How worried are you about the Refs?

[patriot lifer]

The Hawks message board is just as concerned, but for different reasons. They even made references to the tinfoil hats. I'm not concerned. There are always "reasons."

 

[LightSkinSmurf]

I never go into a game worrying about refs. I'm just not one of those guys. I am a bit worried about browner committing penalties at crucial moments tho but that's about it.

 

[nowayback]

Not sure how it will be. But I am sure the refs know that it is better to make a mistake in Seahawks favor than Pats.

 

[Patsbacker]

Unfortunately I'm convinced there is no way the NFL allows the Patriots to win this game. They have gone out of their way to undermine the Patriots' credibility and disrupt their game preparation. It's so transparent that it's criminal.

 

[pazrul72]

I never go into a game worrying about refs. I'm just not one of those guys. I am a bit worried about browner committing penalties at crucial moments tho but that's about it.

I am not usually one of those people who knows every refs tendencies, call history, and what not. I expect Bill to know that and to have informed his players appropriatly. The players then play the right way and it is a non factor. I am not talking the specific ref I am talking human nature in general to back up people of your profession when they are getting slamed. I hate most of the tin foil theories that are out there but after yet another witch hunt against the pats, there is almost nothing honestly that would surprise me anymore. Even the NFL whispering into the refs ear we don't want cheaters to win the SB. Now if we were clearly the superior team I would expect the refs to be a non issue. This is much closer then that and all it would take is one questionable PI call, or even easier to hide one bogus non call (holding on the giants o line for the helmet catch anyone?) I am hoping I am wrong and they call the game tight, loose, I don't care as long as its FAIR to both sides. If they suck I can deal with that, as long as they suck evenly for both sides.

 

[Kdo5]

I'm not too worried but I would not be surprised if we received a back breaking penalty over something phantom or ticky tack in an attempt to sink us.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Unfortunately I'm convinced there is no way the NFL allows the Patriots to win this game.

This game is going to go down as the "Glendale screwjob".

 

[Todd Bradley]

I can see the Seahawks getting away with a bit more then the Pats, but all-in-all, I can't see a lopsided game. Should be pretty even.

 

[moejr]

As I said in a Previous thread, we're going to have to beat the Seachickens and the zebras to win this game.

 

[BingoBrown]

I'm very very worried about the refs.... More so than the actual opponent.

I've said it before and I'll say it again..... The winner and sometimes the participants are orchestrated by the league.

Big story lines: brother against brother (49ers, ravens) first African American coach to win a Super Bowl (guaranteed by the fact that both head coaches happened to be African American)
Teams win or get very close after disasters (9/11 2001 pats, Katrina, saints)
And no small market team ever beats a big market team ( aka: follow the T-shirt and DVD money)
Keeping teams from winning 3 SBowls in a row during salary cap era (05 pats, in a very oddly called game in Denver) Keeping a team from going 19-0 in salary cap era (07 pats, in a poorly officiated Super Bowl)
Both of thos Super Bowls were lost to another big market team... Ensuring the best financial outcome for the league, even if they let a big market team lose.

I would be done with this league if I wasn't so in love with the Patriots.

Lets not forget the retirement angle as well. Bettis and Lewis.

 

[patriot1136]

I'm worried that the NFL wants Seattle to win and may call it more in their favor. I think they really wanted NY to win in 2007 cause of Spygate. So we just need to beat the crap out of them so it doesn't matter. I would just love for us to get some PI calls in our favor. Seems like Gronk and Vereen are always being held and stuff and they never call it.

 

[neuronet]

I'm not worried. Read Peter King's MMQB (only the first story) about what Bill Vinovich went through to get where he is on Sunday. I don't think there will be a retaliation factor and I think the refs will let them play (which won't necessarily help us with Seattle's aggressive secondary. They seem to get away with a lot in even regular games).

Do you have a link to that?

