Writer says blame officials, not Belichick

[Pats726]

sarge is correct...that Faulk when he bobbled and got control OF the spot..his feet were down and past the 30 yard marker..oplanted there..with the ball firmlly in hand BEYOND the 30 yard line..THAT is what is so so clear...and the fact that a linesman whose back is to the ball makes the call without and conference to me shows how bogus a call that is. Yes, it's really not good to blame officials, BUT when so many games are being lost by teams on bogus calls, something smells!!! More and more totally incompetent officials are deciding games, not teams and there's something wrong about that. The trend is going for poor officiating and the more it happens, the more question marks pop up as to what is going on. Pereira and others will be like Pravda and say anything and everything to defend what is slowly indefensible. Change is needed. It's not just the Patriots, but many teams get screwed by calls and lose games. One has to wonder why the NFL will not take actions to improve officiating..both with technology and other means. It''s like the officiating is circa 1970 while players have changed and gotten faster stronger and it's the same mind set of the penguins. THey have not changed with the times and Goodell and company turn their back on this issue again and again. Maybe some time it will bite him big time!! Take a look at any NFL game and I bet every game there is at least ONE bogus call that changes teh momentum of the game. It happens a lot, in my view way too much..and unless fans and others involved revolt, there will be NO change at all. Just let the officials get away with poor calls and bogus calls..and see how worse it gets.

 

[DaBruinz]

I have never understood certain fans, sports writers that waste hours of their life with large article/threads complaining about blown calls. Nothing you say will change it. I think the one part where I really agree with the guy is when he points out two huge red zone TOs. The Pats EXECUTE, and we're not talking about it.

Honestly folks, this loss sucks theres no way around it. This team is still alive, just forget about it and move on. Griping about calls and all that bull**** is nothing but a waste and it drives you crazy.

As a fan, I have a right to state facts and present opinions based on those facts.

On the 4th and 2 play, the Pats DID execute. The refs got the call wrong.

Also, we don't know that the Pats would have won if Maroney had not fumbled. Why? Because it changes the whole dynamic of the game. You can assume they would have won, but it is certainly not a guarantee.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

In a game in which the zebras pretty much let them play for three quarters, two at best highly questionable calls went in favor of the Colts and each in it's own way altered the outcome. Had they not gotten the PI call they are stopped on 3r and 5 on their own 39. No way their HC goes for it from there at that juncture. Heck, even if he had to stones to and they make it, the ball doesn't land on the 13 so they perhaps score faster or slower and either way tick tock...

That is why sticks in all fans craws and why they rehash perceived injustices that effected an outcome even after the outcome is reality. In hopes one day those injustices can be eliminated. Indy gets highly suspect calls particularly when trailing in their own building, and that's been the rule rather than the exception since 2005. They don't always capitalize on them but they tend to get the chance to more than your average under represented on the Competition Committee teams ever since Polian lobbied for emphasis on the rules that he felt favored his team. And I believe there was a thread here pre game that highlighted this crew's acknowledged lopsided officiating record in home team wins...

Fans are more aware than ever of these issues and mistakes and inconsistencies because of the technology this league embraces to make more money off us when it suits them and then balks at using more widely to correct them while simultaneously video replay browbeating us with the evidence thus elevating fan frustration.

So that is why we keep talking about it... We know it can't change anything but we want someone to know that current reality needs to evolve eventually to match technology that no longer allows much cover for masking subjectivity, incompetence or worse...

 

[Mayday Malone]

I've gotten to the point that I could care less if I'm griping about blown/ bad calls when it comes to the Pats. I was scared ****less in the 4th because we hadn't gotten the bail out call for Manning yet. Lo and behold, there it is. And it always seems to happen on 3rd down, doesn't it? What was Butler to do? Play the ball and worry about the receiver?
All of the Pats haters agree he got the first. They wouldn't even measure it! The rule that a coach has to use a TO for a review is bogus at this point. Penalizing a team for the refs screw ups is not fair to the teams involved, I'd rather sit and wait for 5 minutes to make sure the call is right rather than see the entire world call my favorite coach an idiot when he actually did succeed in what he was trying to accomplish. Whatever, it just seems like we're attoning for our sins commited to the Colts back in 2003 and 04, through the eyes of Polian and his honorable commitee.

 

[PYPER]

Great article.....Should be must read material for all those talking monkeys that think in absolutes.

 

[Buchanty]

I got over this loss much quicker than I ever expected. Unfortunately I didn't see the game because I was on a train, but was following it on the net, and maybe that helped.

I have to admit that not seeing the game I thought the 4 on 2 call was playing the percentages (to use a golfing term) and given the alternatives a rationale call. BB gambled and lost but then that's why there are odds.

