Another game lost due to referee bias

[Miller]

Another game lost due to a negative turnover differential.

We lost this game due to Cassel and Moore throwing 4 ints. 1 in the redzone, no less.

This team is #1 at shooting itself in the foot.

Every fanbase thinks they get screwed over by the refs.

Well said. I can't believe this is even a legit discussion with how this team has played. I feel like I'm in a 9/11 Truthers thread.

 

[SultanOfSix]

The Dez call never happens if not for Lions being jobbed in game vs us. Also people are misinterpreting Dez flack. Most of us agree it should be called a catch. However it WASNT a catch under the dumb NFL rules. The rules are what people want changed.

This has already been discussed ad nauseum. That was not pass interference on Hitchens. You can watch the video over and over again of the receiver grabbing the face mask of Hitchens and him slapping his hand away. If anything, that is offensive pass interference. The refs actually made the right call in picking up the flag. It was only opposing team fan perception that affected the call the following week due to selective media emphasis on its own created story of an "obvious" PI - which is not how these things are supposed to work. Refs are supposed to institute rules fairly. They aren't supposed to institute rules based on fan perception, what happened the previous week, or because Blandino was seen on Jerry Jones' bus.

And no, Dez's reception was a catch under the rules. It was ruled as a catch on the field. It was a catch where he made an obvious football move. All sorts of hogwash have gone into bizarrely unjustifiable and dubious interpretations to rationalize the overturn of that call - something that shouldn't happen unless there is clear evidence for one - that don't need to be reiterated here.

 

[Wayne02]

This has already been discussed ad nauseum. That was not pass interference on Hitchens. You can watch the video over and over again of the receiver grabbing the face mask of Hitchens and him slapping his hand away. If anything, that is offensive pass interference. The refs actually made the right call in picking up the flag. It was only opposing team fan perception that affected the call the following week due to selective media emphasis on its own created story of an "obvious" PI - which is not how these things are supposed to work. Refs are supposed to institute rules fairly. They aren't supposed to institute rules based on fan perception, what happened the previous week, or because Blandino was seen on Jerry Jones' bus.

And no, Dez's reception was a catch under the rules. It was ruled as a catch on the field. It was a catch where he made an obvious football move. All sorts of hogwash have gone into bizarrely unjustifiable and dubious interpretations to rationalize the overturn of that call - something that shouldn't happen unless there is clear evidence for one - that don't need to be reiterated here.

If he made an obvious football move then it wouldn't have been overturned. Of course I think it was a catch because I root for the Cowboys, but to call it a catch just because it was ruled that way before replay is incorrect. Lots of plays get ruled one way and then after it's reviewed, it gets changed if there is evidence to support it.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Dean Blandino being a household name is a bad thing.... Officiating has been very inconsistent as of late and seems to be getting even more so.

Pretty amazing that pro football has been around as long as it has and yet here we are in 2015 and one of (if not THE) biggest issues is poor officiating.

 

[SultanOfSix]

If he made an obvious football move then it wouldn't have been overturned. Of course I think it was a catch because I root for the Cowboys, but to call it a catch just because it was ruled that way before replay is incorrect. Lots of plays get ruled one way and then after it's reviewed, it gets changed if there is evidence to support it.

Switching the ball into the other arm after catching it and then reaching for the goal line is clearly a "football move". Clearly. The only reason the ball came out is because he's reaching for the goal line with it to cross its plane and holding it out with one hand and the ball hits the ground with all of the momentum of his movement. Try holding a ball in one hand when you're in motion like Dez was with an extended arm and it and football hit the ground. I don't even understand how people are even still disputing this. That reversal is as obvious a rob-job as it gets. Saying "it wouldn't have been overturned" is the whole reason for notions of "conspiracy". That's not a defense. The discrepancy between facts on the field and interpretation on the field is what is causing the dispute.

 

[Miller]

This has already been discussed ad nauseum. That was not pass interference on Hitchens. You can watch the video over and over again of the receiver grabbing the face mask of Hitchens and him slapping his hand away. If anything, that is offensive pass interference. The refs actually made the right call in picking up the flag. It was only opposing team fan perception that affected the call the following week due to selective media emphasis on its own created story of an "obvious" PI - which is not how these things are supposed to work. Refs are supposed to institute rules fairly. They aren't supposed to institute rules based on fan perception, what happened the previous week, or because Blandino was seen on Jerry Jones' bus.

