SEC’s decision to not suspend Dial sends wrong message
Aaron Murray crumbles after helmet-to-helmet hit by Alabama's Quinton Dial. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
If Alabama goes on to defeat Notre Dame in the BCS championship game, there’s a pretty good chance that Quinton Dial will play only a minor role. So the problem with what happened Friday is not that the SEC just gave Alabama some unfair advantage by avoiding suspending one of its players — the problem is that it is sending mixed messages about how much it really cares about head injuries in football.
Or are hits to the head only important when it’s convenient?
After reviewing three plays from the SEC championship game between Georgia and Alabama, most notably Dial’s helmet-to-helmet hit on Bulldogs quarterback Aaron Murray, the conference declined to issue any suspensions, releasing a statement that said, “After review, all subsequent action will be handled internally by the two institutions and the conference office is satisfied with their actions.”
To translate: The SEC will allow Alabama coach Nick Saban to decide whether to suspend one of his defensive ends for the national championship game. Insert laugh track.
Now, before we jump into the obvious conspiracy theories — 1) Is SEC commissioner Mike Slive just doing whatever he can to ensure the conference wins its seventh straight BCS title; and 2) Will he be mowing Nick Saban’s lawn after the game? — let’s give equal time to the game’s infractions. Steve Shaw, the SEC’s director of officials, also reviewed a roughing-the-passer penalty on Georgia’s Alec Ogletree and deemed it not worthy of a suspension. He also looked at Sheldon Dawson’s attempted eye-gouge of Alabama’s Dee Millner following a kickoff return. Again, no suspension.
Shaw said Dial's hit should've been a penalty but didn't rise to level of suspension. (AP photo)
But Dial’s second-quarter helmet-to-helmet hit on Murray — see video below –easily was the most flagrant foul in the game, made worse by the fact that no flag was thrown. Murray had just had a pass intercepted by Alabama’s Ha’Sean Clinton-Dix at the Tide’s 18. During the return, Murray became a defensive player and Dial had the right to block him. But he came from out of view and collided with Murray helmet-to-helmet. CBS analyst Gary Danielson said, “Aaron Murray, you have to keep your head on a swivel, but that is just unnecessary roughness and a hit to the head …”
Shaw said Dial should’ve been called for a personal foul. “We should’ve flagged it,” he said, adding that an official who seemed to be looking at the play actually was focused on something else. (Note: Even if Dial was penalized, it would’ve affected field position but Alabama would’ve retained possession
Slive's SEC can win seventh straight BCS title. Conspiracy theorists: That was a factor. (AP photo)
because the hit came after the interception.)
The bigger issue here is why Dial is not being suspended. The SEC has suspended three other players for hits to the head, one last season for an Arkansas player’s hit on a punt returner; two this season for hits by Mississippi and South Carolina defensive backs against wide receivers. I spoke to Shaw for 30 minutes and he never would, or could, give specifics as to what prevented Dial’s hit from being considered worthy of a suspension.
He talked about the players in the other three situations being “defenseless.” He talked about the fact that Murray was technically a “defender.” He went on about how “our commissioner and really the SEC has been at the forefront of player safety.”
But when asked for specifics about what Dial would have had to do get suspended, Shaw spoke in grays.
“Do I condone hit? No. It’s something that should’ve been [penalized],” Shaw said. “But as for the acid test of the other one-game suspensions, overall it doesn’t rise to the same level.”
Here’s the problem: A conference either sets the bar on helmet hits and head injuries or it doesn’t. This looks fishy, especially given the proximity to BCS championship game.
When asked if this same decision would’ve been made in September, Shaw said, “My commissioner would say, ‘I don’t really go into hypotheticals.”
When told that left the door open to theories that Alabama and Dial were being given preferential treatment because of the title game, he again gave a vague response.
Finally when asked a third time if the impending BCS title game influenced the SEC’s decision to not suspend Dial, Shaw said, “No.”
But I’m less concerned about Quinton Dial than I am the seriousness of head injuries in football. With the blur of concussion-related litigation in the NFL and the suicides of several former players being tied to depression, dementia and other forms of brain damage resulting from head injuries, this is no time for inconsistent rulings from conference officials. There is too much at stake.
Yes, even more than a BCS title.
By Jeff Schultz
•
Here’s one YouTube view of Dial’s hit on Murray
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446 comments Add your comment
GIVE ME A BREAK
December 14th, 2012
3:53 pm
Why is this up to the SEC and not the NCAA. The SEC wants the trophy. Their children never do anything wrong. Idiots.
Ghost of Sinwich
December 14th, 2012
3:56 pm
If that would have been a UGA player, there is no doubt he would have been penalized.
