Old football moves came into play after UK/LSU game

Four hours and twenty-nine minutes of “what a game.”

I kept waiting on LSU to get tired of Kentucky and hit a few touchdowns in the fourth quarter but they just couldn’t get it done. UK played like it was no big deal and handled the business at hand. As I write I’m about to get on a plane again to Lexington for their game with Florida and it ought to be very interesting at least.

When I got to Lexington and picked up my rental I looked at the map they gave me to see how to get to Commonwealth Stadium. I have worked several games there but never driven myself so I needed a little help to get there when I went to visit my CBS friends on Friday. First, I looked at the downtown area since that was where our hotel is, and saw Rupp Arena in big letters, then the University campus to the south, but nowhere to be found was Commonwealth Stadium. They do have their priorities up there I guess. After last weekend, I’ll bet they’ll get it on a map soon.

I would be willing to bet most of you could guess how many times I have been questioned about the infamous call in the Ole Miss – Alabama game. I usually say I was in Lexington and didn’t get to see it up close. Then, in my position, I really can’t comment on it anyway. About all I can do is state the rule that came into play.

If an offensive receiver steps/goes out of bound on his own he cannot be the first to touch the ball inbounds. If he is forced out by a defender and returns immediately there is no foul. If he does go out on his own and a defender first touches the ball then all bets are off and he may legally possess the ball. Beyond that it’s strictly up to the officials on the field and in the replay booth, and I can guarantee that none of them has any desire other than to get the play right. Period. Enough of that – let’s move on.

I saw some comments on the items thrown on the field by the home fans, and I’m sure they now feel bad and wish they had behaved better at the moment. It’s not like it was the first time that has ever happened. I was thinking back on my 11 years in the SEC, and I could come up with seven games at six different SEC stadiums where the home team came out on the short end of the score, and I had to dodge bottles of all sorts leaving when it was over, I can’t remember seeing any high-heeled shoes hitting the field though.

When the Kentucky – LSU game finally ended I was running in front of the UK bench toward our escorted vans, and, by then, there was a large crowd running across my path to get to the field.

At my age, when I get to running I really don’t want to stop, and I can’t cut like I used to thirty years ago. I had to put two different individuals on their backsides because they weren’t yielding me the right-of-way. A Lexington police officer and a Kentucky State Trooper saw me and ran to help get me to the tunnel.

One of them said it was a pretty good block – you must have played. All I said was it was way too long ago.

Those throwing items on the field might want to remember what all the celebrations cost UK. Fifty grand is steep. No telling what throwing things on the field might cost if someone got hurt.