And no, Dez's reception was a catch under the rules. It was ruled as a catch on the field. It was a catch where he made an obvious football move. All sorts of hogwash have gone into bizarrely unjustifiable and dubious interpretations to rationalize the overturn of that call - something that shouldn't happen unless there is clear evidence for one - that don't need to be reiterated here.

You are dead wrong. The rule states that the player MUST keep control through hitting the ground. Dez didn't. I've seen at last 5 calls similar this year get overturned because of the exact same rule. It's why Dez had said he wants to be on the committee reviewing what a catch is. Yes, I think it is a catch and he made a move, but under rules they are saying he didn't maintain control. It's the rule that is dumb and causing catches to be overturned.

As far as Hitchens...relook at this article. He a) doesn't have his back turned and b) clearly grabs the TEs arm before the ball is there. Look at the video at the bottom of the page. 16 secons into the 1:10. They show stills and Hitchen arm is extended and on the TEs shoulder before the ball go there. If this happened to us it would go down in infamy as one of the worst calls ever. If you think its a good no call then there is a major issue. See pic below also

http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/laces-...-pass-interference-negated-controversy-010415

 

[tyke1doe]

Sorry but the constant daily and weekly whining Threads/postings from Cowboy fans complaining how Espn, NFLN, the refs, the league etc are in some conspiracy against Dallas is ridiculous...

We're not a very good team this year. Teams that aren't very good usually get "bad" calls. Teams that aren't very good always have the refs out to get them.

Funny how that correlates.

 

[SultanOfSix]

You are dead wrong. The rule states that the player MUST keep control through hitting the ground. Dez didn't. I've seen at last 5 calls similar this year get overturned because of the exact same rule. It's why Dez had said he wants to be on the committee reviewing what a catch is. Yes, I think it is a catch and he made a move, but under rules they are saying he didn't maintain control. It's the rule that is dumb and causing catches to be overturned.

As far as Hitchens...relook at this article. He a) doesn't have his back turned and b) clearly grabs the TEs arm before the ball is there. Look at the video at the bottom of the page. 16 secons into the 1:10. They show stills and Hitchen arm is extended and on the TEs shoulder before the ball go there. If this happened to us it would go down in infamy as one of the worst calls ever. If you think its a good no call then there is a major issue. See pic below also

http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/laces-...-pass-interference-negated-controversy-010415

No, I'm not and I'm not going to go over it again.

 

[tyke1doe]

Can't blame the refs for the ****ty play calling. Moore's INT in the end zone should have never happend. In a close game like this you have to walk away with at least a field goal.

EXACTLY!!! Especially when your running game got you inside the red zone.

 

[Miller]

No, I'm not and I'm not going to go over it again.

The picture alone shows you are, along with the article. It's visual proof. If you are still arguing it, then you are being stubborn and have no objectivity when it comes to the team. As I showed in the larger post above, teams have been getting drilled this year not named Cowboys but people act like we are this glaring problem.

 

[mmohican29]

You are dead wrong. The rule states that the player MUST keep control through hitting the ground. Dez didn't. I've seen at last 5 calls similar this year get overturned because of the exact same rule. It's why Dez had said he wants to be on the committee reviewing what a catch is. Yes, I think it is a catch and he made a move, but under rules they are saying he didn't maintain control. It's the rule that is dumb and causing catches to be overturned.

As far as Hitchens...relook at this article. He a) doesn't have his back turned and b) clearly grabs the TEs arm before the ball is there. Look at the video at the bottom of the page. 16 secons into the 1:10. They show stills and Hitchen arm is extended and on the TEs shoulder before the ball go there. If this happened to us it would go down in infamy as one of the worst calls ever. If you think its a good no call then there is a major issue. See pic below also

http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/laces-...-pass-interference-negated-controversy-010415

No, you're wrong. Pettigrew and Hitchens are simultaneously illegally contacting one another. Let's get a photo from the oposited side with Pettigrew's hand in Hitchens facemask....

