Posted on 12/12/2002 9:39:47 AM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist
Report: NFL Cites 9 Blown Calls in Game </FONT
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The NFL has acknowledged its officiating crew made at least nine mistakes during Sunday's Green Bay-Minnesota game, including a key pass interference call, two newspapers reported Wednesday.
The mistakes were documented in a confidential memorandum, the Star Tribune and St. Paul Pioneer Press said, citing unidentified sources.
The Vikings (3-10) lost the game 26-22 in Green Bay. Eight of the affected plays occurred in the fourth quarter, when the Packers (10-3) made up a nine-point deficit with two touchdowns. An interference call negated a Vikings' interception on the Packers' game-winning drive.
Both papers reported the league's correspondence with the Vikings.
"Conversations between the NFL officiating department and teams are confidential," NFL spokesman Michael Signora said. "We do not comment on them."
Vikings coach Mike Tice declined comment. Team officials are prohibited from discussing confidential communication with the league.
On Monday, the Vikings sent in 12 officials' calls the team disagreed with. In a response, league supervisors wrote that Vikings safety Corey Chavous (news) should not have been called for pass interference against Donald Driver (news) on a third-down pass that safety Jack Brewer intercepted.
"It doesn't matter what they say after the fact," Chavous said. "We lost the game."
Under the NFL's instant replay policy, pass interference penalties are not subject to review. Tony Fisher scored the go-ahead touchdown for Green Bay four plays later.
NFL teams routinely fill out such forms on the day after games, seeking clarification or explanations for calls, and it is not unusual for mistakes to be acknowledged affecting both teams.
Among other mistakes detailed in the document, league supervisors wrote that Packers receiver Robert Ferguson should have been ruled out of bounds at the 1-yard line rather than given a 40-yard touchdown reception with 10:48 left in the fourth quarter. The Vikings did not challenge the call via instant replay.
The NFL also wrote that Packers safety Antuan Edwards (news) should have received an unnecessary roughness penalty for hitting Vikings receiver Chris Walsh (news), who had taken a knee to stop the next-to-last play of the game, and that Packers linebacker Nate Wayne (news) also should have been penalized for blocking receiver Randy Moss (news) in the back on the final play of the game.
Owl_Eagle
”Guns Before Butter.”
What a rising star in the NFL! Love the guy.
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Margaret Zack
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Star Tribune
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Published Dec. 12, 2002
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MOSS13
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Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Randy Moss pleaded guilty to two traffic charges this morning, while two other traffic counts and a marijuana charge were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
Moss was arrested in downtown Minneapolis Sept. 24 after a traffic officer stepped in front of his car to stop him from making an illegal turn. He allegedly bumped her with his car, and she was slightly injured when she fell off it. Police later found a marijuana cigarette in his car. Moss spent the night in jail.
Today, Moss's lawyer entered a plea of guilty to a misdemeanor count of careless driving and a petty misdemeanor count of obstructing traffic with a vehicle. The other two traffic charges and a petty misdemeanor count of possessing a small amount of marijuana were dismissed.
Hennepin County District Judge Mark Wernick ordered Moss to pay $1,200 in fines. He also sentenced Moss to 30 days in jail but gave him two days credit for the time he already served and stayed the rest as long as Moss doesn't commit any similar careless driving offenses.
``As long as Mr. Moss does these things he will not have to serve 28 days,'' the judge said.
Moss was not in court, nor was he required to be. His attorney entered the pleas on the player's behalf.
The dismissed traffic counts were failure to obey a traffic officer and making an improper turn at an intersection in a hazardous manner, which were both misdemeanors. Each misdemeanor count carried a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and up to a $1,000 fine.
The marijuana count had a maximum $200 fine, making it legally the least serious charge, but potentially the most troublesome one for the NFL. The maximum on the obstructing traffic count was $300. Neither petty misdemeanor count carried jail time.
Moss said earlier that the marijuana did not belong to him and that he had allowed other people to use his car in the days before his arrest.
Moss was in the NFL's substance abuse program after testing positive for marijuana last year. The league also tested Moss after the arrest but never announced any result. Moss has not missed any games since his arrest.
--The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Football is a socialist sport, anyway. [couldn't resist]
I am a Vikings fan, and any cheapshot on the gangster Moss is ok in my book, too. Its time to purge the NFL of the criminal thugs. Which, I realize, might not leave too many...
What? Antuan? Heh. Parents should be wary
of naming their kids in languages other than ther own.
Antoinne is what they were looking for. I went to
high school with a girl named Yvonne Cagle. She
pronounced it 'wye-vahn.'
Signed,
a Raider fan
By itself the number can't be appropriately evaluated. Do you want to have it where there must be a 5 minute conference after every play that's run?
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