***SB Refs Stink Thread*** merged

[notherbob]

Sorry I don't think the game was fixed or the refs where trying to hand the game to the steelers. Sea was very poor on converting 3rd down had a number of dropped passes that hurt them and then a very poor pass by Hasslebeck that was high and behing his WR that ended up being picked off. I do think there were some questionable calls in game I'll give you that.

Agreed that Seattle didn't play well enough and Holmgren didn't coach well enough to win and the obviously missed calls all went in favor of Pittsburgh and it raises questions. I don't believe the league itself in any way fixes games, but I do believe that some officials willingly allow biases to affect their decisions and it's not entirely unreasonable to suspect that someone in the gambling world might offer an official some behind the scenes considerations for influencing the outcome of a game occasionally.

Where there's gambling, there's a will and a way and the iopportunity is always there.

I really didn't care who won the game I just wanted to see good football and that includes good officiating and I didn't get to see good officiating either - the football was fair to middlin', or should I say meddlin'.

 

[TonyS]

Baseball has full time guys but that does not stop them from blowing calls. It is going to happen in all sports it always has and always will.

So...what you're saying is that you don't think the NFL refs would benefit from being full-time employees that focus on football?

 

[Doomsday101]

Agreed that Seattle didn't play well enough and Holmgren didn't coach well enough to win and the obviously missed calls all went in favor of Pittsburgh and it raises questions. I don't believe the league itself in any way fixes games, but I do believe that some officials willingly allow biases to affect their decisions and it's not entirely unreasonable to suspect that someone in the gambling world might offer an official some behind the scenes considerations for influencing the outcome of a game occasionally.

Where there's gambling, there's a will and a way and the iopportunity is always there.

Could it happen? yes I guess it could. Do I think that was the case No I don't I thought they blew a couple of calls that went Sea way such as a couple of fumbles that could have gone the other way. I felt Stevens caught a pass went to turn up field and had the ball knocked loose but was called incomplete and frankly I think Hasslebeck fumble was a bit iffy.

 

[brucem78]

Referee Bill Levy must be ticked that Hines Ward is driving his Escalade.

 

[Doomsday101]

So...what you're saying is that you don't think the NFL refs would benefit from being full-time employees that focus on football?

I think if they become full time that just as in baseball the refs will start up a union and have way too much power. Right now in baseball if a call is questionable your not allows to show a replay if you do the refs walk off the field. They instigate arguments with players and end up tossing them out. I don't think there is anything wrong with the officials in the NFL and the overall job they do. Do they miss some calls sure but as I mentioned so do full time officials in other sports.

 

[WoodysGirl]

Season isn't really long enough for officials to be full-time. It's not like basketball or baseball where they're working and traveling every other day. For some officials they do work full-time as refs, just not on the field for all to see. I imagine many spend an equal amount of time in rules and mechanics clinics to enhance their tehnique. And this would be outside of the offiical clinics that the NFL have the officials attend every year.

While I agree, the refs made some questionable calls yesterday, I also understand the human factor when it comes to officiating. It happens.

That said, I still don't buy Seattle's loss being totally on the refs.

 

[StanleySpadowski]

Could it happen? yes I guess it could. Do I think that was the case No I don't I thought they blew a couple of calls that went Sea way such as a couple of fumbles that could have gone the other way. I felt Stevens caught a pass went to turn up field and had the ball knocked loose but was called incomplete and frankly I think Hasslebeck fumble was a bit iffy.

The Stevens play should have been a fumble. The real problem was that the officials blew the play dead. It should have been allowed to continue. Farrior (I think) had a shot at getting to the ball before it went OB. Maybe he gets there, maybe he doesn't (and Seattle has the ball inside the 20) but the premature whistle really stoppedd us from knowing.

Holmgren's worst mistake was not challenging that play. If it was ruled a catch and fumble (which it should have been if the officials didn't try to cover a mistake with another), Seattle would have kept the ball at the spot of the fumble due to the whistle.

 

[BARRYRAY]

Just give me one run like that from JJ and a couple of those hits by a ss like Pittsburg made on the Seattle tight end and one gadget play, and a nt like Hampton, how come we never get guys like that in the draft, I mean we should have gotten Merriman, I'll admit it, our guy wasn't as good, this has got to change, we got to start picking the right guys..

 

[notherbob]

Yes there were some bad calls, but great teams can overcome bad calls. If I'm not mistaken the Steelers were able to win against the Colts despite the refs goofing on a Peyton Manning interception. Parker broke along run and Randle El threw an awesome pass, the refs had nothing to do with those points. This game officiating is no where near boxing which does have crooked officials.