... Or did we just want to go with these? Biased perception is allowed by fans not the league. Dez caught it by every measure and was ruled a catch on the field. The league and it's officials had to go so far out of the way of normal review to call that incomplete it was preposterous.

I've still not seen the ball contacting the ground without control. The impact of the arm to ground- post three steps, post switching hands, post lunge and post defender contact- squeezed ball up onto Dez's shoulder which he recollected in the end zone. Ball never touched ground without control.

 

[Miller]

Pretty amazing that pro football has been around as long as it has and yet here we are in 2015 and one of (if not THE) biggest issues is poor officiating.

http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2015/12/17/nfl-officiating-worse-ever-ways-improve-twitter-social-media

“Referees of football and basketball games today are being accused of worse blunders than ever before.” —Sports Illustrated, March 26, 1962

“It is hard to remember a season that produced such a rampant display of human fallibility as has been revealed—on television, always on television—by the officiating crews of the NFL.” —Sports Illustrated, Oct. 9, 1978

“Pro football has been victimized by incompetence this year.” —Los Angeles Times, Nov. 6, 1996

“Criticism of NFL officials has seldom been as vociferous as it has been this season.” —USA Today, Dec. 1, 1998

“Regular Officials Back, and So Are Complaints.” —New York Times, Nov. 12, 2012

 

[SultanOfSix]

The picture alone shows you are, along with the article. It's visual proof. If you are still arguing it, then you are being stubborn and have no objectivity when it comes to the team. As I showed in the larger post above, teams have been getting drilled this year not named Cowboys but people act like we are this glaring problem.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sp...igrew-grabs-hitchens-face-mask-play/21295621/

Bottom video. All of that occurred while the ball was in the air. If that's not OPI, that's easily illegal hands to the face.

 

[tyke1doe]

I'm just curious, what possible reason do the referees have to be biased against the Cowboys? Do the get paid some sort of year end bonus that goes up relative to the number of games the Cowboys lose? What's in it for them?

Fans love to complain about bias, but no one can prove that because it involves thought and motive, and no one is a mind reader.

As an baseball umpire, I can tell you that 99.9 percent of the umpires and referees aren't calling plays for teams they like or teams they don't like.

First, if you have a favorite team or you have a relative on a team, you're automatically excluded from umping or reffing your favorite team's game.

Second, when the game is being played, there's really no time to think about being bias. Most of the time, you're just trying to get the call correct. Many of these calls are split-second decisions. You don't have time to think, "Hhhmm, I don't like this team. Let me call it against him."

Now, I WILL say if you're being a behind, you're more likely to not get the benefit of the doubt on certain calls. But that is a premeditated mindset rather than an instantaneous mindset when you have to make a split-decision about a call. The premeditated mindset would more involve personal fouls or unsportsmanlike conduct where a player pushes the edge, and the ref may not give him the benefit of the doubt.

In short, refs - in all likelihood - aren't showing bias, and there's no way to prove it anyway.

But refs CAN and DO make mistakes. I've made mistakes calling balls and strikes and tag outs.
That's part of being human.

 

[tyke1doe]

http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2015/12/17/nfl-officiating-worse-ever-ways-improve-twitter-social-media

“Referees of football and basketball games today are being accused of worse blunders than ever before.” —Sports Illustrated, March 26, 1962

“It is hard to remember a season that produced such a rampant display of human fallibility as has been revealed—on television, always on television—by the officiating crews of the NFL.” —Sports Illustrated, Oct. 9, 1978

“Pro football has been victimized by incompetence this year.” —Los Angeles Times, Nov. 6, 1996

“Criticism of NFL officials has seldom been as vociferous as it has been this season.” —USA Today, Dec. 1, 1998

“Regular Officials Back, and So Are Complaints.” —New York Times, Nov. 12, 2012

 

[Miller]

No, you're wrong. Pettigrew and Hitchens are simultaneously illegally contacting one another. Let's get a photo from the oposited side with Pettigrew's hand in Hitchens facemask....

... Or did we just want to go with these? Biased perception is allowed by fans not the league. Dez caught it by every measure and was ruled a catch on the field. The league and it's officials had to go so far out of the way of normal review to call that incomplete it was preposterous.

