely correct hcjournals. We've had our moments like that Florida football game. Everyone goes through those controversial moments such as that and such as this. But you move on and get over it!
You negative fans and UT non-fan haters who are just having a great time bashing the Lady Vols....the embarassment is going to be on you when the Lady Vols get the opportunity to show what last night should have been just like last year CHAMPIONSHIP game.
Maybe Thompson Bowling arena should consider not welcoming back the Rutgers, if they are going to make the negative accusations that were made.
Let's bring back UCONN and whoop up on them : )

Posted by Volalumnus on February 12, 2008 at 11:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Embarassed to answer your question....yes.

Within the rules just like all the other wins.
If Rutgers won that game they would have stolen it with all the bad officiating throughout the game not to mention the fouls not called on hacking parker one second before they finally blew the wistle at .2 seconds for mugging Anosike.

Posted by volunteer4life on February 13, 2008 at 1:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Get over it rutgers. You lost. They could have easily called a foul on the girls guarding Candace at the end of the game. Next time be up by 10 with 1 second to go and you won't have to worry about losing. But when you give us volunteers a chance at the end we will win. Because that is what champions do.

Posted by blewissmith on February 13, 2008 at 5:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)

If Stringer thinks that one call cost her the game then she isn't as smart as I originally thought. Move on, grow up, and be thankful for what you have and what you have accomplished in your life.

Posted by marc_ash on February 13, 2008 at 6:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Well of COURSE the inventor of the clock device is going to site human error! What else did you think he would do. He wants to continue his contract with the NCAA and continue to reap the royalties from the contract.

What a country....place blame on someone else, the American way.

Posted by kb7398 on February 13, 2008 at 7:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Hey Rutgers...next time tell your players not to yank Anosike to the floor when time is running out. If there's no foul, Nicky misses the attempted putback and you win. If anything RU fans get on your coaches and your players for giving the officials the chance to be involved in the decision by fouling.

What's the one thing you don't want to do when you're leading by one with time running out? Oh yeah...DON'T FOUL! It's fundamentals folks...remember it for March.

And another thing, it could've been called an intentional too from what I saw...no attempt to play the ball, only a grab of the player...

Posted by 1point3seconds on February 13, 2008 at 8:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I thought Pat Summitt had class. To say after the game that she was unaware of a clock malfunction is a DISGRACE.
The pollsters should have treated the game as a Rutgers win and Tennessee loss. At least one did, and gave RU a vote for No. 1. RU knocked off the 2 previous top teams. "I have seen No. 1 teams, and you, Tennessee, are not a No. 1 team."
Just ask one question: Did the clock stop? None of this the clock "apparently" stopped. Do we not have eyes? We all saw it stopped.
If UT fans are happy with this win, it says more about them than the entire episode says about Summitt's comment, the refs and the clock keeper.

Posted by cboots54 on February 13, 2008 at 9:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Posted by utang1602 on February 12, 2008 at 7:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

If the officials had called one of the three players fouling Candace (out of 4 defenders) seconds before this, none of this would even be in question.

In addition, why isn't the uproar over why Rutgers was fouling anyhow? If the game was already over, what were their players doing hitting Anosike?

It's over already, Rutgers needs to let it rest.
This is so right! Get over it Rutgers! And Please let this Rest! You don't hear them saying anything about all that. Coaches don't go on the floor until you see its all over. If Stringer wants to blame someone she needs to blame her players for making those stupid fouls. When a player literally drags someone down they need to suffer the consequences! Get Over It!!

Posted by 1974Vol on February 13, 2008 at 9:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)

mcbrim & 1.3 The clock stops when either the officials on the court blow the whistle (a signal goes to the clock) or the clock operator (also an official) manually stops it. Did the officials get it wrong? It appears they did. Is this the first or last time a games outcome will change on an officials call? Not likely. Ask Miami if they think they got hosed in the NC football game against Ohio State on the pass interference call, or Oakland in the snow against the Patriots in the play offs a few years back. Many have already called out the Gator non-catch against the Vols. The list is almost endless. We’re happy we won. No one associated with Tennessee, either players, coaches, administration, or fans had anything to do with the call. Had it gone the other way we would be burning up these boards with how sorry the refs were. That’s just the way it goes. You won’t see Ohio State giving Miami their NC rings or the Patriots mailing their SB rings to the Raiders or the Gators saying we’re sorry to us. The Vol’s won, and sorry but we don’t feel bad about it. We shouldn’t, the refs are as much a part of the game as injuries, ill advised shots, or bad coaching decisions. If it makes you feel any better our time will come to be on the other end, just as it has in the past. Blame the refs if it makes you fell better, but don’t blame us for being glad we won or expect us to feel pity for Rutgers.

Posted by GreerVol22 on February 13, 2008 at 9:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Unfortunately the media still likes to portray Rutgers as victims, hanging on to the "Knappy Headed Ho" thing. Their AD knows it and will exploit and sensationalize the pity card to its fullest with the NCAA and media.

