Blue Bomber fans show restraint, don’t pile on CFL’s Higgins

By: Adam Wazny Posted: 1:00 AM CDT Monday, Sep. 27, 2010

SURPRISINGLY, Tom Higgins did not receive any hate mail from Manitoba over the weekend.

Read this article for free:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

*No charge for 4 weeks then price increases to the regular rate of $19.00 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

*Billed as $19 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.

SURPRISINGLY, Tom Higgins did not receive any hate mail from Manitoba over the weekend.

Read unlimited articles for free today:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/09/2010 (5524 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SURPRISINGLY, Tom Higgins did not receive any hate mail from Manitoba over the weekend.

The CFL director of officiating sympathized with legions of Bombers supporters who felt short-changed after Friday’s 44-40 loss to Montreal, and hopes people understand that an element of human error will always be present in the current system.

“A handful of mistakes will be made every game,” Higgins said Sunday afternoon.

CNS Calgary Herald
Tom Higgins — CNS Calgary Herald Tom Higgins

“The officials are expected to be perfect, and I don’t know if they ever will — just like I know I wasn’t perfect as a player or as a coach.”

Bombers fans and player were outraged following the loss, questioning the abilities of referee Murray Clarke and his crew to call a fair football game. Several calls on the field were met with exasperation from the Blue and Gold, including a ruling on a pass that appeared to be a Montreal completion and ultimately a Bomber fumble recovery on the winning drive in the late stages of the game.

Higgins said the video replay officials in Toronto were put in a tough spot because the call on the field was an incompletion.

“The command centre feels that unless it is clear-cut, they will not overturn a close call — so you have to (get the call on the field) right,” Higgins said, responding to a question of officials using the replay booth as a safety net during the course of the game.

A league spokesman wouldn’t speculate on potential fines to Bombers who were critical, and said rulings on those matters will come today or Tuesday.

Higgins added his officials do not receive any instant punishment like fines or suspensions.

“When someone makes a mistake, they’re graded,” he said. “When someone is continually failing in our system, then there will be changes — and we’ve made changes over the couple years I’ve been here. We ask, ‘Why didn’t you get it right?’ “

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca

Blue QB refuses to dwell on past C2