Super Bowl Fix?, or incompetence

[petey23]

Being a sports rube and not wanting to know otherwise, I will believe that the Superbowl was decided by incompetent officials rather than any improper NFL fix.

[coachdags]

The only major sport with part timers and it shows......really sad

[BigGame]

I am a Seahawks fan and almost stopped watching the game. Even if it wasn't a fixed game, those officials should never work again. Pro, College, High School or Junior High.

Seattle always seems to have trouble with the officials, remember a few years ago when they gave Vinny Testaverde a TD on the goaline when he didn't even get close to it. It happened with about 30 seconds left, Jets won by 3 and the Seahawks were knocked out of the playoffs. Phil Luckett was the official, he had a few more bad calls early the next season and I think got demoted.

[sprig]

What did the official do wrong? Seemed to me they got the reviews right?

[MafiaMan]

What did the official do wrong? Seemed to me they got the reviews right?

Are you kidding me? As a fan of football, the officiating in this game should disgust everyone. Let's start with the first Seahawk touchdown being 86'd because of offensive pass interference. Jackson and the d-back essentially run into each other and both put their arms up (very gently at that), and Jackson gets called for the penalty? OK, that's number one.

Number two...the long pass to Stevens that ends up down at the one yard line called back because of holding. Even Madden was wondering where the holding was on that play.

Late in the game...a chop block penalty on the quarterback? Hasselbeck was trying to make a tackle for crying out loud! What on earth would he be throwing a chop block for? That 15 yard gain certainly helped Pittsburgh.

And how about that phantom touchdown. The referee didn't come in immediately and give an emphatic signal. He wandered in, looked where the ball was, then put his arms up. I'll concede that the review didn't do much of anything and give it the benefit of the doubt, but it was pretty clear on the field that the referee didn't call it a TD until he saw where the ball was well after Ben had been tackled (and moved it one foot forward across the goal line).

The fix was on!

[soohockey15]

Are you kidding me? As a fan of football, the officiating in this game should disgust everyone. Let's start with the first Seahawk touchdown being 86'd because of offensive pass interference. Jackson and the d-back essentially run into each other and both put their arms up (very gently at that), and Jackson gets called for the penalty? OK, that's number one.

Late in the game...a chop block penalty on the quarterback? Hasselbeck was trying to make a tackle for crying out loud! What on earth would he be throwing a chop block for? That 15 yard gain certainly helped Pittsburgh.

Watch the replay. When the receiver puts his arms out, the d-back clearly hops back. The receiver's arms impeded with the d-back's ability to move. It was the right call.

If you would've listened to the commentary, they explained the penalty very well. The rule was that if you do not tackle the person with the ball, it is a penalty. Hasselbeck went down on the blocker, so it was again the right call.

[CoteauRinkRat]

I'm not a fan of either team and really could have cared less who won the game, but the officiating was absolutely terrible.

Can we have a few more segments on Bettis and his return to Detroit?

[MafiaMan]

Watch the replay. When the receiver puts his arms out, the d-back clearly hops back. The receiver's arms impeded with the d-back's ability to move. It was the right call.

If you would've listened to the commentary, they explained the penalty very well. The rule was that if you do not tackle the person with the ball, it is a penalty. Hasselbeck went down on the blocker, so it was again the right call.

The d-back pushed the receiver at almost exactly the same time. I've got no biases towards either team and my first reaction was "you're kidding me, that's pass interference?". Seen Randy Moss' move to get open lately? Gimme a break!

[MafiaMan]

I'm not a fan of either team and really could have cared less who won the game, but the officiating was absolutely terrible.

Can we have a few more segments on Bettis and his return to Detroit?

That's another issue. The ONLY good thing about the constant chatter about Bettis returning to Detroit was that no one asked about Brett Favre for about 48 hours.

[CoteauRinkRat]

That's another issue. The ONLY good thing about the constant chatter about Bettis returning to Detroit was that no one asked about Brett Favre for about 48 hours.

Isn't that the truth. I'm surprised Madden didn't work Favre into the conversation sometime during the game.

[SiouxMD]

I heard that the Apollo Moon landing was a hoax...

[BigGame]

Watch the replay. When the receiver puts his arms out, the d-back clearly hops back. The receiver's arms impeded with the d-back's ability to move. It was the right call.

If you would've listened to the commentary, they explained the penalty very well. The rule was that if you do not tackle the person with the ball, it is a penalty. Hasselbeck went down on the blocker, so it was again the right call.

You are clueless, Hasselbeck didn't even hit the blocker but did tackle the ball carrier. The DB started the contact, it was light and shouldn't have been called either way and the TD should have stood. The BS holding call on the play to the 1 yard line wasn't even close to being a penalty. The official on the field blew the Rothlisberger TD call, which replay couldn't overturn.

[soohockey15]

You are clueless, Hasselbeck didn't even hit the blocker but did tackle the ball carrier. The DB started the contact, it was light and shouldn't have been called either way and the TD should have stood. The BS holding call on the play to the 1 yard line wasn't even close to being a penalty. The official on the field blew the Rothlisberger TD call, which replay couldn't overturn.

