Sep 09 BC Game Under Protest

The Montreal Alouettes official filed a protest with the CFL Sunday night with a proposed solution of either restarting the game from the point of the contested incident, or declare the game a draw. One hopes that neither the players, nor the coach really believe that either is an acceptable solution, because losing the game was not the problem!

The issue for the Alouettes is their apparent inability to effectively react to a strong pass rush. I have been bemoaning this fact on the air for the last few games. We know that Calvillo is a great quarterback, and if he is given the time in the pocket, he will find his receivers with pin-point accuracy. However, if you can get him to rush his passes, or even scramble when the play is not designed for him to run, his effectiveness drops dramatically.

My co-host (Nick Murdocco's) position is to do the proverbial "look at the scoreboard", and point out how the Alouettes have been crushing most of their opponents, but a deeper look at each game shows a different story. Unlike last season, lady luck has been on the Als side. They have been getting all the bounces, the special teams have stepped up, and the defence has been getting turnovers at critical points in the game. Despite having by far the best record in the CFL, this team has an exposed Achilles heel, which will take more than a protest to fix. Read on for the press release:

Montreal, September 9, 2009 - The Montreal Alouettes filed a protest with the Canadian Football League (CFL) and Commissioner Mark Cohon on Sunday night, September 6, 2009.  The Alouettes are protesting the game versus the British Columbia Lions held on September 4, 2009.   

The information presented in this statement has been gathered by the Montreal Alouettes and is only the opinion of the Montreal Alouettes based on the facts that we have collected and reviewed. The team is expecting a decision from the Commissioner over the course of the next 36 hours. Until a decision is announced, the Alouettes will not comment on this matter.

The Montreal Alouettes’ protest is based on the following:

1.  While running a second third-down and 1 yard to go play, Avon Cobourne scored an uncontested touchdown.  On this play:

·        No whistles were blown (as confirmed by visual and audio evidence and official game film).

·        No official ever tried to stop the play (as confirmed by visual and audio evidence and official game film).

·        No player on the field stopped playing as a result of hearing a whistle, and specifically, B.C.’s defensive players continued to chase running back Avon Cobourne until he crossed the goal line and the whistle blew (as confirmed by visual and audio evidence and official game film).

·        It was an official play that resulted in a touchdown.



2.  CFL Office officials stated that they “attempted” to stop the play by activating a pager device that is worn by four different officials, including the Referee:

·        It is apparent that either the devices did not go off until the player had crossed the goal line or they did go off, no official stopped the play because it had occurred after the play started, thus meaning that the play was official (as confirmed by visual and audio evidence and official game film).

·        The only whistle blown on the field was the whistle to signify a touchdown by Avon Cobourne and the Montreal Alouettes (as confirmed by visual and audio evidence and official game film).



3.   What makes this sequence of events even more confusing, is that the clock that the CFL Office replay officials were trying to check was correct the entire time:

·        After the first third-down and 1 yard to go play was ran, the clock started at 1:05 and ran down and stopped at 1:00 minute when the B.C. Lions successfully called timeout before the play occurred.

·        When the second third-down play began, the clock started at the appropriate time of 1:00 minute.

·        When the CFL Office replay officials decided to void the second third-down play, the Alouettes had to run a third, third-down play that started exactly at 1:00 minute.  This means that there was absolutely nothing wrong with the time clock and with the second third-down play that resulted in a touchdown.



4.   The CFL on-field officials and CFL replay officials had every chance to rectified the situation after the  on-field officials got together to discuss the play (or non-play) in question:

·        The Referee could have informed the CFL replay officials that the clock was correct.

·        The Referee could have informed the CFL replay officials that their pagers were not activated before the play took place and the touchdown was scored.  Again, the only whistle blown on the field was after the touchdown by the Montreal Alouettes (as confirmed by visual and audio evidence and official game film).



5.   The explanation put forward during the broadcast by the Head CFL Referee was that the Montreal Alouettes would have to replay the play a third time, because their intention was to stop the play in question before it began, and they therefore decided to void that play.  This is the basis of the   Montreal Alouettes protest.

·        If a team wants to challenge a play, it has until the snap of the ball.

·        If a team wants to call a time out, it has until the snap of the ball.

·        If the CFL replay officials want to stop a play, they have until the snap of the ball.  This did not occur nor was there a whistle blown before the touchdown was scored as for visual and audio evidence and official game film.



6.   The Montreal Alouettes have suggested the following potential solutions:

·        Continue the game where the touchdown was scored and complete the final minute of the game and possible overtime.  This can be done at the conclusion of the contest being held in Montreal against the same B.C. Lion team on Sunday, September 13, 2009.

OR

·        The game is declared a tie.



7.   This decision on the part of both the on-field officials and the replay officials affects not only the Montreal Alouettes, but all other CFL teams as well

·        It has a direct impact on the standings in both the Eastern and Western Divisions.

·        This decision could also result in a crossover in the playoffs, where the B.C. Lions, as a result of the two points they earned in the standings after being given a win in the game in question, could eliminate an Eastern Division team from the playoffs.

·        This would cost the team missing the playoffs potential revenue.

·         In addition, this decision could cost fans a chance to see their team in a home playoff game, or a playoff game at all.



The Montreal Alouettes have filed this protest in order to have the appropriate corrective action taken.  Properly rectifying this situation would be a win-win situation for the CFL.

Tags: BC Lions \ cfl \ football \ Montreal Alouettes