Seattle got jobbed

[Spurologist]

someone tell me seattle didn't get screwed by the officials in the sb. I'm not a seattle fan but there were at least three obvious calls that were just atrocious.

When Ben ran in for the touch, the sideline ref was about to call fourth down, then he changed his mind and called the touch. The reply clearly shows he didn't get in, yet the ref calls touchdown after review.

The touchdown catch for Darrel Jackson was negated because of a offensive pass interference. Jackson barely touched him. The ref also hesitated on that play to call.

There were several other plays that the refs called in favor of pitt like on the hass fumble.

Seattle had many chances to score especially those drops by Stevens (wasn't he the guy trash talking) but seattle got jobbed. Congrats to pitt.

Nice not to see a blowout like in the other sbs. Good game. The streaker in the budweiser commercial was pretty funny. :lol

[Brutalis]

Please shut the fuck up with the bitch ass crying. Seattle got screwed on 2 plays, thats it. Pitt got screwed on Ben throwing the INT at the goaline and then getting blocked in the back. You hear any crying ass babies about that one? No. Seattle played like bitches and got owned for it. The end.

/this gay thread

[Spurologist]

Please shut the fuck up with the bitch ass crying. Seattle got screwed on 2 plays, thats it. Pitt got screwed on Ben throwing the INT at the goaline and then getting blocked in the back. You hear any crying ass babies about that one? No. Seattle played like bitches and got owned for it. The end.

/this gay thread

how the fuck did pitt get srewed when Ben throw the INT. he threw the ball to the wrong jersey. Don't you know that those are momentum plays that the refs didn't call. Tell me who was the better team at halftime. Next tell me who was up. Point is the refs were fucking incompetent.

[Rick Von Braun]

how the fuck did pitt get srewed when Ben throw the INT. he threw the ball to the wrong jersey. Don't you know that those are momentum plays that the refs didn't call. Tell me who was the better team at halftime. Next tell me who was up. Point is the refs were fucking incompetent.
I agree 110%

[hussker]

BOTTOM LINE: Don't FUCK with the 12th Man

Now blow your nose, wipe your eyes and go watch Grey's Anatomy!

WHOOP!

[hussker]

CODE BLACK...and Gold

[chode_regulator]

Now blow your nose, wipe your eyes and go watch Grey's Anatomy!


lololololol :elephant :elephant :elephant :elephant :elephant :elephant :elephant :elephant :elephant :elephant :elephant :elephant :elephant :elephant :elephant

[Horry For 3!]

someone tell me seattle didn't get screwed by the officials in the sb. I'm not a seattle fan but there were at least three obvious calls that were just atrocious.

When Ben ran in for the touch, the sideline ref was about to call fourth down, then he changed his mind and called the touch. The reply clearly shows he didn't get in, yet the ref calls touchdown after review.

The touchdown catch for Darrel Jackson was negated because of a offensive pass interference. Jackson barely touched him. The ref also hesitated on that play to call.

There were several other plays that the refs called in favor of pitt like on the hass fumble.

Seattle had many chances to score especially those drops by Stevens (wasn't he the guy trash talking) but seattle got jobbed. Congrats to pitt.

Nice not to see a blowout like in the other sbs. Good game. The streaker in the budweiser commercial was pretty funny. :lol
Dude, you must know shit about football. Once you pass the white line, it is a touchdown. The ball passed the white line while he was in the air which means touchdown, it doesn't matter where he lands with the ball.

[chode_regulator]

someone tell me seattle didn't get screwed by the officials in the sb. I'm not a seattle fan but there were at least three obvious calls that were just atrocious.

When Ben ran in for the touch, the sideline ref was about to call fourth down, then he changed his mind and called the touch. The reply clearly shows he didn't get in, yet the ref calls touchdown after review.

The touchdown catch for Darrel Jackson was negated because of a offensive pass interference. Jackson barely touched him. The ref also hesitated on that play to call.

There were several other plays that the refs called in favor of pitt like on the hass fumble.

Seattle had many chances to score especially those drops by Stevens (wasn't he the guy trash talking) but seattle got jobbed. Congrats to pitt.

Nice not to see a blowout like in the other sbs. Good game. The streaker in the budweiser commercial was pretty funny. :lol
dude, to me that goalline call when ben ran it in i fully believe it was a touchdwon. to me it was clear and on the replay it was obvious. did the ref hesitate? yes. but it was a touchdwon and should have counted.
was there bad calls for seattle? yes but pitt would have won anyways.

[Horry For 3!]

Also, if your a WR you can't push off on anyone no matter how lightly it is or not.

[hussker]

Don't FUCK with the 12th Man. Grey's anatomy is on BITCH...

[Horry For 3!]

Stevens got owned, I think he only caught one pass all night and that was the wide open TD. Other than that he never caught a pass. Then at the end he had a chance to catch it and got owned and then the Steelers got to tell him shit while he sits there crying :lmao

[Spurologist]

Dude, you must know shit about football. Once you pass the white line, it is a touchdown. The ball passed the white line while he was in the air which means touchdown, it doesn't matter where he lands with the ball.

Did you see the ball cross the plane?

[Horry For 3!]

Did you see the ball cross the plane?
Yes, it was obvious. I guess you need glasses or contacts if you couldn't see it.

[hussker]

Did you see the ball cross the plane?

OBVIOUSLY it did...else it would have been overturned on the review...

Don't fuck with the 12th Man

[Spurologist]

Yes, it was obvious.

:lol un fucking believable. Pull your head out your ass. It's the superbowl. The game is supposed to be called fairly. It clearly wasn't

[Kori Ellis]

Weak thread.

[Cara De Dedão]

Big Ben is da mang.

[Horry For 3!]

:lol un fucking believable. Pull your head out your ass. It's the superbowl. The game is supposed to be called fairly. It clearly wasn't
Obviously YOU NEED TO

[Pistons < Spurs]

Dude, you must know shit about football. Once you pass the white line, it is a touchdown. The ball passed the white line while he was in the air which means touchdown, it doesn't matter where he lands with the ball.


I completely disagree. Watching the replay 5 or 6 times, the ball never touched the plane. NEVER.

That being said, they would have more than likely scored on the next down being an inch away, but you are supposed to let them play it out, not give it to them.

Like the OP said, the D Jackson TD was good. That interference call was a joke.

The holding call IMO was the biggest piece of crap call. There was no holding. That should have been Seattle ball on the one yard line.

Then to follow that w/ a chop block on Hassleback was a double doo doo. No way that should have been a call.

Congrats to Pitt. I'm glad to see the Bus get a ring. But in all fairness, I entirely feel that the Steelers were given this one.

[Horry For 3!]

Get some fucking glasses or contacts then watch it again. :tu

[chode_regulator]

:lol un fucking believable. Pull your head out your ass. It's the superbowl. The game is supposed to be called fairly. It clearly wasn't
it was obvious it crossed. all thaqt has to happen is the nose of theball has to cross the beginning of the white line. to me, regardless of teh fact that the ref caled a td, the review did not show sufficient evidence to overturn. did the ref hesitate, yes. but it was the right call.
pitt won, fair and square.

[Horry For 3!]

I completely disagree. Watching the replay 5 or 6 times, the ball never touched the plane. NEVER.
It doesn't matter if you completely disagree or not, it was a TD.

[Spurologist]

Weak thread.

so is the lack officiating knowledge. The officiating this post season has been beyond pathetic. I want clean game. This isn't the NBA is it?

[Horry For 3!]

so is the lack officiating knowledge. The officiating this post season has been beyond pathetic. I want clean game. This isn't the NBA is it?
I think she means it is a weak thread as people complain about the refs such as YOU.

[hussker]

Weak thread.


DITTO...

[Pistons < Spurs]

It doesn't matter if you completely disagree or not, it was a TD.


AAHHHHH yes. This coming from someone who is totally not biased right? When you put down the Black and yellow glasses let me know.

[Spurologist]

I think she means it is a weak thread as people complain about the refs such as YOU.

Bad officiating is a big part of the game. Bad calls should be addressed whether it is seen as weak or not. What would you have said if Indy won that playoff game because the ref missed that INT by polumalu. Would it be weak to criticize the official because of that?

[Horry For 3!]

AAHHHHH yes. This coming from someone who is totally not biased right? When you put down the Black and yellow glasses let me know.
How am I biased? I don't even like the Steelers :lmao I only wanted them to win for Bettis.

[hussker]

Repeat...repeat...weak Thread...weak Thread!!!

[Kori Ellis]

so is the lack officiating knowledge. The officiating this post season has been beyond pathetic. I want clean game. This isn't the NBA is it?


No, I think your lack of knowledge is what's showing and that's weak. The ball clearly broke the plane on the play you are whining about. And I don't even get why you are complaining? You are complaining that the ref hesitated or change his mind?? Well he changed his mind to the right call -- that's a good thing.

And as far as the pass interference call on DJ -- he touched him, it was pass interference. You are complaining again that he hesitated :wtf

If you want to complain about a call -- complain about the blocking call on Hasselbeck. That's the one that was wrong.

It's a weak thread.

Whining about the refs is pussy posting.

[hussker]

Whining about the refs is pussy posting.


DITTO

[Horry For 3!]

Correct. They got the block below the waist call wrong but that wouldn't have changed much. That offensive holding could be wrong but obviously it wasn't or they wouldn't have called it.

[snowboarder]

horry for 3 knows his football

spursologist doesnt know shit



the receiver clearly pushed off and u could see that the defender fell back some
CLEARLY pass interference

and you could see the ball right on the line. TD.

[hussker]

horry for 3 knows his football

spursologist doesnt know shit



the receiver clearly pushed off and u could see that the defender fell back some
CLEARLY pass interference

and you could see the ball right on the line. TD.


UHHH...we know that...that is why this is a WEAK THREAD!!!

[Pistons < Spurs]

*

[Spurologist]

Whining about the refs is pussy posting.

I don't give a shit. I want to know that one team won because they were the better team. IMO that didn't happen.

The block by hass wasn't critical to the game, that is why I didn't mention it. John Madden's tone the whole game about the officials told the story. the officials saw something they didn't see.

[MannyIsGod]

It comes down to this, there were some questionable calls against Seattle but the Seahawks have no one to blame other themselves. How do Hasselbeck and Holmgreen manage the clocks that fucking poorly at the end of 2 halfs? How does their kicker miss 2 field goals? How does Stevens drop so many passes?

Don't pin this on the refs. Pin it on the team that looked like a deer in the headlights.

[Spurologist]

It comes down to this, there were some questionable calls against Seattle but the Seahawks have no one to blame other themselves. How do Hasselbeck and Holmgreen manage the clocks that fucking poorly at the end of 2 halfs? How does their kicker miss 2 field goals? How does Stevens drop so many passes?

Don't pin this on the refs. Pin it on the team that looked like a deer in the headlights.

yes they played like fucking pussies yet you can't say that the refs weren't a factor.

[Pistons < Spurs]

If you want to complain about a call -- complain about the blocking call on Hasselbeck. That's the one that was wrong.



hmmm how about the phantom holding call? Was that not wrong? They would have been first and goal on the 2? or 3?



Even steve Young said the D Jax negated TD was a bad call.

The officaiting was extremely poor. And unfortunatly it did alter the outcome of the game.

[hussker]

*

Yeah, i CAN SEE IT NOW

Super Bowl Champions
I - Green Bay Packers...
...XXXVIII- New England Patriots
XXXIX - New England Patriots
XL - Pittsburgh Steelers*


*opponent fucked with the 12th Man

[Kori Ellis]

I don't give a shit. I want to know that one team won because they were the better team. IMO that didn't happen.

The block by hass wasn't critical to the game, that is why I didn't mention it. John Madden's tone the whole game about the officials told the story. the officials saw something they didn't see.

Go watch the replay and you'll see the ball breaking the plane.

[hussker]

Yet Another Weak Pussy Pissy Posting Thread...

[N.Y. Johnny]

It comes down to this, there were some questionable calls against Seattle but the Seahawks have no one to blame other themselves. How do Hasselbeck and Holmgreen manage the clocks that fucking poorly at the end of 2 halfs? How does their kicker miss 2 field goals? How does Stevens drop so many passes?