I agree Seattle didn't play well enough to overcome the bad calls and made some coaching decisions I'm not sure I agree with. I don't think there's any NFL ref conspiracy, but I do believe that individual officials allow bias to influence decisions whether that bias is personal or influenced by financial or other outside considerations. Anytime you have so many officials, they're not all angelic and totally scruplous and come from all walks of life and are subject to the same temptations as politicians - and we all know they're too honest to ever allow financial contributions to influence their decisions, now, aren't we?

Whatever the motivations of individual officials, I doubt that it's because Tags or anyone else in the NFL heierarchy told them to throw the game, but I have no doubt individuals have been knowingly influencing at least some games since the beginning of the NFL. I will always be convinced that Norm Schacter deliberately made bad decisions against the Cowboys in the Late 60s and early 70s. His work in SuperBowl 5 where he awarded a Dallas fumble recovery to the Colts, allowing them to kick a last minute field goal to win is a classic example. Do I think it was league-mandated? No. Only he and his benefactor will ever know for sure and he's dead now.

A long time ago (after SuperBowl 5) I decided it was foolish for me to become emotionally wrapped up in football because there are times when the best teams don't win because some refs don't want them to. When it's not the skill of the players or coaches or the breaks of the game that determine the outcome, but the intent of individual officials, there's no point in getting all worked up just to be frustrated because the refs pulled the rug out from under a team for whatever reason. That change in my attitude has allowed me to enjoy many games I would have otherwise hated. I have learned to accept some things that I cannot change and officiating is one of them.

Despite the officiating I enjoyed yesterday's game...it will have to last me for the next six months of football drought.

 

[texastwister]

That wasn't an egregious call. In real time, it looked like he got his arm around the Steeler defender's neck.And the Offensive Pass Interference on Darrell Jackson was the correct call. You can't extend your arm away from the defender, that's pass interference. It may have been a questionable push, in terms of how much force he used. But the ref saw it and threw the flag. It was technically the right call.

None of the calls, with the exception of the Hasselback illegal block (and even that wouldn't have negated the interception) were as egregiously awful as that overturned Palomalu INT in the Colts game.

What did the Seahawks in was that they didn't have a running game to go with their passing game. And D. Jackson didn't pay attention on several plays where he had the Steeler defender beat.

That and Jeremy "Mister Softy" Stevens dropping pass after pass.

The Hawks panicked. How do you have the league's MVP and you don't ride him to settle your team down, to take time off the clock and to wear the Steelers' defense down, especially when you have one of the best offensive lines in the league?

No wonder Seattle will let Shaun Alexander walk after the season.

The Seattle tackle got beat and he hooked his arm around the neck and stopped his forward motion. It was the right call.

The offensive PI Yes it happens every game and Yes Irvin was the best but how as a ref do you not call a clear seperation when it happened right in front of you in the SuperBowl. He clearly got seperation from the defender. He stopped him and put him back on his heels.If he doesnt call it and Seattle wins the game his head would be called for by the Pittsburgh fans.

The only call that was bad was the Hasselbeck block on the tackle. I can see where they made the call but it wasnt the right one.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

The only call that was bad was the Hasselbeck block on the tackle. I can see where they made the call but it wasnt the right one.

What game did you watch?

You can replay the holding call play and clearly see the OLB moving across the LOS before the ball was snapped. Even the Seahawk center said he thought it was a free play because 2 defenders were off-sides, the OLB and Casey Hampton, the NG. Hampton was close, he actually moved a split second after the OLB moved, but the OLB was across the ball before it was snapped.

Another non-call no one has mentioned was on Rothlisberger's long throw. From what I saw it looked like Pittsburgh's guard Kendall Simmons was 2-3 yards past the LOS when the ball was thrown.

Also, did you happen to watch enough of the game to see the playclock reach :00 before Rothlisberger called time out and the ref let him have it on their last drive when Seattle was trying to get the ball back?

The officiating in that game was a travesty. Let the players play and only call those things that are necessary. It was obvious from the opening drive that those officials were calling everything against Seattle but allowing Pittsburgh to play unhindered by penalties.

 

[dfense]

Other than the obvious holding call when there was none, Big Ben down, no wait, ok TD. Or the lame but understandable push off call.

How about the Big Ben Chop block on the Randle El pass? The rule states that you can only go low on a lineman after you have engaged him. Ben just dived into his knees. -no call.

