Can you win the Super Bowl without officiating help along the way?

[SaltwaterServr]

I was sitting here wondering about officiating in the Super Bowls, and in the playoffs as well. I can't help but think how officiating can really help a team's chances in winning the Lombardi.

First, once you've gotten to the playoffs the quality of play and players is in more even alignment between the two teams. The players know that each play counts and this is a win or go home situation. In the Super Bowl where we beat Denver, I remember a player mentioning that it was the hardest hitting, toughest game he ever played. He said something along the lines that it seemed a player was getting knocked out of the game every series.

Second, coaching should be more closely aligned in quality, as long as Marv Levy isn't out there. Both staffs have an entire season of tape to watch and review so there probably isn't too many wrinkles they haven't seen.

This brings me to my point. Last year, Pittsburgh should have been flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for celebrating using the football as a prop after their last drive. Coupled with the great return, Arizona would have had a heckuva lot shorter field to play with for their desperation drive. Moreover, on the last play before halftime clipping was evident but the officials didn't get the call, touchdown Pittsburgh.

Then I go back to our game in 2008 against NY. Ware's bogus offsides call gets NY their extension on 3rd and 5 to go with their scoring drive. On Eli's idiot pass to oblivion, it's painfully evident that their left guard has both hands full of jersey and holding the defensive lineman, but the back judge can't see it from his position.

The breaks are far and few between in playoff football, and I can't help but wonder if you really do need a lucky mistake by the officials to win the whole thing.

BTW, if you're one of the idiots who thinks the officials are getting paid to throw calls for the betting public, feel free to urinate on an electrical outlet in the hopes it will sterilize your seed and prevent further contamination of the gene pool.

 

[Apollo Creed]

Same for their game against Seattle.

We've had the drop on the Stealers and the zebras for quite some time now.

 

[THUMPER]

Although we have had a number of calls go our way over the years they never seem to happen at crucial moments in big games like they do for the Stealers.

Usually, in big games, the calls go against us. :bang2:

So much of the Stealers success in big games over the last 35 years can be directly attributed to calls/non-calls going their way when it mattered the most. 5 of their 6 SB wins were filled with bad calls or non-calls that went their way and several of the AFC Championship games and playoff games had the same thing happen.

I don't believe that the refs are throwing games for betting purposes but it is obvious, to me at least, that they do have their biases and those show up in the big games.

The NFL needs to scrap its policy of using part-time officials and go with full-timers whose job it is to officiate FL games. Right now, there are no penalties for officials when they screw up other than awarding playoff games to the "better" ones. But with all of the playoff games being played now there aren't many who don't get to officiate in them ad it is obvious again that whoever decides these things has their favorites because some pretty lame officials are calling the biggest games.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Although we have had a number of calls go our way over the years they never seem to happen at crucial moments in big games like they do for the Stealers.

Usually, in big games, the calls go against us. :bang2:

So much of the Stealers success in big games over the last 35 years can be directly attributed to calls/non-calls going their way when it mattered the most. 5 of their 6 SB wins were filled with bad calls or non-calls that went their way and several of the AFC Championship games and playoff games had the same thing happen.

I don't believe that the refs are throwing games for betting purposes but it is obvious, to me at least, that they do have their biases and those show up in the big games.

The NFL needs to scrap its policy of using part-time officials and go with full-timers whose job it is to officiate FL games. Right now, there are no penalties for officials when they screw up other than awarding playoff games to the "better" ones. But with all of the playoff games being played now there aren't many who don't get to officiate in them ad it is obvious again that whoever decides these things has their favorites because some pretty lame officials are calling the biggest games.

:clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

 

[dbair1967]

The Stealers and Whiners both over the years gotten an extreme amount of bias in their favor. I dont see how anyone can dispute it if they've actually watched the games. Whether its controversial calls that could have gone either way or just out and out blown calls/non calls, these two teams seem to ALWAYS be the benefactor.

 

[OAM]

I was sitting here wondering about officiating in the Super Bowls, and in the playoffs as well. I can't help but think how officiating can really help a team's chances in winning the Lombardi.

First, once you've gotten to the playoffs the quality of play and players is in more even alignment between the two teams. The players know that each play counts and this is a win or go home situation. In the Super Bowl where we beat Denver, I remember a player mentioning that it was the hardest hitting, toughest game he ever played. He said something along the lines that it seemed a player was getting knocked out of the game every series.

Second, coaching should be more closely aligned in quality, as long as Marv Levy isn't out there. Both staffs have an entire season of tape to watch and review so there probably isn't too many wrinkles they haven't seen.

This brings me to my point. Last year, Pittsburgh should have been flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for celebrating using the football as a prop after their last drive. Coupled with the great return, Arizona would have had a heckuva lot shorter field to play with for their desperation drive. Moreover, on the last play before halftime clipping was evident but the officials didn't get the call, touchdown Pittsburgh.

