Protime’s Pigskin Ponderings – Western Michigan Fiasco & Stupid Penalties

Tagged under: News, pfn, Protime Predictions

Phil Myers | September 10, 2026

Protime couldn’t head down Reading/Lancaster way for a couple high school games last week because of a wedding that Mrs. P signed him up to attend.  Now, for anyone who knows Protime, they know he never wants to get on the wrong side of the lovely Mrs. P.  He always tries to duck and dodge, bob and weave his way around Mrs. P’s honey do list during football season, but missing a wedding is not one of those obstacles to try to avoid.

Protime had a good time though.  The ceremony was short.  The reception dinner had lots of good food.  Protime likes to eat, so that was a plus.  There were 40-some different kinds of cookies and Protime sampled about half of those, some twice.  

What was shocking to Protime was the fact that Mrs. P had dabbled in a few too many drinks.  There was the vodka thingy mixed drink for openers.   Then there was a huge glass of wine while eating dinner.  And finally there was champagne.  Actually, Mrs. P just took a sip or two of each, but Protime likes teasing her since they are teetotalers and she did appear to be tipsy.

Protime has a couple things he’s pondering again this week.  Number one is the sorry state of affairs that happened at the end of the Western Michigan-Michigan football game Saturday night.  Number two is why do football players seem to love to try and intimidate their opponents by taking ridiculously stupid penalties?  And how do coaches handle that absurdity?

Here we go.  Western Michigan upset Michigan at The Big House Saturday night 12-7 after a Hail Mary pass fell incomplete in the back of the end zone.  As the Broncos celebrated their improbable win, the referees looked at video and decided to put a second back on the clock.  (Penn State fans can relate to this)  We all know what happened.  Protime ponders, how can this have happened when video proof of the synched clocks of TV and the stadium matched, showing no time was left?  And remember, the play before was a spike and the refs had one second added to the game clock to show 9 seconds before the controversial play.  The explanation was that the WM defensive player touched the ball out of the end zone with a second left, but again video proof shows the ball still in the air when the clock struck zero.  Apparently the ref, who times things on the field, had a second remaining when that touched ball happened.  Appearing later in the night was a video of the mysterious second showing on the referee’s clock.  Hmmm.

Then the question arises, can Western sue to get the win?  Protime pondered this and found that the courts generally refuse to interfere with sports rules and judgment calls.  Those same courts interfere with people’s lives all the time politically, but refuse to make things right in the sporting arena.  Doesn’t make sense to Protime because a game doesn’t really affect lives unless you gambled the farm on that particular game or it prevents the loser from appearing in a bowl game.  Which brings up the question, how does one know that college and NFL referees do not have a betting stake in the game?  Protime means no disrespect to anyone, it is just a question people have asked him and thus, he will leave this subject with that thought.

Moving on, Protime has seen it time and time again over the years, undisciplined football.  It happens when a player hits someone on the other team in the back or blindsides someone as his teammate is chugging down the field for a touchdown 30 yards ahead or on the other side of the field.  ‘What in the world is going through that youngster’s mind to do this,’ Protime ponders.  Football is emotional and physical.  Protime understands that.  But to take a shot at your opponent when it adds nothing to the play is just plain madness and utterly selfish.

Also, Protime has witnessed completely unnecessary personal fouls just to intimidate someone.  Protime can’t count how many times undisciplined penalties on the last drive of the game resulted in a win for the other side.  So, these kids hit a defenseless receiver or rough the QB or kicker, or grab a face mask cause they got mad or they want to intimidate, or say something that ultimately hurts their team.  ‘What do the coaches do about that,’ Protime ponders.  He’s seen some pull the kid and ream him out.  He’s seen some coaches pull the kid and pat him on the helmet when he reaches the sideline.  That one always boggles Protime’s mind.  He’s seen some HC’s just leave the kid in the game, which at crucial moments, is a head scratcher too.  Again, not to be disrespectful by any means, but Protime was pondering, are some coaches to blame for these kids’ behavior?  Note that Protime is not privy to what goes on when the coaches review game film with the team, but there has got to be a way to be more disciplined.  Protime’s consequential approach would be the kid would be sitting on the bench for a spell.  Protime will sign off on that thought for this week.