The Fix was in at the Superbowl
 

After watching the Rams get trounced 3 or 4 years back, I had an ephiny. The Officiating in the Superbowl at least is FIXED.

Now the NFL, Media, Advertisers etc don't care who wins the game. What they do care about is providing a game that is close, exciting, all to entice people to keep watching instead of turning on something more enlightening like Gilligans Island. Now how to accomplish this goal, have the Refrees have a BIAS. In other words come down harder on the Team that is most likely to win.

Check out this years Stupid bowl. Seattle was able to move the ball, and was able to contain Pittsburg Offense to a standstill. The ONLY plays Pittsburg made that were successfull were its Speciality plays. If you noticed Seattle was Penalized nearly every time it was moving the ball. The notable calls were the overturned TD by Seattle for Pushing Off in the 1st Quarter. The Pittsburg QB TD where he pulls the ball out from under him and puts it over the goal line after he is down. The 3rd down in the 2nd Quarter where the referee places the ball short of the 1st down by inches for Seattle, when it was obvious that the players forward momentum had given him the 1st down. The 1 Yard Line Seattle pass that was called back. The 4th Quarter blocking play by the Seattle QB that was deememd legal by the announers of the game but penalized. The Holding Call on Pittsburg that was never called but was mentioned by the Announcers of the game

Now I am not telling U boyz t believe anything, but start watching the veracity of the Officiating and see what conclusions you can come up with.

Boo Hoo..... By the way, it's Pittsburgh.

2 missed field goals, 4 dropped passes, bad coaching, bad interception. Nahhhh, that didn't have anything to do with it. If your looking for something fishy, start with Seattles tight end.

The only fix was that the AFC was light-years better than the NFC this year--and it showed.

HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO!

One for the thumb is a sweeeet thing.

You Steelers fans don't think they played well do you? I mean you won the game and that's all that really matters, but they looked and played aweful.

Whats your point? Yes, they didn't play that well. But you can still play the way they did and beat an NFC team. The Lombardi trophy winner was decided in Indianapolis.

Check out my post in the other thread. It wasn't a slam-dunk, but when they needed to, the Steelers made the play--that is the mark of a Champion.:)

Big deal...they played like a wild card team with a number of losses in the first half.

I agree....
The QB touchdown was questionable...

But.....
The called back TD in the end zone for the push off was right on the money.....

Even a UCSB grad should be able to see that? Or were you there AFTER they dropped football as a varsity sport?

The Steelers DIDN'T play well. Was it them or do you give credit to a good Seattle defense? They didn't run well and Rothlisberger didn't have his best game. They made the plays they had to make to win and Seattle couldn't do that.

Rothlisberger's touchdown was a good call if you look at the sideline view objectively. The Seattle push-off in the endzone was a good call that you see called 65-70% of the time.

How about when the seahawks player clearly fumbled a pass he had total control of the ball, that the steelers picked up. That was also called a fumble by the announcers but not by the officials? The call turned out to be uncritical because the seahawks had to punt a play or two after it, but regardless it was a missed call that went the seahawks way. Officiating is pretty tough. I officiated ice hockey and it is a lot harder when you are on the field making split second decisions that effect a game than it is sitting on a couch when your call has no effect on a game. Even with instant replay. Mistakes happen and over a period of time they all even out but that period of time will not necissarily be one game. Which could make one game look one sided. Now why didn't the ref's make the Eagles win the SB last year?

Rich

Steelers didn't pick it up, ball went out of bounds.

Tabs, was it George Bush's fault then ??
Condi picked the Steelers in pregame.
Was it to keep New Orleans down ??

This is stupid.

I just re-watched the game in its entirety and I came away with the impression that if the announcers didn't subject the listeners to their "correct impression" of what isn't or is a penalty, there would be little controversy. Every "controversal" penalty call made had grounds for being called. What was clear is that the SeaHawks committed more of them. You will frequently find the team that is being outplayed or losing doing this. Seattle outplayed the Steelers in the first half. I don't think they give out trophy's for that. When the game started coming down to crunch time, it seemed every drive Seattle had ended with a Hasselback overthrow or a dropped pass. Didn't see any penalty flags around those plays. Watch the game again if you can.

