NFL Officials got it RIGHT by overturning Cleaveland's first down (my title)

ESPN ^ | December 17, 2001 | Associated Press

[TexRef]

To all of the official bashers out there, time to eat a little crow... Take a look at the following excerpts from NFL reviewing end of Browns-Jaguars game (Click the link to read the entire article).

According to the article, the NFL reached a conclusion today that the "...correct procedures were followed and the correct decision made when replay overturned what had been ruled a fourth-down catch by Cleveland's Quincy Morgan."

BUT, BUT... All the Cleveland fans whine -- you CAN'T challenge a play when another play has been run -- EVERYBODY knows that.

Well, turns out that's not really how it played out. NFL's Director of Officiating Mike Pereira described what happened:

"The Browns were in a no-huddle offense trying to get to the line of scrimmage to snap the ball and stop the clock. Things were moving very quickly. When the pager went off (just before the snap), the referee allowed the play to take place before confirming with the umpire and the replay assistant that he was paged for a review."

Now you can sit here and debate about the rule all you want, but the fact is that the officials got it right AGAIN!

[rdb3]

Learn how to spell, okay?

Municipal Stadium was just like every other pre-WWII stadium in existence across the nation. It's gone.

Again, get a life.

[Bikers4Bush]

You're certainly welcome to your opinion however I don't buy the NFL's excuses.

Having seen the replay countless times the ball was caught, two steps were taken and the receiver was hit forcing a fumble which luckily landed back in his arms.

In addition if you watch the replay of the next play where Couch spikes the ball and you isolate (as they have done on the news for us here in Cleveland) the Head ref and Line Judge they CLEARLY do not look down at their buzzers until AFTER the play has already been run. What the booth says at that point is a non-issue. The play WAS run and run BEFORE the refs were notified.

In addition this was a young inexperienced crew sent to officiate this game. The calls from the outset were bad, missed, and in error. That game was beyond their control from the first whistle. Had you been there and seen the cheap shots, holding, illegal contact etc. that wasn't shown on the t.v. you might have a better understanding as to why what happened happened.

We pay to watch two teams play, not a bunch of refs make a name for themselves. It's time for these guys to go full time during the season and take their function seriously. They don't know the rules and in some cases make them up as they go along.

One last thing. If what they did was correct (as you've stated) why wasn't the time used by the Browns to run the spike play added back onto the clock after the review?

Why? Because the officials didn't know what the hell they were doing. That's why.

[fiftymegaton]

I had a feeling I was talking to Alan Colmes.

[Benrand]

If the officials had NOT reviewd that call, it would have been a foul against Jax. Pissy Cleveland fans, big surprise.

Any surprise since Butch "Miami" Davis started coaching the Clowns, all these players are getting arrested for drugs and guns? Nope...

GO STEELERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[is_is]

LOL.....your hard to miss in that lavender fading font! :)

[BluesDuke]

I had a feeling I was talking to Alan Colmes.

Oh, please. Come up with something a) original, and b) accurate. Unless, of course, it is your contention that right reason (as opposed to left unreason) excuses louts running riot like Sharptonnaires who can't handle the truth about Tawana Brawley...

[fiftymegaton]

Man did you see the game?? What about it can be compared to a riot?? If these people were really trying to hurt somebody they would have rushed the field or waited after the game in the tunnel where the refs come out. You cannot even compare this to the riots in LA or anywhere else for that matter. And when you say that you have seen a lot of bad calls in your day and have never seen the fans act like this I think that is because there have been calls in the past the might have indirectly(came earlier in the game)led to a different outcome in the game but not actually had as much to do with the outcome of the game as this call. In my opinion I have never seen a call of this proportion in such a key moment in any game I have ever watched(I know I am not alone on that)and for it to be called in the manner in which they called it was disgraceful. What do you want me to say?? I respect your opinion but I still dont think you are right. And for the record Al Sharpton can bite my ***.

[BluesDuke]

And when you say that you have seen a lot of bad calls in your day and have never seen the fans act like this I think that is because there have been calls in the past the might have indirectly(came earlier in the game)led to a different outcome in the game but not actually had as much to do with the outcome of the game as this call.

