Random & Useless OU Football post

Perhaps it is earned belatedly, but we are awarding the first-ever Oklahomily Diogenes Award to Gordon Riese, replay booth official of the Pac-10 Conference, for his soul-saving confession :

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The replay official for the Oklahoma-Oregon football game says he knew that Oklahoma recovered a pivotal onside kickoff late in the game.

But Gordon Riese told The Oklahoman that replay rules prevented him from correcting on-field officials who made the wrong call and awarded possession to Oregon, even though it was clear to Riese that Oklahoma's Allen Patrick had recovered the ball.

Riese also said that if he had seen the correct angle of the replay, it would have been easy to reverse the call and give possession to Oklahoma, which could have run out the clock. But that didn't happen, he said, and Oregon took advantage of the officiating blunder, scoring a last-minute touchdown to win 34-33.

It goes without saying that Sooner fans have been mulling the "what ifs" ever since, and the loss of Texas to A&M this afternoon, while an occasion for joy, lacks the essential national championship ingredient that would make it an over-the-top, slam-dunk, spend the baby's milk money night of celebration. Yea though OU will probably win Saturday against OSU in the Bedlam game, and go on to whip up on Nebraska in the Big 12 Championship, there is yet heavy heartedness for true fans.

But, Riese said, he chose to follow the rules of the replay system, which meant he couldn't tell the on-field Pacific-10 Conference officials of their error -- even though the referee asked him which team had recovered.

"I can't let it go," he said. "It's something we officials have just been schooled with -- to get the call right -- and I didn't do it that day."

Oklahoma is 9-2, but would be 10-1 and possibly a part of national-championship discussion if not for the officiating errors at Oregon. Riese said he's aware of the Sooners' success this season.

In earning the Oklahomily Diogenes Award, Riese demonstrated superior ability in honesty and falling-on-his-sword courage for taking personal responsibility:

The Pac-10 suspended Riese for one game, and he later requested and was granted a leave of absence for the remainder of the season. He said he does not plan to return to the replay booth and that the mistake continues to bother him.

"I worry about the screwup we did in the Oklahoma game," he said. "It's inexcusable."