Grant Wistrom says Pittsburg outplayed Seattle. They got the job done, and won the Superbowl. Grant Wistrom didn't bring up bad calls, or unfairness, and certainly not a "fixed game."

Grant Wistrom is a denfensive end for the Seattle Seahawks. If he says Seattle got beat, he has more say than anyone else except his team mates.

No player would. Maybe a Steeler, but most players don't whine:)

I'm not certain, but I can't recall Pittsbugh truly ever whining - at least not this season. Yes, Bill Cower sheds copious tears in victory and clenches his jaw hard when plays are blown, but I don't remember him - or any Steeler quite frankly - of whining. Granted, this season, the Steelers had three opportunities (i.e. loses) to whine.

Now, if I want whiners, I look to L.A. teams:

1) Kobe Bryant - on the floor whenever he fouls or fouls out.

2) Matt Leinart - in that pathetic interview after the Trojans lost the National Championship to Texas who had a quaterback the Trojans should have stopped. On that same note, offensive playcalling for USC was abysmal.

The poor showing kinda makes one wonder what would have happened had they not taken out Carson Palmer...

Nah......

Im not saying that the game was fixed...but what I am saying is:

1) The officiating was disgusting. That entire crew needs to be canned.

Absolutely unacceptable for a major sports championship.

To flag Hasselbeck for "illegal block" when he was making a tackle was like freaking playground official stuff. Unacceptable.

It tainted the Super Bowl.

2) The NFL wanted Pittsburgh to win. Bigger Market. Much bigger and more rabid fan base who buys more Gear...and the Bettis story was a nice sidebar.

No doubt that the NFL makes more money by Pittsburgh winning...

Again...im not saying the game was fixed...but....

:confused:

Here's Sports Illustrated's take on it:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/andrew_perloff/02/06/super.bowl/index.html

more

http://blogs.foxsports.com/category/Super_Bowl

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5310192

tabs, you've done it again. :D

Here's my perspective. ..

Superbowl Football is right up there with WWF. OF COURSE ITS FIXED.

. . .take a look at the demographics... the stadium was a great reflection of this. Just imagine how many commercials would be missed by the MASSES, if tv's started turning off prematurely. (Sea point winning)

Clearly, a show.

I've gotta say, tho' I'm glad Seattle lost. (no more of this kitschy crap). . .but especially the way they lost. Reason being; that 'officiating" really chaps the hide of a few of our elected officials here, who know a thing or two about fixing outcomes.

Okay, I plead ignorant, but how do you fix a football game? I know how questionable calls are made, but not every game has questionable calls.

Besides which, if Seattle instead scored on the end zone "push off," the game would have been that much better.

Last: plenty of people left at the first half. The Stones sure didn't keep many who were bored with the 3-0 halftime score on their living room sofas.

Sonic...you ever ref a game? Football or anything else?

I don't car how much they pay....you are always going to make a mistake...that what's Instant Replay is supposed to fix....

Reffing is a thankless job. Especially when it's a volunteer position...ask me how I know.

uhmm, i dunno . .. maybe the same way you get mick & the stones to not 'sing' any 'bad' words. ;)

oh, and see: http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/264843-go-seahawks.html

Chirp- "holding. offense; (massive yardage) play does not count..."

Chirp- "holding. offensive; mick; keep your mouse in its house, and do not grab it"

"Sonic...you ever ref a game? Football or anything else?"

Yes. I was a baseball umpire for several years and also played 1 year of college FB.

Penalties are not reviewable. Calling a penalty for "illegal block" on a QB who just threw an INT and is trying to make a tackle on the guy with the ball....is pure Bush League. Also, this penalty is not reviewable.

Pure and simple.... They ruined the SB for many fans, not just me....the only people satisfied today are Steeler fans.