I have also seen the two replays and also believe they were bad calls, but that is the game, you have to play what the referees give you.

Yet despite the dramatic loss I am feeling more optimistic about the team than if they had run away with it as they threatened to do. 1 point separated the two teams, which considering the change in momentum, home field advantage, referees whose percentage record of home wins is close to 100%, dome environment, loss of key players just before and during the game including 2 DLs and 2 LBs - oh and two bad calls - this was not too shabby at all.

Brady and Moss and Welker - sweetness and light
Vollmer - my binkie, damn was that a good pick
Young D getting better by the game (Chung is going to be great)....;

As someone else said if we can hang out with the 9-0 teams and make em sweat in their domes we are going to be just fine. Now lets put the Jets away clinically.

 

[broadwayjoe]

I loved this line...

Instead, Belichick is an egomaniacal moron. He’d have still been a genius had he just punted and lost that way.

Sums it up nicely in my book. I think the guy and the call was gutsy, and it takes sack to make a call like that. It's not about disrespecting your D, or having no confidence in your D. It's about winning. Problem is perception, and peoples perception is skewed because no other coach in the league has the sack to make that call.

Well said I like what my coach did he took a chance and it worked. Let's move on to the Jets.

 

[Pats726]

In a game in which the zebras pretty much let them play for three quarters, two at best highly questionable calls went in favor of the Colts and each in it's own way altered the outcome. Had they not gotten the PI call they are stopped on 3r and 5 on their own 39. No way their HC goes for it from there at that juncture. Heck, even if he had to stones to and they make it, the ball doesn't land on the 13 so they perhaps score faster or slower and either way tick tock......

I agree totally they pretty much let teh players play, but then the fact that teh Colts were far behind got in the way. The fact that there was a change is what makes it all suspect..like it was a decision..why the two POOR calls?? Funny that it would not break even...but BOTH for the home team, the Colts.

That is why sticks in all fans craws and why they rehash perceived injustices that effected an outcome even after the outcome is reality. In hopes one day those injustices can be eliminated. Indy gets highly suspect calls particularly when trailing in their own building, and that's been the rule rather than the exception since 2005. They don't always capitalize on them but they tend to get the chance to more than your average under represented on the Competition Committee teams ever since Polian lobbied for emphasis on the rules that he felt favored his team. And I believe there was a thread here pre game that highlighted this crew's acknowledged lopsided officiating record in home team wins..

VERY highly suspect calls..funny just on cue..the Colts get them and it helps their momentum..gives them opportunity. Talk about crutches..take that away and the Colts look poor. To me what this does is that it really questions what is going on with officials..and when it keeps happening like clock work, it stinks..and smells of something like teh basketball scandal. One would think Goodell and company would care that it looks fixed..that THAT threatens the integrity of the game..and it DOES!! And yes, this crew was a "homer" crew.

Fans are more aware than ever of these issues and mistakes and inconsistencies because of the technology this league embraces to make more money off us when it suits them and then balks at using more widely to correct them while simultaneously video replay browbeating us with the evidence thus elevating fan frustration.

It is odd that it's a double edged sword..one sees the mistakes so that fans see how bad officials are and yet the leagu balks again and again at using that technology and anything else to correct it. I think bottom line is that one needs to see who benefits from this..gamblers?? With so much money being tossed around, one would think Goodell and company would try to make it look like the games ARE legitimate..but when one sees errors all over the place in what officials do, one has to wonder why nothing is being done.

So that is why we keep talking about it... We know it can't change anything but we want someone to know that current reality needs to evolve eventually to match technology that no longer allows much cover for masking subjectivity, incompetence or worse...

Fans need to be more angry and put pressure on the league and I would say Congress...as THAT would always scare Goodell and the league..Just that pressure I think could actually get something done..well maybe..

 

[BradyBranch39]

Roles reversed there's no way in hell the Colts don't get the spot. This is the same team that got an obvious INT overturned in their favor in a playoff game and that has benefitted from bogus PI calls in important games every year since 2004. The real amazing thing is that no one, and I repeat NO ONE in the league has benefitted more from rule changes and crap officiating than the Colts, but just because the Pats had one correct call go in their favor in 2002 agaisnt the Raiders in a playoff game everyone always talks about us like we're the leagues darlings. BS, it's the Colts, and I guarantee if they ref did rule the spot correctly all we'd be hearing all week is questions on if the Colts got screwed on it.

A major writer needs to do some research on this very topic and make a story out of it.

