Some readers have commented on why I did not include the Big Ben TD which was looked at on replay as one of the "bad calls" in the Super Bowl. Here's why:
1) IMHO Roethlisberger did score, but barely. Let's just say that no replay showed CONCLUSIVE evidence that it was not a touchdown. The call on the field was TOUCHDOWN, and you need INDISPUTABLE evidence to overturn the call. I saw nothing that made me scream at the officials on that play other than the late signal by the side judge.
2) Challenges are worthless inside the one yard line unless it is fourth down. In Super Bowl XXXVIII, Christian Fauria caught a touchdown pass which was shown on film to be a touchdown but ruled incomplete on the field. Bill Belichick did not challenge the call, though he would have won the challenge. Why?
Because there was defensive holding on the play, which gave the Patriots the ball at the one. On the next play, Antowain Smith ran it in for the touchdown. So, the Patriots get their score anyway and save a challenge. Why use up a challenge when you can simply plow in from the one on the next play?
In this case, it was just inside the 2:00 warning, so this was a booth review. Even if the booth overturned the touchdown, I submit that Pittsburgh merely scores from inside the one on the next play. Unless you are named Tom Moore and run the Colt offense, you are almost guaranteed a score in that situation.
That is why I did not include this touchdown as one of the bad calls of the night. I actually agreed with it.
Bob G
1) IMHO Roethlisberger did score, but barely. Let's just say that no replay showed CONCLUSIVE evidence that it was not a touchdown. The call on the field was TOUCHDOWN, and you need INDISPUTABLE evidence to overturn the call. I saw nothing that made me scream at the officials on that play other than the late signal by the side judge.
2) Challenges are worthless inside the one yard line unless it is fourth down. In Super Bowl XXXVIII, Christian Fauria caught a touchdown pass which was shown on film to be a touchdown but ruled incomplete on the field. Bill Belichick did not challenge the call, though he would have won the challenge. Why?
Because there was defensive holding on the play, which gave the Patriots the ball at the one. On the next play, Antowain Smith ran it in for the touchdown. So, the Patriots get their score anyway and save a challenge. Why use up a challenge when you can simply plow in from the one on the next play?
In this case, it was just inside the 2:00 warning, so this was a booth review. Even if the booth overturned the touchdown, I submit that Pittsburgh merely scores from inside the one on the next play. Unless you are named Tom Moore and run the Colt offense, you are almost guaranteed a score in that situation.
That is why I did not include this touchdown as one of the bad calls of the night. I actually agreed with it.
Bob G