Posted by todd on February 13, 2008 at 9:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)

WHO CARES!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by Vols1998 on February 13, 2008 at 9:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)

No one complains during the game when the clock gives or takes, but at the end and your the loser..its amazing how you become an expert on the clock.

Rutgers...I'm sure this has happen in your favor in the past, it's all good...UT won. Get over it!

Posted by THE_VOL on February 13, 2008 at 9:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)

JUST AS I SAID YESTERDAY IN POSTS - IT CAN BE AND WAS STOPPED BY A HUMAN THAT HUMAN UNDOUBTEDLY WAS SITTING AT THE TABLE! IT WAS ALSO A CORRECTABLE ERROR THAT THE REFS DIDN'T CORRECT. PAT SUMMITT SHOULD STEP UP AND DO THE RIGHT THING - GIVE THE WIN BACK! IT'S AN EMBARRASSMENT TO WIN A GAME THIS WAY!

Posted by Vols1998 on February 13, 2008 at 10:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)

THE_VOL

Are you kidding me? if that was to start happening ALL sports would have to start it. Human interaction is part of the game, nothing is perfect, especially your logic.....geesh..get over it. Game is over.

Posted by hiresanders on February 13, 2008 at 10:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Nothing like some home cooking. When they have to play them and UConn on a neutral court without Pat's timekeeper, they will lose.

Posted by 1974Vol on February 13, 2008 at 11:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Hey The Vol - Don't hold your breath. It was a correctable error but only correctable by the refs and only until the refs decided Anosike got FT's. Once she got on the line and made her first shot its all over. PS and the Vols DID NOTHING WRONG! No one gives games back over poor ref calls. Its part of the game. The refs are like the wind being against you on a long FG try in OT or the short porch in Yankee Stadium. Sometimes they work for you, just as often over the long haul they work against you. If it had gone the other way Stringer would be counting her blessings and loving the "W". I would be *ithching and moaning but wouldn't expect her to give us anything. I actually hope it eats Rutgers up inside to the point they are not a factor in March. If Stringer is smart she tells her women to suck it up, life ain't fair, and play hard and win so they get the Vols down the road for some payback. You can bet Summitt would be taking that tack.

Posted by jhmclain on February 13, 2008 at 12:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

iam4ua - get a life.

Posted by jhmclain on February 13, 2008 at 12:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)

hiresanders - whatever.

Posted by dirislr on February 13, 2008 at 1:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

If the vols hadn't played so badthe clock wouldn't have been a factor.

Posted by TYRCYN on February 13, 2008 at 1:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I don,t understand you UT fans, you clearly have a very good womens basketball team. It seems you want to win even if you have to cheat. The game was clearly over when the foul was call against the Rutgers player, and tha is the bottom line. The NCAA should award the game to Rutgers, because they clearly won the game in regulation. The clock operator froze the clock and anyone with an ounce of common sense whose mind isnt clouded by blind loyalty could see that.

The comments by Pat Summit crying that a flagrant foul had been committed is absolutely false. She was just trying to justify the embarrassing situation that occurred robbing the Rutgers team of a victory that they clearly won. I have lost all respect for UT Sports because you have no class in defending this awful miscarraige of fair play.

Posted by bigbluevol on February 13, 2008 at 2:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The foul, according to many, was called by the ref at the top, near midcourt. Whether it was or not, the issue is moot. It's over now. The Lady Vols aren't going to "give the game back." That's not even feasible.

Posted by volchiq on February 13, 2008 at 2:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This is so completely ridiculous to insinuate that Pat would care enough about one regular season non-conference game that she would arrange to have someone help her win. Get real! She loves to win, but she is also an ambassador of the game. This wasn't the national championship. One loss is not going to break her or the team. The Lady Vols have lost 10 games in a season and still won it all, what would losing this one game be in the long run this year. NOTHING except maybe motivation! Everyone needs to get a life and move on. Good grief!

Posted by MemphisVol on February 13, 2008 at 2:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Cobb's elbow was on the ground in the 96 Memphis game. we cant get that one back. jabar gaffney didnt catch the ball in the 01 Florida game. we cant get that one back. move along...

Posted by bigbluevol on February 13, 2008 at 2:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Pretty sweet that the Rutgers AD is essentially calling one of the refs or the timekeeper a liar when he said that one of the individuals was unwilling to accept responsibility. This whole deal is tremendously overblown.

Posted by nobeard on February 13, 2008 at 3:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The point I don't see mentioned is that the foul begins at or before the point where the clock pause begins. Vaughn hacks Anosike on the rebound then slams her to the floor on the shot. A case could be made for calling two fouls--one for the hack and a technical for throwing Anosike to the floor after play was stopped. The question shouldn't be about the clock or whether the foul took place before the end of the game; it should be whether Tennessee should have gotten TWO free throws or FOUR.

