Is it just me, or was anyone else completely floored by the extracurricular activities which followed Michael Vick's way-late and clearly ill-advised pitch to Shyrone Stith during the second quarter of the Tech - Miami game. I'm referring, obviously, to the cheap shot to Mike Vick's midsection delivered by Miami linebacker and Big East Defensive Player of the Week (can you believe this?), Nate Webster. Of course, we've been told that Webster is quick and mobile - as in sneaking up behind an opposing player after the whistle, I guess - and that he is hard-hitting - as in, well you can fill in the rest of this one, yourself. Suffice it to say that Webster has moved Lavar Arrington to no better than honorable mention status in the 1999 Crappy Sportsmanship Award competition.

The incident has received minimal media attention, and all of that seems to be local. Personally, my hope is for a much wider discussion, and with a major change in focus. For all the spam we could justifiably heap on Mr. Webster and several other Miami players, this really doesn't seem like the point to me.

In a former life, I managed to pick up a little extra spending money officiating in a variety of "lower level" competitions; mostly Rec League youth and adult baseball, softball and basketball. These certainly are not equivalent to major college athletics, but I think some of the basic principles of officiating transcend all levels of competition.

As I remember it, Rule #1 was: Don't ever lose control of the game; you'll never get it back without a really messy incident. Directly related to, and the quickest way to violate Rule # 1 was to ignore Rule #2: Any action by a player, intended solely to injure another player, is grounds for immediate disqualification. And in every league I was ever associated with, that meant disqualification, not for the game, but for the SEASON!

And this is what "completely floored" me about the reaction of the crack Big East officiating crew to the Vick stick. It would be easy to forgive the officials for not seeing the infraction. The play was over; the focus of attention on the pile-up. Vick, Webster and several other players were walking calmly toward the sideline. It happened in a split second. (All of which, by the way, demand the swift and firm application of Rule # 2 above). We could hardly fault the officials for missing the incident entirely.

But to see it, as throwing the flag would indicate, and to not immediately dispatch Mr. Webster for some extended bench time was unbelievable, unforgivable, unprofessional, unconscionable, and pretty much every other "un" I can think of. Do these bozos really get paid to officiate?

The Tech coaches have steadfastly defended the Big East officiating crews this year as generally doing a good job. I have tended to agree, partly from receiving more than my recommended daily allowance of abuse in a much less pressurized environment, and partly from the politics of the situation. But, folks, here's where I break ranks. The official in this situation threw the flag and had plenty of time to think out the penalty. He had time to consult with his crew. And after all that, he made not only a wrong decision, but one that was blatantly wrong. In short, he did everything in his power to lose control of the game.

Why didn't it happen? I'd like to think the reason was reflected in Mike Vick's reaction to the incident - stunned, but seemingly resolved to take it for the team and respond on the playing field. Like Coach Beamer says, he's a football player. A tough one.

On Monday's Hokie Hotline, Coach Foster indicated that tapes of several plays were being sent to the Big East office for "review". I hope Webster's cheap shot and the associated official reaction - or lack of reaction - was among them. And I hope it makes the six o'clock news in some major media markets because, unless it turns out that the official actually flagged a different infraction, we really need some action on this one. Rule #1 is in serious danger.