Fired! Ref who blew OSU-Ill game is removed

The Columbus Dispatch is reporting that the Big Ten has declined to renew referee Steve Pamon's contract for this season. Thus far, there is no "official word" as to why Pamon's been dismissed, but Buckeye fans have their own reason.

I take you back to November 10th, when Ohio State was playing Illinois;



It was Pamon's crew who missed the call to begin with, and Pamon's crew that should have called for an instant replay review. Word now is that Dave Parry, Big Ten coordinator of officials, was in watching the game and was livid at the lack of movement by the replay booth team.

"It was not a happy command center at that moment."

The fact remains that if the officiating crew had been at least competent, Ohio State would have wound up with the ball and a 7-0 lead. Instead, the Illini scored on that possession and went on to a 7-point victory. Say what you will, but that blown call cost Ohio State a win. And now the Big Ten has agreed with hundreds of thousands of Buckeye fans, and they have dismissed the ref who blew the call. I tip my hat to the Big Ten.

Oh, and by the way, Pamon was also revealed to have had "a history of bankruptcy, casino gambling, child abuse and allegations of sexual harassment".

These are the guys that the Big Ten allowed to officiate a game between two schools who both got into the BCS. I think perhaps a declined contract renewal isn't enough. Parry may have been angry at the crew that day, but he's the guy who put them there. Someone needs to take responsibility for putting a scumbag like Pamon on the field to begin with.

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