Yahoo:The NFL's officiating problem

[rochrist]

You can be pretty confident that the officials screwed the Pats when Felger devotes an entire show to saying the refs screwed the Pats.

 

[TomPatriot]

Is it really too much to ask that the officiating crew: 1) explain their calls and 2) make consistent calls so the players know what is a penalty and what isn't?

 

[borg]

Touche, but that still doesn't explain why the league would choose Arizona in the scenario the poster presented.

JMO ....in descending order of plausibility
1) Arizona is the NFC's one and only high octane offense. Fun games to watch. League loves their air shows

2) The PST team to follow. Sorry Seattle....you're old news. Arizona is owning the west coast time zone.

3) Visually appealing.....sunny, happy, vibrant colors (verses Jet green). For those old timers that remember Dolphin games in the Orange Bowl with palm trees in the stadium, the tropical setting was half the appeal of watching their games. Completely lost at Pro Player (whatever it is called now). My point....great for marketing....verses dreary winter games in dark wet stadiums.

 

[boodog]

Here is an interesting fact: NFL referee Greg Wilson reassigned to lower-profile game after botched call
Just heard on Dale and Holley that the back judge, Greg Wilson who called the OPI on Gronk was the same guy who did not throw a flag on the ball batted out of the endzone during the Seahawks/Lions game in week 4. He was subsequently demoted and pulled off the Corrente crew and assigned to low profile games. And now Wilson resurfaces back on the Corrente team for one of the most watched games of the season. Hmm. He should be fired.

NFL referee Greg Wilson reassigned to lower-profile game after botched call

 

[PatsBoy12]

JMO ....in descending order of plausibility
1) Arizona is the NFC's one and only high octane offense. Fun games to watch. League loves their air shows

2) The PST team to follow. Sorry Seattle....you're old news. Arizona is owning the west coast time zone.

3) Visually appealing.....sunny, happy, vibrant colors (verses Jet green). For those old timers that remember Dolphin games in the Orange Bowl with palm trees in the stadium, the tropical setting was half the appeal of watching their games. Completely lost at Pro Player (whatever it is called now). My point....great for marketing....verses dreary winter games in dark wet stadiums.

Not bad.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Here is an interesting fact: NFL referee Greg Wilson reassigned to lower-profile game after botched call
Just heard on Dale and Holley that the back judge, Greg Wilson who called the OPI on Gronk was the same guy who did not throw a flag on the ball batted out of the endzone during the Seahawks/Lions game in week 4. He was subsequently demoted and pulled off the Corrente crew and assigned to low profile games. And now Wilson resurfaces back on the Corrente team for one of the most watched games of the season. Hmm. He should be fired.

NFL referee Greg Wilson reassigned to lower-profile game after botched call

This doesn't make me happy. It actually makes me more upset. I know reversing outcomes of games after the fact is a pandora's box that nobody should ever open, but games like the one last night (as well as other pro and college games) makes one wonder if that isn't something worth at least talking about some more just to be sure. For Felger and Mazz to do nothing but talk about (repeatedly) how the Pats were screwed by the refs . . . for Jaws to be so irate . . . for other guys who have spoken negatively about NE in the past to come out and somewhat defend the Pats . . . it says something and none of that should be taken lightly. These refs should face harsher penalties, especially if you're going to fine players and coaches for voicing their displeasure. These guys work too hard at what they do and there's too much at stake for them (jobs, paychecks, careers) for them to have games stolen from them in the way the game was stolen from NE last night.

 

[JarOfMayo51]

Can't wait for the apology from the league.....................................................

The apology just infuriates me even more.. just like in the 2006 AFCCG where the Colts had a 3rd and goal.. and Ellis Hobb made a perfect defensive play on Reggie Wayne preventing the touch down.. on the slow motion replay you can literally see that he made ZERO contact with the receiver...

The refs threw a flag for "face guarding" which wasn't even an actual rule.. gave the Colts 1st and goal at the 1 and they scored.. 4 point swing.. and they called an equally BS call on Troy Brown for offensive pass interference that turned a TD by the Patriots on a 3rd down into a FG.. 4 point swing for a total of 8 on 2 blatantly bogus calls at KEY plays in the game,,

The refs sent an apology letter to Ellis Hobbs.. im sure it read something like "Sorry for penalizing you for literally nothing, the rule I made up on the spot wasn't actually a rule in the NFL anymore.. Sorry I cost you a conference championship and a trip to the SB.. Oh well, at least you're on vacation now for a couple months! AMIRITE!?"

Its just total BS.. the league thinks they can get away with this stuff.. they literally got out of hand last night with just how blatant it was.. they were probly just like "ehh no one cares anyways, worst case we send an apology letter!"

Last night just has me flat out disgusted with this league.. that is not how big games should be won and lost, by insanely ticky tack, controversial calls and no-calls.

I mean... F*** Chris Harper for fumbling that ball... but WTF were the coaches even thinking having a rookie with no experience field a punt in the snow late in a game? I dunno, despite the deplorable officiating that was making sure any 3rd down conversion or big play that they made on offense or defense would be called back, the team still had many opportunities to close the game out.. Just so many dropped balls, fumbles that we didnt get to, interceptions we could have had... bad tackling.. stupid penalties that were legit..

It was their 1 big fat turd of a game that they always seem to have once a year, and they still had a chance in over time to win it!

Super frustrating game obviously... it will be easier to get over knowing that Gronk can return back for the playoff run.. if he was done for the year id have just about lost it lol

 

[JarOfMayo51]

If we see Denver in January all of the Refing in the world isn't going to be enough for the amount of points and pain we're going to put on them.

