It must be Zebra hunting season, people. Either that or long-suffering fans of the nation’s most consistently mediocre football program need yet another excuse to explain away yet another disappointment.
Either way, South Carolina football fans are up in arms over a controversial hit made by SEC referee Wilbur Hackett, Jr. on Gamecock quarterback Stephen Garcia during Saturday’s loss to defending national champion LSU.
The play – which did not affect the outcome of the game – has become the latest internet sensation, and after reviewing the tape it’s easy to see why.
Despite a clear opportunity to get out of Garcia’s way, Hackett appears to intentionally lean into the redshirt freshman before dropping him to the ground with a forearm.
Frankly, the fact that the SEC is making excuses for Hackett and refusing to suspend him is ridiculous. He should miss at least one game, without pay, and he should be banned from officiating in any future games in which South Carolina is participating.
Having said that, the Gamecocks scored on the drive in question, people, and Hackett’s hit in no way contributed to the utter collapse of the South Carolina offense in the second half.
That’s Steve Spurrier‘s fault.
In other words, get over it Gamecock fans.
By James October 21, 2008 at 12:07 pm
It takes a few replays but it looks to me like the ref was in no-man’s land and was trying to avoid getting clobbered by linemen/Garcia. The ref’s technique would have been if he would have stayed on his feet and lowered his shoulder into Garcia’s number.
The fact that the ref tackled our “elusive” quarterback does not bode well for Garcia’s Heisman campaign!
By JC October 21, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Speaking on behalf of Gamecock Fans, we are not relating this incident to the loss or using it as an excuse. Clearly LSU came out of the locker room in the second half a better team. USC’s defensive line was worn down and ran over. Despite the outcome, I believe Carolina played a good game and gave USC fans one of the most exciting half’s of football we’ve seen in a long time. However, Its obvious that the officiating in this game along with many others games involving LSU were corrupt, and purely unfair. ( It looks like a payoff to me ) The most evident occurrence involving Wilbur Hackett, Jr (former middle linebacker for the University of Kentucky) seems to have caught the attention of the national media and brought fraudulent officials to the front page of the current news. Even though the SEC denies his true intentions and claims he was just trying to protect himself, everyone knows his job as the umpire is to stay behind the defensive line and in between the hashes. Yet he watches Garcia the entire play and shuffles his way into the flat like a heat seeking missile and throws a shoulder on him. Protecting himself would have been avoiding the play and keeping his position or moving back into his position once Garcia headed into his direction not towards him. To further prove my point of corrupt officials favoring LSU watch the You Tube video LSU Football 101.
To voice your opinion to the SEC, here are the E-Mail addresses to The SEC Administration officials.
Commissioner MSlive@SEC.ORG
Coordinator of Officiating/Football RRedding@SEC.ORG
Executive Associate Commissioner MWomack@SEC.ORG
Associate Commissioner / External Affairs MWhitworth@SEC.ORG
Associate Commissioner / Media Relations CBloom@SEC.ORG
Associate Commissioner / Sports Administration DCorum@SEC.ORG
Assistant Director of Football Administration GThomas@SEC.ORG
Then send a email to Fitsnews and tell them to get over it.
Go Cocks
By Cute October 21, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Go Tigers! Everyone likes them…..even the refs…
bunch of dirty cajuns……….
Les Miles has this year left with Saban recruits….then what. He will be as illegitimate in NCAA play as South Carolina always is.
By Ming Ming's Biggest Fan October 21, 2008 at 3:02 pm
That hit is hilarious. Everyone’s avoiding the obvious. This old ref, stepped up and dropped Garcia to the ground with no pads on. That’s the funniest thing I’ve ever seen. No pads. Granted he was a college football player at Kentucky. That doesn’t matter. He put a shoulder into Garcia and took him for a ride. If I were in the Shameock lockerroom, thank goodness I’m not, I’d never let Garcia live that one down. That’s right up there with drinking outside your dorm rooms where the cops can see you and peeing outside a bar. It’s great!
