• New here? Register here now for access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Plus, stay connected and follow BP on Instagram @buckeyeplanet and Facebook.

Time for NFL Ref Reform?

Jump to latest Follow Reply
plum diamonds buckeye planet
Sort by date Sort by votes
buckeyeboy said:
To me, it's the ultimate rational, unbiased response. As I said before, I'll defer to the NFL before I defer to a biased fan with an emotional opinion.
Click to expand...

How can you say the NFL is less biased than a fan who had zero interest in the outcome of the game? The NFL is inherently biased because it is commenting on itself and has an interest in protecting itself from any further criticism. I was shocked when the NFL admitted the mistake on the Polamalu interception, and that was an even more atrocious error than any of the iffy calls in the Super Bowl.

On a side note, SportsCenter this AM played brief interviews with Matt Hasselback and Shawn Alexander about the officiating. They came back from the taped interviews and the host/anchor/whatever had the gall to ask the analysts (Mark Schlereth and someone else) if it was time for the Seahawks to get over the officiating. Last I checked, ESPN is the one chasing the players down and asking them about the officiating. If you want the players to stop commenting on officiating, stop asking them questions about it. Dumbass.
 
Upvote 0
buckeyeboy said:
If this is true, then why does the NFL publicly acknowledge when its officials make mistakes?
Click to expand...

I addressed that a bit already. Sometimes, the call is so terribly, disgustingly, horrendously, pukifyingly atrocious that they have no choice but to acknowledge that they screwed up. I doubt they want to make a habit of it.

In the course of this past season, did you see any incorrect calls, other than the Polamalu interception? If yes, did the NFL admit that they made a mistake everytime after the game?
 
Upvote 0
Bucky Katt said:
I addressed that a bit already. Sometimes, the call is so terribly, disgustingly, horrendously, pukifyingly atrocious that they have no choice but to acknowledge that they screwed up. I doubt they want to make a habit of it.

In the course of this past season, did you see any incorrect calls, other than the Polamalu interception? If yes, did the NFL admit that they made a mistake everytime after the game?
Click to expand...

Did they admit a mistake after the Detroit TD/non-TD somebody mentioned?
 
Upvote 0
Bucky Katt said:
In the course of this past season, did you see any incorrect calls, other than the Polamalu interception? If yes, did the NFL admit that they made a mistake everytime after the game?
Click to expand...

You see, that's my point--that the referees are paid professionals and experts at making those calls, whereas you and I are not. Accordingly, my opinion doesn't really matter much. Simply put, I'll place my reliance on paid professionals and a governing body that in the past displayed a willingness to admit when those professionals have made mistakes before I will place my reliance on Joe Average who's watching the game at home on his couch and claims that he's convinced the refs blew a call.
 
Upvote 0
BB73 said:
Did they admit a mistake after the Detroit TD/non-TD somebody mentioned?
Click to expand...

I haven't a clue. (Yeah, I know. Startling revelation there. :)) I guess my point is that the officials make mistakes/bad calls all the time, but the NFL does not always admit to it.

Also, another thought occurs to me (right, right, another shocking revelation:tongue2: ). I think that there is a difference between a "mistake" and a "bad call". I define a "mistake" as something where the officials does something contrary to the rulebook, ala an inadvertent whistle, ruling that Polamalu did not have possession, etc.

A "bad call" to me is a call that may be technically correct, but probably shouldn't have been called. For example, if the official had chosen to flag the Steeler offensive line for illegal man downfield on Ben's scramble & heave, it would have been the correct call, but a bad call because there are O-linemen 1/2 yard downfield quite often and it doesn't get called.

Using those definitions that I made up on the spot, I don't think there were any "mistakes" in the Super Bowl, but it sure seemed to me like there were some bad calls.

[/rambling disjointed monologue]
 
Upvote 0
buckeyeboy said:
You see, that's my point--that the referees are paid professionals and experts at making those calls, whereas you and I are not. Accordingly, my opinion doesn't really matter much. Simply put, I'll place my reliance on paid professionals and a governing body that in the past displayed a willingness to admit when those professionals have made mistakes before I will place my reliance on Joe Average who's watching the game at home on his couch and claims that he's convinced the refs blew a call.
Click to expand...

So the only mistakes that officials have ever made are the ones that they've admitted?

I think we are going to have to agree to disagree on this. I don't have any faith in the NFL doing anything more than CYA'ing whenever they can. When forced to come to grips with a glaring mistake, they will admit it, but only if they must.
 
