Florida Gators
NCAA South Regional
What does Gators junior Brian Johnson now have in common with Lew Alcindor, Ricky Williams and others?
Friday, June 15, 2012 | Baseball, Cross Country, Scott Carter
Gators DH Brian Johnson watching his home run -- er, double -- in last year's CWS against Texas.
OMAHA, Neb. -- There was the "Lew Alcindor Rule" that once outlawed the dunk in college basketball. There was the "Ricky Williams Rule" in the NFL that clarified that a player's hair is an extension of his uniform on a tackle.
And now college baseball had added what people are referring to as the "Brian Johnson Rule" in honor of Florida's junior lefty.
Johnson thought that was "pretty cool'' when he heard about the instant-replay rule that will be in effect for the first time at this year's College World Series.
The NCAA Baseball Rules Committee approved the use of instant replay last summer in the wake of a Johnson home run -- OK, a double in the record books -- in the Gators' 8-4 win over Texas.
Johnson's hit cleared the yellow line on top of the right field wall but bounced back onto the field when it ricocheted off a metal railing. Umpires ruled the hit a double but TV replays clearly showed Johnson had homered.
The NCAA umpire coordinator admitted afterward that the umpires mistakenly kept Johnson at second base, thus prompting the approval of the instant-replay rule at this year's CWS.
"We'll see how it works,” said Dennis Poppe, NCAA vice president of football and baseball. “A home run, that's a big play. They want to make sure they get it right.”
According to the rule, it's up to the umpires when to use a video replay to review a questionable play. Coaches can only ask for an on-field conference.
For his part, Johnson took news of the rule in stride this week.
"All that mattered last year is we won the game,” he said.
Gators coach Kevin O'Sullivan is glad to see the rule put into play considering what happened to the Gators last year.
"I think it's a good thing. I think anything that can help the umpires get the right call can help the sport,'' O'Sullivan said. "That's the other thing that makes this sport so good: there are decisions sometimes in the game that aren't right and you have to battle through those decisions."
Photo: Johnson signing autographs for fans on Thursday at TD Ameritrade Park.
