Superblow officiation....

[sundevil777 102]

Was there a lineman downfield? That really blows.

It is bad for the game when this is the focus. A quick look at ESPN articles shows that it is much of the focus.

A simplification of pass interference and some modification to holding is in order.

I will change the subject and propose that in basketball, the lunacy of how fouls are called is what keeps me from watching any of it. In baseball, I sure wish they would give the umpires some technology to help them judge the strike zone.

It is a bigger issue than just this game. It is a really tough job for the officials, and the rules should be simplified, and technology used to help judgements. At least football does have replay, the owners have been smart on that and it has worked out pretty well.

As Madden said, you can call holding...

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[lawrocket 3]

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It doesn't matter what Roethlesberger does with the ball after he's down and rest assured the replay ref wasn't reacting to that part of the play.

Sure it does. The Head Linesman started rushing toward the pile to mark the spot. Once Roethlisberger pushed the ball forward into the end zone, the HL called touchdown.

Now, the call on the field must be overturned only by "indisputable visual evidence." had the HL maintained his call, then the replay wouldn't have overturned it.

So, in a very real sense, what happened afterward was THE crucial event. Because it caused the determination that was irreversible.

I know, a technicality, but a pragmatic one.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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Sure it does. The Head Linesman started rushing toward the pile to mark the spot. Once Roethlisberger pushed the ball forward into the end zone, the HL called touchdown.

It was a close play that could have gone the other way that's for sure. Maybe the linesman would have called things different had he been able to see the replay. Of course he doesn't have that luxury and he needs to make a call on the field. But you don't know what was going through the linesman's head as he ran forward. For all we know, he had a visually reference that he just wanted to confirm by getting closer to the players before he made his call. These refs have been around long enough to know that the ball can't be advanced once it is on the ground. I assure you that the linesman spot was in reference to the original play (the part that the replay shows that was too close to call) as opposed to calling it a TD only because Roethleberger moved the ball once on the ground.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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I rarely think that officiating affects the real outcome. But, The Steelers lost the following battles that are not usually lost by the winning team:

There is only one statistic which counts and that is the final score once the game ends. Yes total rushing yards and time of possession usually dictates ball control (something that often wins games), but total yards and especially total passing yards are poor indicators of winning and losing. Teams trailing in a game will naturally pass more and will spice up those stats even though they can still lose the game. Plus while turnovers can be influential as to who wins and who loses, turnovers mean nothing if they don't result in the score of the game being altered.

Pittsburgh played a "bend don't break" defensive scheme yesterday. This may explain why Seattle was able to put up some big yards in the middle of the field, but still lacked the ability to put points on the board. Seattle is a good team. But they broke down enough to hurt themselves when it counted. Did the refs fuck up some calls? Well they sure could have done a better job, but the final score was more influenced by the play on the field (like Seattle's inability to get into the red zone and score points) than it was influenced by bad calls. A football game is not won and lost by one play. It's won or lost over the entire course of the game.

Oh and while this doesn't mean much, I actually predicted the final score 21-10 for Pittsburgh (I doubt I would even be able to this again). But it means shit as I didn't win anything or anything like that. It's just that the other day on TV some homers (local TV personalities) predicting that Seattle would win 37-34 on a late game field goal and my reaction to that was "yah right, two strong defensive teams getting into a shoot out, not likely. It'll be more like Pittsburgh 21 Seattle 10" and low and behold that's what happened. Now I doubt I could get the score right again a 2nd time around, but at least I knew that two quality defensive teams were much more likely to play in a low'ish scoring game rather than the shootout these TV personalities were predicting.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[SpeedRacer 1]

I was told that the ball has to be on the line or past for it to be a touchdown. And the goal line was this big 5 or 6 inch wide white line. It appears that the football was touching inside the line itself even before he moved it forward.

Speed Racer
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[CanuckInUSA 0]

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I was told that the ball has to be on the line or past for it to be a touchdown. And the goal line was this big 5 or 6 inch wide white line. It appears that the football was touching inside the line itself even before he moved it forward.

All the ball needs to do is break the plane of the goal line. If this is by a fraction of a millimeter (not sure if we could ever break it down that small), then so be it it's a TD.

Hey I openly admit that it was an extremely close call that could have gone either way. Part of me thinks that only a small fraction of the ball (the part next to Roethlesberger's elbow) broke the plane and the other part thinks, oh shit it's too close and maybe just maybe he didn't score. But the linesman called it a TD (right or wrong I don't know) and the replay didn't should evidence that Ben didn't score, so the result of the play was correct.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[Amazon 7]

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But the linesman called it a TD (right or wrong I don't know) and the replay didn't should evidence that Ben didn't score, so the result of the play was correct.

