Do you remember Allama Matthews? Well if you don’t then maybe this name will ring a bell, Jabar Gaffney. Oh yeah that guy. Matthews is the official that took it upon himself to redefine the rule of what was considered a catch. On September 16th 2000 with seconds to go in the game and Florida was trailing Tennessee until Jesse Palmer threw a pass to Jabar Gaffney in the end zone that bounced off his chest and hit the ground. Matthews came running in from the side with his arms in the air ruling it a touchdown.
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Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville argues
a call with Head Linesman Allama Matthews
during their NCAA college football game against
top-ranked Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium
in Tuscaloosa, Ala.,
Saturday, Nov. 29, 2008.
(AP Photo/Dave Martin) |
The call itself was terrible but what made it so difficult to take, as a Vol fan was the fact UT dominated Florida on the ground. Tennessee ran 78 plays for 343 yards versus Florida’s 64 plays for 329 yards. Travis Henry ran the ball 37 times for 175 yards to help us out rush Florida 203 yards to their 39 rushing yards. We had the ball almost 14 minutes longer than Florida. To think we had the ball almost an entire quarter longer than them may help put this in the best perspective. We dominated the line of scrimmage, but it ended with a ridiculous call.
Matthews ran down the goal line selling the call. He kept bouncing his hands in the air signaling touchdown. This was before officials used replay (like that would have mattered) so the officials huddled up to discuss the play. A few moments later Head Umpire Al Ford signaled touchdown and the game was all but over with a 14 seconds on the clock.
Ironically Matthews had some ties to both of these teams.
Matthews a native of Jacksonville Florida played high school football at Jackson High and earned a scholarship to play football at Vanderbilt.
In 1982 he earned All American honors and played on the last Vanderbilt team to beat Tennessee and Florida in the same year.
The 2000 Florida game was the last game he called at Neyland until last year’s UGA game. Once again he made his presence known by throwing a flag and calling interference on Tennessee on a critical 3rd down that would keep an UGA drive alive. Why was he own our field again? The tribal knowledge was that Fulmer had made it clear to the SEC office that Matthews was to never call a game at Neyland again. Now he shows up a few years later after Fulmer is fired in our stadium.
Should Matthews be allowed to call Tennessee games again? There are some folks that are convinced he is a great guy who has no ill will against Tennessee and would never make a call out of resentment. I mean why would we ever think a Jacksonville Florida native who played for Vanderbilt would have it in for Tennessee? In October 2004 the Florida Times Union interviewed Matthews about life after football and when asked about the emotions of fans after critical calls he said,
"Having played collegiately and professionally, I know how much players work to prepare for games and all the game-planning that coaches do," Matthews said. "The added incentive to go out and do a good job comes from my understanding of having played the game."
Does this make you feel better knowing that he cares about making the right call because he played the game? Well this is not the only game that Matthews was a part of screwing up. In the UGA and Georgia Tech 1999 game Matthews was one of the referees under Head Umpire Al Ford who was suspended after an incorrect fumble call against Jasper Sanks lost the game for the Bulldogs.
Now we approach Florida week again and I promise you that every time we play them at home I think of the 2000 game. It is so clear in my mind. Florida fans still laugh at UT fans because we refuse to let this go. They act as if it was a catch and there was no harm done. However one week after the 2000 game Florida gave up 504 yards to Kentucky but still won 59-31. One Florida Times Union writer said,
“Without the four Kentucky turnovers that led to 28 points, who knows how dangerously close Florida might have been to giving back the gift presented them a week ago by SEC line judge Allama Matthews?”
So you tell me how are we supposed to take it when a game is stole from us and gift wrapped for Florida?
This game is always so critical to both teams and once again this season’s game has a major impact on the direction of our program. With some of the nation’s best recruits attending the game and the divisional race on the line we cannot afford to lose a game due to some BS call.
I am not some crazy delusional fan that believes football games are sacred and are of higher importance than world issues, but as a fan I invest time and money. I don’t think it is too much to ask to have games called correctly. The NCAA office must have agreed this call was bad for the game because they adopted a rule at the end of the season to define a catch. My point is that it doesn’t matter if Allama Matthews is against Tennessee or not. It doesn’t matter to me that he wants to make the correct call. The issue is he blew a call and failed to do his job. Human nature tells me he will never be able to see Tennessee in an objective light after how the ending and the events that took place after the game. Allowing him to call our games again is simply wrong and the SEC office knows it. We as fans should not have to settle for this guy calling anymore of our games. I don't condone mean or harmful behavior towards other people, but we are the paying customer and the SEC office needs to be reminded we will not tolerate this guy calling anymore of our games!
GBO
