The Larry Scott Thread

[SoCalPat]

It's time for a change. P12 Nets are still a million miles from being on DTV, and now Larry is waffling on the Gustin hit vs. the Wazzu QB. Instead of saying his original .02 was horribly misguided and ignorant, he's saying he was "misinterpreted."

Short of a Gustin suspension, Larry and the P12 office are the only ones doing any misinterpreting. Michael Scott doesn't even pretend to be a commissioner -- under oath, he recently said that's a bit of a misnomer. Media executive is what he really is. Which of course, means he's got it good for the LA schools.

Passing off the Gustin hit as a perfectly legal play is inexcusable. He's clearly not for the athlete's physical welfare. He needs to resign, but I'd be perfectly happy if the school presidents showed some backbone and fired his ass instead.

[LA Ute]

It's time for a change. P12 Nets are still a million miles from being on DTV, and now Larry is waffling on the Gustin hit vs. the Wazzu QB. Instead of saying his original .02 was horribly misguided and ignorant, he's saying he was "misinterpreted."

Short of a Gustin suspension, Larry and the P12 office are the only ones doing any misinterpreting. Michael Scott doesn't even pretend to be a commissioner -- under oath, he recently said that's a bit of a misnomer. Media executive is what he really is. Which of course, means he's got it good for the LA schools.

Passing off the Gustin hit as a perfectly legal play is inexcusable. He's clearly not for the athlete's physical welfare. He needs to resign, but I'd be perfectly happy if the school presidents showed some backbone and fired his ass instead.

I agree. I'm glad he was there when the decision to expand happened, but the PAC-12 is spinning its wheels now.

[SoCalPat]

More and more dreadful news about Pac-12 officiating from Yahoo ... People not qualified to make judgment calls on replay, are actually making judgment calls on replay!

https://sports.yahoo.com/yahoo-sport...040318946.html (https://sports.yahoo.com/yahoo-sports-exclusive-document-shows-untrained-third-party-overruled-targeting-call-pac-12-game-040318946.html)

Wilner's reaction to it all ...

https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/10/11/just-when-it-seemed-like-things-couldnt-get-any-worse-for-pac-12-officiating-ka-boom/

Ute fans deserve to hear President Watkins' .02 on the state of Pac-12 leadership.

[chrisrenrut]

More and more dreadful news about Pac-12 officiating from Yahoo ... People not qualified to make judgment calls on replay, are actually making judgment calls on replay!

https://news.gallup.com/poll/235445/abortion-attitudes-remain-closely-divided.aspx

Wilner's reaction to it all ...

https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/10/11/just-when-it-seemed-like-things-couldnt-get-any-worse-for-pac-12-officiating-ka-boom/

Ute fans deserve to hear President Watkins' .02 on the state of Pac-12 leadership.

The first link is incorrect, it goes to an article on abortion. Here is the correct link: https://sports.yahoo.com/yahoo-sports-exclusive-document-shows-untrained-third-party-overruled-targeting-call-pac-12-game-040318946.html

[SoCalPat]

The first link is incorrect, it goes to an article on abortion. Here is the correct link: https://sports.yahoo.com/yahoo-sports-exclusive-document-shows-untrained-third-party-overruled-targeting-call-pac-12-game-040318946.html

Also fixed on my end to avoid any further embarrassment.

[chrisrenrut]

Larry has been terrible at managing the publicity around these incidents. It’s like he is afraid to admit that mistakes have been made. Sometimes it’s best to admit mistakes, and commit to learn from them and do better going forward.

[Scorcho]

More and more dreadful news about Pac-12 officiating from Yahoo ... People not qualified to make judgment calls on replay, are actually making judgment calls on replay!

https://sports.yahoo.com/yahoo-sport...040318946.html (https://sports.yahoo.com/yahoo-sports-exclusive-document-shows-untrained-third-party-overruled-targeting-call-pac-12-game-040318946.html)

Wilner's reaction to it all ...

https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/10/11/just-when-it-seemed-like-things-couldnt-get-any-worse-for-pac-12-officiating-ka-boom/

Ute fans deserve to hear President Watkins' .02 on the state of Pac-12 leadership.

I've been in Larry Scott's corner for the most part, but how does this even happen? That is a horribly bad look for the conference!

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-pac-12-officiating-20181011-story.html

[Utebiquitous]

Sure calls into question the targeting calls in the Washington game. Based on the calls and no calls this year there seems to be different standards depending on a caste system. I hate to get into the conspiracy crowd and I'm not saying Washington should have been called for targeting but both of the calls in that game - on Blair and Fotu - were questionable. Just on technical merits there was helmet-to-helmet contact on the Blair hit but I didn't think there was intent to injure or use the helmet to make the tackle on the play. I'm still mystified by the Fotu call. I just don't see it - let alone the poor judgement by the official flagging it for unnecessary roughness.

