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Home > Mark Bradley > Archives > 2008 > October > 23 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USThe real story of the YouTube ref
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Courtesy of YouTube, more people have seen Wilbur Hackett make a tackle as a referee than ever saw him play linebacker. Hackett - invariably identified as “Wilbur Hackett Jr.” in wire-service accounts - was the SEC umpire who nailed South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia last weekend, and by now you’ve seen the clip.
What you might not know: Wilbur Hackett was a big deal long before Garcia tucked the ball under his arm and headed around left end.
“Hack was a great player,” said Jeff Van Note, who played alongside Hackett at Kentucky in 1968, “and he’s a wonderful leader and a great person.”
Wilbur Hackett - there was no “Jr.” attached when he was a Wildcat from 1968 through 1970 - was a terrific linebacker and an even better example. He was the first African-American to start for any Kentucky team, and he would become the first black football captain in SEC history.
Hackett had been a high-school All-American at duPont Manual High in Louisville and, according to a 2004 Los Angeles Times story, he was bound for Michigan State before changing his mind and signing with Kentucky. He arrived in Lexington in 1967, and if you have any grasp of sports and race relations you know 1967 as the year after Texas Western, with its all-black starting five, beat all-white Kentucky for the NCAA basketball title.
Wilbur Hackett, see, was one of my heroes. He recovered a fumble inside the 5-yard line as Kentucky upset No. 8 Ole Miss and Archie Manning in 1969 on a Saturday night at old Stoll Field. It was the first college game I ever attended, and it seemed only proper to this 14-year-old that the best Kentucky player would make the biggest play.
The year before, Hackett and Kentucky had played Manning and the Rebels in Jackson, Miss., and the environment was so charged in the deep South that extra security was needed. Van Note recalls some of his mates - we remember the grizzled Noter as the Falcons’ center, but he was then a defensive end - telling their leader, “Hack, don’t stand too close to us in the huddle when you call signals.”
They were kidding, the way teammates do. Said Van Note: “We knew what was going on, but I don’t think any of us had any idea what Hack and Houston Hogg [a fullback who was Hackett’s roommate] and Nat Northington [who was the first African-American to play in the SEC] were going through. We were just guys playing football together.”
According to David Wharton of the L.A. Times, Hackett wound up sacking Manning that day in Jackson. Wrote Wharton: “Manning jumped up, helped Hackett up and told him, ‘Nice hit.’ “
I’ve never met Wilbur Hackett. (I arrived at UK three years after he left.) But Van Note, who still keeps a house in Louisville, sees him from time to time. They had lunch together last year. “A great man of leadership,” Van Note said, “and a good football player.” He laughed. “He was a really big linebacker.”
Stephen Garcia knows all about Hackett’s capacity to deliver a blow. One right forearm from the unpadded umpire clocked the Gamecock as pretty as you please. (The SEC has absolved Hackett of any blame, determining that he was only protecting himself.) And Van Note, who has seen the clip many times, is happy his old friend, who’s closing in on 60, is getting his 15 minutes of Internet-driven fame.
“I think it’s great,” he said. “It was just part of the game. And if Hack gets some publicity out of it, I think that’s wonderful.”
Permalink | Comments (30) | Post your comment | Categories: UGA/SEC
Comments
By Smyrna Man
October 23, 2008 9:39 AM | Link to this
Good Story Mark
By Jason
October 23, 2008 9:42 AM | Link to this
Mark - Thanks for the history lesson on Hackett. I have no doubt that he was a great player and leader for UK.
BUT, it’s ridiculous that the SEC is giving him a pass for his actions on Saturday night. He wasn’t simply “defending” himself. He was shuffling to his right with Garcia in front of him and lowered his shoulder to hit the QB. He had room to his left to get out of the way and instead he decided to be a part of the play. He should be disciplined by the league.
BTW, I’m not a fan of either team, it’s just my opinion…
By Jarrett
October 23, 2008 9:51 AM | Link to this
HOWINTHEHELL Does an article about a “tackleing ref” turn into some sort of soul-asuageing soliliquy into the heart of a politically correct sports journalist suffering from white guilt that’s probably going to vote for Barry Hussein Obama! Oh, by the way … GO YELLOW JACKETS!!
By THE CATHOLIC HAMMER
October 23, 2008 10:18 AM | Link to this
The next year, Texas Western lost to Pacific in the semi-finals.
Apparently, their all-blackness really didn’t have anything to do with their ability to play the game of basketball. Why keep bringing it up? Or is it that you WANT their blackness to have something to do with their ability to play basketball?
All-white and all-black teams win and lose against one another all across America each and every week in every sport. Leave it alone, no one wants to hear about your “political correctness”, Mark Bradley.