Don't pin this on the refs. Pin it on the team that looked like a deer in the headlights.



Hello Exactly...its not as if the Referee's swayed the momentum and changed the out come of the game! Seattle fucked themselves over enough to leave them at a loss.

Jesus, you'd think some folks just watched the 1980 AFC Championship, that was a blatant referee error that changed the outcome of a game, or someone really getting "Jobbed"

[Kori Ellis]

hmmm how about the phantom holding call? Was that not wrong? They would have been first and goal on the 2? or 3?



Even steve Young said the D Jax negated TD was a bad call.

The officaiting was extremely poor. And unfortunatly it did alter the outcome of the game.


Steve Young isn't the authority. Watch it for yourself.

Some calls get missed in sports. There was nothing horribly blatant in this game. And I'm sure that if you re-watch the game, you'll see some calls against Pittsburgh that were questionable too. That's how every game is.

It's weak analysis to blame games like this on the officiating. The Seahawks played the end of the half and the end of the game like school girls in regards to clock management. The better team won today.

[hussker]

I don't give a shit. I want to know that one team won because they were the better team. IMO that didn't happen.

The block by hass wasn't critical to the game, that is why I didn't mention it. John Madden's tone the whole game about the officials told the story. the officials saw something they didn't see.

1) Scoreboard

2) You lost no $$$ so why care

3) Did you have a good SB Party? I hope so

4) In 10 years at SB L, will you care? Will anyone? Hasselbeck will be a "who was that guy". Shaun Alexander will be elected to the HOF without a ring, and life will go on...BUT
GREY'S ANATOMY IS ALMOST OVER...WIPE YOUR TEARS AND GET BACK TO YOUR TV!!!!!!

[MannyIsGod]

The Seahawks were scared. They had the Steelers under their thumb ( :lol ;) ) up untill halftime but never took advantadge. If they don't fuck up the end of the first half and get at least a FG to end it, the Second half game is entirely different.

Don't blame the refs, it's beyond weak.

[hussker]

The Seahawks were scared. They had the Steelers under their thumb ( :lol ;) ) up untill halftime but never took advantadge. If they don't fuck up the end of the first half and get at least a FG to end it, the Second half game is entirely different.

Don't blame the refs, it's beyond weak.

SCOREBOARD

[MannyIsGod]

You know who got jobbed? Me. The commercials sucked ass this year, wtf?

[Horry For 3!]

That Willie Parker 75 yard run at the beginning of the 2nd half really tore into the Seahawks.

[Kori Ellis]

You know who got jobbed? Me. The commercials sucked ass this year, wtf?

True, I didn't see any funny ones.

[Spurologist]

You know who got jobbed? Me. The commercials sucked ass this year, wtf?

budweiser commericial was prerry good

[Spurminator]

I didn't think there was anything "obvious" about the ball crossing the plane. I could see it going either way, and I think it was the right call not to reverse it because there wasn't enough evidence to overturn but if there's anything that can be said about that play it's that it was certainly not "obvious" either way.

[Pistons < Spurs]

Steve Young isn't the authority. Watch it for yourself.

Nor are the people in this thread the authority. I said as soon as it happened it was a poor call. But I do take his opionion more highly than people here currently posting.


Some calls get missed in sports. There was nothing horribly blatant in this game. And I'm sure that if you re-watch the game, you'll see some calls against Pittsburgh that were questionable too. That's how every game is.

Of course. The ONE that I saw was the Seattle catch that they called incomplete...when it was clearly a catch, and fumble.

The irony here, is that Pitt would 'probably' had worse field position if it was ruled a fumble......instead, they punted to Pitt. So either way it didn't really effect them at all.


It's weak analysis to blame games like this on the officiating. The Seahawks played the end of the half and the end of the game like school girls in regards to clock management. The better team won today.

I've never stated that Seattle did everything perfectly. The bungled the clock, no doubt. Stevens dropped plenty of balls. But the ref's had plenty to do to the outcome of the game. The ref's should never have this much of an impact in a Super Bowl. To say the better team won is weak. Ben had a 22 QB rating. The running game was non-existent except for one nice play by Parker. The better team did not win.

[hussker]

Yawn...yawn...yawn...

[Guru of Nothing]

I'm not a fan of either team, nor did I bet on the game, but this was a badly called game, EOS.

Who was the head ref? Had anyone seen him before? .... I did not think so.

[hussker]

I'm not a fan of either team, nor did I bet on the game, but this was a badly called game, EOS.

Who was the head ref? Had anyone seen him before? .... I did not think so.


Game was well called. We have a champion. STFU and close the thread. Who Cares...oh...and Don't fuck with the 12th Man.

[Pistons < Spurs]

I'm not a fan of either team, nor did I bet on the game, but this was a badly called game, EOS.

Who was the head ref? Had anyone seen him before? .... I did not think so.


This was his first Super Bowl.

I don't know jack about him, but everyone said he was well respected before the game.

[Pistons < Spurs]

LMAO. even the guys on NFL netwrok are saying the Ben endzone dive was not a TD.

[hussker]

This was his first Super Bowl.

I don't know jack about him, but everyone said he was well respected before the game.

Yawn...yawn...yawn...

[Spurologist]

This was his first Super Bowl.

I don't know jack about him, but everyone said he was well respected before the game.

i'm sure he'll be getting a lot more now that this game is over

[hussker]

LMAO. even the guys on NFL netwrok are saying the Ben endzone dive was not a TD.

Guys on NFL Network are Not Officials.

FUCK, is that the next step? We have text voting for questionable calls? Holy Schnykees!

The bottom line is SCOREBOARD!!!

[Pistons < Spurs]

Guys on NFL Network are Not Officials.



True.....but they know more than you. They are invloved with the sport to a greater extent than you or I will ever hope to be. Typically they are ex-players. Yes I take their opinions more highly than yours.


The bottom line is SCOREBOARD!!!

Especially when the ref's help w/ what the scoreboard says.

[hussker]

True.....but they know more than you. They are invloved with the sport to a greater extent than you or I will ever hope to be. Typically they are ex-players. Yes I take their opinions more highly than yours.



Especially when the ref's help w/ what the scoreboard says.

1) They had the same view I did and the same replays

2) Scoreboard...Socreboard...Scoreboard

3) Yawn...yawn...yawn...

[Peter]

One of the worst SB's in a while. Play was sloppy, refs were fucking up and neither team really has any appealing personalities. You mean Jerome Bettis is from Detroit? No, I did not know that. It's time for the man to be canonized. Think about it. Jerome Bettis' childhood dominated the last 2 weeks leading up to this game. Wow.

So America gets what it wants, a soul-less commercialized shitty game, with refs fucking up even with instant replay and challenges to correct their errors.

[samikeyp]

I could give a rat's ass about either team but the Steelers earned that win. Manny nailed it...when Seattle needed to come up big, they didn't. Period.

I did like the "Benny Hill couch on fire" Sprint commercial.

[Dre_7]

I didnt read all the posts in here, but the officiating is NO excuse for SEA giving up that long Parker run, or the WIDE OPEN Ward TD on the trick play. The officiating had nothing to do with the MVP laying an egg in the biggest game of the year. The officiating had nothing to do with SEA throwing a pick while they were driving. Officiating had nothing to do with Stevens being so scared about the junk he talked that he dropped almost eveything that was thrown his way and had a hard time catching a wide open perfectly thrown TD. Officiating had nothing to do with SEA losing.

PIT was the better team, plain and simple.

[timvp]

I don't think the refs did a very good job. There were a lot of flags that were thrown when they should have just let them play.

Did the ball break the plane on the Big Ben TD? You could never clearly tell but it was too close to overturn the TD call.

The DJax offensive PI was a weak call. A one hand nudge before the ball was even close is a weak call. The defender flopped and drew it.

That holding call on Seattle was BS. Should have been Seahawks ball at the one. He hit him and the guy stumbled. There wasn't any holding involved.

The call on Hasselbeck on the tackle might be the worst call I've ever seen. The guy gets called for a low block when he makes a tackle? WTF?

All told, Seattle got the short end of the stick when it came to the judgement calls, but they still didn't play well enough to earn a Super Bowl win. S. Alexander and Stevens played soft. The Steelers weren't much better but they came up with big plays when they needed it.

[dbestpro]

Name another season where the referees had such a bad impact on the playoffs.

Name another super bowl played so badly by both teams.

Name another super bowl where the officiating had such a profound effect on the outcome.

Name another super bowl with grandpa's screaming at you as a half time show.

You can't.

Those of you that say blow off the officiating will be talking out the other side of thier mouths when the refs start blowin calls against thier teams.

Believe it I have always been a Steeler fan, but this is no way to win. Trying to talk smack about the Steeler now will just make me and the rest of the black and yellow look silly.

[timvp]

P.S.

Thank God that the NBA isn't decided by a one game circus.

:smokin

[hussker]

Yawn...yawn...yawn...

[IceColdBrewski]

I was rooting for Pittsburgh, and yes, the refs definitely had a huge impact on the final outcome. Seattle got the short end of the stick. It should have been a much closer finish than what it turned out to be.

[Obstructed_View]

I'm a Browns and Cowboys fan, so there's no team I hate more than the Steelers, but this is ridiculous. Please don't make me sound like I'm defending them EVER again.


someone tell me seattle didn't get screwed by the officials in the sb.
Seattle didn't get screwed by the officials in the sb.


When Ben ran in for the touch, the sideline ref was about to call fourth down, then he changed his mind and called the touch. The reply clearly shows he didn't get in, yet the ref calls touchdown after review.
The line judge made the call. Only he knows what he saw, and since it's his job to make the call, you have to go with it. The replay was inconclusive, therefore the ref CANNOT reverse the call.


The touchdown catch for Darrel Jackson was negated because of a offensive pass interference. Jackson barely touched him. The ref also hesitated on that play to call.
By rule, you aren't allowed to push off, EVEN BARELY. If you do it in front of the official, you are just stupid. If the ref has trouble getting the flag out of his pocket to throw it, it doesn't suddenly make it a bad call. That was an easy call to make.


There were several other plays that the refs called in favor of pitt like on the hass fumble.
That was overturned because it was a bad call. Like the above calls, the officials went by the book and got it right.


but seattle got jobbed.
You are forgetting the Seattle fumble in the first half that was whistled dead and the Seattle fumble that was ruled incomplete. Both were potentially bad calls, were un-reviewable and would have been huge in the game.

For those that are complaining about Hasselbeck's personal foul: If you throw yourself at a runner's knees and there's a guy in front of him, that guy is called a blocker. If you make contact with him below the waist it's a pentalty. Period. I don't like it either but it's the rule.

The only call I really question in the game (that I remember) is the horse collar tackle on Alexander when he was trying to go outside. Porter clearly had his hand inside the shirt collar. So much for the Roy Williams rule. I don't think it was called a single time this year.

[Brutalis]

budweiser had the only funny ones.

and ha ha ha ha HA @ the guys in this thread getting JOBBED trying to defend the seahawks.

[Obstructed_View]

budweiser had the only funny ones.You are right about that. I'm shocked how much the commercials sucked this year. The one with the little girl thinking her daddy was dead was really terrible.

[Brutalis]

You are right about that. I'm shocked how much the commercials sucked this year. The one with the little girl thinking her daddy was dead was really terrible.
that shit was funny. i thought all the bud ones were. the rest sucked ass.

although that ESPN one with all the sports in the city was neat i guess.

[Obstructed_View]

that shit was funny. i thought all the bud ones were. the rest sucked ass.

although that ESPN one with all the sports in the city was neat i guess.
Not nearly enough Candice Michelle for my taste.
http://www.askmen.com/women/models_250/pictures_250/candice_michelle/candice_michelle_150.jpg

[baseline bum]

Hahahaha... fuck Seattle! I'll never root for that piece of shit city to win anything after the way their faggot-ass fans cheered when Tim got hurt in game 6.

