Pete Carroll's Final Play Call Will Add to the Legend of Bill Belichick's Genius

Rush Limbaugh.com ^ | February 2, 2015 | Rush Limbaugh

[Kaslin]

RUSH: So we had the Super Bowl last night. Folks, I don't quite know how to express this. I still feel cheated. I don't think that ended up being a pro-football game. I mean, it was, but that last call -- I've looked at it every number of ways. I've listened to every excuse offered. You know, it would be wonderful if Obama would actually stand up and take responsibility for his mistakes like Pete Carroll has. If Obama had made that call last night and it blew up, Obama would say (imitating Obama), "I knew nothing about it. I found out about it when you did when I watched the replay on TV from the sideline." He would totally divorce himself from any responsibility.

I don't think it was Pete Carroll's call. It might have been what the offensive coordinator thought Pete Carroll wanted, but it was the offensive coordinator's call. If I were the quarterback, I would have protested. I would have said, "No way, we're not running this play." And I've heard them say that, yeah, second down we have to throw the ball, it's a wasted play. Wasted play? You've got 40 seconds left. You've got a time-out left. You're on the one yard line after your best running back has just gained four yards and just barely missed scoring, you're gonna waste a play because protocol calls in that situation for at least one pass play?

Why would you even think about stopping the clock? You would want to run as much time off the clock as possible, in the event you do score, give the Patriots as little time as possible to march down into field goal range. But the play call itself -- you know, I've watched it. I've watched that play in a gif format, it just loops, and that cornerback, the rookie, Butler, he knew that play was coming. If you get a chance and watch that play, look at how far off the line of scrimmage he was from the defensive perspective on the left side and look how far he had to go to get there. He could have only made that play if he knew it was coming.

And for the life of me, if you are going to throw the ball in that situation, why in the world do you make it obvious Marshawn Lynch is not part of the play at the snap? Brian, did you see this? At the snap, Marshawn Lynch, who everybody thinks should have gotten the ball, is jogging out to the left flat, totally out of the play. It's instantly visible to the defense so you don't have to worry about him. And that's one of the keys, I think, for this rookie cornerback. He saw Lynch not even be part of the play, but they had watched tape. They knew the Seahawks ran that play in goal-line circumstances, and it was part of the preparation. When he saw that the quarterback was gonna throw, he knew exactly what was coming, quick slant. I think the offensive receiver didn't run an aggressive root. He didn't get there quick. I've watched it. He didn't really get a good start off the line.

[kidd]

LOL

[FReepaholic]

If the Pats hadn’t intercepted and the receiver scored everybody would now be talking about how brilliant the call was since everyone was thinking run.

[freebilly]

Yeah..., the Hawks definitely need to clean up some of their crotch grabbing, poop miming antics....

[Lexinom]

Yep, could have gone either way. Props to the Pats for coming prepared.

Go 'Hawks!

[machogirl]

A write for “the Nation” says that the theory is the management/coach wanted the “Christian” Wilson to make the throw and not the Marshawn (the talker) to be MVP if he made the touchdown. Will the LEFT be vilified by the media for this Conspiracy Theory?

http://www.thenation.com/blog/196697/conspiracy-theory-surrounding-seahawks-last-play#

[apostoli]

“But if Seattle scored, then everyone would have been going after Belichick for the poor clock management.”

You mean, lose the game (don’t score) to win the game???

[machogirl]

Thoughts on this by Dan Calabrese via Herman Cain site.
http://www.hermancain.com/the-nation-seahawks-called-gam

(The Christian Conspiracy re: The Call)

[21twelve]

Butler did know the play was coming when they saw how everyone (including the Pats) were lined up. Butler had practiced that play over the week, making the interceptions against his practice squad.

Much like Wilson calling his TD pass to Kearse after the coin toss in the Green Bay game. They study the film, know what situations will dictate the plays, and execute. The Pats, especially Butler, excecuted the play better than the Seahawks.

It always amazes me. All I see his a bunch of big guys running around and hitting each other! (Although on the following play I was right!)

[freebilly]

It was a phenomenal play by Butler. He travelled a fairly long distance to jump Lockette’s route. He did a great job of doing his job. 1/2 second late and Lockette catches that ball and scores.

[TexasGator]

The look on Lockette’s face as he was sitting on his butt is priceless.

[CdMGuy]

“The Seattle Seahawks, with five injuries (three LOB players + Lane and Avril), lost to an inferior team at full health yesterday.”

What’s the matter? Can’t admit that your team f’d up big time? They had the win practically in the bag, and they blew it big time. They were given a golden gift on that bobbled 31 yard pass catch. Yet, they managed to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory. The Pats won the game, and the Seahawks lost the game. End of story.

By the way, as best as I recall did not the Pats pretty much come out ahead in the game stats?

[TBP]

Belichick is a genius because his opponent made a bad call? This does not compute.

Maybe because he managed to win a game without cheating, that we know of.

[Lexinom]

They sure did have it in the bag, and they’re a better overall team than NE. But, oh well...

[Impy]

The plows have missed many side streets.

And I hear there is more snow coming, yay!

I feel like I’ve dug the Holland Tunnel.

[Carry me back]

Wilson is a good player but I agree with the othet guy that he is not elite. A lot of NFL QB’s would win big with Seattle. In a couple years maybe he will be.

[21twelve]

It was something - as a Seahawks fan I’m not sure the term “priceless” is one I would use. The TV had a closeup of Richard Sherman too - his face said it all. Excitement, hope, angony and astonishment - in that order.

[21twelve]

“Clock would have run out before third run.”

As the clock was running before the play I was getting pissed, wondering what Carroll was doing wasting all of that time. Then figured they were running the clock down to avoid giving the Patriots a chance, but still seemed stupid to me. But I think they ran it down like 30+ seconds. The local guys on the radio thought it wasn’t intentional, and that they were trying to figure out the play.

[Pelham]

"Some have suggested they (Seahawks management? NFL?) didn’t want Lynch to be the MVP"

Long time Pete Carroll watchers in SoCal know that Pete is obsessed with having his Golden Boys get all the credit. He did that all the time at USC.

Russell Wilson is a Golden Boy. Marshawn Lynch definitely is not. And that is the root of Pete's decision to have Wilson pass the ball instead of hand it off to Beast Mode Lynch. It is classic Pete Carroll. And this time it came back to bite him.

[Pelham]

“And I’ll bet a copy of Rush Revere that Pete Carroll did not call that play. Darrell Bevell did, and he wishes he hadn’t. “

Pete Carroll is a control freak. There is not a chance in the world that a crucial play in the Superbowl didn’t originate with him. He wanted Wilson to be the star of the winning touchdown and not Lynch. Carroll made a similar gamble in the 2006 USC vs Texas Rose Bowl and lost that game too.

[machogirl]

Reminds me of the “agony of defeat” guy on ABC’s Wide World of Sports intro. VINKO BOGATAJ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKEDD1i4oGk