Riese's piece in history: Cal-Stanford 'band' game

The Pac-10 replay official who was suspended Monday for his role in the Oklahoma-Oregon worked the infamous Cal-Stanford "band" game in 1982.

The conference confirmed Tuesday that Gordon Riese, now 64, was the line judge that day and made a crucial ruling in that game. Riese told referee Charles Moffett that Cal's Kevin Moen had legally scored after the last of five laterals that concluded with a run through the Stanford band.

"I say, 'Were all the laterals legal?' 'Yes,' Moffett, now deceased, was quoted in a 1997 San Francisco Chronicle story. "Then the line judge, Gordon Riese, says to me, 'Charlie, the guy scored on that.' And I said, 'What?' I had no idea the guy had scored."

In that game, Stanford kicked a field goal to go ahead 20-19 with eight seconds remaining. The Cardinal kicked off with four seconds left. Then-Cal coach Joe Kapp instructed his players to keep lateraling the ball like rugby players to keep the game alive.

Stanford loyalists have bitterly disputed the 25-20 loss for years claiming a Cal player's knee was down during the series of laterals that resulted in the game-winning touchdown. On the last lateral some contend that Cal's Mariet Ford actually threw an illegal forward pass to teammate Kevin Moen.

Riese was quoted five years ago as saying he couldn't rule on a forward lateral because he was run over by the Stanford band.

Flags were thrown during the return because of the Stanford band's presence on the field. Moffett later said that had Moen not scored, the crew had the option of awarding Cal a touchdown because of the band's interference.

Riese is a 28-year veteran of Pac-10 officiating and resides in Portland, Ore. He retired from on-field duties in the mid-1990s. He and replay official Roger Judd, along with the officiating crew on Saturday, were suspended for a game.

"He had been one of our top referees for a long time," Pac-10 spokesman Jim Muldoon said.

Riese could not be reached for comment.