By Steve
October 23, 2008 10:48 AM | Link to this
Thanks for the wonderful piece on Mr. Hackett. This is just another example of an official getting away with something a player or coach wouldn’t have. I think he had a SENIOR moment and got caught up in the action. He he would not have shuffled his feet and slide in front of the kid. Then I could agree. I believe he meant to tackle the kid.
By Steve
October 23, 2008 10:48 AM | Link to this
Thanks for the wonderful piece on Mr. Hackett. This is just another example of an official getting away with something a player or coach wouldn’t have. I think he had a SENIOR moment and got caught up in the action. If he would not have shuffled his feet and slide in front of the kid. Then I could agree. I believe he meant to tackle the kid.
By noneya
October 23, 2008 10:49 AM | Link to this
Hammer,
Ignorance is rampant on these boards. The reason why it was a big deal is because of the belief that black athletes could not compete during that era. Very few schools recruited black athletes and the one’s that did only would have one or two at a time. That victory opened doors for black athletes such as Wilbur Hackett to go to major institutions of “higher” learning, especially in the South.
By Steve
October 23, 2008 10:52 AM | Link to this
Woody Hayes tackled a kid from the sidelines but I guess he was just defending himself? His whiteness had nothing to do with it!
By SCBDAWG
October 23, 2008 11:05 AM | Link to this
This play has been on every Columbia sports news show all week. All crying fowl. I’m glad our quarterback can’t be tackled by a sixty year man without pads. The gamecocks are the biggest cry babies I’ve ever heard. South Carolina, where hall of fame coaches go to die.
By brandon
October 23, 2008 11:33 AM | Link to this
I’m a nonbiased witness to the video. I don’t like either South Carolina or LSU. The umpire hit looked like it was definetly intentional. If something like this happened at a Georgia game, I would be really really p**. Of course, Knowshon would spin by him or jump over him anyways, but still…
By Mark Bradley
October 23, 2008 11:35 AM | Link to this
I don’t believe Woody Hayes tackled anybody. I believe he punched Clemson’s Charlie Bauman under the chin.
By willdave
October 23, 2008 11:39 AM | Link to this
Mark, thanks for the background story on Wilbur Hackett. Except for students of history, many people nowadays simply do not recall the extremely racially charged climate of sports in the Deep South back in the late 1960s. Yes, all-black, upstart Texas Western’s victory over all-white, powerhouse Kentucky in 1966 was HUGE and still marks a significant breakthrough in college sports and race relations to this day. Likewise, the accomplishments of those African-American pioneer players in the SEC like Mr. Hackett deserve our recognition and respect.
OK, I got that out the way. I think Mr. Hackett simply acted out of reflex. Mentally, he reverted back to his playing days, forgot that he is now a referee and just popped the player out of reflex. I don’t think it was a defensive move at all, as he could have easily stepped out of the way to avoid the QB. In fact, as a referee, he had a duty to get out of the way and avoid having any impact on the play. Perhaps a minor fine would be in order to help remind him to be cognizant of his duty in the future.
By Mark Bradley
October 23, 2008 11:42 AM | Link to this
Here’s what I think of the hit itself: it was awkward, yes, but unintentional. It was also hilarious. I mean, can you really watch the sequence and not laugh?
By SouthGARules
October 23, 2008 11:48 AM | Link to this
I think Mr. Hackett has gotten tired of Spurrier beating his Wildcats so much, so he wanted to exact some revenge. It’s my story & I’m sticking to it.
By GW
October 23, 2008 11:51 AM | Link to this
None of us can read Hackett’s mind but we can tell yet another screwup by an SEC official when we see one. If they punished them all who would be available on Saturdays? Maybe Hackett is jealous of the “Glory Road” movie and wanted in on the act. Carolina is not whining. They scored a TD later in the drive anyway. Spurrier downplayed it but LSU’s Miles said it did look unusual.
By D.Ellis
October 23, 2008 11:57 AM | Link to this
I don’t know what is funnier. The actual hit itself….or the expression and head movement of Garcia as he looked up. Sure to be a classic SEC/NCAA football moment for years to come.
I don’t think it was intentional at all. However I think he was half defending himself….and half instinct. He was doing what he was used to doing years ago HAAHA
The guy proved he still has it!
By mike
October 23, 2008 12:00 PM | Link to this
No big deal about an official having contact with acreamed. Officials are taught to step toward the player when contact looms. If you try to anticipate his moves you will surely be creamed. You see NFL officials “rolled-up” all the time. It is natural to defend yourself.
By Mr. Clean
October 23, 2008 12:34 PM | Link to this
Let’s just state the painfully obvious. The guy obviously isn’t very bright and can’t think on his feet—wonderful attributes for an SEC ref.
Sorry Van Note…it is not part of the game
Competent officials don’t get in the way—much less make an emphatic tackle.
By Richard Fields
October 23, 2008 12:39 PM | Link to this
I don’t care if the hit was intentional or not……it was awesome! Stop your damn crying already!