By T4 October 21, 2008 at 3:28 pm
WTF Cute? Try and make sense next time. Thanks. Looks to me like the hit is controversial, but in the end, who gives a sh*t. Moreoever, number 21 should also be questioned by the SEC, haha. It’s football people, sh*t happens. However, if it was 4th and goal, I would’ve been raisin’ hell. Yes, I’m human and unreasonable.
By T4 October 21, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Also, Fitsnews’ point is ill-founded. 21 hit him and tackled him, end of story. Frivilous point, no one cares other than people such as myself, with nothing to do.
By J October 21, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Cute –
With 4 recruiting classes under his belt, Les Miles is playing with his recruits right now, and may have his strongest class yet for 2009 (currently ranked 4th overall). So, in response to your query as to what will happen after this year, the answer is more victories.
Also, given the high culture atmosphere surrounding Carolina football (witness the appelsauce and beer set at the fair in the parking lot of your stadium located in the shitville section of Columbia), you don’t have standing to slap the “dirty” label on anyone else, especially a champion.
By tiger bait October 21, 2008 at 6:05 pm
that’s how pitiful the SC offensive line is, can’t even block a ref.
and JC, how does nine penalties against LSU equate to corrupt?
Face it, SC made a horrible mistake to ever leave the ACC where at least they would get to play a few patsies each year and that could count as conference wins. something to hang on thewall with tha one and only championship from 69 and that was a 7-4 season.
pitiful excuse for football. pitiful….
By reggie October 21, 2008 at 8:06 pm
maybe garcia is just FRAIL. any FSU qb could have easily bowled over any ref on any day.
By Toyota Kawaski October 22, 2008 at 9:02 am
Hackett was a LB at Kentucky he is mad about the 9 in a row by the Gamecocks and the 16 in a row by SOS
By Darkknight October 22, 2008 at 12:18 pm
If Garcia, after seeing the ref, had tucked his chin down and bowled over the ref – then what would have happened?? SEC refs would be up in arms about the “intentional” hit. So this ref took a cheap shot and got away with it – the SEC doesnt do a thing – next game wonder who he will take out. His football days are over with now he wants revenge and does it with a zebra suit… lol
By reggie October 22, 2008 at 12:56 pm
the more i watch it, the more intentional it looks. look at the ref, he squares up and kinda follows garcia until he hits him. this is pretty funny though.
By kris October 22, 2008 at 1:58 pm
It does not matter what the outcome of the play was… the fact of the matter was this referee is no newbie, he is a veteran. He knows what to do in these types of situations and that is not one of them. He could of clearly squared himself up and prepared for the hit or he could of stepped out of the way. If Fitsnews.com and whomever wrote this article would have looked a little closer at the video you could have seen the referee intentionally get in front of the right of play and knock Garcia off his balance assisting LSU in making the tackle. Just because we scored a touchdown on the play does not mean that everything’s OK. I agree that he should be suspended one game and never referee anymore of USC’s games from henceforth, but until justice is served don’t tell the gamecock nation to get over it….
By Cute October 22, 2008 at 2:49 pm
J-
I apologize that I didnt make my point clear enough. By “dirty cajuns” I meant the state of LA….not the football players who are largely out of state recruits…..cajuns are dirty and rude.
The mere fact that South Carolina took LSU to the 4th quarter before ultimately losing says that LSU is on the way down. Says nothing about USC. They will continue down the hard and fast path to mediocrity…..no suprise there.
South Carolina will continue to get beat like a rented mule….LSU will continue to go down…..just watch.
By tiger bait October 22, 2008 at 9:10 pm
The LSU team is made up of overwhelmingly LA guys. You don’t know what you are talking about except when it comes to Lamecocks staying in the ditch of “wanna be” football. As far as ‘go down’, check the schedule results and the fact that LSU owns Sc and also possesses TWO, no make that THREE national fooball championships. TWO in the last five years.
Go down on that.