Snow Job or Fair Ending?

[NovaScotiaPatsFan]

I don't care if you wanted the Steelers to win or not, I just want to know if you think the refs handed them the game or not. Drop the noble high and mighty talk, go with your gut.

For me: Snow Job

 

[Chevy]

Fix all the officiating errors and the result may have been the same. The problem is, we'll never know. It's almost as if the officials are trying to be the centerpiece of the game, rather than a disciplined crew that steps in only when necessary.

Overall, though, I have to call it a Snow Job. The refs didn't let the talent on the field determine the outcome on their own.

 

[Bella*chick]

Absolute snow job. And I started out the game thinking I was overanalyzing what I was seeing, but eventually I ended up screaming in outrage like everyone else.

 

[Na_polian]

Snowjob. Period.

 

[PatriotPat]

I don't care if you wanted the Steelers to win or not, I just want to know if you think the refs handed them the game or not. Drop the noble high and mighty talk, go with your gut.

For me: Snow Job

I was rooting for the Seahawks, although I thought the Steelers would win. I don't believe in the conspiracy crap, but the officiating sucked, period.

 

[mtbykr]

well

Conspiracy or not--the officials completely sucked and made it look like they were on the take. The NFL is lucky that they did this to seattle who has tame (er) fans. If this crap happened in another city (boston, pitt, denver, ect...) there would be riots! -- and that would end up being the headline. Thanks NFL for desicrating a good thing!

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Any one says that Pitt earned that fair and square needs thier head examined...

 

[Murphys95]

Any one says that Pitt earned that fair and square needs thier head examined...

You're right "earned" is an interesting word choice. "Fell into" is more like it, as in the Lombardi Trophy fell into the Steelers lap.

 

[BJ_McWild]

it was surprising they called Roth's run a TD. that was short of the goal line.

the offensive PI on Darrell Jackson wiping out a TD was borderline but not insane.

there were some holding calls.

did I miss anything else?

 

[Na_polian]

Conspiracy or not--the officials completely sucked and made it look like they were on the take. The NFL is lucky that they did this to seattle who has tame (er) fans. If this crap happened in another city (boston, pitt, denver, ect...) there would be riots! -- and that would end up being the headline. Thanks NFL for desicrating a good thing!

People out here are all hopped up on caffiene

However, I have a feeling people havn't heard the last of Seattle fans over this - not by a longshot... Call it a hunch.

 

[PatsFan-NH]

The Steelers didn't earn it, they kidnapped it with the help of the refs. What a sham.

In the past there were bad calls, because none of the officials were perfect. But looking back it seems to me that in a big game, when there was a call on team A that had a big impact, the refs then were sure to call a balancing penalty on team B. Not that they made things up, but they seemed to find the offsetting call. That way the game stayed balanced, and was decided by the players and not the refs. What happened to change that ? Is this more of some backroom trading on the competition committee ? Is it that Pierra guy who is head of officials ?

 

[Bella*chick]

"Conspiracy" is a loaded word that makes me think of Watergate, but I do think there's something to the whole marketing aspect of this, from the NFL's perspective. What do you think is more desireable...marketing the Steelers as SB champs, with their nationwide fanbase and their roots as a storied franchise...or the Seattle Seahawks, a franchise many people forget is even in the league.

I just think it's really weird that the bad calls were all against Seattle. All that I can think of anyway. They would finish a drive with a TD and get it taken away...it was unbelievable after awhile.

 

[NovaScotiaPatsFan]

Watching a good Seattle play in this game was like watching a kickoff or punt all year long, your eyes just automatically went to the "flag" indicator on the screen knowing it would come up.

 

[NovaScotiaPatsFan]

wow GJAJ15 and mgteich do explain your reasoning.

 

[QuinielaBox]

The referees did suck in the big game.

Offensive pass interference on Seattles 1st TD - MY FRIGGIN ASS.

Holding on the O'line stopping 1st and goal opportunity for Seattle - MY FRIGGIN ASS

Seattle was screwed on all the judgement calls.

