OT: Ref who gave Steelers the win over Miami lives in Pitt area and operates business

[aluminum seats]

Re: OT: Ref who gave Steelers the win over Miami lives in Pitt area and operates busi

What's annoying about the play is that the officials were just inept. It was obvious the moment the fumble occurred there would be a review. Why the hell wouldn't the officials dig out the pile and see who had possession, regardless of whether a TD was called or not? Using replay for possession in that kind of scrum is absurd.

 

[The_Riddler]

Re: OT: Ref who gave Steelers the win over Miami lives in Pitt area and operates busi

What's annoying about the play is that the officials were just inept. It was obvious the moment the fumble occurred there would be a review. Why the hell wouldn't the officials dig out the pile and see who had possession, regardless of whether a TD was called or not? Using replay for possession in that kind of scrum is absurd.

Exactly !

Do you job, determine who recovered the fumble and ask questions later. The officials dropped the ball on this and if I'm a Miami fan, I am livid today.

Big Ben claimed he was on top of the ball, oh really Ben ? You have about as much respect around the country right now as a convicted felon, I would just shup up and appreciate the fact that you can still play the game of football !

 

[Fixit]

Re: OT: Ref who gave Steelers the win over Miami lives in Pitt area and operates busi

Text exchange with my Steelers fan friend immediately after the review:

Me - "ZERO question that the league is fixed now."

Him - "...no comment."

That's all I need to know.

 

[aurakilla]

Re: OT: Ref who gave Steelers the win over Miami lives in Pitt area and operates busi

w/e the phins are back another game now

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

Re: OT: Ref who gave Steelers the win over Miami lives in Pitt area and operates busi

What I don't understand is the following.

On one angle we see the ball clearly coming out of Ben's hands, but the angle is all wrong for telling where the ball actually is in relatino to the field. the perfect angle (sideline view), covers up the fact that the ball is loose.

Can't they track/link the 2 images together so you can tell where the ball is out on one camera and match it up to the second to get a better idea where the ball would be and thus know if the ball broke the plane (which it definitely didn't seem to do)?

 

[Leave No Doubt]

Re: OT: Ref who gave Steelers the win over Miami lives in Pitt area and operates busi

I was watching this with my Dad. The ref who made the call probably couldn't see the fumble, but he ran to make the touchdown signal so fast it was very odd. He looked like he was in complete panic and his mission was to make the touchdown signal as fast as humanly possible and end the play.

Immediately i had a feeling the Phins were screwed.

It reminds me of the plays where it looks like it's definitely a fumble, but the refs rule that the player was down and whistle the play dead and don't pay attention to who recovered the ball so that they cannot go back and reward the other team with possession.

it looked like a fix. watch it again and see the ref and how he's in a race against time to rule it a TD.

Yup. You knew then it was over for the Phins, the fix was IN. That SB vs the Hawks was signed, sealed and delivered too. I hope we kick their ***

 

[abdul7]

Re: OT: Ref who gave Steelers the win over Miami lives in Pitt area and operates busi

Glad some here agreed with what i asked in another thread about Mr. Ben Rothshamburger"s statement after the game !! complete bull.....you had the ball after the fumble Ben, and only let go once a Ref tapped your back to say it was a TD !!! Well we know you are a good liar Ben. lol.

 

[NovaScotiaPatsFan]

Re: OT: Ref who gave Steelers the win over Miami lives in Pitt area and operates busi

I'm just wondering, in every other fumble I've ever seen the players all scrum and then the refs dig through the pile to see who has it. Did they not do that in this case? And if not why not? because it's the End Zone?

 

[fxkane]

Re: OT: Ref who gave Steelers the win over Miami lives in Pitt area and operates busi

I'm just wondering, in every other fumble I've ever seen the players all scrum and then the refs dig through the pile to see who has it. Did they not do that in this case? And if not why not? because it's the End Zone?

This is as much a black eye for the NFL as that Detroit opening day loss. Very similar and absolutely crucial. And then the effin TV crew announcers saying very emphatically over and over "It has to be DEFINITIVE, it has to be DEFINITIVE." The refs do always make a definitive call in these scrums--whether they're sure or not. But for this one they all looked at the sky, when it was obviously the very biggest call of the game. What a bunch of losers--these refs. And what a hard game for Miami to recover from--esp having to play in this division. The refs suck--they couldn't damn see that only Miami could have recovered it--the ball cannot flip upward to the on top Steeler guys when covered by 3 Miami players.