 

[ausbacker]

I'm beginning to think there are a lot of balanced and reasonable posters here on PatsFans, as the writers aren't telling us anything we haven't discussed at length over the past few days.

I'm worried.... I'm worried we might actually be an OK fan base

 

[PATSNUTme]

Tom E Curran, hardly a Patriots homer, said last night on NEST, that Faulk had the first down. He said that he watched the tape over and over and Faulk clearly had control of the ball and was past the 30.

That's not me whining about the call, that's an objective journalist.

 

[mosslost]

Tom E Curran, harly a Patriots homer, said last night on NEST, that Faulk had the first down. He said that he watched the tape over and over and Faulk clearly had control of the ball and was past the 30.

That's not me whining about the call, that's an objective journalist.

Even my Marine buddy who is just an anti everything Boston fan, told me he thinks it was a 1st down. I really hate the fact that they didn't have any kind of ref meeting about it to get it right. Someone pointed out the other ref seeming like he wanted to spot it for the 1st but then kind of deferred to the guy wildly flailing his arms because he has "x-ray vision".

 

[Pats726]

What I found so disturbing is these knuckleheads did NOT wish to get it right..They didn't even put on a show TO do that..Why was an official who was looking at the player's back the one who was allowed to make the spot? As Camppen said..the one with the X ray vision? Another wanted to spot it and give a first down..why was it not discussed? Why wa sit not talked about? Was the fix already in?? Really..their lack of wishing to get it right..not discussing it NOT giving the Patriots a measure..to me shows a LOT of bias already there. Why didn't they wish to get it right?? Maybe Pereira can tell us?? To me that fact makes it seem like they had no intention of getting the correct call..because they had already decided the outcome of the play. Scott Green and his crew should be put in the hot seat for that. It's ONE thing when you confer and make a judgement with a few official's input, its another when you refuse to do that.
I think evidence shows that it was close and they, the officials, obviously wanted the wrong call. THAT is a large indictment of this crew, especially Tom Stabile, the one with x ray vision.

 

[mosslost]

What I found so disturbing is these knuckleheads did NOT wish to get it right..They didn't even put on a show TO do that..Why was an official who was looking at the player's back the one who was allowed to make the spot? As Camppen said..the one with the X ray vision? Another wanted to spot it and give a first down..why was it not discussed? Why wa sit not talked about? Was the fix already in?? Really..their lack of wishing to get it right..not discussing it NOT giving the Patriots a measure..to me shows a LOT of bias already there. Why didn't they wish to get it right?? Maybe Pereira can tell us?? To me that fact makes it seem like they had no intention of getting the correct call..because they had already decided the outcome of the play. Scott Green and his crew should be put in the hot seat for that. It's ONE thing when you confer and make a judgement with a few official's input, its another when you refuse to do that.
I think evidence shows that it was close and they, the officials, obviously wanted the wrong call. THAT is a large indictment of this crew, especially Tom Stabile, the one with x ray vision.

Speaking of, doesn't he usually talk about calls on some show? All access? I can't wait to hear what he has to say about that?

 

[SVN]

i listend to dan patrick today and he says he is happy that people are criticizing BB andnot being afraid what he might do if they say something against him. Are you kidding me ? Everyone loves to kill BB at every chance and he thinks people dont criticize BB enough. !

 

[SVN]

Speaking of, doesn't he usually talk about calls on some show? All access? I can't wait to hear what he has to say about that?

on wednesdays. usually he will justify how the call was right so i dont watchit much.

 

[mosslost]

on wednesdays. usually he will justify how the call was right so i dont watchit much.

Its gonna be some bull like because the defender made contact with the receiver as he was bobbling it, the ball is spotted where the ball ends up after the tackle or some bull like that watch.

 

[DW Toys]

Its gonna be some bull like because the defender made contact with the receiver as he was bobbling it, the ball is spotted where the ball ends up after the tackle or some bull like that watch.

Fine . Then let him explain how the official with X-Ray vision missed the simple call of #79 Brock lining up off-sides and no call. Kopen tilted the ball back to snap. Brock...Offside. Neutral Zone infraction! Look at the tape. Ball=28.5 yard line. Brock's down hand=28.5 yard line (maybe on the ball even more)

NFL Rule Book: Neutral Zone: The space the length of a ball between the two scrimmage lines. The offensive team and defensive team must remain behind their end of the ball.
Exception: The offensive player who snaps the ball.

Let's see Mr. P (Houdini) get out of that one?