What a crock.
TomDawg
December 14th, 2012
3:58 pm
I would not say that Murray was running towards the play. He was in position to defend himself if someone was coming at him or just off to the side. But Dial saw his opportunity for a cheap shot and took it. Did Dial really think that Murray was going to be a factor in stopping the return, of course not. There are just some players out there that just feel inadequate and have to resort to crap like that to feel better about themselves. And every team has them, including Georgia, so don’t go saying I am biased. BTW, I have read other blogs from other teams and guess what??? They bitch and moan about the same type of things we UGA fans do as well. The fans on these other blogs think their team should be in the hunt for NC every year as well, so please spare us about how UGA fans are the winiest fans around, its called “supporting your team”.
Ken
December 14th, 2012
3:59 pm
“But Dial’s second-quarter helmet-to-helmet hit on Murray — see video below –easily was the most flagrant foul in the game”
–
Really Jeff? You can type that with a straight face? A block (whether it be illegal or not), is more flagrant than 1 guy poking another one in the eyes? Wow. Homerism at it’s best.
by any means necessary
December 14th, 2012
4:01 pm
The SEC operates with one thing in mind. Protect the teams that are in position to bring home the bacon.
SecFan
December 14th, 2012
4:01 pm
When you see it in slo-mo, you can tell it was not targeting with the helmet. I’m not aware of any rule that says that a defensive player cannot be hit. How many time have you seen a defender on a punt return get clocked when he doesn’t see a block coming? This was essentially the same thing. A tough, vicious block but under current rules not illegal.
missile play
December 14th, 2012
4:04 pm
Interesting that leaving your feet and leading with your helmet into another player’s helmet is no longer worthy of suspension. Nice.
I thought this was a textbook case of the type of play they’re trying to weed out of football – turning yourself into a missile.
Rick James
December 14th, 2012
4:05 pm
The Tech fan’s obssesion with UGA footbal is still overwhelming..Why wont they talk about Tech/Georgia football? Why do they talk about what other teams beat Georgia? Why do they like to plile on when it comes to issues like this? Do they have inferiority complexes when it comes Georgia? Why do they never say Georgia beat us this but we’ll get them next year? I would be more concerned with not losing an 8th straight bowl game..Just curious
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
December 14th, 2012
4:05 pm
Richtie says #2 eye poker was punished but he would tell us how many time the guy had to write on the board… I will not stick my finger in Dee Milliner’s eyes…again
Richtie says the hit on AJ to the head was just a guy playing hard…LOL
You have to earn respect instead of demanding it! 1980 will not get you much folks.
You have not heard the Bama AD Mal Moore nor Nick Saban say anything about none of this. The school with more arrest than any other school in the country does all the talking. Again don’t ask Richt why he chokes and pukes on the big stage 95% of the time for he will get into you no doubt.
NCDAWG
December 14th, 2012
4:06 pm
Proof positive that there is a double standard in the SEC… the Bama standard and the everybody else standard. Not sour grapes either… it is fact as this ruling proves. What does it take to get a Bama player suspended? Anything short of murder seems to be ok. Who knows maybe they’d find a way around that too.
Horrible non action by the SEC. Shame on Slive. And all you “win at any cost” Bammers can shove it… if you have even an ounce of decency you know it is true. Where are all the people who’d be calling a UGA player a “thug” for doing the same thing? Where are the decent Bama folks? I guess you all sold your souls to Bear and Saban.
Upstate Dawg
December 14th, 2012
4:06 pm
I told my wife while we were watching the game that if Bama lost, he would be suspended. If Bama won, he would not be as the SEC wouldn’t want to handicap one of its teams in the National Championship Game.
He should have been penalized and ejected in the Dome. It’s a shame that nothing is being done now when it was clearly a cheap shot.
Mike Dubose
December 14th, 2012
4:09 pm
TOGA,
You are a moron, that hit was as clean as your trailer and Alabama’s nasty campus, yes I have been there. NASTY!
BOOHOOBOOHOO
December 14th, 2012
4:09 pm
i’ll stop posting when the urge to troll leaves me….in the meantime, i just want to ONCE AGAIN remind everyone that until the whistle blows the play dead, every player on the field is responsble for remaining aware of what is going on around them. Murray threw a pick and then wandered towards the sideline to (a) go back to the wrong bench or (b) attempt to influence the direction of the ball carrier. for benefit of the doubt, let’s assume NEITHER is true and he is just a complete idiot; how does an opposing player – seeing the opportunity to deliver a monster hit to the most important person on the field – not try to lower the boom? and dial is a BIG fella, so when he is delivering a shoulder-level hit on anyone of normal size it is likely to be on the high side. i’ll probably make some more comments, but that’s how i feel. if it happened to AJ, i’m sure i would feel COMPLETELY different – nah, Bama’s going to the BCS, so this stuff is petty (other than knowing that dawg fans are whining louder than ever, that is). RTR!!!
jimboga
December 14th, 2012
4:10 pm
Too bad Alabama is not on Georgia’s schedule next year. It would be nice to level that sucker….over and over, if necessary to get his attention.