 

[The_Riddler]

Re: OT: Ref who gave Steelers the win over Miami lives in Pitt area and operates busi

I'm just wondering, in every other fumble I've ever seen the players all scrum and then the refs dig through the pile to see who has it. Did they not do that in this case? And if not why not? because it's the End Zone?

Exactly, for some reason, the officials decided NOT to unload the scrum to determine the TRUE owner of the football. Again, this should be investigated by the head of officials and these guys reprimanded as a group, that was larceny out there, pure and simple.

Had that happened to the Steelers, you never would have heard the end of it.

 

[jmt57]

Re: OT: Ref who gave Steelers the win over Miami lives in Pitt area and operates busi

Not surprisingly, you have a pretty good percentage of Steeler fans defending the ref's call in the Pittsburgh-Miami game while at the same time complaining about the ref's call at the end of the Ravens-Bills game.

another game | Steeler Nation

 

[PatsFaninAZ]

Re: OT: Ref who gave Steelers the win over Miami lives in Pitt area and operates busi

I'm just wondering, in every other fumble I've ever seen the players all scrum and then the refs dig through the pile to see who has it. Did they not do that in this case? And if not why not? because it's the End Zone?

It was definitely a mistake not to, but yes, I think that's why they didn't unload the scrum and see who had the ball. Once the ball crosses the plane, the play is over. The offense can never fumble in the end zone in the offensive end zone. Once it was called a TD, I'm sure the umpire just figured the line judge knew what he was talking about and didn't mess with the scrum. Guys jump on the ball all the time in the NFL in the end zone. The umpire is not watching the ball or the line. So, he sees the linesman with his arms up and figures the play is done.

At the end of the day, though, I don't think it matters. I think on video replay for a fumble recovery, the whole notion of the scrum is irrelevant. I think Steratore correctly stated the rule -- to give possession to the defense on a fumble review, you must not only see the fumble but also see clear possession obtained on video before the scrum happens -- Rothlesberger getting his arm in there gave Steratore little choice, I think. Regardless of who might have come up with the ball after the scrum. In fact, I'm not even sure that the "scrum" rule applies at all in the end zone, does it? Unless it's the last minute of the game where the no-advance-fumble-rule applies, I think the play is over the instant the offense possesses the ball in the end zone. That it gets ripped out in the pile doesn't matter -- if you have clear video evidence of an offensive player in the pile with the ball, the play is over immediately, right? Maybe I'm wrong about that, but I thought I heard that at some point.

Anyway, if you want to talk about bad officiating, how about the back judge in the Vikings/GB game. Talk about a crappy night. He called a TD for the Packers that should have been challenged but clearly wasn't a TD. Then he gets overruled twice on Vikings TDs, one of which was obvious.

 

[jmt57]

Re: OT: Ref who gave Steelers the win over Miami lives in Pitt area and operates busi

Interesting column on this topic.

Everyone Except Referee Steratore Knows the Dolphins Recovered Roethlisberger Fumble | The Big Lead

Supposedly one or more officials were saying it was Miami's ball as the play ended.

 

[Metaphors]

Re: OT: Ref who gave Steelers the win over Miami lives in Pitt area and operates busi

Interesting column on this topic.

Everyone Except Referee Steratore Knows the Dolphins Recovered Roethlisberger Fumble | The Big Lead

Supposedly one or more officials were saying it was Miami's ball as the play ended.

The rules are pretty clear on this so the officials had no chance after the line judge signaled a touchdown. He was the only person at fault in the entire situation. Once he signals a touchdown, the rule around an early whistle takes effect. The play is over and only a clear change of possession can change that. "Clear" in this case means the recovery isn't contested by the opposing team. With Steelers involved in the pileup, seeing who eventually comes up with the fumble isn't an option.

So blame the line judge since everything that happened after his touchdown signal couldn't be avoided. And don't complain when you see line judges wait for a goal line scrum to clear up before signalling what seems like a clear TD...as you can see, the alternative is pretty suckish.