Without going into long history, I will say, simply: Yes, I was alluding to blown calls which assuredly did cause different outcomes - at least one of which jobbed a team out of a World Series championship, because it should have been the third out of the bottom of the ninth and the fourth win of the series for the team in question, when a first base umpire called a batter safe at first when he was clearly out by a full step. It should have been game, set, and match - but a bad call blocked it.

In my opinion I have never seen a call of this proportion in such a key moment in any game I have ever watched(I know I am not alone on that)and for it to be called in the manner in which they called it was disgraceful.

It wouldn't matter how disgraceful the blown call was or is. It is no excuse for the kind of disgrace Browns fans performed. Period dot period.

[fiftymegaton]

Baseball games are not nearly as emotional as football games but if it was a world series game that would be a huge call. But how did the umpires in that game handle the call?? Did they stand around for 10 minutes before saying anything? or call the game over with 48 seconds still left on the clock? or end the game and then after another 20 min send all the players back on the field and then give the ball to the wrong team? In baseball they dont have the instant replay and if they wouldnt have had the instant replay in this football game the call would have never been challenged and Cleveland would have scored on the next play, won the game, and the fans plastic throwing would never have happened.

[BluesDuke]

Baseball games are not nearly as emotional as football games

That's what you think.


But how did the umpires in that game handle the call?? Did they stand around for 10 minutes before saying anything?

If I recall the game in question, the manager of the team who should have had the third out argued the call and was blocked by the other umpires who stood by their man. In fact, there were further repercussions - guess which ump turned up as the home plate ump for the Game Seven that should not have had to be played. And guess which ump was calling the borderline pitches balls on that manager's pitchers but strikes for the other guy's pitchers, while the other guys blew them out for the Series?

...the call would have never been challenged and Cleveland would have scored on the next play, won the game, and the fans plastic throwing would never have happened.

Still excusemongering? Come, now. I can tell by listening to you that you are an intelligent person. That is really beneath you.

[BluesDuke]

Municipal Stadium - Also known, as I recall, as the Mistake on the Lake.

[fiftymegaton]

Well thanks for the compliment but thats how I feel and that is the truth. I put the Browns fans behavior in the same category as kids spitting spitballs at somebody else in class not people rioting for the sole purpose of destroying things and hurting people.

[eazdzit]

Is that an open invitation?!!!!??!! You have mail. :^)

[BluesDuke]

I put the Browns fans behavior in the same category as kids spitting spitballs at somebody else in class not people rioting for the sole purpose of destroying things and hurting people.

On the assumption that the fan behaviours were in fact quite so benign (they most certainly were not - injury isn't required for a riot to be a riot), one question before I sleep: Quick! Which of the two is supposed to be old enough to know better?

[rdb3]

"Pissy Cleveland fans. . ."

"Clowns. . ."

Don't worry Piggsburgh, your comeupance is assured. Next year we are still going to be in the same division (AFC North).

Watch your back. . .

[Chi-townChief]

Any comments on the performance of the New Orleans Saints' fans on Monday night, Dukie?

[TexRef]

In addition this was a young inexperienced crew sent to officiate this game.

No it wasn't. The average NFL experience that this crew has is 9.15 years. Of course, they were college officials before that too. Say what you want about the game, but this was not an inexperienced crew.

It's time for these guys to go full time during the season and take their function seriously.

That's exactly what they want to do, but the NFL is against it... Were you around for the lockout earlier this year? I hope that you were supportive of the officials considering your position.

[Bikers4Bush]

The linesman had 1 year and the head ref had 4 years. I consider that inexperienced considering the teams that were playing and the implications.

[Chi-townChief]

Eveidence of the officials' "experience":

First the officials reviewed not the previous play but the one prior to it, then they overturned the proper call of completion made on the field without sufficient evident, then they gave an in-your-face response to the Browns coaching staff's protest, then they call the game early, then they don't put the proper time back on the clock to complete the game.

[Bikers4Bush]

You said it much better than I could have.