TomDawg
December 14th, 2012
4:11 pm
Eye poke? OK I just saw the video, yes he stuck his finger in the face mask, but by the Alabama guys reaction, the finger never touched his eye. His hand was swatted away. Most people that get poked in the eye will reach for the eye after it is poked, he never did. Stupid on the UGA guys part, hell yeah, but to say that it was as bad as the hit on Murray is laughable. Dial did not just block, he lunged his fat a$$ into the underside of Murray’s facemask.
NCDAWG
December 14th, 2012
4:11 pm
Wet Willie… the hit by Ogletree was not to the head you idiot… his shoulder hit his chest and his head bounced. Dial’s hit was directly to the jaw with his helmet. You Bammers have no objectivity at all… if a Bama player does it it is ok. No suspension…no problem… our guys are all angels. You are all football worshiping Bear/Saban idolators.
Mark
December 14th, 2012
4:13 pm
WWMD (What Would Mark Do?) Suspend him for the Sisters of the Poor game at the beginning of next season and let him play in the bowl, or you are penalizing all his teammates, too. And they didn’t do anything wrong. Right Mark?
Mike Dubose
December 14th, 2012
4:13 pm
GO IRISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ramguy68
December 14th, 2012
4:14 pm
I hope all you inbred Tide fans realize that Bama won’t get all the calls to go their way against ND.
TomDawg
December 14th, 2012
4:15 pm
Too bad RUDY won’t be playing, he could whoop Dial good.
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
December 14th, 2012
4:18 pm
This is just too funny. Mike Slive just might make both teams go back and play another qtr so you good folks keep trying. Without old #34 you folks are Ole Miss in red and black at best.
Buckeye
December 14th, 2012
4:19 pm
punk hit (SEC! SEC!)
bad non-call (SEC! SEC!
but dogs, dammit, quit crying.
you lost (another non-contribution to the SEC! SEC!)
NCDAWG
December 14th, 2012
4:20 pm
And all of you people that make a big deal about Murray’s size… that hit was a knockout punch and he got up and finished the game and showed no ill effects and no gun shyness either. Now that is tough. I don’t think there is one other QB in the conference that would have not been skittish after that hit. Score one for the guy everyone says is too short… what a bunch of idiots.
drew
December 14th, 2012
4:25 pm
Seems simple enough to me….let Shaw take a hit from Dial and see if he’s still okay with his decision : )
Referee
December 14th, 2012
4:27 pm
Steve Shaw is a complete idiot. If you are going to referee, then you need to understand the rules. A flagant foul is a flagant and should be called. There are SEVEN officials on the field. How can all of them miss the two flagant fouls? As supervisor of officials, I am truely disapointed that he does not have the balls to enforece the rules that his officials are charged to. If Dial breaks Murrey’s neck, then I hope every lawer in America goes to his family and files an assult suit aginst all seven of the officeals, Dial, the NCAA, the SEC, and Shaw for their lack of action. The Georgia player should be punished too. When will the officials ,NCAA, and SEC realize that these unnecessary acts of aggression need to be stopped. Stop the trash talk and then stop the flagant hits on defenseless players.
I guess it is more important to win the BCS championship again, then it is to prevent hurting players with unnecessay hits.
shep
December 14th, 2012
4:27 pm
What in the world was the ref looking at. I’m pretty sure there wasn’t anyone behind Murray.
Most people on this blog are ignorant morons, especially the Alabama supporters. Alabama is the most racist state in the country – bar none. Even Miss. and South Carolina. It is so dang pathetic. Great Republicans. Complete dolts. Ayn Rand, individualistic, selfish fools.
Buckeye
December 14th, 2012
4:28 pm
Long live the Brandon Spikes eye gouge too!
SEC! SEC!
shep
December 14th, 2012
4:30 pm
Toga: You are a neanderthal. Murray didn’t turn his head into the hit. Jesus Christ.
Chuck
December 14th, 2012
4:30 pm
I love how the Bama fans are whining about whining, but McCarron, not Murray, was the one who bleated to the refs for a flag.