Hasselback tackles the guy with the ball after he throws the pick and doesn't even touch the blockers. But he gets a 15 yard chop block penalty. You'd think they would pick up that flag. -bad bad call

The Steelers deserved to win. Holmgren is a liablity trying to call plays and manage the clock. He screwed up and the end of each half trying to do both.

It wouldn't surprise me if the refs are in a car in the Steelers parade this week.

 

[hh8604]

That is all...

 

[peplaw06]

Other than the obvious holding call when there was none, Big Ben down, no wait, ok TD. Or the lame but understandable push off call.

How about the Big Ben Chop block on the Randle El pass? The rule states that you can only go low on a lineman after you have engaged him. Ben just dived into his knees. -no call.

Hasselback tackles the guy with the ball after he throws the pick and doesn't even touch the blockers. But he gets a 15 yard chop block penalty. You'd think they would pick up that flag. -bad bad call

The Steelers deserved to win. Holmgren is a liablity trying to call plays and manage the clock. He screwed up and the end of each half trying to do both.

It wouldn't surprise me if the refs are in a car in the Steelers parade this week.

I agree about the refs, but you're right about Holmgren too. Did you see the drive at the end of the first half, when they were trying to get into FG range or a TD... I believe there were about 13 seconds, enough time to get some yards for an easier FG or go for a TD. Holmgren is yelling into his headset, "DO YOU HAVE A PLAY??" Assuming he's talking to coordinators, but it was obvious there was chaos going on on the Seahawks sideline and in the booth. They come out and throw a route down the sideline that wasn't a shot at the end zone nor was it a play to get FG position. It was an awful drive altogether. The refs hindered the Seahawks, but they still had their chances and didn't do themselves any favors.

 

[texastwister]

What game did you watch?

You can replay the holding call play and clearly see the OLB moving across the LOS before the ball was snapped. Even the Seahawk center said he thought it was a free play because 2 defenders were off-sides, the OLB and Casey Hampton, the NG. Hampton was close, he actually moved a split second after the OLB moved, but the OLB was across the ball before it was snapped.

Another non-call no one has mentioned was on Rothlisberger's long throw. From what I saw it looked like Pittsburgh's guard Kendall Simmons was 2-3 yards past the LOS when the ball was thrown.

Also, did you happen to watch enough of the game to see the playclock reach :00 before Rothlisberger called time out and the ref let him have it on their last drive when Seattle was trying to get the ball back?

The officiating in that game was a travesty. Let the players play and only call those things that are necessary. It was obvious from the opening drive that those officials were calling everything against Seattle but allowing Pittsburgh to play unhindered by penalties.

First off if you were paying attention I was replying to a post.
Yes there were more bad calls in the game. The poster was talking about the most talked about ones. Every game has calls that are missed.
I cant see what some people are whining about. If Jackson isnt called for the push off where his arm is fully extened and the defender is pushed back on his heels right in front of the ref and Pittsburgh loses the game , dont you think that play would have been talked to death like most of the calls are being.
It seems to me most are bitter because Pittsburgh won and not how terrible Seattle managed the game.

I guess my thoughts were there were some bad calls that could go one way or the other. The Big Ben TD I thought he didnt make it at fist sight. The replay couldnt been seen one way or the other. The right call was made not to overturn it according to the rule.
The saddest part is watching Matt audilbe 2 times after a play is called from the sideline while the game clock is ticking away. Things like that cost Seattle the game more than some bad calls. You can grill me 100 times but I think the offensive PI was the right call when the ref is standing 7 yds in front of the play and Jackson gets clear seperation. It has to be called.

If you people camplaining about the refs how "what ifs" could have changed the game you better start with Stevens talking the talk but no walking the walk. If you are going to start a war in the media at least catch the damn ball when it is throw at you so Porter doesnt laugh till he pees his pants 10 years from now at how you trashed talked him then kept dropping the ball. See Freddie Mitchell and how well his trash talking worked out for him.

Forgot to mention -Talk about changing game tempo how about Brown missing FG. Sure they werent chip shots but hey its not like they fell short he missed. Not a real good way to end drives.

 

[StanleySpadowski]

I was on a Seahawks board and they're complaining about a call that none of us probably even thought of. The D. Jackson pass in the final minute at the goal line where his left foot was clearly in but his right wasn't. They have a few screen shots that seem to show his right leg brushing the pylon before his right foot touches OB. Under current NFL rules this should have been a TD, at leas according to a few rules interpretations they've dug up.

 

[Vertigo_17]

I thought the same thing when I saw it - that his other foot hit the pylon before going out of bounds. But, it was another closed ruling by the refs instead of leaving it open and letting the replay decide.