Then I go back to our game in 2008 against NY. Ware's bogus offsides call gets NY their extension on 3rd and 5 to go with their scoring drive. On Eli's idiot pass to oblivion, it's painfully evident that their left guard has both hands full of jersey and holding the defensive lineman, but the back judge can't see it from his position.

The breaks are far and few between in playoff football, and I can't help but wonder if you really do need a lucky mistake by the officials to win the whole thing.

BTW, if you're one of the idiots who thinks the officials are getting paid to throw calls for the betting public, feel free to urinate on an electrical outlet in the hopes it will sterilize your seed and prevent further contamination of the gene pool.

PPPFFFFF!

 

[khiladi]

The Stealers and Whiners both over the years gotten an extreme amount of bias in their favor. I dont see how anyone can dispute it if they've actually watched the games. Whether its controversial calls that could have gone either way or just out and out blown calls/non calls, these two teams seem to ALWAYS be the benefactor.

Deion PI on Michael Irvin in the 94-95 championship game happened right in front of the ref... The way the Cowboys were moving the ball, if they got that play they would have most likely won. It would have cemented the greatest comeback in history. While some people may argue the Oilers-Bills game was, the fact is the Oilers folded and made stupid play after stupid play. The Cowboys were just out-playing the 49ers, despite giving them the lead.

Hell, free agency was invented because of the lop-sidedness of the Dallas domination... I think it was Bill Walsh who said that if it weren't for free agency, the Cowboys probably would have won like 5 Super Bowls or so...

 

[JBS]

This is a good thread, my take on your question is this: Over the course of an entire post-season, 3 or 4 games must be won to be crowned champions. In that span of games there are going to be numerous missed calls, typically going both ways. However, there is usually that one BIG, crucial call in the waning moments of a game that many times appears to be the deciding call for that game, but that is usually what separates the good teams from the great teams. The great teams are given an inch and capitalize and turn it into a mile and the good teams usually don't do the same. Hence the reason why those great teams, many times wind up winning the whlole thing, whether that one big break was in the wildcard game or in the Superbowl, it was enough to propel them to champions.

 

[Ultra Warrior]

This brings me to my point. Last year, Pittsburgh should have been flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for celebrating using the football as a prop after their last drive. Coupled with the great return, Arizona would have had a heckuva lot shorter field to play with for their desperation drive. Moreover, on the last play before halftime clipping was evident but the officials didn't get the call, touchdown Pittsburgh.

That's the biggest mistake of the whole game. A CLEAR block in the back ( prior to the TD being scored ) was missed ( yeah right ) & resulted in POINTS for the Steelers right before the Half. Those POINTS had the Clipping been called ( there was no TIME left ) would have been taken off the board & would have resulted ( most likely ) in the Cardinals Winning that Super Bowl. While the no-call on using the ball as a Prop still would not have resulted in a Cards victory ( as they still needed to score a TD to win & that's bad odds ).

 

[JBS]

Let's not forget the tuck rule, I figured that one would have been mentioned by now. Regardless if it was the right call or not, it caused quite the controversy.

 

[Scranton Tiger]

The only way bad calls will ever be eliminated is if EVERY play is subjected to possible review by replay. Since there are a limited number of challenges to start with, I honestly don't know why flags/non flags aren't allowed to be reviewed. Maybe it's just me.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

For the Steelers the answer is 50/50.

 

[Hoofbite]

I always love the officiating threads.

Probably the most ridiculous threads ever. People always point to a single play or two where "such and such" flag should have been thrown and always forget the plays where "such and such" player completely screwed up.

And the funny part is, there are far more plays where a player botches his assignment than there are plays where the referees do.

I remember a game (think it was against Philly, either 07 or 08) where Dallas blatantly got away with 2 major facemask penalties and there were people who claimed that the officials screwed Dallas.

Simple fact is, everyone is just dying for some excuse.

Believe me, I used to want to believe Dallas was being jobbed. Pretty much just came to the realization that missed officiating is just a part of the game.

The only gripe I currently have about officiating is that they are all part timers. I think the league should get full time people to call the games. I think that would solve a lot of the missed calls and other problems associated with officiating. Bad calls are in every game. Are they intentional, I doubt it.

 

[dreghorn2]

Like everyone else i'd like to see Pittsburgh at least try it.

 

[THUMPER]

I always love the officiating threads.

Probably the most ridiculous threads ever. People always point to a single play or two where "such and such" flag should have been thrown and always forget the plays where "such and such" player completely screwed up.

And the funny part is, there are far more plays where a player botches his assignment than there are plays where the referees do.