I've still not seen the ball contacting the ground without control. The impact of the arm to ground- post three steps, post switching hands, post lunge and post defender contact- squeezed ball up onto Dez's shoulder which he recollected in the end zone. Ball never touched ground without control.

Look at the article and watch the video. You are wrong. That is blatant PI in every game played now. The TE has a right to the ball and Hitchens has his back turned and has his arm on his shoulder WAY before the ball is there and as you can see in the pic is pulling his jersey...a hold before any of the calls.. before he even turns. AGAIN, if this happened to us in a playoff game, this board would dissolve. The reverse view doesn't even show the facemask being pulled, it shows the hand in front of it without Hitchens face being pulled down. Unlike, the hand ont he shoulder and the tugging of the jersey.

Dez call was ruled correct with a dumb rule. I agree with all you said but the reality of it is Dez had another similar call 2 weeks back ruled the same. No matter what he does in catching, stepping and diving, he lunged and the ball popped up. I posted pics of it on ground last year in the thread. In my book its a catch. Under horrendous rules, it is not. I think it sucks but the rule must change. After seeing it happen over and over this year it seems that the control factor is the biggest.

 

[tyke1doe]

Dude, not once in this thread have I personally attacked anyone yet have been jumped 3 times. I said refs are a horrible excuse and talked about the league wide issue. Yet twice now you've been attacking. I've been a fan since the mid 70s. So you can stop your good fan and hater schtick. It makes you look silly. My purpose is to point out reality vs excuses. Being a real fan doesn't mean believing conspiracies to fit an agenda. It silly to even debate if you actually believe we are 4-10 because of refs.

Some fans can't handle you criticizing their opinions, which is why they get personal.

No one can prove bias short of an admission of guilt by the accused.

For as many Cowboys fans who complain about bias you have as many non-Cowboys fans complaining that Dallas gets the benefit of calls.

Six on one hand, half dozen on the other.

 

[Miller]

Some fans can't handle you criticizing their opinions, which is why they get personal.

No one can prove bias short of an admission of guilt by the accused.

For as many Cowboys fans who complain about bias you have as many non-Cowboys fans complaining that Dallas gets the benefit of calls.

Six on one hand, half dozen on the other.

Right! If you are ever on Twitter during game time...I know many hate Twitter.. and follow anyone covering the Cowboys... they get assaulted over and over about the Cowboys being in the leagues pocket and how we get every call. You can't take second quarter fumbles or PI calls and say they cost the game when our offense can't turn anything into a TD and there is no time machine to see what would happen. As I pointed out pages back, there have been at least 5 games this year where calls at the end of games were suspect...and we weren't involved.

 

[Everson24]

The Dez call never happens if not for Lions being jobbed in game vs us. Also people are misinterpreting Dez flack. Most of us agree it should be called a catch. However it WASNT a catch under the dumb NFL rules. The rules are what people want changed.

I don't agree with you on this. The majority of people involved with the NFL stated that Dez absolutely caught the ball and made a football move. The side judge Terry Brown also right on the play made the same judgment on the field. Then Dean Blandino tried to cover his tracks by citing the Calvin Johnson rule (which by the way was considered the wrong call at the time too). Blandino and his cronies have spent this entire season trying to justify that clearly biased call against Dallas. This has led to so many ridiculous overturns this year that they will undoubtably rewrite the catch rule this offseason.

I do agree with you that the call in the Lions game led to this call. All of which to me screams of NFL shadiness and bias.

 

[mmohican29]

Some fans can't handle you criticizing their opinions, which is why they get personal.

No one can prove bias short of an admission of guilt by the accused.

For as many Cowboys fans who complain about bias you have as many non-Cowboys fans complaining that Dallas gets the benefit of calls.

Six on one hand, half dozen on the other.

I would be ok with the Hitchens play being offsetting penalties. They picked the flag up. I've seen worse non-calls for sure. To give Hitchens a pi would have been injustice because a defender can't turn his head when his face mask is being pulled or pushed backward.

You see the repeated control issues and overturns NOW because the league has embarrassed itself with the horrific overturn on the Dez play. It is their only hope to save face from the gaping *** **** that Blandino administered to the Cowboys vs GB.