[Brutalis]

Not nearly enough Candice Michelle for my taste.
http://www.askmen.com/women/models_250/pictures_250/candice_michelle/candice_michelle_150.jpg
check yer pm

[Obstructed_View]

Hahahaha... fuck Seattle! I'll never root for that piece of shit city to win anything after the way their faggot-ass fans cheered when Tim got hurt in game 6.
I thought about that too. Nice to see the spirits of Karma punish them. I'm sure they are happy as long as they have an official to blame. :)

[T Park]

they would have more than likely scored on the next down being an inch away, but

yeah, a field goal.

Would've totally changed the game.


Seattle got jobbed, just like in the Finals of 96.

[T Park]

I don't think the refs did a very good job. There were a lot of flags that were thrown when they should have just let them play.

Did the ball break the plane on the Big Ben TD? You could never clearly tell but it was too close to overturn the TD call.

The DJax offensive PI was a weak call. A one hand nudge before the ball was even close is a weak call. The defender flopped and drew it.

That holding call on Seattle was BS. Should have been Seahawks ball at the one. He hit him and the guy stumbled. There wasn't any holding involved.

The call on Hasselbeck on the tackle might be the worst call I've ever seen. The guy gets called for a low block when he makes a tackle? WTF?

All told, Seattle got the short end of the stick when it came to the judgement calls, but they still didn't play well enough to earn a Super Bowl win. S. Alexander and Stevens played soft. The Steelers weren't much better but they came up with big plays when they needed it.

pretty much my sentimates.

Except for the Big Ben touchdown.

That wasn't even close.

But, everyone wanted Pittsburgh to win so.......


You tell me, going into halftime, that game isn't way different, with it tied 3-3.

WAY different.


but what lost the game for Seattle, was their horrible management of the clock in the second quarter at the end. Pathetic.


BTW,

Philly and Seattle both lose on similar ways of play. Bad clock management.


AND BTW,

The NBA refs are getting just as bad, maybe already are as bad, so get the fuck ready for it.

[Obstructed_View]

The NBA refs are getting just as bad...
It's a good thing everybody wanted San Antonio to win.

[T Park]

???

I meant in can't get a call right form.

Watch the NBA, they are getting just as bad.


They can't get easy calls right, like the refs from the SB tonight.


Hell, I listened to it on the radio, then saw highlights later and the Seahawks got screwed.


That blocking penalty is almost as bad as the jump ball foul call back in 98 on Avery Johnson VS Kevin Johnson.

Thats a new one.

[Dre_7]

pretty much my sentimates.

Except for the Big Ben touchdown.

That wasn't even close.

But, everyone wanted Pittsburgh to win so.......


You tell me, going into halftime, that game isn't way different, with it tied 3-3.

WAY different.


but what lost the game for Seattle, was their horrible management of the clock in the second quarter at the end. Pathetic.


BTW,

Philly and Seattle both lose on similar ways of play. Bad clock management.


AND BTW,

The NBA refs are getting just as bad, maybe already are as bad, so get the fuck ready for it.

You think Cower would have kicked a field goal?

[Obstructed_View]

I'm curious to know how different the game would have been if it had been tied at halftime. The Steelers come out and get a 75 yard touchdown, hit the trick play and win 14 to 10. That's not terribly different.

[Brutalis]

You whiney phucks. Stop complaining. Can't hear you regardless with the pacifier hangin outcha mouth!

[Horry For 3!]

then why did hines ward push off and not get called for it?
I did not see Hines Ward push off, push off when?

[MI21]

It was shocking.

No way he cleared the line on that dive. That supposed "push off" was weak as fuck too.

[spurster]

Basically, the refs sucked.

Would Seattle have won if the refs were better? Probably not, but we'll never know.

Would Seattle have won if the refs gave them the calls instead of the Steelers? Probably yes. Take away a TD from the Steelers, give one to Seattle and there you have it.

[Pistons < Spurs]

Something else that no one has mentioned yet is the D Jackson catch at the end of the 2nd. He had the left foot down, ball in hand, and kicked the pilon first w/ his right foot, and then w/ his left foot. That should have been a TD. Instead, they miss a 54 yd FG.

Terrible.

[Pistons < Spurs]

I was wondering why they didn't challenge that? I guess Holmgren was tired of challanging and losing.


I may be wrong...but I believe it was under 2:00 minutes...therefore had to be done by the officials.

[tlongII]

The refs apparently wanted to see a happy ending for Jerome Bettis. Seattle was clearly the better team.

[FromWayDowntown]

They probably should just declare the game a tie and give both teams a trophy to end all of this whining.

I'd agree that there were some bad calls in that game, but its disingenous to the game to suggest that the calls were the deciding factor in the end. Seattle had plenty of chances to overcome the bad calls:

--they had 1st and 20 at the Steelers' 26 after the Jackson push was called, but ran the ball twice for -3 yards and then threw an incomplete pass;

--they had 2nd and 10 at the Steelers' 40 after Jackson was called out of bounds, but ran for 4 yards and threw incomplete, settling for a long FG attempt while ending the half holding a timeout;

--they had 1st and 20 at the Steelers' 29 after the holding call on Locklear, but gave up a ridiculous sack to a guy who hadn't had a sack in 2 years, ran the ball on 2nd and 25, and then threw an interception.

In every circumstance, despite the calls, the Seahawks had plenty of opportunities to make up for the losses and score points. Each time, they seemed to just feel sorry for themselves and did nothing to take advantage of the opportunities that remained. That's not on the officials, that's on the Seahawks.

[Jimcs50]

Seattle did get every bad call in the game...the refs were openly favorable to Pittsburgh....every media talking head agrees.

This was another horrible game because of the unfair officiating.

[Pistons < Spurs]

someones already got a petition going:

http://www.petitiononline.com/SBXLref/petition.html

[Pistons < Spurs]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5310192

Refs were far from Super in this one


This is the space where I get to crow about the frightening precision of my Super Bowl prediction.

Where I get to remind everyone that I guaranteed the Steelers would win the title after they beat the Colts. That they were the only championship-caliber team among the final four. That they would dismantle the Broncos in Denver and waylay whomever the NFC sent at them.

This is the space where I get to wag a finger at my colleague Ian O'Connor, with whom I'd waged a dueling columns battle of opposing prognostication. He picked the Seahawks and made a very strong case for them.

This is the space where I get to say, I told ya so. But I won't. I can't.

I've never felt so empty being right. I feel dirty. I wish I'd been wrong. The Steelers did not deserve to win this game. They were not the better team. O'Connor was right. Seattle was the better team.

So, Paul Tagliabue, how does a team lose when it outgains an opponent by 57 yards, controls time of possession and wins the turnover battle?

Like a crazed CIA analyst running through the halls of Langley screaming into open offices about some impending calamity, I've been shrieking hysterically about the terrible officiating in the NFL and warning that some day the brutal calls were going to affect the outcome of the Super Bowl.

That some day was Sunday.

Every single questionable, marginal or outright bad call went against the Seahawks.

Their first three big plays were all wiped out by penalty calls. On their second drive, Darrell Jackson caught an 18-yard pass on 3rd-and-6 that would have given Seattle a first down at the 23. But Chris Gray was called for holding James Farrior. When Farrior pushed upfield, Gray did hook him with his right arm, and Farrior went down. When referee Bill Levy flagged Gray, it was a bad omen for the Seahawks. Instead of being on the edge of the red zone, they came away without any points.

On their third drive, the Seahawks looked to take a 7-0 lead when Jackson separated from Chris Hope in the end zone and Matt Hasselbeck delivered a perfect strike to his outside shoulder. The back judge looked uncertain —sound familiar, Patriots fans? — then finally jerked his flag out and called offensive pass interference to wipe out the touchdown. The replay showed receiver and defender hand-fighting with Jackson getting the slightest push into Hope's chest before turning to catch the ball. ABC's John Madden thought the call was dubious. FOX analyst and all-time great offensive lineman Brian Baldinger had no doubts, calling it "absolutely horrendous" on his FOXSports.com Super Bowl Instant Analysis. ESPN's Steve Young and Michael Irvin also had no uncertainty, dismissing the call as ticky-tack and insisting the Seahawks got robbed of a TD.

Then came a huge call on the first play of the second quarter. Peter Warrick ripped off a 33-yard punt return to give Seattle the ball at the Steelers 46. But Etric Pruitt was called for holding. How clear was it? Well, Madden thought the call was for Pruitt holding the gunner at the beginning of the play. It wasn't. The flag came in during the runback and it looked pretty minor. Another example of an official searching to make a call.

So despite totally dominating the first 20 minutes of the game, the Seahawks led only 3-0.

Then came Pittsbugh's first touchdown. Whether you think Roethlisberger broke the plane of the goal line seems to depend on which team you were rooting for. The odd part was the line judge seemed to have determined that Big Ben had come up short as he ran in from the sideline. Since Roethlisberger had been pushed back well short of the goal line I don't know what he could have seen as he got closer to the pile that would have made him change his mind. But up went the arms. Had Roethlisberger been ruled short of the plane, that call would no doubt have stood too. But you figure the Black and Gold would have pounded it in from the two-inch line on fourth down so there's not that much here for Seattle fans to complain about except for the continuing storyline that every single call was going the Steelers' way. And the worst was yet to come.

The Seahawks were on the verge of taking a 17-14 lead early in the fourth quarter when officiating disaster struck. Hasselbeck had drilled a pass down the seam to Jerramy Stevens to set up first-and-goal at the one when suddenly Levy appeared in the middle of the screen to call the play back on account of holding on Sean Locklear. No less a source than newly-minted Hall of Famer John Madden came right out and said it was a bad call. This penalty was beyond ticky-tack. Baldinger called it "another terrible call" and added that the Steelers were offsides on the play. It was yet another official searching for a call, desperate to throw his flag, yearning to impact the action. Why, why, oh, why? That's 14 points the officials simply took away from the Seahawks. Incredible.

After a sack, Hasselbeck threw a pick and then was penalized 15 yards for making the tackle. I'm not kidding. The same thing happened in the Indy-Pittsburgh game in the regular season. It's like the officials become so discombobulated during the change of possession that they just randomly start throwing flags. The call was that Hasselbeck had thrown an illegal block below the waist on the return. Never mind that Hasselbeck wasn't trying to block anybody and did, in fact, make the tackle. Just another terrible call that cannot be reviewed in Paul Tagliabue's NFL.

The Steelers took quick advantage of their enhanced field position and just like that it was 21-10 Pittsburgh when it should have been 17-14 Seattle.

But the stripes weren't done.

First, they blew a fumble call on the field — of course against Seattle — before overturning it after replay. Then, with the Steelers trying to run out the clock, Levy granted Roethlisberger a timeout, even though the play clock clearly read zero before the quarterback signaled for time. It ended up being the final bad call in Seattle's coffin.

As Madden and Al Michaels watched the replay they shared a laugh about a similar bad non-call in an earlier playoff game between the Bears and Panthers. This is what it has come to: Announcers comparing the bad calls happening before them to the bad calls from earlier rounds of the playoffs. Is this really what the NFL wants?

With Cris Collinsworth lobbying for pass interference to be eligible for review on Inside the NFL after New England got jobbed in Denver; Joey Porter inveighing against the league after the game in Indy; Young and Irvin railing at halftime of the Super Bowl; Baldinger being spot-on with his Instant Analysis critique of the officials; and Madden and Michaels wondering aloud about the officiating during the game ... is anybody in the league office listening?

Or can we pretty much count on next year's playoffs being dominated by the officials too?

[Pistons < Spurs]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs05/columns/story?columnist=smith_michael&id=2320683&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos2

Game's third team upstaged Steelers, Hawks

DETROIT -- Three weeks ago, after the Steelers held on to upset Indianapolis, Joey Porter was unhappy about the overturning of Troy Polamalu's fourth-quarter interception that could have sealed the win much earlier. Believing that deep down the league preferred Peyton Manning and the Colts to win, Porter publicly criticized the game officials, asking them not to "take the game from us."

Well, the Steelers can call it even now, as the officials who performed well enough throughout the season to earn the privilege of working Super Bowl XL performed Sunday as though they were trying to make it up to the Steelers by giving them the game -- not just any game, but the biggest game. And, yes, this time the other guys, the Seahawks, cried conspiracy, only not quite as loudly as Porter.

