Posted on 02/07/2006 4:55:05 PM PST by bikepacker67
GOT SCREWED, USA -- Complaining about officiating is a time-honored sports tradition. It's much easier to believe your team got screwed than it got whupped because anger is more manageable than sadness.
It's sour grapes, plain and simple.
But, America, please forgive Seahawks fans if they sound a little bitter and paranoid after the rest of the country got its sweet, little fairy tale with Jerome Bettis winning Super Bowl XL in his hometown of Detroit.
It just seems a bit too tidy, considering how things went down.
Here's the rub: No intelligent person, and that includes Pittsburgh fans, watched the Steelers 21-10 "victory" and believed it was well-officiated. Period.
And every -- EVERY -- call went against the Seahawks.
Seahawks fans promise to stop being paranoid just as soon as the NFL proves it isn't out to get them.
The Seahawks, who were tied for second-fewest penalties in the NFL this year, were flagged seven times for 70 yards. Three were critical. Two were dubious. Another flag was so stupid the official explanation didn't actually make any sense.
As for head linesman Mark Hittner's oh-what-the-hell delayed touchdown call on Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's 1-yard touchdown dive? Think the officials want that tape taken to the FBI crime lab?
The Steelers, who were tied for sixth-fewest penalties this year, suffered just three horrible hankies for 20 yards. Two were false starts on their first possession. The third was offensive pass interference on rookie tight end Heath Miller deep in Seattle territory in the second quarter. That call will inspire no wringing of hands, even from Miller.
Thereafter, apparently, the Steelers felt guilty and decided not to break the rules for the next 35 minutes. Jerome probably wanted it that way.
Apoplectic Seahawks fans are not alone. ESPN.com's Michael Smith pointed this out Monday in a story ripping the officials: "The Seahawks lost 161 yards to penalties when you combine the penalty yards (70) and the plays the flags wiped out (91). By halftime alone, when it trailed 7-3, Seattle had had 73 hard-earned yards and a touchdown eliminated."
Let's rewind.
Matt Hasselbeck hits Darrell Jackson for a 16-yard touchdown pass for a 7-zip lead?
Nope. The incidental contact that occurs on nearly every NFL passing play was, actually, offensive interference -- at least the officials decided so after safety Chris Hope stomped and huffed and demanded a flag, perhaps insisting that Jerome wanted it that way.
Beleaguered tight end Jerramy Stevens makes a spectacular catch inside the Steelers 2-yard line setting up what surely would have been a Shaun Alexander touchdown run and 17-14 Seahawks lead early in the fourth quarter?
Nope. Seems that offensive tackle Sean Locklear's incidental hooking (which occurs on nearly every NFL play from scrimmage) on his block of Clark Haggans (who was offside) was too dastardly to ignore.
Maybe the officials were calling the game tightly.
Nope. Only two plays later, Steelers linebacker Joey Porter used an illegal "horse collar" tackle on Alexander, and the officials decided to let it slide, even though that would have transformed a third-and-18 on the Steelers 34 to a first down on their 19.
"Penalties, as much as anything, were the story of the game," Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said. "That's unfortunate. And that might be the first time I've said that in my life."
Here's the comic relief.
After the no-call on the horse collar, Hasselbeck tossed a critical interception to cornerback Ike Taylor. Hasselbeck then, apparently, forgot which team he plays for and tried to throw a block in order to spring Taylor. Only he threw a "low block," according to the game's official book.
So not only does he toss a pick and then try to block for an opposing player, but he also gets called for a 15-yard penalty.
Most folks would figure that Hasselbeck was trying to TACKLE Taylor. Seeing Hasselbeck is a quarterback lacking tackling skills, he went low. But the officials decided it was a block. Only Hasselbeck was credited with a tackle on the play.
(The official explanation is he went low on a guy trying to block him, which is against the rules on a change of possession. But the fact that he made the tackle erases, at least for a reasonable person, his potential motivation based on the result. It was a tackle.)
Like we said: Stupid.
Steelers fans should be angry, too. For one, they know how this feels, see their playoff game vs. Indianapolis, when they were the interlopers ruining the heartwarming tale.
Moreover, the execrable officiating cheapens their championship because it's what folks are talking about now, not the glory of Bettis.
Is all this an accusation -- J'Accuse! -- like Porter's ranting about the terrible officiating in the Indianapolis game?
Yes. No. Who knows?
It's just too bad -- for everyone -- that the officials made sure Super Bowl XL wasn't "Extra Large," as the joke went, but "Extremely Lame."
