Posted on 02/07/2006 6:58:40 PM PST by bikepacker67
As fans continued to weigh in on calls by officials during the Super Bowl, a group has set up an online petition claiming the "NFL is fixed."
The petition, at http://new.petitiononline.com/nfl12006/petition.html, says "We, the fans of the NFL, will no longer stand by and allow our pure game to be corrupted by blatant bias."
The petitions ask fans for suggestions on how the problem can be fixed.
Seahawks fans are voicing outrage over what they say were game-robbing calls by officials in the Super Bowl.
In one, Darrell Jackson was called for pushing Chris Hope away as he broke to catch Matt Hasselbeck's pass in the back of the end zone. Replays showed Jackson extended his arm, but Jackson argued vainly there was no push involved. Seattle settled for a 47-yard field goal and a 3-0 lead -- instead of a 7-0 one.
Later, referees ruled that Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger got the ball to touch the goal-line plane on his 1-yard score with 1:55 left, which put the Seahawks behind for good, 7-3.
Referee Bill Leavy upheld the call after a replay review. Holmgren then upbraided Leavy on his way off the field at halftime.
Holmgren walked over to Leavy, a fifth-year referee calling his first Super Bowl, and could be seen angrily telling him, "It wasn't even close."
The second half brought more Seahawks frustration.
Officials flagged first-year starting right tackle Sean Locklear for holding when Stevens did finally catch a pass, a 17-yard grab at the Steelers 2 with 12:11 left and Seattle trailing 14-10. On the next play, Casey Hampton bowled through Pro Bowl blockers Robbie Tobeck and Steve Hutchinson for a sack.
One play after that, Hasselbeck threw his game-breaking interception to doom Seattle's last chance of the game and of a suddenly lost season.
At a welcome home celebration at Qwest Field on Monday, Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren took a shot at the Super Bowl officials, saying he knew the game was going to be tough, but he didn't know the Hawks were going to have to play the guys in the striped shirts as well.
Excellent! Sore Loserman was my first reaction. How appropriate for a lefty town like seattle....finding somebody else to blame for their own failure!
They can't actually enjoy the cool water after their 25 year long wandering in the desert.
The well is tainted.
The article left out the spotting of the ball on a third and short play. One ref had it as a first down, another moved it back about 1 yard to be inches short.
However, yes the seahawks got shafted, but so have a lot of other teams. It is not fixed. It is just one of those things.
The Seahawks had plenty of opportunities to win the game on the field and they failed to cash in. No way should parker have got the longest run from scrimage in SB history. The field goal kicker should not have missed the 50 yarder. Hasselback did not need to throw that lame int costing them at least a field goal. They gave up 2 first downs when they needed to get the ball back.
They've been fixing Laker games 1972. I still remember Manny Sokol's overlooking the backcourt violation that helped LA dethrone Milwaukee and win their first title that year.
And how about the riot in Chicago Stadium in 1973 after the refs waved off Chet Walker's winning bucket at the buzzer and ran like blazes for the locker rooms? Who won? The Lakers of course. It was like something I used to see going to old time wrestling matches in Georgia.
I gave up the NBA when my beloved Bucks gave Kareem to the hated Lakers and the rights to Dr. J to the Sixers for a bum named Fred Carter. I quit the NBA right there. And haven't missed a thing since.
It's sad that Massachusetts Metrosexual fans can't get past the fact that the golden boys weren't good enough to get to the SB this year.
Poor kids.
Wait a second aren't the Communists the ones that have show trials with predetermined outcomes? I think thats what we watched on Sunday and I didn't enjoy it. I think the Communism is in revenue sharing, salary cap, and the draft rules. EVERYONE IS EQUAL...
Damn that's gotta get under your skin!
Enjoy your tainted victory.
Yeah! The same way the '01 Yankees were fixed to win the World Series to give New York a nice warm feeling after 9/11!!!
Oh, wait... ;)
Get over it. The bad calls aside, the Seahawks were outplayed. And I was rooting for them.
Golly gumdrops, I feel sooo bad. A few screaming keyboard warriors, yelling in cyberspace, and no one's listening.
Very, very sad.
I only steal the best graphics.
;)
I don't think the NFL fixed the game, but I do think it is quite possible that most if not all of the refs got together and pooled some money and made a big bet on Pittsburg to win (and cover). It would be very easy for them to do, and who would ever know? Many of those calls were very questionable and the fact that every close call went against Seattle is highly suspicious.
those online petitions are always a riot....
LOL
again, for someone who isn't a Seahawks fan, you certainly seem to have a LOT of emotional energy tied up into this
LOL
I had no skin in the game since my team wasn't in the playoffs. But watching the plays I have to say that they were bad calls.... It would have made a big difference in the game.
So I'm not sure the Steelers won as much as the Seahawks lost to the referees.
Ummmm THAT'S THE DEFINITION OF FIXED.
My, you have short memories.....
15 January 2006
"We dominated the whole game -- till the referees wanted to help them," Porter said.
The outspoken Pittsburgh Steeler linebacker, who challenged the Colts' toughness in the days leading up to the game, did not stop there.
"I couldn't believe they were going to try to cheat us like that, for real," Porter said. "That was my thing. After we made that play (the near-interception), I thought the game was over. ... I'm going to get in trouble for it, I already know I'm going to get in trouble for it, but I'm ready to pay (the fine) anyway, because that's how mad I was with the refs out there. That was the worst I've ever been a part of. When you play in games, you feel (sometimes) like it might not be going your way. But that was cheatin' right there, man."
From:
http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/trib/mostread/s_413888.html
Gimme a break.
Silly fool, that's just your litter box.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.