 

[The_Riddler]

Re: OT: Ref who gave Steelers the win over Miami lives in Pitt area and operates busi

The rules are pretty clear on this so the officials had no chance after the line judge signaled a touchdown. He was the only person at fault in the entire situation. Once he signals a touchdown, the rule around an early whistle takes effect. The play is over and only a clear change of possession can change that. "Clear" in this case means the recovery isn't contested by the opposing team. With Steelers involved in the pileup, seeing who eventually comes up with the fumble isn't an option.

So blame the line judge since everything that happened after his touchdown signal couldn't be avoided. And don't complain when you see line judges wait for a goal line scrum to clear up before signalling what seems like a clear TD...as you can see, the alternative is pretty suckish.

What ? How is this any different than a whistle blowing in the middle of the field to signal that a play is over and the runner is ruled down by contact, only to have a fumble on that same play be recovered by the defense and the officials awarding the ball to the recovering team after a review where they determined the runner not to be down by contact? Officials blew the play dead, aka, the play is over, a challenge is thrown and the recovering team gets the ball after the overrule, we've seen that exact thing a million times during NFL games, How is this play any different? How is this different than a play being blown dead after a ref signals a TD because he believes the ball broke the plane. Doesn't matter in both cases the officials have blown the play dead, end zone or 50 yard line...........

 

[letekro]

Re: OT: Ref who gave Steelers the win over Miami lives in Pitt area and operates busi

What ? How is this any different than a whistle blowing in the middle of the field to signal that a play is over and the runner is ruled down by contact, only to have a fumble on that same play be recovered by the defense and the officials awarding the ball to the recovering team after a review where they determined the runner not to be down by contact? Officials blew the play dead, aka, the play is over, a challenge is thrown and the recovering team gets the ball after the overrule, we've seen that exact thing a million times during NFL games, How is this play any different? How is this different than a play being blown dead after a ref signals a TD because he believes the ball broke the plane. Doesn't matter in both cases the officials have blown the play dead, end zone or 50 yard line...........

The rule is the same in the middle of the field. What you've seen a million times is a change of possession because of a clear recovery. When there is a scrum and the ball has been blown dead, the officials don't (nor are they are obligated to) determine who came up with the ball. I remember numerous times when the announcers have explained this rule--there has to be clear evidence of a recovery ON THE REPLAY.

 

[The_Riddler]

Re: OT: Ref who gave Steelers the win over Miami lives in Pitt area and operates busi

The rule is the same in the middle of the field. What you've seen a million times is a change of possession because of a clear recovery. When there is a scrum and the ball has been blown dead, the officials don't (nor are they are obligated to) determine who came up with the ball. I remember numerous times when the announcers have explained this rule--there has to be clear evidence of a recovery ON THE REPLAY.

I have seen the officials make the effort to find out who has the football many times during these situations on the field, for some reason, in this case they chose not too and it cost a team a football game.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Re: OT: Ref who gave Steelers the win over Miami lives in Pitt area and operates busi

The mistake was in signaling TD in the first place. Given that that happened, what else could the reviewing official do? Reward the Dolphins because you think that they probably recovered the ball after the play had been whistled dead? If that had happened, the Steelers would be rightfully furious.

IMO, this is more about there maybe needing to be a rule change than about the ref making the wrong call. He made the only call that he could given the situation that was on his hands. Besides, on the replay I saw two Dolphins and two Steelers dive on the ball. The Dolphins probably got it, but it's far from conclusive.

 

[The_Riddler]

Re: OT: Ref who gave Steelers the win over Miami lives in Pitt area and operates busi

The mistake was in signaling TD in the first place. Given that that happened, what else could the reviewing official do? Reward the Dolphins for recovering the ball after the play had been whistled dead? If that had happened, the Steelers would be rightfully furious.

IMO, this is more about there maybe needing to be a rule change than about the ref making the wrong call. He made the only call that he could given the situation that was on his hands.

The issue isn't what they finally decided to do. The issue was the fact that 3 other officials right there around the football didn't make the effort to find out who had the ball at the end of the play, as the announcing referree explained.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Re: OT: Ref who gave Steelers the win over Miami lives in Pitt area and operates busi

Worst officiating ever since Super Bowl 40. Suprise suprise, another game won by the Steelers SHOCKING INDEED