 

[phil112]

If logic is applicable, this will be most well refereed game in NFL history. Let's be realistic. The NFL has a figurative dump truck full of manure that is going to be dumped on their headquarters when the soft ball thing goes down. There is no way they come out of this without stinking up the joint. They will most assuredly be doing their best to avoid any perception of screw ups in this game. This game will have more people looking at it with a magnifying glass than any sports event in history, would be my guess. They know it. If they screw this game up they know the public will be satisfied will nothing less than mass suicide of all NFL management level employees. I promise, they're going to try to get it right.

Now that doesn't mean they will. I mean, what have they done right the last 10 years? Goodell doesn't know what the heck he's doing and he has surrounded himself with yes men. When a dummy hires yes men, that means they're going to be just as, if not more so, dummy as he.

 

[Blizzzard]

For the life of me, I can't understand why anyone who actually believes that would keep watching. If you're convinced that the fix is in, go find another sport to watch. And while you're at it, go explain to a Jets fan that the Pats won in 2001 because of 9/11.

I do think the refs will be biased against us on Sunday. Most of the country thinks we're cheaters, and they're people. As a result, I do expect the net effect of the officiating to be that we get hosed. I do not, however, think that the game is fixed. If the Pats are going to win, they're going to have todo so extra convincingly.

If I had to give a reason, I would think that an NY team winning would galvanize that region... But a team named "Patriots" would help to galvanize the entire country. Which would bring a ton of attention to the NFL.

No need to get angry at me BradyFTW... As I respect you as a poster. Just had to point out something that has bothered my sensibilities for a while now. I think more people feel the same than would care to admit it.

I understand people being angry that I suggest the pats first Super Bowl win was handed to them....... But I think a few Super Bowls that we earned were taken away from us due to bad officiating.

 

[Blizzzard]

So what's the rationale behind this one?

If I had to guess at one, besides keeping the perceived cheaters from winning, it would help anoint the next wave of star QBs, as stars like Brady and Manning near the end. Keep people interested in the new product on field.
Interesting that 1 year, Wilson gets to take down Manning, and the next he has a shot at beating Brady.

 

[Blizzzard]

The Katrina one makes no sense. I mean in 2001 you could maybe have a point with 9/11 (though one of the New York teams would have make more sense) but Katrina happened in 2005. The Saints won during the 2009 season. I would not consider that close after a disaster.

Better late than never

But seriously,
They came really close that year (in no way is it a guarantee the zebras can fix the outcome 100% of the time without more people noticing.) winning not long after still had a positive effect on the NFL.

Just as a last thought,..... I had a friend say to me during the replacement ref debacle that he had heard some people wonder aloud, if the replacements refs were just really bad,.... Or really bad at not making it obvious they were trying to sway the outcome.

Let's not even get into the gambling angle. Obviously bookies made a bundle when the heavy favorite Pats lost to the suckwad Giants in 07.
And before people say I'm crazy, remember...... It happened in the NBA

 

[The Brandon Five]

As I said in a Previous thread, we're going to have to beat the Seachickens and the zebras to win this game.

I say they should do just that. Blow.Them.Out.

 

[IcyPatriot]

I'm just worried how they call on Browner and Wilson when he goes to run if we nick him up a bit to get him down.

 

[SoxPatsFaninIndy]

Ian Rapoport @RapSheet · 27m27 minutes ago
Pete Carroll says the refs will make a new signal to properly ID a player who isn’t eligible, then is eligible. Seahawks prepping for it

Ian Rapoport @RapSheet
Carroll says the refs will point with two hands at the player in question, explaining whether he’s eligible. “Never done that before.”

Seems "odd" they'd create a new hand signal for the Super Bowl.

 

[BradyBranch39]

Ian Rapoport @RapSheet · 27m27 minutes ago
Pete Carroll says the refs will make a new signal to properly ID a player who isn’t eligible, then is eligible. Seahawks prepping for it

Ian Rapoport @RapSheet
Carroll says the refs will point with two hands at the player in question, explaining whether he’s eligible. “Never done that before.”

Seems "odd" they'd create a new hand signal for the Super Bowl.

It's totally unfair to change the rule 3 days before the biggest game of the year & it would be a much bigger deal to the media if it negatively impacted one of the other 31 teams.