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BGonline.org Forums
OT sickening officiating
Posted By: Barry Silliman In Response To: OT sickening officiating (Bill Riles)
Date: Wednesday, 4 February 2009, at 12:44 a.m.
The beauty thing for the proponent of conspiracy theories is that he doesn't have to prove the conspiracy. The fact that it is hidden and unprovable is part of the conspiracy.
It is laughable to me to think that the NFL would dictate the outcome of the game. The NFL makes money hand over fist regardless of who wins the Super Bowl, or any other game for that matter. I heard it said years ago that the NFL makes so much money from their television contract that they could play to empty stadiums and still make a profit.
I can't imagine they would risk alienating a major portion of their fan base by conspiring to fix the games at the corporate level. Could a rogue player, or, more likely, official, influence the outcome of a game? You betcha. But I doubt if they are conspiring in the commissioner's office.
I did not think the officiating was that bad. Were there more penalties than I would have liked to have seen? You betcha. But for most of the replays, especially on the holding calls, they were legitimate calls. Was that roughing the passer in the third quarter call, ridiculous? You betcha. But they've been making ridiculous calls like that for years. I've thought for several years now that the quarterbacks should wear dresses, you can't even look at them funny anymore. That call was typical of dozens of similar calls over the years.
Did Harrison deserve to be ejected for that personal foul in the fourth quarter? Perhaps. He could have been. Madden thought he should have been. But I've seen worse things in games without a player being ejected. At the time I thought that Madden over-reacted a bit. But I could be wrong. I was on my second Dogfish Head 90-minute IPA, which is 9% alcohol by volume.
Should that call at the end of the game been reviewed? I've heard various reports that it was reviewed. It certainly wasn't clear at the time. But here's an idea- don't throw an interception when you're at the opponent's one-yard line with 13 seconds left in the half and let a linebacker run 100 yards for the score.
I love everything about Pittsburgh EXCEPT the Steelers. This comes from growing up in the 70s and having them trounce my Baltimore Colts repeatedly in the playoffs and now having them bitch-slap the Ravens around lately. I was rooting for Arizona to pull off the upset.
But I will give the Steelers props. They stepped up got it done when they needed to. How about if the Cardinals just take down Big Ben when he's scrambling around on his own 3 yard line on what, 2nd and 20 or 3rd and 10 or whatever on that final drive. When it was 17-7 and it looked like the Stillers were about to score a TD, I was ready to vary that game offline and see if there was a tourney on GammonSite or something. The Cardinals made a helluva comeback, they have nothing to be ashamed of. But Pittsburgh stepped up when they had to. The Cardinals defense didn't. It was a good game, great finish, somebody has to lose, it hurts I'm sure.
There ain't no conspiracy here folks.
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