Posted by gator4life on February 13, 2008 at 3:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Gaffney definitely caught the ball...

Posted by bigbluevol on February 13, 2008 at 3:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The ball hitting your hands and being knocked out is not a catch. Sorry.

Posted by bigbluevol on February 13, 2008 at 3:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Gaffney is all about the almosts, almost legitimately caught the ball, almost tied the game the next year but couldn't, almost killed a kid by trying to drown him in a lake when the kid stole his mopehead. Good guy.

Posted by gator4life on February 13, 2008 at 3:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Should have killed the thief....but not the only time Gaffney screwed up. Referee was in perfect position and made the absolute correct call on THE CATCH.

Posted by THE_VOL on February 13, 2008 at 3:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Many of you people are so blinded and biased it's no wonder you support that FAT FOOLmer!!! LMFAO!!! Pat Summit has shown her true character on this one!

Posted by bigbluevol on February 13, 2008 at 3:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Nice attitude about human life, gator. Gaffney didn't catch that ball and you know it. Now, they might have scored later, but that was not legit. The_Vol, you need to change your name. Pat Summitt has done nothing to "reveal" her character. There's not a coach alive that would say, "You know, we'll give this one back to them." I'm surprised you're not all over Tara Van Devere at Stanford. A similar situation happened in their game with Rutgers. It's statements like yours that give Vol fans a bad reputation. Congrats though. You're the first person I've seen call himself fat after he insults Fulmer for the same thing. At least we know you're not in denial about being in shape yourself.

Posted by gator4life on February 13, 2008 at 3:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Sorry BBV, But I don't think too highly of thieves (which Gaffney was one himself). You must not be one of the fans mentioned numerous times above that just moved on, lol. He caught the ball...TD GATORS!!!

Posted by bigbluevol on February 13, 2008 at 4:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I don't think moving on means that you accept something that's not true. You won the game. You probably would've won regardless; I just hated to see you win because of that.

Posted by gator4life on February 13, 2008 at 4:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Kinda like the way Rutgers got robbed, huh? Bothers all of us a LOT more when we are on the wrong end. Don't worry Rutgers isn't the first team to get clock-jobbed in Knoxville (but at least it did help us get rid of the Zooker). Take care bbv and hope to see you when we make our way there in Sept.

Posted by bigbluevol on February 13, 2008 at 4:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm not saying that the call wasn't wrong. I didn't think we deserved to win, but there's nothing that can be done about it. Just like there's nothing that can be done about the "catch." I'm sure that a questionable call in Gainesville has never helped the Gators out, either. Looking forward to September and what should be a great game and atmosphere. Before that though there should be another beat down in "the O Dome."

Posted by General_Watermelon on February 13, 2008 at 5:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm sure it was an honest mistake.

If not....sucks for them.

Posted by VolBall_1 on February 14, 2008 at 7:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)

OK--worst case--let the Lady Vols have the UConn loss to Rutgers--and go ahead and give us all of Rutgers losses. Lets see, Lady Vols are rated 1 in RPI...on to March Madness!!!! Bring it on and shut up!!!!!!!!!

Posted by bleed_orange on February 14, 2008 at 2:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hopefully, we will see Rutgers again in the NCAA Tourney. TN played so bad in the 2nd half to keep Rutgers close. TN will kill them next time if they face them in March. Maybe we can face them in the final 4 and then beat U Conn to win it all. This game doesn't really matter. It's what you do in March in the NCAA Tourney. GO VOLS-BEAT LSU!

Posted by rbhobbs73 on February 14, 2008 at 4:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

mcbrim, you sir are talking out of your a$$...as you have many times before on this board.

Since it is obvious you are not a UT fan, I will help you...as I have watched the replay of the Gafney play many times.

Florida would have had one more play to run as there was between 1 and 2 seconds on the clock. Not 3 more plays.

This is a UT board, for those of you from other schools that come on here just to antagonize UT fans...get a life and return to your own boards. If you would like to discuss sports intelligently (a la 99Gator) then we welcome the discussion. If you have dergogatory things to say about the Vols expect to receive a flogging from my fellow Volunteers and me.

Good Day!

Posted by jawjavol on February 14, 2008 at 8:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

So with the National championship recruiting season over in Gainesville all the Taters fans are turning to womens college basketball as an outlet. Didn't seem all that long ago that the Taters were the toast the roundball world. How the mighty have fallen. By the way, did the Gainesville Applebee's have enough seats for you to see the SEC Championship game? If not UT blew it but you had to win the East to get there. Must suck for you to have to be represented by a team that was so weak, huh? Know how to remedy that???? Just win Baby! or in your case Just whine like a baby!!!!

Posted by 1point3seconds on February 15, 2008 at 7:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Final score:
LSU 2many, UT not-enough

That's karma, baby.

Posted by turningsummer on February 15, 2008 at 8:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Last Count
National Championships
Tenn - 7 LSU - lol

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