Posted on 01/16/2006 12:08:51 PM PST by Perdogg
No comment on Porter remark ASSOCIATED PRESS
9:33 a.m. January 16, 2006
NEW YORK – Referee Pete Morelli's decision to overturn an apparent interception by Pittsburgh's Troy Polamalu late in the Steelers game Sunday in Indianapolis was a judgment call, the NFL said Monday. It came with 5:26 left in Pittsburgh's 21-18 win over the Colts.
Polamalu made a diving catch. When he got up to run, he fumbled the ball, then recovered. Colts coach Tony Dungy challenged and Morelli ruled Polamalu had not completed the catch, so it was an incomplete pass.
About a dozen TV and scoreboard replays indicated otherwise.
The Colts kept the ball and went on to score, cutting Pittsburgh's lead to three points in a game that ended with a missed field goal by Indy's Mike Vanderjagt that could have sent it to overtime.
"The issue was whether he had possession. The ball came loose when he was getting up. Pete Morelli determined it wasn't a catch," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said. "That was his judgment."
Aiello added that the league's officiating department had not yet officially reviewed the call to determine if Morelli had made the right decision.
The NFL almost never makes public the result of its reviews, although it did three years ago, when supervisor of officials Mike Pereira said officials should have called pass interference against San Francisco on the final play of a wild-card game with the New York Giants. The correct call would have given New York a second chance to kick a game-winning field goal in a 39-38 loss.
Aiello had no comment on a remark by Pittsburgh's Joey Porter, who said of the Polamalu ruling:
"I know they wanted Indy to win this game; the whole world loves Peyton Manning. But come on, man, don't take the game away from us like that."
In the past, players who have made comments like that have been subject to fines.
It was a catch and a fumble and a recovery. The official blew it.
So much for incontrovertable evidence to overturn the call on the field.
I've watched, in disbelief, the horrible officiating in the playoffs.
Hoping the Super Bowl gets brighter refs...
ML/NJ
Agreed. I don't usually yell too much about referees and their calls, because under most circumstances they have to make split-second judgements, and they are expected to watch everything at once. In this case, however, the call on the field was made and challenged, and the official had time to review all angles on tape. The tale of the tape was exactly as you described. When can you start? :-)
Steeler crybabies!
They win the game and are still crying.
He dropped the ball making his "football move." No catch.
The fact that this was an overturned call made on the field and the official reviewed the tape is what makes this egregious. It's the very reason we look at replays on tape.
The fact that this was an overturned call made on the field and the official reviewed the tape is what makes this egregious. It's the very reason we look at replays on tape.
Well, you had one good idea...
The ground cannot make a fumble. Thus a no catch
What about the pass interference call that should have been made against the Colts & wasn't? After the overturned interception, I thought the fix was in so with 4 minutes remaining....I left to walk the dogs. Luckily, the Steelers won....but that didn't seem to be what the officials wanted as a result.
That argument is not germain. The rules state you must gain possession, get both feet down and execute a "football move." Polamalu caught the ball clean, got both feet down(entire back actually), and attempted a football move...standing up. He dropped the ball BEFORE he was able to stand up, therefore, no catch.
That's why the ref stated that his knee was still on the ground.
He never fumbled on the ground, he had total possesion. It wasn't until he began running that he fumbled the ball.
Evidently, you are thinking of another play. The ground did NOT cause the fumble in this case. As the player was getting up, his knee dislodged the ball. That has nothing to do with the ground.
"The Immaculate Interception"
He never fumbled on the ground, he had total possesion. It wasn't until he began running that he fumbled the ball.
I knew you would attack ss's weaker argument.
Polamalu fumbled BEFORE he started to run, In fact, he had not yet stood up. he did not complete a football move.
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