I remember a game (think it was against Philly, either 07 or 08) where Dallas blatantly got away with 2 major facemask penalties and there were people who claimed that the officials screwed Dallas.

Simple fact is, everyone is just dying for some excuse.

Believe me, I used to want to believe Dallas was being jobbed. Pretty much just came to the realization that missed officiating is just a part of the game.

The only gripe I currently have about officiating is that they are all part timers. I think the league should get full time people to call the games. I think that would solve a lot of the missed calls and other problems associated with officiating. Bad calls are in every game. Are they intentional, I doubt it.

You might not have noticed but the Cowboys weren't playing the Stealers in the last 2 SBs that Pittsburgh won. The calls were horrendous in both games and went almost exclusively in Pittsburgh's favor both times. This isn't about us getting screwed but about the bias that seems to be in effect for certain teams, particularly the Stealers and Patriots.

Also, those games were not blowouts where a couple of bad calls wouldn't have affected the outcome anyway. They were close games where a couple of bad calls basically gave the title to them.

Yes, there are plays that were blown by the players but that's on them. When an official makes a bad call or non-call then it isn't on them, it's on the team that just got screwed. hat goes back to my point about the NFL needing full-time officials that can be disciplined for poor performances.

Right now the league has no real leverage with the refs because they all have regular jobs outside of officiating games and there isn't a whole lot the league can do to them besides not use them in the playoffs. Unfortunately, that only goes so far as they still need a certain number of officials for the games so most crews get to work the playoffs anyway.

 

[big dog cowboy]

This isn't about us getting screwed but about the bias that seems to be in effect for certain teams, particularly the Stealers and Patriots.

Spoken for truth.

 

[BourbonBalz]

Although we have had a number of calls go our way over the years they never seem to happen at crucial moments in big games like they do for the Stealers.

Usually, in big games, the calls go against us. :bang2:

So much of the Stealers success in big games over the last 35 years can be directly attributed to calls/non-calls going their way when it mattered the most. 5 of their 6 SB wins were filled with bad calls or non-calls that went their way and several of the AFC Championship games and playoff games had the same thing happen.

I don't believe that the refs are throwing games for betting purposes but it is obvious, to me at least, that they do have their biases and those show up in the big games.

The NFL needs to scrap its policy of using part-time officials and go with full-timers whose job it is to officiate FL games. Right now, there are no penalties for officials when they screw up other than awarding playoff games to the "better" ones. But with all of the playoff games being played now there aren't many who don't get to officiate in them ad it is obvious again that whoever decides these things has their favorites because some pretty lame officials are calling the biggest games.

Two words for you: Fred Swearingen (sp?). He flat out cost us a Super Bowl title with that horrible pass interference call in 1979. The NFL even admitted it was a bad call. Like that did anything to make me feel better.

 

[BourbonBalz]

"Then I go back to our game in 2008 against NY. Ware's bogus offsides call gets NY their extension on 3rd and 5 to go with their scoring drive. On Eli's idiot pass to oblivion, it's painfully evident that their left guard has both hands full of jersey and holding the defensive lineman, but the back judge can't see it from his position".

While there were many turning points in that playoff game, we would've still won the game if it had not been for that bad call. The Giants got a lucky break TD afterwards instead of having to punt to us. Had they not scored that first TD, we very well could've run away with the game considering how we absolutely pounded them to death on the ground the first half.

 

[BourbonBalz]

I'm not sure we've gotten the shaft much, but I do honestly believe the NFL has always had a love affair with the Steelers. They love that blue collar monicker the Steelers have always had. I think the NFL feels that the Steelers represent the average Joe in a way and they love them for that. As a result, I think they have and do get a bit of the benefit of the doubt at crucial times.

 

[SaltwaterServr]

"Then I go back to our game in 2008 against NY. Ware's bogus offsides call gets NY their extension on 3rd and 5 to go with their scoring drive. On Eli's idiot pass to oblivion, it's painfully evident that their left guard has both hands full of jersey and holding the defensive lineman, but the back judge can't see it from his position".

While there were many turning points in that playoff game, we would've still won the game if it had not been for that bad call. The Giants got a lucky break TD afterwards instead of having to punt to us. Had they not scored that first TD, we very well could've run away with the game considering how we absolutely pounded them to death on the ground the first half.

Agreed. There's a idiot Giants fan (redundant?) on the True Blue forums arguing that there was still 3 quarters of football to be played. They don't get the bad call first down, and punt then this is your score:

3rd quarter, 6:53 remaining
Dallas 17
NY 7

But the moron Giants fan (definitely redundant) thinks that extra possession in the first quarter didn't mean anything ESPECIALLY considering we held them to 60 yards of offense in that second half.

Oh well, Eli might be the first QB in NFL history to win a Super Bowl and lose in the first game of the playoffs for the rest of his career.