"You know, that's what happens when the world is against you," one Seahawk said after the 21-10 loss at Ford/Heinz Field. "No one wanted us to win. They wanted Jerome Bettis to win and go out a hero, and they got it."

Seattle had its share of goats: in particular, tight end Jerramy Stevens, who dropped four balls, and kicker Josh Brown, who missed two field-goal attempts. Almost to a man, the Seahawks pointed the blame finger at themselves for converting only one of three red zone attempts (when they had been the best in the league in that area, scoring a touchdown on 71.7 percent of their trips inside the 20-yard line); for allowing Ben Roethlisberger to improvise and complete a 37-yard pass to game MVP Hines Ward to the 1; for giving up a 75-yard touchdown run to Willie Parker; and for getting beaten by a trick play on Antwaan Randle El's pass to fellow receiver Ward for a touchdown, a first in Super Bowl history. If you read between the lines, though, they pretty much spelled out in bold letters that they had plenty of help in handing Pittsburgh its fifth Lombardi Trophy.

Namely, the boys in black and white.

"Those things are out of our control," Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said of the three major penalties that helped change the game completely. Not saying the outcome of the game would have been any different, but for sure it would have been a different game. "That's the way [the officials] called them," Hasselbeck continued. "The Steelers played well enough to win tonight, and we didn't. They should get credit. It's disappointing, it's hard, but what are you going to do?"

Here's what referee Bill Leavy's crew did, point blank: It robbed Seattle. The Seahawks could have played better, sure. They could have done more to overcome the poor officiating. We understand that those things happen and all, but even with all the points Seattle left on the field, there's a good chance the Seahawks would have scored more than the Steelers if the officials had let the players play.

In the biggest game of the year, the biggest game in sports, even, the officials were just a little too visible. In that regard, the Super Bowl provided a fitting conclusion to a postseason packed with pitiful performances by the game's third team. There were incorrect down-by-contact rulings in both NFC wild-card games; a touchdown that could have gone either way and should have gone the other way -- in favor of Tampa Bay -- in the Bucs' loss to the Redskins; the Patriots got no love in Denver in being hit with a bogus pass interference penalty and not catching a break on Champ Bailey's fumble at the goal line that looked as though it could have been a touchback; and, of course, the Polamalu play.

Still, what happened to the Seahawks wasn't the same as, say, New England going into Denver and playing badly (five turnovers) on top of the bad calls. Seattle gained almost 400 yards and turned it over just once.

You see, you can spend weeks -- and we did; two, in fact -- analyzing and dissecting matchups and giving each team the edge in certain areas and trying to figure out how the game is going to play out, but the two things you can't account for are turnovers and officials. The latter were the X-factor Sunday. Edge: Steelers.

It actually was a fairly clean game from a penalty standpoint, without a whole lot of yellow on the field -- 10 accepted penalties between the teams. Seven were against the Seahawks, though, a team that tied with Indianapolis for the second-fewest penalties (94) in the regular season. But those calls against the Seahawks stuck out like the Space Needle on the Seattle skyline.

Consider: 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.

Hasselbeck hit Darrell Jackson with an apparent 16-yard scoring pass in the first quarter, but the play came back when Jackson was called for offensive pass interference. It was a touch foul. Jackson extended his arm, yes, but both players were fighting for position, and he didn't create any separation by doing so. It was like a referee calling a hand-check in a key moment of Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

The Seahawks had to settle for three instead of seven.

Still, that was early, and that one didn't change the game as much as did a holding call against Sean Locklear early in the fourth quarter with Pittsburgh leading 14-10. That one wiped out an 18-yard catch by Stevens that would have taken the ball to the 1. Locklear supposedly held Clark Haggans, so instead of first-and-goal at the 1 and the chance to complete a 98-yard touchdown drive and take a three-point lead, Seattle faced first-and-20 at the 29.

Three plays later, Ike Taylor picked off a Hasselbeck pass, and Hasselbeck went low to make the tackle on Taylor's return and was called for a 15-yard personal foul for a low block. The Steelers set up shop at their 44. That one right there made no sense.

Pittsburgh likes to run its trick plays in the middle of the field. Boom! Four plays later, from Seattle's 43, Randle El took a reverse and threw a sweet strike on the run to Ward. It was 21-10, and that was all she wrote. Everyone knows how important it is to play Pittsburgh with a lead or with the score tied. The Steelers don't lose when they're up by 11.

Eleven just so happens to be the total points taken away by bogus calls. Some penalties meant points; others meant field position. A holding call in the second quarter negated Peter Warrick's 34-yard punt return that would have started Seattle in Pittsburgh territory.

By contrast, the Steelers might have gotten a break on Roethlisberger's 1-yard touchdown plunge on third-and-goal in the second quarter. Leavy reviewed the play under the booth's orders, since it occurred inside the two-minute mark, and while still photos of an airborne Roethlisberger showed that the ball might have broken the plane of the goal line, he landed short of it and reached the ball over. It was close. Head linesman Mark Hittner didn't seem so sure of it, hesitating before signaling touchdown.

"I don't think he scored," Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said.

It was that kind of evening for the Seahawks, who represent a town where residents know all too well that when it rains, it pours. If having what seemed like 90 percent of the 68,200 in attendance waving Terrible Towels wasn't enough to make Seattle feel as though it was playing on the road, the officials called it as though the Seahawks actually were.

Pittsburgh capitalized on its opportunities. And guys like Bill Cowher, Ward, Dan Rooney and The Bus are all very deserving of a championship -- and it's nice to see them win one -- but it would have been better had it not happened like this. It's like the Seahawks said: Not taking anything away from the Steelers, but keep it real.

"We had a touchdown taken away from us, the first one we scored," said Hasselbeck, who was measured in his words but clear in his frustration, "and then we had the ball at the 1-yard line, they called a penalty on us. That was unfortunate."

"I thought they were offside [on the play Locklear was called for holding]," center Robbie Tobeck said. "I thought we had a free play on because they had two guys come across. You know, that's the game. In a game, there's situations you have to overcome, and all night long we didn't do a good job of overcoming those things, and that's something we've done all year."

In the offseason, 31 teams will be back at the drawing board, evaluating what they need to do to knock off the Steelers in the fall. After the postseason they just had, Mike Pereira and the NFL's crew of officials would be wise to take a long, hard look at themselves. It's a real shame when, on the game's biggest stage, the major players aren't players at all. We saw too much of the third team in Super Bowl XL and not enough Seahawks and Steelers.

Michael Smith is a senior writer for ESPN.com.

[FromWayDowntown]

It's just a bunch of whining. I'll take Hasselbeck's word over that of columnists who never played the game. Seattle could have overcome bad calls, but didn't. Champions survive adversity and get the job done. Seattle didn't get the job done despite ample opportunity to do so. End of story.

[tlongII]

It's just a bunch of whining. I'll take Hasselbeck's word over that of columnists who never played the game. Seattle could have overcome bad calls, but didn't. Champions survive adversity and get the job done. Seattle didn't get the job done despite ample opportunity to do so. End of story.

That's ridiculous. The refs CLEARLY gave this game to Pittsburgh. How many times should the Seahawks have to overcome bad calls? Why didn't the Steelers have to overcome any bad calls? To call this whining is disingenuous.

[IceColdBrewski]

By Skip Bayless
Page 2


DETROIT -- Dear Seahawks fans:


I've been tough on your team the last few weeks. I've called your club the Sea Frauds and said they didn't belong in a Super Bowl. After watching Sunday night's game, I believe that more than ever.

But, as I've also written, your team was blessed all the way to Detroit. This was the first Super Bowl that found itself with two Cinderella stories. These Steelers, the AFC's bottom seed, weren't exactly Terry Bradshaw's Steelers of the late '70s.

But although these Steelers were favored by 4 -- and although I picked them 24-14 -- I'm not sure they deserved to win this game.

And after spending a week in Detroit, I thought the city had cleaned up most of its crime.

The first-quarter offensive pass interference called on Darrell Jackson that turned a touchdown into a field goal was robbery enough. But the fourth-quarter holding call on Sean Locklear made you wonder whether the refs had even less of Aretha's r-e-s-p-E-c-t for your Seahawks than I do.

At that point, your guys had overcome enough mistakes to get blown out in most Super Bowls. In fact, this one had nearly gotten out of hand midway through the third quarter, when the Steelers drove to a first-and-10 at your 11-yard line with a 14-3 lead. But on third-and-6 from the 7, Ben Roethlisberger tossed a throw into the flat that cost him the MVP award and nearly caused coach Bill Cowher's head to explode.

It was, of course, picked off by backup cornerback Kelly Herndon and returned 76 yards. Matt Hasselbeck's 16-yard touchdown fling to Jerramy Stevens rather shockingly turned what looked like a 21-3 game into a 14-10 margin.

And suddenly your Seahawks were going to Motown.

Momentum Town.

The Seahawks forced another Pittsburgh punt, and here they came again. Hasselbeck still makes me nervous because he always looks as if he's running a frantic two-minute offense. But the biggest surprise of this game was how much time Walter Jones and Co. were giving him to throw. Blitzburg, schmitzburg. Your guys had continually knocked the bullies back on their heels and turned down the volume of a Ford Field crowd that looked and sounded more like a Heinz Field crowd.

Joey Porter, the loudest Steeler, was having the quietest game.

And on first-and-10 at the Steelers' 19, Hasselbeck had enough time to listen to Smokey Robinson and the Miracles' "Second that Emotion" before firing another strike to Porter's favorite pregame target -- Stevens. Eighteen-yard completion! First-and-goal at the 2! Seattle about to take a 17-14 lead!

I could almost hear Mount Rainier erupting.

But on this night, the Steelers had their own version of your 12th Man. He wore a striped shirt and a whistle. He threw a flag.

And Locklear went down in Seahawks history.

Way down.

Until the week before the NFC Championship Game, I barely knew who Locklear was. But he made national news by being charged with domestic violence after an incident with his girlfriend outside a Seattle nightclub. He did a couple of nights in jail, but coach Mike Holmgren allowed him to play pending his Feb. 13 hearing.

Now Locklear will be forever remembered in your fair city for an entirely different reason.

Holding, No. 75!

On the replay, I couldn't see Locklear do anything different from what most linemen do on every play. These days, you have to tackle to hold, and Locklear didn't tackle.

Phantom, killer penalty.

Your guys wound up in a third-and-18, and Hasselbeck cut loose one of his mystery balls that Ike Taylor intercepted, as he should have in the first quarter. Worse, Hasselbeck was wrongly flagged for a below-the-waist block when he was trying to make the tackle. Hasselbeck was punished 15 more yards.

At that point, your guys seemed to be hanging their heads as if they had decided the NFL just couldn't live with them winning its showcase game.

Moments later, it took another Pittsburgh trick play -- a reverse pass by Antwaan Randle El to Hines Ward for a 43-yard touchdown -- to basically ice the game on a snowy night. That made it 21-10, and that's the way it stayed.

Too bad your Seahawks didn't have Porter in their postgame locker room. Had he been a Seahawk, he surely would have filled tapes and notebooks telling the media how the refs stole the game.

Jackson definitely gave Steelers safety Chris Hope a little push. But it didn't give Jackson enough of an advantage to prompt a penalty. The ref called it only after Hope turned and begged for it.

That cost your team four points, a little momentum and a little more psychological edge. The Pittsburgh offense isn't built to come from behind or to win a shootout. A 7-0 Seattle lead would have tightened the Steelers' throats more than 3-0 would have.

The holding call on Locklear clearly cost your Seahawks seven more points. Four plus seven equals 11 -- Pittsburgh's margin of victory. And who knows how the Steelers would have responded if they had suddenly found themselves behind early in the fourth quarter?

No, I haven't yet mentioned Roethlisberger's dive for the goal line that was ruled a touchdown late in the first half -- and upheld after a replay review. To me, it looked as if the nose of the ball barely crossed the white line while Roethlisberger was airborne. Either way, it was so close that it was inconclusive and didn't warrant a touchdown reversal.

Besides, the odds were that Pittsburgh could have scored on fourth-and-inches. Then again, Cowher can be so conservative that he might have opted for the field goal that would have only tied the score 3-3.