I just hope to god that if fortune allows us a rematch, its not @Denver

 

[ausbacker]

I just hope to god that if fortune allows us a rematch, its not @Denver

The Patriots, at reasonable health, minus overt cheating by the officials destroy Denver in a rematch.

 

[JarOfMayo51]

I don't disagree with your conspiracy theory, as I acknowledge something fishy is going on, especially with the Gronk OPI's lately, but why would they choose Arizona of all teams? Is it some type of political power play or something?

New stadiums is my guess. Colts won their first SB as their new Lucas Oil Stadium was completed. Pats won the SB right as Gilette was completed. The Giants won the SB right after the new MetLife Stadium was built. The Eagles made it to the SB right after their new stadium opened, unfortunately for them the Pats Dynasty got in the way of their plans.

 

[PatsBoy12]

New stadiums is my guess. Colts won their first SB as their new Lucas Oil Stadium was completed. Pats won the SB right as Gilette was completed. The Giants won the SB right after the new MetLife Stadium was built. The Eagles made it to the SB right after their new stadium opened, unfortunately for them the Pats Dynasty got in the way of their plans.

That's also very interesting and I never realized any of them before your post.

 

[scott99]

I can deal with losing because of some non-calls. That happens. It's a fast moving game and the refs can't see everything. I see it as completely different when a game is lost because flags are thrown when they shouldn't be. That's just inexcusable. I don't like benefiting from BS flags either. Didn't like the Boyce PI call against the Browns in 2013.

You can deal with losing due to non calls ? So you were ok with the Triple Offensive Holding on the famous helmet catch in SB 42 ?

 

[PatsBoy12]

I can deal with losing because of some non-calls. That happens. It's a fast moving game and the refs can't see everything. I see it as completely different when a game is lost because flags are thrown when they shouldn't be. That's just inexcusable. I don't like benefiting from BS flags either. Didn't like the Boyce PI call against the Browns in 2013.

I can only halfway agree. I do agree totally that so many things go uncalled in games because it is so fast with big bodies everywhere. However, there are some that are just inexcusable. Chandler Jones was basically having his facemask reconstructed for like five seconds on a pass play developing right in front of the Umpire and no call?! I mean, what else is the guy looking at if not the QB and anyone in his immediate box or zone? Seriously?

Again, I agree with you overall. Missed calls happen. But that, in addition to all of the bad/unjustified calls, just makes the whole thing super frustrating. The officiating in the league right now is a problem for the sport, and I don't know if anyone can or should argue that. It's so pathetic. These guys work too hard to win games to have refs just blowing things so blatantly and, more importantly, SO DAMNED CONSISTENTLY. How can this keep happening week after week? If you're going to fine players and coaches when they talk disparagingly, then the penalties when the screw these top notch athletes and coaches when they f*ck them over. Stop with the BS apologies after games and start making these guys feel some real consequences.

 

[PatsBoy12]

You can deal with losing due to non calls ? So you were ok with the Triple Offensive Holding on the famous helmet catch in SB 42 ?

How about Armani Toomer stiff arming Hobbs BEFORE the ball got there early in the first quarter that lead to a Giants field goal? What was the point differential in that game again? It's so frustrating.

 

[moejr]

You can deal with losing due to non calls ? So you were ok with the Triple Offensive Holding on the famous helmet catch in SB 42 ?

Or the no whistle after we had Eli stopped before that catch I believe.

 

[ausbacker]

This doesn't make me happy. It actually makes me more upset. I know reversing outcomes of games after the fact is a pandora's box that nobody should ever open, but games like the one last night (as well as other pro and college games) makes one wonder if that isn't something worth at least talking about some more just to be sure. For Felger and Mazz to do nothing but talk about (repeatedly) how the Pats were screwed by the refs . . . for Jaws to be so irate . . . for other guys who have spoken negatively about NE in the past to come out and somewhat defend the Pats . . . it says something and none of that should be taken lightly. These refs should face harsher penalties, especially if you're going to fine players and coaches for voicing their displeasure. These guys work too hard at what they do and there's too much at stake for them (jobs, paychecks, careers) for them to have games stolen from them in the way the game was stolen from NE last night.

Let's call it what it is. The NFL match fixed the outcome of this game. That makes the fact that the Patriots were in a position to win all the more impressive.

If your lot is serious, you'll get the FBI to turn their attention to the NFL. Seems like they've finally given FIFA a long overdue shake up.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Let's call it what it is. The NFL match fixed the outcome of this game. That makes the fact that the Patriots were in a position to win all the more impressive.

If your lot is serious, you'll get the FBI to turn their attention to the NFL. Seems like they've finally given FIFA a long overdue shake up.

Agreed. We're seeing in the NFL what we've seen in FIFA and the NBA. It's pathetic.

 

[Concussion Protocol]

How about Armani Toomer stiff arming Hobbs BEFORE the ball got there early in the first quarter that lead to a Giants field goal? What was the point differential in that game again? It's so frustrating.

I believe Hobbs got revenge with a pick after that, but it was a blatant push off. That stuff doesn't get called in Super Bowls. So inconsistent.

 

[PatsBoy12]

I believe Hobbs got revenge with a pick after that, but it was a blatant push off. That stuff doesn't get called in Super Bowls. So inconsistent.

Yup. Everything about how the game is officiated now and for many years has been inconsistent.

 

[BTTA]

Like most, I'm left without explanation for why so many calls and non calls went against the Pats, and thus tempted to see it as League conspiracy.

But seriously, how does one get such a message to a group of officials, regularly, and never have it leak? Never have one of them get fed up and blow it open? Never have a communications gaffe that exposes it? I just don't see how that's possible. But I want to, I truly do.

Help, brothers and sisters. Help me join the legion of conspiracy believers.