Great background Mark! I enjoyed reading about Mr. Hackett.
To all of you trying to make a race issue out of this…..shut the hell up and stop your damn crying already!
By Boudreaux
October 23, 2008 12:47 PM | Link to this
Interesting that no one is mentioning that SC (apparently) used the same official to screen defenders on the crossing routes at least twice, probably more - Once leading to an SC touchdown.
As the play started initially to the right, Hackett stayed in approximately the same place he started. Since the entire O-line went right, it gives the appearance that Hackett moved left. Then Garcia reverses direction. Hackett moves a litte right apparently trying to get out of the way. When Garcia gets about even with him, Hackett stops, but his momentum still taking him to his right. Garcia cuts back left, directly toward Hackett and only a couple yards away. The LSU defense had started to collapse, and Garcia really had no place to go but straight at Hackett.
If he was defending himself, fine. If it was intentional, the SEC office has the authority and obligation to punish him. They reviewed it, found nothing wrong. Spurrier has no problem with it, and Miles only complained (jokingly) that Hackett failed to “wrap up”. So if the parties involved don’t have a problem - LET IT GO.
By Chris
October 23, 2008 1:03 PM | Link to this
I did not find it funny at all. It was obviously done on purpose. He moved with the play and actually tried to tackle him. It’s like he was betting on the game and didn’t want South Carolina to score or something like that.
There is no doubt at all in my mind from watching the play that he did it on purpose and should be punished by the league.
And no, I didn’t laugh at all when I saw the play. It just made me angry.
By Carl
October 23, 2008 1:15 PM | Link to this
Chris, take pill and lie down for awhile. Your ignorance is showing.
By gdawginkalamazoo
October 23, 2008 1:27 PM | Link to this
Mark, Excellent piece. I saw the footage and you are correct, nothing but hilarious. Good thing the ref got there first too. Did you see the LSU players, they had the field covered? If I were Hackett though I would be leary of Garcia finding my car in the off season and sliding a key down the side of it. Anyway Garcia folded like a cheap suit on that play.
By UGA'91
October 23, 2008 1:39 PM | Link to this
Great article Mark! I watched the game live and it was a bang bang play, I don’t think it was intentional and I don’t think ref’s should just allow themselves to be run over by players. If you watched the game, a ref was jostled around a few plays earlier. Maybe Hackett remembered that play and didn’t want to get injured. BTW, SEC officials are clearly better than most other big time conferences.
By Chip
October 23, 2008 3:03 PM | Link to this
What was the umpire doing outside of the tackle box?
Why was he not in the tackle box where he was earlier in the game when he screened on SC linebacker from making a tackle on a pass play.
By Sid
October 24, 2008 1:24 PM | Link to this
It will be sad when someone makes a helmet to head move on Hackett.Hackett will probably be penalized 15 for a personal foul and the helmet will go to the sidelines with a headache!
By Jed
October 24, 2008 10:50 PM | Link to this
I don’t care about any SEC team, but do not like referees in any sport inserting their presence into a game.
Just because you were amazed by the guy during your youth doesn’t negate what he did - even though that premise is what you are trying to advance with your little gloss piece. Reflex or conspiracy, Hackett doesn’t belong on the field. You Mr. Bradley also do not belong writing.
By Roscoe
October 24, 2008 10:50 PM | Link to this
I don’t care about any SEC team, but do not like referees in any sport inserting their presence into a game.
Just because you were amazed by the guy during your youth doesn’t negate what he did - even though that premise is what you are trying to advance with your little gloss piece. Reflex or conspiracy, Hackett doesn’t belong on the field. You Mr. Bradley also do not belong writing.
By Voice of Reason
October 25, 2008 2:23 AM | Link to this
First of all, let me say I’m not a fan of any SEC team, period. I love people like Boudreaux who express their opinion and tell everyone else to “let it go”. Hackett obviously inserted himself into that play. And this whole trained to step into the advancing player bull is ridiculous. And what does a previous play have to do with this one? WRs using the refs to screen…doesn’t affect my opinion on this play at all. How about training Hackett to step out of the way? I don’t care if he knocked the QB unconscious, but admit to it. I don’t need the SEC, Spurrier, Hackett or Boudreaux to tell me it was a blatant hit, the video does that for me. And I can do without the background info on Hackett. Don’t care. Not interested. 2 minutes of my life I’m never going to get back.
By Ricky
October 25, 2008 3:40 PM | Link to this
The SEC is out of their mind. Anyone who has ever seen a referee that is about to get run over knows that they try to get out of the way. Hackett obviously initiated the contact as he was going towards Garcia and Garcia, not the other way around. He clearly initiated the contact as he was running towards Garcia. Absolutely ridiculous that this referee (and I don’t care who he is, what he did on field as a player or what his race is) got away with this. He may have been a great football player but he intentionally interfered with the game and should be penalized for it.