The Jackson play, the Roethlisberger play, the Locklear play -- as the Rolling Stones sang in their halftime finale, you couldn't get no satisfaction, Seahawks fans.

Your team had only one turnover to Pittsburgh's two … and your team lost.

Your team held Roethlisberger to a 9-for-21 night for only 123 yards, with two interceptions … and your team lost.

Your Shaun Alexander surprised me by running for almost 100 yards (95 on 25 carries) … and your team lost.

Your offense had almost 400 yards (396) against that vaunted Steelers defense … and your team lost.

In the end, it lost because of two bad calls and because Pittsburgh simply made three or four more good plays. The Steelers converted 8 of 15 third downs to your 5 of 17. Too many drops and near-TD catches, too many off-target flings by Hasselbeck at crucial times, too much high-schoolish clock management by the quarterback and coach at the end of the half and game.

I'm sorry, I still don't think he's a top-echelon quarterback. Then again, I'm not convinced Roethlisberger is the next Elway.

The play he made that salvaged a first-half lead for the Steelers -- the scramble left and deep heave from barely behind the line of scrimmage -- should have been batted down or even intercepted by your safety Michael Boulware. Instead, Boulware made a poor play on the ball and Ward caught it.

On Randle El's trick touchdown pass -- Pittsburgh's best pass of the night -- your cornerback Marcus Trufant took a bad angle and ran underneath it.

So two bad plays by your defensive backs helped Ward -- who had dropped two passes, including one that should have been a touchdown -- win the MVP award. Oh, well, it was the kind of game that should have been played in Week 9. The Steelers didn't have one player on offense or defense who was clearly the difference maker.

Your Seahawks lost this game a little more than Pittsburgh won it.

Your defense battled its guts out and mostly stuffed Pittsburgh's run. But one breakdown allowed Willie Parker to escape untouched for a 75-yard TD. You can't overcome mistakes like that in a game like this.

But, no, you can't overcome 11 lost points worth of penalties, either. On this night, you belonged in the Super Bowl as much as Pittsburgh did, for what that's worth.

On this night, the only frauds wore stripes.

[Jimcs50]

That's ridiculous. The refs CLEARLY gave this game to Pittsburgh. How many times should the Seahawks have to overcome bad calls? Why didn't the Steelers have to overcome any bad calls? To call this whining is disingenuous.


This is true..you can overcome 1 bad call, but when teams are evenly matched...it is impossible to overcome 4 or 5 bad calls.


I hate the officials....they cost me $500

[FromWayDowntown]

That's ridiculous. The refs CLEARLY gave this game to Pittsburgh. How many times should the Seahawks have to overcome bad calls? Why didn't the Steelers have to overcome any bad calls? To call this whining is disingenuous.

It would have been one thing if the calls you question had all come on 3rd downs or put the Seahawks in impossible situations. But in every instance, the Hawks had several downs and were in scoring position. They did nothing with those circumstances. I understand the concern for this happening several times, but still, the Seahawks were in scoring position in each situation and in those 3 situations, they came away with a total of 3 points. Suck it up and execute.

What I thought was telling of the game was that instead of focusing on how poorly his team executed in the latter parts of the first half, Holmgren went after the officials on a call that nobody can say was conclusively wrong or not. At most, there was some evidence in a replay to show that Roethisberger may or may not have gotten in -- anyone who says the replays conclusively showed he didn't break the plane is imagining things; anyone who says that the replays conclusively showed he got in is imagining things, too. But the official made a call and the rules of the game say that unless there is indisputable visual proof to overturn the call, the call must stand. I defy anyone to explain to me how there was indisputable proof that the ball did not break the plane as Roethisberger leaned to the goalline.

[Dre_7]

http://www.punkyschildcare.com/infantsntots/crying.jpg

People need to just stop! PIT was the better team. There were not "4 or 5 bad calls" the refs did not hand the game to PIT. JUST STOP!

[Peter]

Seattle did get jobbed by the calls. This isn't to say they would've won had the refs not fucked up, but those two calls (interference in the end zone and holding on the completed pass to the Pitt 1) basically took 14 points off the board for the Seahawks.

I didn't have a team in this SB, so I feel that my perspective is fairly objective. It's a shame that here in 2006, when multiple views of every play are available via replay, that such obvious human error could have such an impact on the game. This SB was a joke.

[tlongII]

It would have been one thing if the calls you question had all come on 3rd downs or put the Seahawks in impossible situations. But in every instance, the Hawks had several downs and were in scoring position. They did nothing with those circumstances. I understand the concern for this happening several times, but still, the Seahawks were in scoring position in each situation and in those 3 situations, they came away with a total of 3 points. Suck it up and execute.

What I thought was telling of the game was that instead of focusing on how poorly his team executed in the latter parts of the first half, Holmgren went after the officials on a call that nobody can say was conclusively wrong or not. At most, there was some evidence in a replay to show that Roethisberger may or may not have gotten in -- anyone who says the replays conclusively showed he didn't break the plane is imagining things; anyone who says that the replays conclusively showed he got in is imagining things, too. But the official made a call and the rules of the game say that unless there is indisputable visual proof to overturn the call, the call must stand. I defy anyone to explain to me how there was indisputable proof that the ball did not break the plane as Roethisberger leaned to the goalline.

The fact of the matter is that ALL of the questionable calls went the Steelers way. That was ridiculous.

[Spurs rock]

I wonder if the Steelers will give Super Bowl rings to the refs.

[TheAdmiral#50]

I didn't like either team..just Love football, but Steelers are the SuperBowl Champs....What is all this debate?

No one's talking about Willie Parker's 75 yard TD Run on the second play in the 3rd! The refs must of been blocking for him as well. No ones talking about that insane reverse pass to Ward from Randle El.

I think overall, Seattle moved the ball better and overall looked like the better team. I think Seattle did get screwed on some calls, but they still had oppurtunity to win, and blew those chances themselves. They did everything well except the 3 drop passes, 2 missed field goals and the time clock. They still could have taken care of business had they not made those mistakes themselves.

I think reguardless of what the refs do, you still have to make your oppurtunities count. Seattle made the best of 1 or 2 oppurtunities outta several and Pittsburgh made the best of 3 outta 4. I hate the ref's calls too, and they were in this game WAY more than they had to be, but the Seahawks did not help themselves either.

[tlongII]

I didn't like either team..just Love football, but Steelers are the SuperBowl Champs....What is all this debate?

No one's talking about Willie Parker's 75 yard TD Run on the second play in the 3rd! The refs must of been blocking for him as well. No ones talking about that insane reverse pass to Ward from Randle El.

I think overall, Seattle moved the ball better and overall looked like the better team. I think Seattle did get screwed on some calls, but they still had oppurtunity to win, and blew those chances themselves. They did everything well except the 3 drop passes, 2 missed field goals and the time clock. They still could have taken care of business had they not made those mistakes themselves.

I think reguardless of what the refs do, you still have to make your oppurtunities count. Seattle made the best of 1 or 2 oppurtunities outta several and Pittsburgh made the best of 3 outta 4. I hate the ref's calls too, and they were in this game WAY more than they had to be, but the Seahawks did not help themselves either.

The Seahawks DID make plays when they needed to. Unfortunately the refs decided to negate the plays.

[ducks]

THIS WAS THE WORSE REF SUPERBOWL I rember
I am not a fan for either team

[jcrod]

IT's funny that the people whining about people whining, are the ones probably WHINING when the Spurs get jobbed.

The Seahawks got robbed, plain and simple. I don't remember seeing and reading so many media (some ex-players) outlets saying they got Robbed. The Seahawks won every aspect of the game yards and defense, but kept getting TD or potential TD's taking away.

If Ross CLEARLY passed the pane, why was the ball far away from the goaline when he landed. He didn't get pushed back in midair, he basically went straight down.

The pass interference on D-Jack was bad, he was basically feeling for the corner, no way did he push off.

That was not holding on the O-line when it should've been 1st and 1. And no way Hassleback should've had that call on him for a low block.

It's amazing Seatle was still in this game, these examples show a 21pt turnaround. and I don't like either team.

[Marklar MM]

In other news, Detroit might be back in the Super Bowl rotation. WOOOOT.

[Marklar MM]

On the Big Ben touchdown. Personally, I believe he made it. While when he was on the ground he was not in the end zone, the ball clearly was on the line while he was in the air.

[TheAdmiral#50]

The Seahawks DID make plays when they needed to. Unfortunately the refs decided to negate the plays.

The Steelers made big plays when they needed and the Seahawks didn't. Do I think the game may have ended differently had some crucial penalties not been called?..of course.

The Steelers won and despite not being a Steelers fan, I am happy for Cowher and Bettis. They are some class act Guys and have put in more than their dues to finally get one. No one can say anything bad about the Steelers, all they are guilty of is playing hard.

Congrats.

[IceColdBrewski]

These are the results so far from the espn poll.






1) What grade would you give referee Bill Leavy's officiating crew for Super Bowl XL?

46.4% F
26.4% D
15.4% C
9.9% B
2.0% A


2) How do you rate the overall state of officiating in the NFL?

35.5% Average
30.7% Bad
21.2% Good
10.7% Abysmal
1.9% Excellent


3) Did the officiating in Sunday's game unfairly favor one team?

77.7% Unfairly favored the Steelers
17.4% The right calls were made
4.9% Unfairly favored the Seahawks


4) Which played the biggest role in determining the outcome of the game?

54.3% Officials missing calls
31.1% Seahawks not making plays
14.5% Steelers making plays


5) Do you think the official made the right call on Darrell Jackson's offensive pass interference in the endzone, negating a Seattle touchdown in the first quarter?

72.5% No
21.5% Yes
6.0% I'm not sure


6) Do you think the football broke the plane of the goal line on Ben Roethlisberger's touchdown run in the second quarter?

56.7% No
27.9% Yes
15.5% I'm not sure


7) Do you think the official made the right call on Sean Locklear's holding penalty in the fourth quarter, negating an 18-yard reception to the one-yard line by Jerramy Stevens?

73.2% No
16.0% Yes
10.8% I'm not sure


8) Do you feel that you understand what constitutes a ''football move'' on plays involving potential fumbles?

62.8% Yes
37.2% No


9) How much would creating full-time officiating positions, instead of the current part-time positions, help improve the quality of NFL officiating?

44.6% A lot
42.4% A little
13.0% Not at all


10) Which major sport has the best officials?

43.7% MLB
22.6% NHL
20.9% NBA
12.8% NFL


Total Votes: 43,520


Judging by the number of journalists who wrote about the terrible officiating, as well as the results of this poll, it's pretty obvious that there were more than just a handfull of us who actually watched this game with our eyes open.

[Dre_7]

http://www.punkyschildcare.com/infantsntots/crying.jpg

[Horry For 3!]

10) Which major sport has the best officials?

43.7% MLB
22.6% NHL
20.9% NBA
12.8% NFL
That is pretty true. MLB officials are pretty damn good. They mess up every now and then but not very often and plus they don't have replay.

[Spurminator]

MLB Officials have less opportunity to screw up. There's not as much to watch, and their calls have less of an impact on the game than in any other sport.

In Hockey, Basketball, and Football, you could probably call some kind of penalty on every play and it's up to the officials to choose which ones to call.

In baseball, usually the calls are pretty obvious, except on certain balls and strikes and some bang-bang plays at a base.

[FromWayDowntown]

IT's funny that the people whining about people whining, are the ones probably WHINING when the Spurs get jobbed.

I dispute calls that are made in some NBA games, but I don't believe that I've ever suggested that the Spurs lost a game because of an official's call. You control what you can control. Teams can't control officials. If officials make bad calls, you have to overcome those calls. If you can't overcome the bad calls, then you don't win.

I always think it's bad form to blame officiating for an outcome.

[spurster]

1) What grade would you give referee Bill Leavy's officiating crew for Super Bowl XL?

I can't decide between D and F. They did reverse the Seattle almost fumble.


2) How do you rate the overall state of officiating in the NFL?

Good in general, but bad in the playoffs.


3) Did the officiating in Sunday's game unfairly favor one team?

I don't think the officials intentionally favored the Steelers. It's just that all the bad calls went on Seattle.


4) Which played the biggest role in determining the outcome of the game?

