Its not the classy thing to do by Holmgren to bring up the bad officiating. But think of how you would have felt if Gore had been given the 2000 election because the Democrat vote counters changed the rules and starting giving Gore votes out of thin air. Oh wait, that did happen and you and I and every other GOP member yelled, screamed and hit the street to protest until we got a just outcome.
Whaa whaa...
ESPN? I don't care what analysts think. I played the game for many years and have been watching for more than that, I make those judgements myself and turn off the sound. Seattle says bad calls and Steelers say not. I bet it is 50/50 across the spectrum of viewers.
If the NFL apologizes I will never watch a game again ( I am sure the NFL gives a rip ). It shows that they are getting more PC when they should grow some and say nothing and tend to bad behavior of the players and outrageous salaries instead. Officiating is no better no worse than in previous years. Seahawks cannot blame their poor performance on the officials. Seems like everytime a team that is suppose to win loses it is always someone else's fault.
Colts blamed to refs as well, Manning blamed his line it goes on and on. McNabb blamed whatever.
Enough with this whining and ill-fitting analogies. The refs did not "change the rules" in the middle of the game for the Steelers. Every call except for the ridiculous one against Hassleback for an "illegal block" when he was actually tackling the guy who intercepted his pass were all judgment calls.
I've seen the Ben Roethlesberger dive into the endzone at least 20 times now. It sure looks like the ball got over the plane of the goal line (it doesn't take much) before he hit the ground. It was called a TD on the field and there was definately not enough on the replay to say he definately didn't get in. Tough noogies, Seahawks. Besides, it was going to be 4th and goal at the 1-inch line if they did down it there. The Steelers had not failed in a 4th and 1 all season long. I think they could have punched it in.
The interference call against Darrell Jackson was close, but legitimate. Some apologists say Jackson's push had no affect on the play. Really? I see Chris Hope standing right next to Jackson. Then I see a push from Jackson, and then I see Hope moving off-balance the other way. Looks like a pretty good call to me. And the whiners also like to say that Hope pleaded for the call and the flag came late. Well, replays show that the ref was grabbing for the flag right as it was happening. His fingers missed the flag. He reached for it again. Another slip. Finally, he gets it and tosses it out. It was an early call with an accidentally late flag.
The holding call that wiped out a first and goal at the Steeler 3 for the Hawks? I dunno. When a defender (Clark Haagans) is beating you around the corner, you grab his shoulder pad and begin riding him to the ground to prevent a sack, that also might actually be holding.
Again, these were all judgment calls. And, yes, the Steelers were the beneficiaries. But, you know. Jerramy Stevens had a catch and a fumble in the second quarter (I think) that was called incomplete. I didn't whine about it during the game, even though I thought it was a bad call that could prove costly for my team.
Too bad Seahawks fans can't do the same.