The league needs to have a standard that applies equally to all teams. It shouldn't be that hard to figure out. All fans may not agree with it but as long as the officials are fairly applying it the egregious mistakes will diminish.

[Scratch]

Sure calls into question the targeting calls in the Washington game. Based on the calls and no calls this year there seems to be different standards depending on a caste system. I hate to get into the conspiracy crowd and I'm not saying Washington should have been called for targeting but both of the calls in that game - on Blair and Fotu - were questionable. Just on technical merits there was helmet-to-helmet contact on the Blair hit but I didn't think there was intent to injure or use the helmet to make the tackle on the play. I'm still mystified by the Fotu call. I just don't see it - let alone the poor judgement by the official flagging it for unnecessary roughness.

The league needs to have a standard that applies equally to all teams. It shouldn't be that hard to figure out. All fans may not agree with it but as long as the officials are fairly applying it the egregious mistakes will diminish.

I had the same initial thought about a caste system, but it's pretty impossible to argue that there's a caste system that favors WSU over USC. That's the most confusing part of all of this.

[Applejack]

I had the same initial thought about a caste system, but it's pretty impossible to argue that there's a caste system that favors WSU over USC. That's the most confusing part of all of this.

Yeah, it seems odd that the player saved by this "third party" non-official is from the team with perhaps the smallest fan base (just guessing) and was against the QB for the most popular money-maker in the conference.

[sancho]

the team with perhaps the smallest fan base (just guessing)

Gotta be Oregon State, right?

Just makes you wonder how many of the bad booth reviews through the years had something like this involved.

Review is frustrating. It takes waaay too long, and they still get it wrong sometimes. Getting a call wrong live is forgiveable. Getting it wrong after a clear review should be a fireable offense.

[Utebiquitous]

You're right Scratch - the WSU situation seems to argue against my point. I'm hung up on a no call on Porter Gustin a few weeks back that I thought was a pretty obvious targeting. In our Washington game I wasn't necessarily the fans wanting the Huskies called for targeting (perhaps the last hit on Covey should have been called), I just questioned the calls on us.

[Diehard Ute]

You're right Scratch - the WSU situation seems to argue against my point. I'm hung up on a no call on Porter Gustin a few weeks back that I thought was a pretty obvious targeting. In our Washington game I wasn't necessarily the fans wanting the Huskies called for targeting (perhaps the last hit on Covey should have been called), I just questioned the calls on us.

The Gustin hit was in the same game as this review controversy.


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[concerned]

The Gustin hit was in the same game as this review controversy.


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The WSU no call was in the third q; gustin in the fourth. People wondering if the interference in the 3rd q affected the no-call on Gustin.

[SoCalPat]

The WSU no call was in the third q; gustin in the fourth. People wondering if the interference in the 3rd q affected the no-call on Gustin.

I think it's the only way you can justify the no-call on Gustin. It was tit-for-tat, and the booth chose to ignore it, knowing full well they owed USC one.

[Diehard Ute]

I think it's the only way you can justify the no-call on Gustin. It was tit-for-tat, and the booth chose to ignore it, knowing full well they owed USC one.

Which just furthers the posts I’ve made in the last few weeks, the Pac-12 really doesn’t care about player safety.

I’m with everyone else. Larry Scott needs to go.


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[sancho]

I’m with everyone else. Larry Scott needs to go.


Yup, and obviously the guy in the booth.

Also, the ref who refused to stand up to the guy in the booth needs to go.

[LA Ute]

The guy who interfered is the PAC-12’s general counsel and, interestingly, director of business affairs. Really? In both of those roles, his job is to protect the interests of the conference. Of course, being both an organization’s lawyer and its director of business affairs is an inherently conflicted position anyway. Bottom line: It is a scandal that he had anything to say about a referee‘s call on the playing field. I don’t know if he needs to go, but someone does. Otherwise, the conference‘s officiating will always be suspect. It will be suspect for a long time anyway, at least as long as Larry Scott is the head guy.

I think Larry‘s shelf life has expired.

[concerned]

I think Larry‘s shelf life has expired.

IIRC, Larry was hired to expand the conference and negotiate the TV deal, b/c of his media experience. Unless he is here to negotiate the next tv deal 5 years from now; I think you are right.

[Diehard Ute]

IIRC, Larry was hired to expand the conference and negotiate the TV deal, b/c of his media experience. Unless he is here to negotiate the next tv deal 5 years from now; I think you are right.

And given it’s 2018 and the Pac-12 network has never functioned as promised, do we really want Larry Scott involved?

His media experience hasn’t resulted in much the last few years.


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[SoCalPat]

Yup, and obviously the guy in the booth.

Also, the ref who refused to stand up to the guy in the booth needs to go.

Disagree. He documented what was going on, and probably provided the source material for the Yahoo story that put this out in the open.