Biggest? Steelers making plays, followed closely by the officials.


5) Do you think the official made the right call on Darrell Jackson's offensive pass interference in the endzone, negating a Seattle touchdown in the first quarter?

Yes. The receiver stiff-armed the defender right in front of the ref. Hard not to call that.


6) Do you think the football broke the plane of the goal line on Ben Roethlisberger's touchdown run in the second quarter?

You wouldn't have been able to reverse a call either way. That's how close it was.


7) Do you think the official made the right call on Sean Locklear's holding penalty in the fourth quarter, negating an 18-yard reception to the one-yard line by Jerramy Stevens?

No, definitely no.


8) Do you feel that you understand what constitutes a ''football move'' on plays involving potential fumbles?

No. I guess I wasn't listening close enough.


9) How much would creating full-time officiating positions, instead of the current part-time positions, help improve the quality of NFL officiating?

It would a lot, just like it does in the NBA :).


10) Which major sport has the best officials?

MLB

[rayray2k8]

Its amazing how people forget what the steelers did by beating the 1, 2 and 3 seed, on the road mind you, and yet people think want to take that away that from them with this retarded thread. For shame
THE STEELERS WERE THE BETTER TEAM YOU BASTARD SEAHAWK FANS! GET OVER IT! Go back to the NorthWest and become forgotten... AGAIN!

[IceColdBrewski]

I always think it's bad form to blame officiating for an outcome.

So do I most of the time. But for those of us who were hoping for the exciting, toughly contested, and fairly refereed game that it should have been, this one is a little too much to ignore. And like I said before, I was pulling for Pittsburgh. But above rooting for the Steelers, I was hoping for a good game. All I ever ask from the officials is that it's called the same for both teams. Want to be a hardass? Fine, but be a hardass for both teams. Wanna let em play? Even better. But make sure you let both teams play instead of just one.

As it stands now, this was arguably the most tainted, forgettable, uninteresting, referee dominated game I've seen in the last 25 Super Bowls.

Highly questionable, and imblanced officiating robbed us of a good finish to this football season. Plain and simple. What was supposed to be the grand finale of a long football season, turned out to be nothing more than a fizzle. Go ahead and ignore it if you like. But us old school football fans can remember a time when the refs let em play, and the game was decided amongst the players on the field. Not amongst confused, one-sided officiating.

[ducks]

Like I Said Worse Ref Superbowl Ever

[T Park]

Me and Icecold agree 1000000000%

[Obstructed_View]

Something else that no one has mentioned yet is the D Jackson catch at the end of the 2nd. He had the left foot down, ball in hand, and kicked the pilon first w/ his right foot, and then w/ his left foot. That should have been a TD. Instead, they miss a 54 yd FG.

Terrible.
No, sorry. He has to be in bounds. The pylon marks the plane of the goal line. You aren't in bounds if you kick it.

[Pistons < Spurs]

No, sorry. He has to be in bounds. The pylon marks the plane of the goal line. You aren't in bounds if you kick it.


It happened earlier this year with M Vick.

The talked about it on ESPN and said it fell under the same ruling as the Vick scenario.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/games/2005-12-13-falcons-saints_x.htm?POE=SPOISVA

Vick gave the lead back to Atlanta with his 2-yard dive for the pylon, capping a drive that included a 36-yard pass to Brian Finneran.

"Because Mike Vick told me to," Mora told The Associated Press. "He said 'Challenge it, we'll win it.' You listen to what No. 7 says."

The run was ruled a touchdown after replays showed Vick kept his leg in bounds as his body flew over the pylon, the ball in his hands.

"It is hard to defend the quarterback," said Saints coach Jim Haslett. "He does a great job. He made a nice play. I guess his hand touched the pylon. I thought the ball was outside the pylon, but if any part of your body touches the pylon it is a touchdown."

[Obstructed_View]

It happened earlier this year with M Vick.

The talked about it on ESPN and said it fell under the same ruling as the Vick scenario.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/games/2005-12-13-falcons-saints_x.htm?POE=SPOISVA
Whoever was talking about it on ESPN was incorrect, if this was indeed what they were suggesting. Vick was in bounds with posession of the ball and went across the pylon. Since the NFL goal line extends to infinity and vick crossed it before touching down out of bounds it was ruled a touchdown. If a receiver hasn't caught the ball and gotten two feet down in the field of play, nothing he does after that matters. A player that was never in bounds never had possession of the ball, and a player without possession of the ball cannot possibly score a touchdown. The pylon is in bounds only as a marker. It does not extend the field of play onto its surface.

[Dre_7]

Whoever was talking about it on ESPN was incorrect, if this was indeed what they were suggesting. Vick was in bounds with posession of the ball and went across the pylon. Since the NFL goal line extends to infinity and vick crossed it before touching down out of bounds it was ruled a touchdown. If a receiver hasn't caught the ball and gotten two feet down in the field of play, nothing he does after that matters. A player that was never in bounds never had possession of the ball, and a player without possession of the ball cannot possibly score a touchdown. The pylon is in bounds only as a marker.

Exactly. Otherwise guys could catch the ball in the endzone with one foot out of bounds at the side of the endzone. You have to catch the ball with both feet in bounds. It was a good call. Stop looking for more excuses please.

[TexasAggie2005]

MLB Officials have less opportunity to screw up. There's not as much to watch, and their calls have less of an impact on the game than in any other sport.

In Hockey, Basketball, and Football, you could probably call some kind of penalty on every play and it's up to the officials to choose which ones to call.

In baseball, usually the calls are pretty obvious, except on certain balls and strikes and some bang-bang plays at a base.

I've seen some pretty oddly shaped strike zones though.

[MannyIsGod]

The Seahawks DID make plays when they needed to. Unfortunately the refs decided to negate the plays.Really? Like those 2 end of half drives? Like those 2 missed field goals?

Give it a fucking rest. Seattle blew this shit.

[Spurminator]

I've seen some pretty oddly shaped strike zones though.

No doubt, there will always be umpires like Eric Gregg who will find SOME way to screw up a baseball game... But they're very rare.

[tlongII]

Really? Like those 2 end of half drives? Like those 2 missed field goals?

Give it a fucking rest. Seattle blew this shit.


How many fucking plays do they need to make? Darrell Jackson should have had a TD. They should have had the ball on the 1 yard line in the 2nd half. Both got called back erroneously. Why not call back Willie Parker's 75 yard run or Pitt's trick play? That would make it even.

[TheAdmiral#50]

I've seen some pretty oddly shaped strike zones though.

HAHAHA, QFT!

:lol

[Obstructed_View]

How many fucking plays do they need to make? Darrell Jackson should have had a TD. They should have had the ball on the 1 yard line in the 2nd half. Both got called back erroneously. Why not call back Willie Parker's 75 yard run or Pitt's trick play? That would make it even.
Jackson should have had a TD, but he pushed off. Are you saying he didn't? It looked pretty obvious to me. If he didn't need to push off to gain an advantage, then WHY DID HE DO IT RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE OFFICIAL? Why is it the official's fault that he called it? The guy pushed the defender away. Even if the defender flopped, he didn't put Jackson's hand on him. If there was no need for the contact, then the guy who initiated it is responsible for the fact that it was called.

It's the same with the hold. The guy was holding. Was the official supposed to take into account the fact that it might really be bad for Seattle if he threw the flag? No. The ball should not have been on the one yard line because the quarterback should have gotten hit by the defenseman, who couldn't get there because he was held.

You people are unbelievable.

[tlongII]

Jackson should have had a TD, but he pushed off. Are you saying he didn't? It looked pretty obvious to me. If he didn't need to push off to gain an advantage, then WHY DID HE DO IT RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE OFFICIAL? Why is it the official's fault that he called it? The guy pushed the defender away. Even if the defender flopped, he didn't put Jackson's hand on him. If there was no need for the contact, then the guy who initiated it is responsible for the fact that it was called.

It's the same with the hold. The guy was holding. Was the official supposed to take into account the fact that it might really be bad for Seattle if he threw the flag? No. The ball should not have been on the one yard line because the quarterback should have gotten hit by the defenseman, who couldn't get there because he was held.

You people are unbelievable.


Do you know ANYTHING about football? That call on D-Jack was bogus! There was very little contact and you never see that call made. The holding call was simply non-existant. It didn't occur. The ref made it up. You are the unbelievable one.

[Obstructed_View]

Do you know ANYTHING about football? That call on D-Jack was bogus! There was very little contact and you never see that call made. The holding call was simply non-existant. It didn't occur. The ref made it up. You are the unbelievable one.
I obviously know more about football than you do, because pass interference calls are made every single week in the NFL. There's nothing in the rulebook about "Very little contact" being acceptable. If you go back and watch it (as I am doing while typing this) it was a big enough push to create the separation he needed. Again, if the player didn't gain an advantage from it, he should have just caught the ball and gotten his six points instead of initiating contact and pushing off right in front of the official.

I'm now watching the second play you've been complaining about. Sorry to tell you, but Sean Locklear held. He had him by the jersey under the arm. The ONLY reason Clark Haggans didn't get a sack on that play is because Locklear held him up. You aren't allowed to grab a fistful of jersey.

It also happened on first down so Seattle had plenty of time to show up. They didn't. Seattle, in my opinion, should have gotten a first down later in that series because Joey Porter horsecollared Alexander. It's all moot since the series ended with Hasselbeck throwing a terrible pass directly to the defender. Was that the officials' fault too?

I'd suggest that you were conveniently forgetting the two Seattle turnovers that were whistled dead and ruled incomplete, making both un-reviewable, but you seem to only want to argue the calls that cost Seattle big plays, so that seems unnecessary.

[IceColdBrewski]

You people are unbelievable.

What's unbelievable are people like you (that happen to be part of a very distinct minority by the way) who actually think the game's outcome wasn't severely impacted by the shoddy, inconsistent, and overzealous officiating in favor of pittsburgh. Next time watch the game with your eyes open. It's a whole different experience.

On a side note, did anyone catch Big Ben's interview with David Letterman? He said himself that he didn't think he made into the endzone, and told Cowher the same. :wow

I personally thought he probably (no clear eveidence from the replays) made it in by one RCH, based on his forward momentum. But it's interesting to hear from the guy who was actually carrying the ball say that he didn't think he made it.

[DisgruntledLionFan#54,927]

Do you know ANYTHING about football? That call on D-Jack was bogus! There was very little contact and you never see that call made. The holding call was simply non-existant. It didn't occur. The ref made it up. You are the unbelievable one.

Not entirely true. They've made the offensive PI call more so this year than any year I can remember.

It's not a bogus call, just an inconsistent one.

[tlongII]

Locklear was not holding.

[Obstructed_View]

What's unbelievable are people like you (that happen to be part of a very distinct minority by the way) who actually think the game's outcome wasn't severely impacted by the shoddy, inconsistent, and overzealous officiating in favor of pittsburgh. Next time watch the game with your eyes open. It's a whole different experience.
First of all, just because the kooks and the morons and the people that repeat things they hear other people say are making mountains out of this particular molehill doesn't mean that they constitute the majority of people. In addition, the vast majority of people who watch the Super Bowl are not really football fans and don't understand the difference between a false start and offsides. Inferring that my logic, which I've spelled out quite clearly over and over again, based upon watching the plays in question over and over again is somehow a result of blindness is laughable.

I've been saying for a while that the officiating in the NFL has been terrible, particularly since instant replay was brought back, but the Super Bowl wasn't as badly officiated as many of the other playoff games this year. There were still the two plays that should probably have been turnovers for the Steelers, so any problem in the officiating wasn't in favor of the Steelers.

But that's not the part I think is unbelievable.

The unbelievable part to me is the people on this board, who are supposed to be sports fans, and therefore more knowledgable than non-sports fans, think that Seattle should have been allowed to break the rules in order to win the game because they broke the rules 'just a little'. Everyone agrees that Jackson pushed off, but they seem to think that the degree of pushing off, even though the push-off resulted in a touchdown, should have been overlooked. The offensive lineman, with a fistfull of jersey, slowed up the pass rusher just enough to allow a big completion, but he should have been allowed to do it because it wasn't obvious on the replay angle shown on TV.