Also MikeZ...these guys are not volunteers. They get paid about $5K per game, and by their incorrect and unexplainable calls...are responsible for millions of dollars in revenue and billions in illegal gambling. ;) I did not bet on the game by the way.

Actually penalties ARE reviewable...just not during game time. They are reviewed by game officials that rate the ref and justify re-hiring them. At least in High School and College.

In the Pros.....well it's anyones guess.....I've seen some pretty sucko calls.

Once back in the day....I was a head linesman....the team trailing 6-0 was on the opposing team's 5 yard line. The head ref moved up to the line on the other side of me instead of staying in the backfield...we were a three man crew .....a line plunge came up with the ball carrier's back to the head ref.....

He crosses the goal line just AFTER he is stripped of the ball. The opposing team recovers, I call time out, signal first down the other way....my counterpart (head dude) signals TD......

Little schitzengruben that was the late ball carrier yanks off his helmet and wings it at me.....

The rest was really fun...made the news....50 people arrested.

I was sanding drywall on Sunday and missed the game. Glad I made the right choice.

I am saying ALL the Big games are what I call semi fixed....An Official makes a call here and there on the dominant team to slow them down a bit. To help even the teams out (to break the momentum of one team)...so one side just doesn't get blown out. If its a close game more people will watch to see the outcome then if its 27 to 3...So this has nothing to do with the Steelers or Seahawks...The NFL doesn't care who wins just so its a game people will watch and buy the Beer thats advertised. So the money will keep rolling in. get it its all about MONEY.

Apparently you believe Big Ben was in on the fix too? If he doesn't throw that pick, it's 21-3, and the Steelers trounce the Seahawks. Then all those "fixed" calls are for naught.

Interesting. First, it makes sense, Island, that you wished a loss upon the Seahawks. My 13 year-old daughter is also struggling to create a unique identity. And if you favor bad roads and bad gubmint, it makes sense that you would withhold your support of a broad range of community goals. You seem very nice in person, though. Very nice. You and Mul apparently have that in common. Completely different personalities depending on verbal versus typed exchanges. Ah well.....

I am a little surprised that the nation seems to be picking up on this officiating thing. As a Seattle fan and a sportsman, I wasn't going to say anything. But that officiating was abysmal. Beyond embarrassing.

I played cornerback and safety, and have to vigorously disagree with those who support the end-zone offensive pass interference call. Even though I was a defensive player myself. Putting your arm around the receiver's waist and spinning them gently while the ball is in the air is VERY common and VERY effective, even in pro ball. Happens all the time. Watch. Receivers inexplicably turning AWAY from the ball as it approaches. Basically forces the receiver into using only one hand to make the catch. Okay, I digress. The push was not interference, since the Steeler defender had no chance at the ball itself. Was it a push-off? Hardly. It was barely a tap. And it came at the end of a bunch of pushing by both players. The Seattle receiver, entangled with the defender, had every right to place his forearm and hand where he did, and was actually rather reserved in the "push off." Really really bad bad call. Nowhere close to offensive pass interference.

The QB tackle that was flagged as a chop block. Give me a break.

And signaling a TD as you are running toward the ball to make the spot, where there had been NO blocking of the official's view at any time during the play, was inexcusable. If he saw a TD, fine. He clearly did not. What was clearly, on its face, inappropriate was for the official to NOT see a TD, NOT have any obstructed view, run toward the ball spot, and then seconds later, signal a TD when, several seconds after the end of the play he sees the ball moving across the goal line. That call could NOT have been properly made within those circumstances. That official, at a minimum, should never be allowed to officiate another game.

But hey, at the end of the day, the Steelers had more points than Seattle. I think both teams made some good plays. I like the way my team played, compared to Pittsburgh. But the World Champions are the Steelers, and they have my congratulations.

Latest NFL Ref vehicle of choice
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1139431896.jpg
:D

Actually the Stones put on a pretty good show... you did miss that. :D