Refs made it an 'Extra Lame' bowl

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

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."

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.)

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?

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 think a lot of people are resentful of the Steeler Nation fan support and the Steelers success – that is unquestionably part of what is driving the excessive focus by a certain sector of the football media on the officiating in SB XL. I heard a lot of people (including Mike Holmgren) complaining about how it was not “fair” that the fans in Detroit were largely pro-Steeler and there is a certain level of pity for the Seahawks being felt by the viewing public.

Unfortunately, there are quite a few players around the league who have been soundly beaten by the Steelers the last few years (best record in the NFL since 1992, 15-1 last year, 8 game winning streak this year) and I have noticed a few Steelers opponents are among the players eagerly piling on the idea that the officials handed Pittsbugh the game. It no doubt makes them feel a little better to be able to get a dig in.

That being said I think the rules ignorant public is easily led and influenced by the opinions expressed by the guys calling the game in the TV booth. And Madden (who has made it abundantly clear he still resents the Steelers because of call back in 1972) was falling all over himself to make sure that he left the impression the ‘Hawks were being screwed. Combine that with the Steeler haters back in studio (e.g. Steve Young - who was jealously hoping that the Steelers would not tie the 49er’s 5 SB wins) mischaracterizing what was happening at halftime and the gullible general public was subtly duped into feeling sorry for Seattle.

There were a lot of close calls by the officials in the game but I would point out that it could scarcely be argued that officials were largely responsible for:

a) Jerramy Stevens to drop 3 critical passes. One drop would have been a 20-yard completion to the Steelers' 27 on a third down early in the second quarter when Stevens had gotten behind a safety. Another would have been a 29-yard completion to the Steelers' 8 on the first possession of the third quarter. He dropped another one with four minutes left in the third quarter.

b) Hasselbeck to force a pass - Hasselbeck didn't spot cornerback Ike Taylor on a throw to Jackson. Taylor made the interception, thwarting the scoring opportunity and preserving the Steelers' lead.

c) Seahawks to convert only 5 of 17 3rd down conversions (30%) and only 1 of their last 5 in crunchtime.

d) Kicker Josh Brown to miss two long field goals -- for 54 and 50 yards.

e) Darrell Jackson to run poor routes catching two balls out of bounds in the final minute of the first half, one that could have been a touchdown and another that would have put the ball inside the 5 (yeah, the one inside the end zone was a close call but a crisp route and it would not have even been an issue).

f) Holmgren/Hasselbeck to mismanage the time clock so badly -- their clock management at the end of the half and the end of the game was sloppy to say the least.

g) Poor punting - Rouen failed repeatedly at every attempt to pin the Steelers deep in their own territory.

h) Allowing Ben Roethlisberger to improvise and complete a 37-yard pass to game MVP Hines Ward to the 1.

i) Seahawks giving up a 75-yard touchdown run to Willie Parker.

j) ‘Hawks getting beaten by a trick play on Antwaan Randle El's pass to fellow receiver Ward for a touchdown.

k) Seattle's failure to pick-up the Steelers blitz on a critical 3rd down play in the 4th quarter allowing Townsend a clean shot at Hasselbeck. The resulting sack forced a Seahawk put and effectively that was the end of the game.

Now as to the officiating there were no obvious slam-dunk, flat-out incorrect calls (e.g. misinterpretation of the rules like Polamalu’s interception reversal). Just because John Madden doesn’t “see holding” doesn’t mean there wasn’t. There will be no apology to the Seahawk’s forthcoming from the NFL! And in fact they have - just an hour or so ago - come out in defense of their officials.

The superior teams can overcome this kind of routine stuff. Against the Colt’s, the Steelers still found a way to win despite being denied a game-closing interception. Prime example from SB XL: Steelers have a first and 10 at the Seattle 22. 1st down incomplete pass. 2nd down 5 yard completion – OMG! a phantom pass interference call on Heath Miller. Did you see the pass interference? I didn’t. If Madden and Co. had beefed about it the public would have bought it hook line and sinker. 2nd down (repeat) Wistrom sacks Roethlisberger bringing up 3-28 at the SEA 40. Out of field goal range. Adversity. Did they fold like Seattle? No. Instead a great play results in 1st and goal.

In the AFC Championship game Bettis hit a great 10-yard TD Run which was called back on an obscure Hines Ward illegal formation penalty. Did the Steelers fold like a cheap suit? No. They came back and scored another TD with a pass to Hines Ward!

The illegal block below the waist called on Hasselbeck – the identical call was made against Jeff Hartings (Steelers center) in the Indianapolis game during the regular season when he blew up an interception return. It was identical in all respects – stupid rule perhaps, but no one can argue there isn’t consistent application of the rule.

The officials missed a flagrant illegal block in the back against Ben Roethlisberger during Herndon interception return. They blew a very quick whistle twice when Seattle receivers fumbled after the catch – one of which appeared to me an obvious catch and fumble. Of course, since Madden and Co. didn’t notice (or didn’t say anything about it) no one felt aggrieved.

My point in saying all this is that the preponderance of the calls went the Steelers way in SB XL. Were they a factor in Seattle’s demise? Yes. Were they the deciding factor? No. And the ill advised attention to the officiating is being pushed by people with hidden motives and axes to grind.

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.