I guess a girl can play QB for top-flight college football
DDD
FootballTopFan
December 14th, 2012
4:32 pm
Quarterbacks are football players !!!
Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray threw a interception.He then became a defensive player trying to stop an offensive player from scoring a touchdown. In the process of doing this he was blocked by the offensive player teammate.
It was a crushing hit but Quinton Dial was only doing his job. Murray appeared to duck as he was hit. Quinton Dial should not be punished or labeled a dirty player. It appeared to be a good block and no penalty flags were thrown.
Quarterbacks are football players !!!
ReaderRick
December 14th, 2012
4:33 pm
Why is it that some teams want to hit late with questionable hits, but when it is against them it is wrong?
Teams with a lot of penatlies are watched more than others. Stop the dirty plays (poking in eye) and things will go your way.
shep
December 14th, 2012
4:33 pm
Alabama is the luckiest football team today. LSU beat you. Texas A&M beat you. Georgia beat the crap out of you. Admit it you creeps.
ReaderRick
December 14th, 2012
4:36 pm
Why does CMR have a squeaky clean image, but his team is penalized so much? And that is only what they get caught for.
shep
December 14th, 2012
4:36 pm
The Shaw creep is just another Papa Joe. Almighty football wins again. Ought to be abolished. Send Dial to jail and the man who coaches the fool.
CC
December 14th, 2012
4:39 pm
Total BS. The SEC should have suspended Dial for at least 1 game. We all know Slive loves Bama and this proves it!
TNDAWG
December 14th, 2012
4:39 pm
All I know a present has been made for some head knocking football. You SEC refs will be held accountable.
I'm a Georgia fan. It's a license to be stupid.
December 14th, 2012
4:40 pm
Seriously, you dawg fans may want to go to the emergency room and be examined for dehydration. Two weeks of non-stop crying isn’t normal. Please STHU LOSERS!
BAMA
December 14th, 2012
4:40 pm
Shultz you never say anything good about Alabama so why say anything at all. Shep did you see the same games I saw. I am almost sure that Georgia gave up 400 plus yards rushing. I will give you Texas A&M.
Kraig Brown
December 14th, 2012
4:43 pm
Hey Jeff. Not implying that Steve would do this, but I worked with him years ago at BellSouth when he was an SEC ref doing games. He was not allowed to ever do Bama games because he lived in Birmingham and was an avid Bama fan. I will also say he was a man trusted by his peers…..
Jack Lambert
December 14th, 2012
4:43 pm
“I think we should put dresses on quarterbacks.”
DCW
December 14th, 2012
4:49 pm
Sheldon Dawson was simply helping Dee Millner apply some fresh eye black. Coach Richt would never allow such ungentlemanly conduct as eye gouging.
bill moore
December 14th, 2012
4:52 pm
flagrant hits ===richt should have had the play reviewed to show just how egregious it was. Bama fans dont care, win, win , win –typical SEC
Samford grad
December 14th, 2012
4:53 pm
Isnt steve shaw a bama grad?
Techster
December 14th, 2012
4:53 pm
Something else for dog fans to cry about. It looks like a late hit to me, but not a helmet penalty. Certainly not a suspension. But the dog fans will keep crying about it and using it as an excuse. Boo hoo hoo.
Maurice Clarett
December 14th, 2012
4:54 pm
“I got paid more in college than I do in the USFL”.
Techster
December 14th, 2012
4:54 pm
put dresses on the entire dog football team.
just sayin'
December 14th, 2012
4:55 pm
Hey, stuff happens. This stuff just happened to be caught on a digital recording device! Suspension…nah, I think not. Flag/penalty, yes.
Dirty Dawg
December 14th, 2012
4:55 pm
Look, the SEC, the NCAA, the BCS and especially ESPN and/ or whoever’s broadcasting the NC game, got what hey wanted…Alabama and Notre Dame. This embarrassing rationalization of a kids behavior – behavior that was clearly in violation of the ‘rules’ they had set and should have been, routinely enforced – and allowed to play in ‘that’ game instead of sitting his a$$ down. Face it, as has been said here, if Georgia were playing in the NC game they’d probably sit Ogeltree.
Samford grad
December 14th, 2012
4:55 pm
Bama holds every play, no wonder they run so well!
to toda wussy @12:21 post
December 14th, 2012
5:00 pm
Clean hit punk? Tell you what boy! Come to my job, we’ll both put on helmets, you stand looking one way and I’m gonna hit your defensless punk butt helmet to helmet, then we’ll call the ambulance
to come get you. Most Bama fans have class, but since you are obviously the direct product of your mother and father being brother and sister, we understand!!