I thought that Ben didn't get in, but the replay shows what looks like a lace of the ball in his grasp and it looks like it might be across the plane. It's not difinitive so it wasn't enough to reverse any call made on the field. It's obviously close enough that nobody can say for sure. It might have been a bad call, but it's not nearly the scandal some would make it.[/QUOTE]

[Obstructed_View]

Locklear was not holding.
He was grasping the rusher's jersey. By rule it's a hold. If you want to be a homer that's fine, but read the rulebook.

[tlongII]

He was grasping the rusher's jersey. By rule it's a hold. If you want to be a homer that's fine, but read the rulebook.

Bullshit. All O-lineman grab the jersey. If it's inside the shoulders it is not called.

[Obstructed_View]

Bullshit. All O-lineman grab the jersey. If it's inside the shoulders it is not called.
If all O-lineman grabbed the jersey, they'd get called for it. He also hooked the rusher under his arm to impede his progress, which is also a hold. Again, you should just admit that you think the rules shouldn't apply to the Seahawks.

[Horry For 3!]

As all the ESPN analysis have said.....You need to just get the fuck over it already. Superbowl is over, you didn't do good enough to win, you just gotta get over it and work harder next year.

To tlong: GET THE FUCK OVER IT! Steelers = Superbowl Champions

It is already a new year now for football.

[TheAdmiral#50]

Found this on another site... :lol

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v661/payton34smith22/STUFF/stealer.jpg

[tlongII]

If all O-lineman grabbed the jersey, they'd get called for it. He also hooked the rusher under his arm to impede his progress, which is also a hold. Again, you should just admit that you think the rules shouldn't apply to the Seahawks.

Bullshit. You apparently don't watch O-linemen.

[hussker]

http://tn3-1.deviantart.com/fs8/300W/i/2005/278/f/7/The_fox_and_the_grapes_by_canidae.jpg


HOLMGREN'S FABLES

[dbestpro]

Anyone consider the irony of someone named obstructed view defending the superbowl refs?

[IceColdBrewski]

Anyone consider the irony of someone named obstructed view defending the superbowl refs?

Methinks maybe rose collored glasses were his only obstruction on Super Bowl Sunday.

[Obstructed_View]

Methinks you guys have nothing if all you can do is take shots at my handle. In the land of the blind, the obstructed view is king. To paraphrase Mark Cuban, I own you.

[IceColdBrewski]

Methinks you guys have nothing if all you can do is take shots at my handle. In the land of the blind, the obstructed view is king. To paraphrase Mark Cuban, I own you.

:lmao

[hussker]

How many fucking plays do they need to make? Darrell Jackson should have had a TD. They should have had the ball on the 1 yard line in the 2nd half. Both got called back erroneously. Why not call back Willie Parker's 75 yard run or Pitt's trick play? That would make it even.


http://tn3-1.deviantart.com/fs8/300W/i/2005/278/f/7/The_fox_and_the_grapes_by_canidae.jpg



HOME SWEET HOME!
http://mishuna.image.pbase.com/u32/keith1959/upload/31392850.108_0857.JPG

[hussker]

Next thing you know it will be the song they steal...

"Late one night
While the Raiders were in Bed,
Old Jim Zorn,
Floated doobie in his head.
And as he sucked his bong hit
He held his breath and said;
"I'm gonna need some big time,
Hot munchies tonight!"

[bigzak25]

the whole damn thing is fixed. they just effed up and made it too obvious in the big show.

much easier to call phantom holding calls and such than to give/takeaway touchdowns.

seattle was never gonna win this game. but they might have covered. ancient history now though. :tu

[koopa]

someone tell me seattle didn't get screwed by the officials in the sb. I'm not a seattle fan but there were at least three obvious calls that were just atrocious.

When Ben ran in for the touch, the sideline ref was about to call fourth down, then he changed his mind and called the touch. The reply clearly shows he didn't get in, yet the ref calls touchdown after review.

The touchdown catch for Darrel Jackson was negated because of a offensive pass interference. Jackson barely touched him. The ref also hesitated on that play to call.

There were several other plays that the refs called in favor of pitt like on the hass fumble.

Seattle had many chances to score especially those drops by Stevens (wasn't he the guy trash talking) but seattle got jobbed. Congrats to pitt.

Nice not to see a blowout like in the other sbs. Good game. The streaker in the budweiser commercial was pretty funny. :lol

great teams can play through bad officiating, just look at the steelers against the colts. this obviously shows you that the seahawks are nothing more then a great nfc team and a good nfl team. they had plenty of chances to win, the refs didn't allow willie to get a 75 yard touchdown, the refs didn't allow randel el to throw a touchdown to hines ward. the refs didn't make their soft tight end drop all those passes. the refs didn't make the wrs forget that you need two feet in bound for it to be considered a catch. the steelers played like shit but made plays when they mattered, seahawks played good but played like shit when it mattered. sure the refs sucked but that's is not the only reason they lost. and the refs have been horrible all playoff long not just this one game

the bens touchdown was good, he crossed in the air, it don't matter where you land

the hasselback fumble was called back, so that was in seattles favor, but they did miss stevens fumble, he had control and then they called it incomplete that favored the seahawks

jackson may have barely pushed off but he did, and the ref didn't hesitate he went for the flag and missed and went back for it again, i have the tape

[tlongII]

great teams can play through bad officiating, just look at the steelers against the colts. this obviously shows you that the seahawks are nothing more then a great nfc team and a good nfl team. they had plenty of chances to win, the refs didn't allow willie to get a 75 yard touchdown, the refs didn't allow randel el to throw a touchdown to hines ward. the refs didn't make their soft tight end drop all those passes. the refs didn't make the wrs forget that you need two feet in bound for it to be considered a catch. the steelers played like shit but made plays when they mattered, seahawks played good but played like shit when it mattered. sure the refs sucked but that's is not the only reason they lost. and the refs have been horrible all playoff long not just this one game

the bens touchdown was good, he crossed in the air, it don't matter where you land

the hasselback fumble was called back, so that was in seattles favor, but they did miss stevens fumble, he had control and then they called it incomplete that favored the seahawks

jackson may have barely pushed off but he did, and the ref didn't hesitate he went for the flag and missed and went back for it again, i have the tape


You should clean your tape. The ref hesitated and was bullied into calling the penalty by the Pittsburgh defenseman.

[Dre_7]

You should clean your tape. The ref hesitated and was bullied into calling the penalty by the Pittsburgh defenseman.

It was PI! He pushed off the guy. Plain and simple.

[tlongII]

It was PI! He pushed off the guy. Plain and simple.

Incidental contact. Not to mention that the defenseman touched D-Jack first.

[DisgruntledLionFan#54,927]

Incidental contact. Not to mention that the defenseman touched D-Jack first.


That was not incidental contact, he extended his arm. So the defender touched him first, that makes the penalties offsetting; still no TD...

The holding call was iffy, the offensive PI was a good call. They need to make that call more often as WRs get away with too much IMO...

And who cares if he hesitated or not? WRs do it all the time and get the delayed call...

[hussker]

Man these grapes are making me THIRSTY!!!

[IceColdBrewski]

By letter of the law, it was PI. But it was also a ticky tack foul that doesn't get called 99 percent of the time. If it's blatant, sure, throw the flag. But getting a flag for a foul like that in the Super Bowl is lame. That was bascially the story of the whole game. Pittsburgh got the benefit of the doubt, and Seattle got the shit end of the stick.

Oh well, it's over and done with. A boring Super Bowl in the books. The refs sure gave us something to talk about though. If not for them, this game would've been forgotten about long before now.

[Gerryatrics]

http://www.bangcartoon.com/popupCartoon.php?movie=2005archive/sb3.swf

:fro

[Obstructed_View]

The difference between a baby and a Seahawks fan is that a baby eventually stops crying.

[Horry For 3!]

People are still typing in this thread????

[IceColdBrewski]

The difference between a baby and a Seahawks fan is that a baby eventually stops crying.

Yeah. All those sportscasters and sportswriters who argued that Seattle got the shit end of the stick were from the great northwest. :rolleyes

Like I said before. If you think the game was called fairly, you're part of a very distinct minority. Deal with it already.

[cecil collins]

By letter of the law, it was PI. But it was also a ticky tack foul that doesn't get called 99 percent of the time. If it's blatant, sure, throw the flag. But getting a flag for a foul like that in the Super Bowl is lame. That was bascially the story of the whole game. Pittsburgh got the benefit of the doubt, and Seattle got the shit end of the stick.

Yeah, I guess they should swallow their whistles in the superbowl. Officiate the whole season as closely as possible, but in the superbowl, they should let some things slide. He pushed off, he got called on it. I think that this is just a bunch a bullshit for nothing.

[2centsworth]

Yeah, I guess they should swallow their whistles in the superbowl. Officiate the whole season as closely as possible, but in the superbowl, they should let some things slide. He pushed off, he got called on it. I think that this is just a bunch a bullshit for nothing.who said the officiating the whole season was tight? Think everyone wanted something normal.

Nevertheless, those officials were so bad they called an illegal block on a defensive guy during a tackle. HUH?

Also, what most people missed were the horrible spots of the football. The linesman had to be legally blind.

[midgetonadonkey]

Wow. I'm amazed people are still discussing this.

[Melmart1]

Wow. I'm amazed people are still discussing this.

I agree totally.

Both teams played like shit, but somebody had to be champion, and the Steelers are it. They got it done, period.

[IceColdBrewski]

Wow. I'm amazed people are still discussing this.

Well, the thread was in its deaththrows. But apparently, Obstructed_View is still bitter about the big fat asterisk that so much of the sports world is pinning next to this one.

[midgetonadonkey]

Well, the thread was in its deaththrows. But apparently, Obstructed_View is still bitter about the big fat asterisk that so much of the sports world is pinning next to this one.

In 5 years nobody will remember the asterisk. The Steelers won. Get the fuck over it. They won and nobody will be able to do shit about it.

[IceColdBrewski]

In 5 years nobody will remember the asterisk. The Steelers won. Get the fuck over it. They won and nobody will be able to do shit about it.

Looks like you're still bitter about it too. :lol

Patriot backers thought the same thing after the infamous "fumble" game in the 2001 playoffs. Funny how most sports fans still remember that game because of one bad call screwing the Raiders. And that was just ONE bad call. This Super Bowl had several.

But you're kinda right. Hardly anyone will remember this Super Bowl. But that's because the refs made it so damn boring to watch.


http://www.paratype.com/pictures/help/term/25.gif

:eyebrows

[Mixability]

if only people would forget about 0.4

[cecil collins]

i will remember this superbowl and how the steelers beat the SHIT out of the seahawks

:lmao :lol :lmao

Word.

[IceColdBrewski]

i will remember this superbowl and how the steelers beat the SHIT out of the seahawks...

Same here. But with a lot of help from the zebras. * :hat

[Mixability]

let this pathetic thread die already.

[midgetonadonkey]

I'm amazed. Almost 2 weeks after the game the discussion continues.

[Melmart1]

If the NE Patriots, winners of 3/4 of the last SB titles had gotten the calls that Seattle did, they would have steeled themselves and risen above the shitty calls and made the plays. You would NEVER see Tom Brady making bad passes or mismanaging his clock that way, NEVER. Why? Cus he and the Pats are champions. And if they didn't rise above it? Bill Bellichick would never go back to Foxboro whining like a little beyotch. Holmgren can learn a little something from that.

The Seattle Seahawks got rattled and cuold not get past the calls (some of which were admittedly crapy). It's one thing if you get victimized by bad calls. It's another thing altogether if you compound them with shitty play. If they were truly champions, they would have found a way to win, that game was still very winnable before they started playing like a JV team that forgot about clock management. Therefore, they don't deserve to be champions anymore than the Steelers do. But somebody had to win, and Pitt got it done when it counted. Case closed.

[IceColdBrewski]

Case closed...*

There. Fixed that for ya. :angel

[tlongII]

If the NE Patriots, winners of 3/4 of the last SB titles had gotten the calls that Seattle did, they would have steeled themselves and risen above the shitty calls and made the plays. You would NEVER see Tom Brady making bad passes or mismanaging his clock that way, NEVER. Why? Cus he and the Pats are champions. And if they didn't rise above it? Bill Bellichick would never go back to Foxboro whining like a little beyotch. Holmgren can learn a little something from that.