Upvote 0
Mark Schlereth (sp?) was just on ESPN radio saying that a hot topic out at the Pro Bowl this week has obviously been the officiating at the Super Bowl. And that the prevalent opinion of players (current and former), coaches and media-types is that the officiating was terrible, not only in the Super Bowl, but the playoffs and the entire year (more so for some reason than in years past). I think he used the word "abhorent" (but my horific spelling causes me to shy away from such words :biggrin: ).

So it sounds like more than just "Joe Average" or biased Seahawks or other "fans" believe the quality of job that NFL officials are giving leaves much to be desired.
 
Upvote 0
Padraig said:
Mark Schlereth (sp?) was just on ESPN radio saying that a hot topic out at the Pro Bowl this week has obviously been the officiating at the Super Bowl. And that the prevalent opinion of players (current and former), coaches and media-types is that the officiating was terrible, not only in the Super Bowl, but the playoffs and the entire year (more so for some reason than in years past). I think he used the word "abhorent" (but my horific spelling causes me to shy away from such words :biggrin: ).

So it sounds like more than just "Joe Average" or biased Seahawks or other "fans" believe the quality of job that NFL officials are giving leaves much to be desired.
Click to expand...

No according to others on here since they are not paid offcials then it doesn't matter what the players think. Only thing that matters is if the nfl and the officials think it was right. And don't forget since the players are talking out against the Steelers they are all biased against the Steelers.
 
Upvote 0
buckeyeboy said:
To me, it's the ultimate rational, unbiased response. As I said before, I'll defer to the NFL before I defer to a biased fan with an emotional opinion.
Click to expand...

Actually, to me it was the ultimate biased response. You really think the NFL is happy about the officiating in that game, and the subsequent criticism? It was easy for them to come out after the Colts-Steelers game and admit a mistake had been made, because the bad call didn't change the outcome of the game.

This was the Super Bowl. The calls arguably did change the outcome of the game. There is absolutely no way the NFL was going to admit this game may have been tainted by the officiating.

And any response by the NFL defending the incompetent officials in Super Bowl has no credibility unless, at the very least, they can admit there's no such thing as a 15-yard penalty for tackling a ball carrier.
 
Upvote 0
buckeyeboy said:
Add another to the :sob: tally!
Click to expand...

Here then is one that will confuse a buckeyeboy.

I am perfectly content that the Steelers won the Super Bowl. I also happen to be a Bengals fan.

I am also quite certain that calls were blown in that game.

Am I paid to reach that conclusion? Hell no. But, I don't believe everything I read, especially when it contradicts the evidence I saw (again and again) in that game with my own eyes.

By the way - if anyone bothered to read the NFL release they do admit that the last of the popularly listed 4 blown calls was "erroneous," which is a quarter word for WRONG. Which means the call was blown.
Also, 4 calls is not all others have listed - just the most make or break of them.

And it had a huge impact on the game.

One call that clearly appeared erroneous came after that penalty, when Hasselbeck threw an interception to Pittsburgh's Ike Taylor, then made the tackle but was called for a block below the waist, giving the Steelers an extra 15 yards. They scored soon afterward on a pass from Antwaan Randle El to Hines Ward. Replays showed Hasselbeck never made contact with the player he was supposed to have hit illegally, instead going straight to Taylor to make the tackle.
Click to expand...

The interesting thing is the wording of the NFL on the 3rd of the 4 calls ...

A holding call on Sean Locklear in the fourth quarter: Locklear's penalty erased an 18-yard completion from Matt Hasselbeck to Jerramy Stevens to the Pittsburgh 1 that would have put the Seahawks in position to go ahead 17-14 with around 12 minutes left. It was a close call that was difficult to see on replay.
Click to expand...

That is definitely CYA language. Holding is easily the most obvious thing to see on replay, especially with the multiple camera angles found at the Super Bowl. If it were there, it would have been seen. How often have you seen a scoring run or passing play and declared "they're holding"? But that holding wasn't called - yet obvious on replay.

Conversely, describing a called hold "difficult to see on replay" is double talk for something that did not happen, in other words - a blown call.

As for the other two calls out of the infamous four, I think I've stated before that in my opinion Ben gets the ball over the plane of the goal-line, so to me that replay and question is moot.

The push-off call was ticky-tack, whether it should be a no-call as Holmgren pleaded is an entirely different matter, but it was not a huge PI push.

What surprises me is that the one disputable call, subject to replay, that went against the Steelers is not included in a group of questionable calls. I am talking of the fumble by Hasselbeck which was overturned, because he was "touched" and hence - despite still being in forward motion beyond the small love tap, and not yet down - the on-the-field call of a fumble was over-turned. That IMO was also a blown call.

