Yes, it was a fumble

For those of who have ever wished to see a bad ref sent to jail, the Big Ten proudly gives you Stephen Pamon.

Just posted at Rivals.com;

A Big Ten football officiating team that came under scrutiny for its performance in two conference games last month was led by a crew chief with a history of bankruptcy, casino gambling, child abuse and allegations of sexual harassment, a Yahoo! Sports investigation has revealed.

The revelations about the Big Ten referee, Stephen Pamon, come four months after an NBA referee pleaded guilty to felony charges stemming from allegations he bet on NBA games in which he officiated and provided inside information to high-stakes gamblers.

And in case you’re wondering if Pamon and his crew called any of your favorite team’s games….if you’re a Buckeye, he called a pretty big game for us.

Pamon’s crew was responsible for the Illinois game, the same game with the blown fumble call in the first minute of the game. That horrible non-call gave Illinois a TD and sent Ohio State to a 7-point loss.

Fortunately for the Buckeyes, it did not irreparably harm OSU’s National Championship hunt. But imagine the implications if it had.

So what the hell was the Big Ten thinking by letting a guy with that much of a checkered past officiate a game, let alone LEAD a frigging crew? The child abuse and sex charges are alone disgusting….but you let a guy with a GAMBLING problem be in charge of an officiating crew?

Hello, fox. Here’s your henhouse. Guard it well, OK?

Jim Delaney has a lot to answer for.