The Seattle Seahawks got rattled and cuold not get past the calls (some of which were admittedly crapy). It's one thing if you get victimized by bad calls. It's another thing altogether if you compound them with shitty play. If they were truly champions, they would have found a way to win, that game was still very winnable before they started playing like a JV team that forgot about clock management. Therefore, they don't deserve to be champions anymore than the Steelers do. But somebody had to win, and Pitt got it done when it counted. Case closed.

Sadly, we have no idea of the comment you've made about the Patriots is true or not. It is merely conjecture.

[Melmart1]

Sadly, we have no idea of the comment you've made about the Patriots is true or not. It is merely conjecture.

Just like it is conjecture that the Seahawks would have won if some of those (mostly correct) calls would have been made?

And if you have been watching the last four SBs, you know damn well that is not conjecture. The Pats and any team with TRUE championship mettle would never have let those calls rattle them like that. Inexcusable.

[tlongII]

Just like it is conjecture that the Seahawks would have won if some of those (mostly correct) calls would have been made?

And if you have been watching the last four SBs, you know damn well that is not conjecture. The Pats and any team with TRUE championship mettle would never have let those calls rattle them like that. Inexcusable.

Conjecture.

[Mixability]

if you cry about the refs, you're a pussy.

CASE CLOSED

[IceColdBrewski]

if you cry about the refs, you're a pussy.

CASE CLOSED

So what does it make you when you refer to a ref as a "dumb ass" after making a bad call?

http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33042&highlight=referee

[Mixability]

So what does it make you when you refer to a ref as a "dumb ass" after making a bad call?

http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33042&highlight=referee

do i complain weeks later?

he is a dumb ass who made a dumb ass call.

crying about it? i don't think so.

if it would have changed the outcome of the game and then i bitched about it, then you have permission to call me a pussy.

Move on, Mr. Labia.

[Slinkyman]

If the NE Patriots, winners of 3/4 of the last SB titles had gotten the calls that Seattle did, they would have steeled themselves and risen above the shitty calls and made the plays. You would NEVER see Tom Brady making bad passes or mismanaging his clock that way, NEVER. Why? Cus he and the Pats are champions. And if they didn't rise above it? Bill Bellichick would never go back to Foxboro whining like a little beyotch. Holmgren can learn a little something from that.

The Seattle Seahawks got rattled and cuold not get past the calls (some of which were admittedly crapy). It's one thing if you get victimized by bad calls. It's another thing altogether if you compound them with shitty play. If they were truly champions, they would have found a way to win, that game was still very winnable before they started playing like a JV team that forgot about clock management. Therefore, they don't deserve to be champions anymore than the Steelers do. But somebody had to win, and Pitt got it done when it counted. Case closed.

Did you miss the game against Denver? the Pats got screwed on a couple calls and got beat down by the broncos! how many INTs did brady throw in that game?

[IceColdBrewski]

he is a dumb ass who made a dumb ass call.

crying about it? i don't think so.

if it would have changed the outcome of the game and then i bitched about it, then you have permission to call me a pussy.


So if a bad call changes the outcome of a game, and people take issue with it, they're considered pussies? Wow. That's some pretty skewed logic. I guess we're supposed to just bend over and take it like you? Sorry, not for me. But keep me informed on how that works out for ya.


Yep. You know a thread has run its course when the mental midgets come rolling in with the 5th grade "oh yeah, well you're a pussy" logic. :rolleyes

[2centsworth]

By no means is there an * on the Steelers Championship, the officiating just proves the league is crap but it's the only game in town.

I'm still talking about the game because it reminds me of what I lost as a true NFL fan.

[Obstructed_View]

Well, the thread was in its deaththrows. But apparently, Obstructed_View is still bitter about the big fat asterisk that so much of the sports world is pinning next to this one.
I don't get onto the boards every day, so if it takes me a few days to see a thread I'm still going to respond to it. I noticed that you posted seven times since I did so you obviously aren't tired of crying about the officiating. It certainly proves my point.

By the way, the teams I root for are the Browns and the Cowboys, so there's no single team I hate more than the Steelers. Asterisks are for losers, just accept it.

[IceColdBrewski]

just accept it

You just can't let it die can you. :rolleyes

I've already accepted it. Accepted the fact that this Super Bowl will be forever tainted because of bad officiating. And there's nothing you can do or say to change that. Don't like it? Tough shit.

[Mixability]

I noticed that you posted seven times since I did so you obviously aren't tired of crying about the officiating. It certainly proves my point.

Asterisks are for losers, just accept it.

:tu

:lmao

[IceColdBrewski]

http://desktoppub.about.com/library/glossary/images/def-asterisk.gif

Looks like I've struck a nerve. :D

[Mixability]

http://desktoppub.about.com/library/glossary/images/def-asterisk.gif

Looks like I've struck a nerve. :D

I think it shows how pathetic you are. :lol

[IceColdBrewski]

I think it shows how pathetic you are. :lol

More 5th grade logic. What a shocker. :rolleyes

Debating Football obviously isn't your thing. Maybe you should stick to the Club forum where you can brag about getting high some more. That definitely seems more your speed.

[Mixability]

Maybe you should stick to the Club forum where you can brag about getting high some more. That definitely seems more your speed.

coming from the guy who has "pass the brew" as their title.

:lmao

pathetic.

:lmao

[IceColdBrewski]

coming from the guy who has "pass the brew" as their title.

:lmao
pathetic.
:lmao


Psst. A heavy dose of laughing emoticons (coupled with childish insults) is usually a classic indication that someone has really gotten under your skin. It's just football talk sparky. Don't take it so personal. Oh, and the "pass the brew" title just appeared there one day. I'm guessing timvp put it there, because it wasn't me.

Anyway, I'm done with this debate. It was going fine, until the other side of the arguement decided it was time to resort to name-calling and insults. Not sure why. Maybe just bitter about being part of the minority opinion. Whatever the reason, it only proves that they never had much of an arguement to begin with. I've stated my opinion, and there were obviously a great majority of fans, writers, broadcasters, etc who saw it the same way. But like I said, I'm done with it. I'll just leave with a USA Today article I found that pretty much summed up my Super Bowl thoughts exactly.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/oconnor/2006-02-06-oconnor-xl_x.htm


Super Bowl referees foul, but then so was everything else


If officials, umpires and referees are forever charged to rise to the standards of world-class athletes and coaches, nobody should be any more shocked than Claude Rains was in Casablanca when they sink to those standards, too.
Yep, the officiating stunk Sunday. Bill Leavy, former cop and firefighter, must have done a better job directing traffic and putting out whatever gameday fires were started by overzealous moms and dads during his days refereeing games in the San Jose PAL.

But good luck finding anyone or anything that didn't stink in and around Super Bowl XL. Mike Holmgren stunk. Ben Roethlisberger stunk. Jerramy Stevens stunk. Mick Jagger stunk. The commercials stunk.

So it stood to reason that the officiating crew would spend a largely forgettable evening in Detroit making that overturned Troy Polamalu interception in Indianapolis look like the call of the century. Zebras are human, after all.

Sometimes they can watch a college basketball coach with a heart condition collapse face-first onto the court, be taken off on a stretcher while wearing an oxygen mask, and still assess Houston's Tom Penders a technical foul. For, what, not having a better defibrillator implanted in his chest?

These are imperfect creatures, their live-action flaws measured against a zillion slow-motion truths. Fact is, officials, umps and refs are affected by the same variables that would affect you and your next-door neighbor if you were asked to spend a national holiday serving as on-site judge and jury before 68,206 spectators and 90.7 million of their closest friends watching from home.

To wit: Ford Field might as well have been Heinz Field. Dan Rooney never saw so many Steelers fans in his five previous Super Bowls, and we all know what a home crowd can do to a mere mortal armed with a whistle and flag.

It can turn him into Bob Waggoner, back judge, reaching awfully late into his pocket to wipe out a 7-0 Seahawks lead on a ticky-tack foul that should never get called in a high-stakes game. Was Waggoner influenced by the protesting Chris Hope? By that raging yellow sea of Terrible Towels?

"I'm not in a position to comment at this time, unfortunately," Waggoner said Monday by phone.

Only a fool would suggest that Waggoner, a Pittsburgh native, was scoring one for the home team. He was doing the best he could under pressure that can't be simulated by the three-hour psychological exam he passed to earn his NFL stripes.

The pressure gets to the best of 'em. Holmgren lost track of the downs in his previous Super Bowl appearance, and ordered his defensive unit to let the Broncos score a late touchdown (in order to get back the ball) when he should've ordered it to make a stand. This time around, Holmgren did a terrific job running out the clock at the close of the first and second halves despite the fact he was trailing at the time. How could a championship-caliber coach like Holmgren decline to kick a field goal in the game's final seconds when his only chance amounted to a three-pointer, a recovered onside kick, a touchdown and a two-point conversion? Good question, just like this one:

How could the head of a Super Bowl crew tell the world that Matt Hasselbeck was guilty of an illegal block after he tackled the Steeler who had just intercepted his pass?

Like Holmgren, Leavy makes mistakes. Leavy and his crew made some big ones Sunday, all at Seattle's expense. The lame holding call on Sean Locklear that negated a huge (and rare) Stevens catch might've prevented Holmgren from becoming the first coach to win Super Bowls for different franchises. Then again, Holmgren might've prevented Holmgren from becoming the first coach to win Super Bowls for different franchises, with an assist from Stevens, whose grip proved to be as loose as his lips.

Leavy could've helped matters earlier by overturning Roethlisberger's non-touchdown. But once ABC showed that Leavy likes overturning calls as much as Polamalu likes trips to the barbershop, you knew the referee wasn't really examining the replay anymore. He was actually studying a hidden-camera view of The Rolling Stones' green room, looking for evidence of illegal motion.

It's time for Jagger to ride off on Jerome Bettis' Bus, and for Madison Avenue to come up with something better than the ad showing a woman on an airline, landing in a stranger's lap. (Note to ad execs: If viewers recall the commercial but not the product the commercial promotes, try again.)

So in the end, the sideshows were as lousy as the players, coaches and refs, as lousy as the officiating has been throughout the playoffs. NFL misery loves company. That's a Super Bowl slogan that merits a yellow flag.

[cecil collins]

The super bowl made some people super bitches. It wasn't that great of a game, and that's all I'll remember about it. Please post a poll showing this great majority of people that think the referees stunk. I just don't want a few rambling, bitter old men to become instant majority.

[Mixability]

i believe the word you were looking for was "hypocritical"

thank you

:tu

[Mixability]

Psst. A heavy dose of laughing emoticons (coupled with childish insults) is usually a classic indication that someone has really gotten under your skin. It's just football talk sparky. Don't take it so personal. Oh, and the "pass the brew" title just appeared there one day. I'm guessing timvp put it there, because it wasn't me.


Laughing emoticons = I'm laughing at you, not with you.

Childish insults = you're a sensitive bitch

So did timvp come up with your IceColdBrewski name or were you a big boy for once and thought of it yourself?

[IceColdBrewski]

Childish insults = you're a sensitive bitch

So did timvp come up with your IceColdBrewski name or were you a big boy for once and thought of it yourself?

Oooh. That's good psychology there. I suppose you're going to say something bad about my mother next? :rolleyes

Save it. Save it for the other pubescent-minded potheads. They might actually fall for it.

P.S. The "sensitive bitch" in any arguement is always the guy who loses his cool with "bitch" and "pussy" insults. Not the guy who kept his cool while trying to stay on topic. I'll leave it to you to figure out which category you fell under in this one.

[cecil collins]

i still don't see how you can call a penalty "ticky-tack" when the receive PUSHED WITH HIS ARMS the DB and THEREFORE was able to get separation to catch the ball for a td

and he did it RIGHT in the REF's FACE.

in conclusion, that article was LAME, UNINTERESTING, INCORRECT, INANE, and MEANINGLESS.

much like your arguments, icb
Word

We need a spurstalk poll on the super bowl.

[ducks]

Let It Go People