As fans, we should want the guy fired — but so he can be free to spill whatever beans there are about this kind of thing and how often it’s happened in the past. The league obviously doesn’t want that, so he’ll stay.

[snafu]

This conference needs new leadership. Larry Scott really needs to go.

https://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf/2018/11/pac-12-larry-scott-leftout-part1.html#incart_2box_sports_oregonian_john_canza no

[Sullyute]

This conference needs new leadership. Larry Scott really needs to go.

https://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf/2018/11/pac-12-larry-scott-leftout-part1.html#incart_2box_sports_oregonian_john_canza no

That is a very good read and should be an interesting series of articles. I have wondered how valuable owning the rights to PAC12 games would actually be as most fans don’t rewatch games. It is not like a sitcom that goes into syndication and people watch over and over. Sports are a live event, once you know the outcome it loses 99% of its value in my mind.

[LA Ute]

I don’t see that anyone else has posted this yet. It’s a fascinating article, and I have no idea why this Dixon guy has still not been fired.

A look inside the beleaguered Pac-12 instant-replay command center, where Woodie Dixon is still a central figure

https://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf/2018/11/larry_scott_pac-12_officiating.html

[Dwight Schr-Ute]

Turns out that Larry Scott is just trying to live out the life of Michael Scott. This video is perfectly embarrassing.

https://youtu.be/JtB9SvbPx44


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[Dwight Schr-Ute]

LOL. The pac-12 Network had it pulled off of YouTube due to “copyright claim.” What a bunch of weenies.


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[Damage U]

Larry can run but he can't hide.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181129/bb7e8e3ad32ee17c5f19a2182e268dd3.jpg

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[Rocker Ute]

I think it is time for fans to start pressuring University presidents to force Scott and Dixon to resign. These articles are damning coming out on him.

Listening to Greg Sankey (SEC commissioner) on Dan Patrick yesterday and thinking of how far they outperform the PAC12 on a significantly lower salary and overhead made me bristle. Also, listening to Sankey defend not expanding to an 8 team playoff convinced me more than ever it needs to be done. They benefit from insular schedules and controlling two of those spots each year. It won't be so beneficial when other conferences start knocking them off here and there.

[NorthwestUteFan]

Larry can run but he can't hide.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181129/bb7e8e3ad32ee17c5f19a2182e268dd3.jpg

Sent from my LM-Q710(FGN) using TapatalkWhat an absolute grifter. I wonder whether USC is thoroughly embarrassed to have him as a grad?

[SoCalPat]

What an absolute grifter. I wonder whether USC is thoroughly embarrassed to have him as a grad?

USC still has to claim OJ. Let's not get carried away here ...

[LA Ute]

Also, listening to Sankey defend not expanding to an 8 team playoff convinced me more than ever it needs to be done. They benefit from insular schedules and controlling two of those spots each year. It won't be so beneficial when other conferences start knocking them off here and there.

Agree 100%.

[U-Ute]

What an absolute grifter. I wonder whether USC is thoroughly embarrassed to have him as a grad?

Wow. For someone who understands how to politic, that was exceptionally tone deaf.

[Diehard Ute]

https://www.oregonlive.com/sports/2019/03/canzano-the-view-from-the-pac-12-conferences-imperial-palace-lacks-visibility.html?outputType=amp&__twitter_impression=true

The presidents need to do something


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[sancho]

https://www.oregonlive.com/sports/2019/03/canzano-the-view-from-the-pac-12-conferences-imperial-palace-lacks-visibility.html?outputType=amp&__twitter_impression=true


It's time. So much of this would have been so easy. Just move the HQ to Vegas or somewhere else that is cheap. Make big changes in officials and official oversight. Fire the guy who made the replay call in the booth. Easy PR moves that would have won Larry some cred.

[Sullyute]

https://www.oregonlive.com/sports/2019/03/canzano-the-view-from-the-pac-12-conferences-imperial-palace-lacks-visibility.html?outputType=amp&__twitter_impression=true

The presidents need to do something


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Agreed. Ridiculous, he needs to go.

[SeattleUte]

Blaming Larry Scott for the Pac 12's problems is silly. This is like saying we won the Sugar Bowl because of Chris Hill. Blame the coaches.

[Scratch]

Blaming Larry Scott for the Pac 12's problems is silly. This is like saying we won the Sugar Bowl because of Chris Hill. Blame the coaches.

Just because he has very little to do with the on-field results doesn't mean that he's doing well at his job.

[LA Ute]

To me this looks devastating. How did Woody Dixon keep his job? Read the whole thing.

Former Pac-12 football officials offer sharp rebuke of conference leadership and policies in letter to commissioner Larry Scott

Officiating program called a “laughing stock” within the Power Five

https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/03/21/letter-58/

Woody Dixon at work:

https://www.utahby5.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2525&stc=1