Credit Pittsburgh for 3 big plays for three TD's.

Shame on Seattle receivers for dropping passes, I think they were lookin for Joey Porter and Troy Palaomano instead of concentrating on the football.

Shame on Mike Holmgren for not committing to the run and let Shaun Alexander wear down the Pittsburgh defense.

Shame on Hasselback for his botching of the 2 minute drills.

Nobody played well or officiated well in yesterdays Goober Bowl.

Maybe Brady doing the coin flip - scared everyone in the building - like enjoy your little Goober Bowl - cuz starting next year - the National Football League is all the Patriots, all the time.

 

[Joker]

it was surprising they called Roth's run a TD. that was short of the goal line.

the offensive PI on Darrell Jackson wiping out a TD was borderline but not insane.

there were some holding calls.

did I miss anything else?

Roth calling a TO a full two seconds after the clock expired

the cut block call on Hasselbecks tackle

the Phantom holding calls negating big plays where the Steelers Hagans was clearly OFFSIDES twice

I mean, there's so much crap officiating in this game it reduces the entire game to a farce

 

[hwc]

There's no cryin' in football. Sheesh, give it a rest. There wasn't a single call in this game that isn't made every week in the NFL. There was nothing that even came close to the replay ref overturning Polamalu's interception against the Colts. But, guess what? The Steelers found a way to overcome that and win the game.

What happened yesterday was simple. The Seahawks played like crap and the Steelers made a few big plays.

Do we need to count the ways the Hawks stunk up the joint? How 'bout four dropped passes by the TE? How 'bout the punter never once keeping the ball out of the end zone, blowing opportunity after opportunity to pin the Steelers deep and control field position? How 'bout clock management at the end of the both halves that made the Rev. Herm Johnson look like a genius? How 'bout the Seahawks receiver not even making an effort to get the second foot in-bounds on an easy TD catch down the sideline? How 'bout two missed FGs? How, 'bout letting a simple off tackle run go 75 yards untouched into the end zone? How 'bout giving up a 3rd and 28 conversion to the goal line? That's just bad football.

Look, it was a sloppy game. The Steelers figured out a way to put 21 points on the board in an ugly game. That's why they won.

 

[Brownfan80]

bottom line: snow job.

underscore: it may not have mattered with how bad Seattle played, but still. Snow job.

 

[DaBruinz]

There's no cryin' in football. Sheesh, give it a rest. There wasn't a single call in this game that isn't made every week in the NFL. There was nothing that even came close to the replay ref overturning Polamalu's interception against the Colts. But, guess what? The Steelers found a way to overcome that and win the game.

HWC - What you are clearly missing was that the officiating was so blatantly biased. They call Hasselback for blocking below the knees when he was tackling Taylor, yet on the next series Big Ben DID block below the knees, but wasn't called. They call a PI on Jackson, but ignore the fact that Chris Hope actually initiated contact with Jackson before Jackson "pushed off".

Also, later in the game, on 2 different occasions, Ward pushed off and there was no call.

What happened yesterday was simple. The Seahawks played like crap and the Steelers made a few big plays.

Do we need to count the ways the Hawks stunk up the joint? How 'bout four dropped passes by the TE? How 'bout the punter never once keeping the ball out of the end zone, blowing opportunity after opportunity to pin the Steelers deep and control field position? How 'bout clock management at the end of the both halves that made the Rev. Herm Johnson look like a genius? How 'bout the Seahawks receiver not even making an effort to get the second foot in-bounds on an easy TD catch down the sideline? How 'bout two missed FGs? How, 'bout letting a simple off tackle run go 75 yards untouched into the end zone? How 'bout giving up a 3rd and 28 conversion to the goal line? That's just bad football.

Look, it was a sloppy game. The Steelers figured out a way to put 21 points on the board in an ugly game. That's why they won.

No one is discounting the fact that both teams played poorly. But you are deluding yourself if you think that the Refs didn't have a huge hand in the outcome.