DW Toys

 

[mosslost]

Fine . Then let him explain how the official with X-Ray vision missed the simple call of #79 Brock lining up off-sides and no call. Kopen tilted the ball back to snap. Brock...Offside. Neutral Zone infraction! Look at the tape. Ball=28.5 yard line. Brock's down hand=28.5 yard line (maybe on the ball even more)

NFL Rule Book: Neutral Zone: The space the length of a ball between the two scrimmage lines. The offensive team and defensive team must remain behind their end of the ball.
Exception: The offensive player who snaps the ball.

Let's see Mr. P (Houdini) get out of that one?

DW Toys

Let us not forget about the PI call as well. I want to hear someone explain to me all of these are spot on. They we are all game changers, and in some sense, game DECIDERS.

Will the NZI even get discussed though? Probably not.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

What I found so disturbing is these knuckleheads did NOT wish to get it right..They didn't even put on a show TO do that..Why was an official who was looking at the player's back the one who was allowed to make the spot? As Camppen said..the one with the X ray vision? Another wanted to spot it and give a first down..why was it not discussed? Why wa sit not talked about? Was the fix already in?? Really..their lack of wishing to get it right..not discussing it NOT giving the Patriots a measure..to me shows a LOT of bias already there. Why didn't they wish to get it right?? Maybe Pereira can tell us?? To me that fact makes it seem like they had no intention of getting the correct call..because they had already decided the outcome of the play. Scott Green and his crew should be put in the hot seat for that. It's ONE thing when you confer and make a judgement with a few official's input, its another when you refuse to do that.
I think evidence shows that it was close and they, the officials, obviously wanted the wrong call. THAT is a large indictment of this crew, especially Tom Stabile, the one with x ray vision.

Not sure how long this crew has been together or what their backgrounds are. Stumbled on the fact that Stabile was Vic Ketchum's (Ask Vic from Jaguars.com) HS coach. But the crew chief Green has had a couple of horrifically bad calls, including one that ended the Giants season during the 2003 playoffs that even Peter King pontificated on at the time, and another that called the very core of officiating (the spread fix) into question, although those did not stop his climb up the officiating ladder...

Considered to be the top back judge in the league, Green was involved in a controversial finish to a New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers Wild Card playoff game played January 5, 2003. Green and the officials apparently forgot that New York's Rich Seubert, a guard who had lined up legally in a receiver's spot, was an eligible receiver. Seubert appeared to be interfered by a San Francisco defender on a botched field goal attempt while going downfield to receive a pass. Since Green was the downfield official, this was his play to cover, but had to scramble from the goalpost to get into position to cover the play. Green, not knowing that Seubert was eligible, did not throw a flag to signify the penalty. Instead, the Giants were called for having an illegal man downfield on the play. Commissioner Paul Tagliabue described the situation as the most disappointing officiating blunder he'd seen in his years as NFL commissioner [1] and announced that officiating mechanics surrounding field-goal attempts and last plays of games would be changed [2].

He became a referee on a part-time basis during the 2004 NFL season when referee Johnny Grier was injured. Green became a full time referee at the start of the 2005 NFL season. Green's first experience as an NFL referee came on October 3, 2004 during a game between the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills.

Green's 2009 NFL officiating crew consists of umpire Butch Hannah, head linesman Tom Stabile, line judge Tom Symonette, field judge Dyrol Prioleau, side judge Larry Rose and back judge Scott Helverson.

Pittsburgh Steelers - San Diego Chargers game
Green was involved in another controversial finish during a game he was officiating between the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Diego Chargers on November 16, 2008. With Pittsburgh leading San Diego 11-10 and only five seconds left in the game with the Chargers on their own twenty yard line, San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers completed a short dump pass to running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who shoveled it back to wide receiver Chris Chambers in a desperation attempt to keep the play alive with a series of pitches. Chambers promptly attempted a seemingly legal lateral that was batted down and recovered by the Steelers' Troy Polamalu, who took it into the end zone for a touchdown that would have ended the game with the Steelers ahead by eight points. Upon review by Green and his crew, however, one of the laterals involved in the play (Green was ambiguous as to which one) was deemed an illegal forward pass and ruled dead, officially ending the game in an 11-10 Steelers victory. While this had no bearing on the official outcome of the game, the dubious call led many fans and commentators to question the call as the game's betting line had the Steelers favored by 5 1/2 points, meaning the botched call caused all bets placed on the Steelers to be losing ones.[3] Green himself conceded that he and his crew made the wrong call following the game.[4] The incident has prompted the NFL to discuss "potential administrative improvements for replay that would help to prevent this type of mistake in the future."[3] Green's officiating in the game was also controversial for the imbalance in penalties called by Green and his crew (13 penalties for 115 yards on the Steelers; 1 penalty for 5 yards against the Chargers).[5]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Green_(American_football_official)