But I guess the winners have no public gripe after winning the big prize, so we will hear little or nothing on that score from Da Burg.
 
Upvote 0
sandgk said:
Here then is one that will confuse a buckeyeboy.

I am perfectly content that the Steelers won the Super Bowl. I also happen to be a Bengals fan.

I am also quite certain that calls were blown in that game.

Am I paid to reach that conclusion? Hell no. But, I don't believe everything I read, especially when it contradicts the evidence I saw (again and again) in that game with my own eyes.

By the way - if anyone bothered to read the NFL release they do admit that the last of the popularly listed 4 blown calls was "erroneous," which is a quarter word for WRONG. Which means the call was blown.
Also, 4 calls is not all others have listed - just the most make or break of them.

And it had a huge impact on the game.



The interesting thing is the wording of the NFL on the 3rd of the 4 calls ...



That is definitely CYA language. Holding is easily the most obvious thing to see on replay, especially with the multiple camera angles found at the Super Bowl. If it were there, it would have been seen. How often have you seen a scoring run or passing play and declared "they're holding"? But that holding wasn't called - yet obvious on replay.

Conversely, describing a called hold "difficult to see on replay" is double talk for something that did not happen, in other words - a blown call.

As for the other two calls out of the infamous four, I think I've stated before that in my opinion Ben gets the ball over the plane of the goal-line, so to me that replay and question is moot.

The push-off call was ticky-tack, whether it should be a no-call as Holmgren pleaded is an entirely different matter, but it was not a huge PI push.

What surprises me is that the one disputable call, subject to replay, that went against the Steelers is not included in a group of questionable calls. I am talking of the fumble by Hasselbeck which was overturned, because he was "touched" and hence - despite still being in forward motion beyond the small love tap, and not yet down - the on-the-field call of a fumble was over-turned. That IMO was also a blown call.

But I guess the winners have no public gripe after winning the big prize, so we will hear little or nothing on that score from Da Burg.
Click to expand...

The other one you dont hear about is the incomplete pass/fumble by the seattle TE.

At first I ignored it because I didn't think the Steelers could have gotten to the ball but after watching it again you could see a Steeler player chasing it and then let up when he heard the whistle. If they don't mistakenly blow it dead that could have just as easily been a Steeler fumble recovery as a Seattle fumble out of bounds. The only thing it clearly was not, was an incomplete pass.

Overall as a Steeler fan, and therefore biased, I thought the officiating during the playoffs as a whole sucked pretty bad and that its time for full time officials who do a better job. I disagree that the SB officiating was the determining factor in the game or that any of the calls were horribly "blown" save for the hasselback clipping thing.

Real quick (imo as I know this has all been covered):

1-Push off in the endzone; Correct call but ticky tack. The real penalty was for being dumb enough to do it right in front of the official. Do it 10 yards away and it probably isn't called. However, anyone trying to play the what if game and giving Seattle 4 more points there needs to remember the dropped INT by Ike Taylor that let them off the hook in the first place.

2-Ben's TD: The ball was tucked up under his shoulder and broke the plane of the goal line. The plane isn't the entire white stripe, its just the front of it.

3-The 2 holding calls: The first one was easy and blatant don't know what the big deal is honestly. The second one was 50/50 but at full speed when you see the defensive players momentum stalled so suddenly I think it was more appearent than in slow mo.

4-Hasselbacks "clip"; total fuck up. I was shocked when they called it but essentially that game was over when taylor made the pick.


What I have heard discussed far to infrequently is the fact Pittsburgh held the best offense in the NFL(yeah right) to 10 points and the NFL MVP to under 100 yards rushing.

In fact the 10 points Seattle did get were the result of a dropped INT by the Steelers(that was rediculously easy to catch) and Bens absolutely horrific INT down at the goal line. Bens other INT was a bad underthrow of a wide open WR in the redzone as well albeit the play started from outside the rz.

In all the post game woulda coulda shoulda this week the case could just as easily be made for the following.

Give Pittsburgh a minimum of 6 more points for the 2 redzone TO's and take away Seattles 10 if Taylor catches the gift INT and Ben doesn't give his. Now your looking at 27-0 Steelers and the past week is spent putting the Steelers run in proper historical perspective, criticizing Detroit, the Stones and the commercials.

In the end it all worked out but I think the complaining about this SB has been far more one sided than the officiating.
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top