His call was like a slow motion play.... Rothlisberger is flying.. the ref is running toward it.... lookuing to mark the ball then Rothlisberger slides the ball from down by his waist... up to and across the goal line... AS he is laying on the ground.... THEN the ref calls it a touchdown...They could have scored on the next play.. maybe.... but that ball did not go across the goal line.. Rothlisberger tucked it in to protect it.. so it was no where close to being across the line.

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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but that ball did not go across the goal line.. Rothlisberger tucked it in to protect it.. so it was no where close to being across the line.

Just so that there is no confusion here folks, in hockey the entire puck needs to be across the goal line for it to be ruled a goal. In football, the entire ball does not need to be across the goal line. All that is needed is a small fraction of the ball to break the plane of the goal line for it to be ruled a TD.

I'm not going to defend or criticize the linesman for his call except to say that many many times the linesman doesn't signal TDs on close plays like this right away. But you're mistaken to say that the ball was nowhere near the goal line. It was as close as we're likely ever going to see and yes it is possible that the ball didn't actually break the goal line. It was just too darn close to call. A redo with no loss of down would have been nice, except that's not how the game is played. It was either going to be a TD or 4th down.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[ACMESkydiver 0]

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When they announced the Stealers MVP, I was half expecting them to name one of the Refs as they were the ones who did the most for Pittsburg.

That's what we were saying...even my husband, who is a die-hard Steelers fan, wearing black and gold head to toe...kept saying "Day-um. That call was f*'d up."

He is a Steelers fan, but he didn't want a tainted victory any more than the Steelers, I'm sure.

~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

[JohnMitchell 16]

I gotcha, Jaye, and here I was trying to tell my kids that Pro Football, unlike pro wrasslin', is an honest, unfixed sport. Then we watch the Super Bowl.

[ACMESkydiver 0]

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I gotcha, Jaye, and here I was trying to tell my kids that Pro Football, unlike pro wrasslin', is an honest, unfixed sport. Then we watch the Super Bowl.

I'm sure they were all, "Sure dad. Here's your sign."

~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

[livendive 8]

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And that bogus call for 15 yards on Hasselback when he is TACKLING not BLOCKING...total bullshit.

Is it even POSSIBLE to "block", legally or illegally, when your team doesn't have possession of the ball?

The officiating sucked, but the Seahawks definitely didn't bring their A-game either. The pressure seemed to get to Stevens (dropping passes that hit him in the hands) and Brown (he's a much better kicker than those two misses). The "push-off" was most certainly not, he hand-checked to see where his coverage was...that was it. That call was terrible. Still, Hasselbeck's INT was a 14 point swing, and the Hawks only lost by 11. Sure, Seattle might have come out on top if the officiating had been better, but they also would have come out on top of they'd scored that touchdown instead of turning the ball over and allowing another Pittsburg TD. Oh well, I've been a Seattle fan forever, so I was completely prepared for the loss. Luckily it wasn't by biblical proportions.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[popsjumper 2]

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...Oh well, I've been a Seattle fan forever, so I was completely prepared for the loss...

I've been a Bucs fan since day 1 and I feel for ya'.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[livendive 8]

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I gotcha, Jaye, and here I was trying to tell my kids that Pro Football, unlike pro wrasslin', is an honest, unfixed sport. Then we watch the Super Bowl.

See attached.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[BillyVance 35]

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The greatest Super Bowl ever, in my opinion, was Super Bowl 38 between Carolina and New England.

Actually, I think Super Bowl XXXIV when St. Louis beat Tennessee 23 - 16, was the best. If not, then it certainly had the most exciting ending with the game on the line: St. Louis Ram Mike Jones tackled Tennessee Titan Kevin Dyson at the 1-yard line as time expired.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

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[CanuckInUSA 0]

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Actually, I think Super Bowl XXXIV when St. Louis beat Tennessee 23 - 16, was the best. If not, then it certainly had the most exciting ending with the game on the line: St. Louis Ram Mike Jones tackled Tennessee Titan Kevin Dyson at the 1-yard line as time expired.

That game overall didn't do much for me, but it was a great finish and to come so close and not get it was a classic way to finish a championship game. So yes the St. Louis/Tennessee game should always be remembered at times like this as a great Super Bowl. I also thought the Denver/Green Bay game in '98 was a good Super Bowl. But I'm a little bias as I've been a donkey fan for many many years.

What we watched on Sunday was a typical low'ish scoring football game from two very good defensive teams. A type of game you'd see on any given Sunday. But this wasn't any old game on any Sunday. It was a championship game. Too many mistakes by the players as well as the zebras when you hoped the players would be at their best was the disappointing aspect of the game. But at least it wasn't a Super-Bore 50 something to 10. The outcome of the game was still in doubt late into the 4th quarter. That's still a pretty good football game to stay interested in. At least it wasn't a Super-Bore.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over