I disagree. A lot of the calls were technicaly correct. A technically correct flag could be thrown on almost any play.
It is the job of the officials to stay out of the game when possible, to be and appear to be unbiased, and to protect the safety of the players.
It is the job of the players and coaches to win with the hand that is dealt them. Pittsburgh won, fair and square. I wish the Seahawks had won, that's why I'm a fan.
The only remedy needed here is for Steeler fans to rejoice, Seattle fans to suck it up, and the officials to do a better job next time, with some help from the NFL.
What I did say was that Seattle fans are crybabies. Like I've never seen from any other sports franchise.
And anybody who thinks the NFL would risk their multi-billion dollar monopoly by throwing games, is certifiable. For what bizarro reason do you believe they conspired in this manner?
Do you also believe the moon landings were faked?
When Steve Young became the backup with the 49ers, he was nearly an also-ran from the Yuccaneers at the time.
He would make the minimum or a bit more than that today if the situation remained the same.
Top teams in this years NFL were clearly
Steelers
Colts
Broncos
Bengals
I thought it was basically Hassleback's way of getting at the ballcarrier when, according to rule, he should have to get to the blocker. Clipping is a safety rule, so it would seem to me that that overrides the tackle.
Like legal issues ... if you want to change the laws - go through the proper channels. The pass interference law was correctly called as stated in the books. You cannot initiate contact after 5 yards, never mind having the stupidity to do it IN FRONT of a referee while in the endzone during a Super Bowl.
Touchdown
The line just has to be touched and the camera did not show conclusive evidence to reverse that call. Perhaps we should just have robots with mounted cameras on the field from now? Strictly because the camera angle didn't provide the referees angle is not reason to whine.
Holding
Did anyone see the regular muggins being made against Casey Hampton? How about the take downs against Haggans? Herndon gained another 15-20 yards when Rothlisberger was blocked in the back (very obvious) ... no complaints on that one? Strange?
There's a difference a crybaby and someone who thinks the officiating sucked so badly that it affected the outcome of the game.
Pittsburgh still would've won, but the score should've been much closer.
Again,
"You'd better put some ice on that."
squawks lost because they were outplayed, out coached and out classed.
If you watch the replay of each disputed call frame by frame you will realize that the only "bad" call that went against the squawks was the low block which had no effect on the game.
The squawks fans and coach have proven to all that they have no class and are willing to cry for days rather than admit that on that Sunday they were not the best team on the field.
maybe.
I kinda thought he was in the act of tackling the returner, so any other contact is not important....
The 49ers are unique because Montana is football's best all-time quarterback.
And I'm from Cincinnati...I should hate Montana.
(His NotreDame/USC game his senior year was a CLASSIC....and a taste of what Montana would become.)
The NFL's official statement today was that there were no problems with the officiating. [sarcasm]
The fact the whole country, except some Steelers fans, are talking about the bad calls is proof this isn't just disgruntled Hawks fans. Had the refs not been a factor, not saying decisive, but a definite factor in the game the subject would be bettis getting his ring.
Steelers fans in this thread are just upset their victory isn't the sweet one they wanted. Pure and simple. Too damn bad. I'd feel more sympathetic, because the refs did screw it up for both teams, if Steelers fans would just admit what the rest of the country saw. Very bad calls mostly against the Hawks. Even Ben admitted it on Letterman. That his fans can't is telling.
Very true ... if the Seahawks were still in the AFC it is quite possible they would not have made the playoffs.
Colts
Bengals
Broncos
Patriots
Steelers
Jaguars
Chiefs
Seahawks
Get it Steeler Fans?
I love all of this "shut up and take it" talk.
I'm sure that you would just quietly roll over if the refs were of the reverse persuasion?
<======= I'm not a Steelers fan and I think you need to get over it.
"But he said he thinks much of the debate over officiating in Super Bowl XL was a result of the extensive media coverage of the game."
BS. This is NFL PR. I was in a sports bar in a sports town (east coast, nowhere near Seattle) and people were disgusted as the game progressed. The Sports media has just been trying to cover this so that they can sweep it under the rug for their own sake and for the sake of the NFL. Is it really difficult to understand why Fisher and the NFL would not want people to think the Super Bowl was a travesty.
The Seahawks were probably the luckiest team in the NFC.
How many FGs did that Giants kicker miss?
I told everyone the other night that the story of this super bowl would be the terrible job the refs did to give the Steelers the win.
All the homers can whine all they want, but in their hearts, they know its a tainted victory.
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