You never think that the Seahawks just choked when the pressure was on them? Hasselbeck threw a pretty sweet intercetption in the red zone, and if your defense can't stop Pittsburgh on a 3rd and 28, well, they deserve to get beat. Seattle played themselves out of the game with stupid penalties and Pittsburgh capitalized. What a surprise to hear Seattle fans bitching about the refs before they stop to think that they're boys forgot to show up in a big game.

[BleedGrn]

I remember watching the super bowls growing up and how amazed I was that they let some stuff go in the past. This year, I think the officials clearly decided the game when they should have been a non-factor. The calls they made were very borderline. I don't care if they were technically correct or incorrect, they were so slight, that whatever influence the foul had on the play, the calls made a much bigger impact.

It's like winning the lottery, but being disqualified because you folded your winning ticket.

Honestly, I didn't have anything invested in the game either way, but I felt the officiating had a huge impact on the game. It shouldn't be that way.

[BleedGrn]

This from a Steelers "fan"

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

[BigGame]

You never think that the Seahawks just choked when the pressure was on them? Hasselbeck threw a pretty sweet intercetption in the red zone, and if your defense can't stop Pittsburgh on a 3rd and 28, well, they deserve to get beat. Seattle played themselves out of the game with stupid penalties and Pittsburgh capitalized. What a surprise to hear Seattle fans bitching about the refs before they stop to think that they're boys forgot to show up in a big game.

Even though Seattle didn't play great, they still outplayed the Steelers. If it were not for the many horrible calls the Seahawks likely win the game. If I was a Steeler fan, I would be a little upset about the game because the officiating taints the win severely.

[MafiaMan]

Even though Seattle didn't play great, they still outplayed the Steelers. If it were not for the many horrible calls the Seahawks likely win the game. If I was a Steeler fan, I would be a little upset about the game because the officiating taints the win severely.

I had no vested interest in the game, being a fan of either team, nor having any money bet on the game, so the thought that I'm a biased viewer is thrown out the window. Honestly, though, the officiating "taints this win severely? Really? Any more-so than the "tuck-rule" made Tom Brady just a one-time Super Bowl MVP in pre-game introductions yesterday? Two years from now, no one will remember the officiating. They will remember that Pittsburgh won Super Bowl XL.

[BigGame]

I will not forget it because it was BS, and I am certain I am not the only one.

I was stating it is a tainted win from my perspective, I wouldn't feel good about it if I was on team that won a big game in large part due to completely one sided, and horrible officiating.

[siouxrunner]

Any thoughts on Holmgren not meeting Cowher at center field after the game, or am I the only one that noticed this? Do you think he could be that mad about his team getting screwed on all the calls that he wouldn't even do the token post game handshake?

[BigGame]

Any thoughts on Holmgren not meeting Cowher at center field after the game, or am I the only one that noticed this? Do you think he could be that mad about his team getting screwed on all the calls that he wouldn't even do the token post game handshake?

It's horrible, he should have went and kicked the officials ass and then went to shake Cowhers hand. It's got to be tough to work that hard and have some terrible officiating dictate the game.

[SiouxMD]

Even though Seattle didn't play great, they still outplayed the Steelers. If it were not for the many horrible calls the Seahawks likely win the game. If I was a Steeler fan, I would be a little upset about the game because the officiating taints the win severely.

Any more than...

2003 Ohio State / Miami

2002 New England Patriots / Oakland Raiders

2005 Chicago White Sox / Anaheim Angels

2003 Minnesota Vikings / Arizona Cardinals

1998 Pittsburgh Steelers / Detroit Lions (Coin Flip)

or

any of THESE?

[BigGame]

Any more than...

2003 Ohio State / Miami

2002 New England Patriots / Oakland Raiders

2005 Chicago White Sox / Anaheim Angels

2003 Minnesota Vikings / Arizona Cardinals

1998 Pittsburgh Steelers / Detroit Lions (Coin Flip)

or

any of THESE?

The only reason it's bigger is because it's the Super Bowl.

[snaggles]

Interference call was weak. The T.D. was very close, I just wonder what made that official rule it a T.D. when you could not even tell on replay. If you watch close on that play, the official comes in and is ready to mark the ball short of the goal line with his foot and then decides to give the T.D. The holding play bothers me. How many holding calls did pitts. get called for? Seattle's big plays came back due to holding which goes on every play. I didn't see a make-up holding call against pitts. however. Holmgren must have went to the Denny Green school of clock management, the precious seconds he wasted before half time was unexcusable. All in all, I though seattle outplayed them but could not finish, and pitts. had about 3 big plays that won them the game. Can't wait until next year when the vikings are in the super bowl? HA!!! I am a big vikings fan but I have to even laugh at that.

[MafiaMan]

I will not forget it because it was BS, and I am certain I am not the only one.

I was stating it is a tainted win from my perspective, I wouldn't feel good about it if I was on team that won a big game in large part due to completely one sided, and horrible officiating.

Jerome Bettis feels good enough about it to retire.

[redwing77]

IIRC, Hasselback had better numbers than Roethlisberger, but Ben had a mammoth game on the ground.

Here's a conspiracy theory for you all:

Pittsburgh got hosed by the officials vs. Indianapolis and overcame it to head on to the next round. The NFL issued a statement stating that the call that could have cost Pittsburgh the game was incorrect.

The Super Bowl basically was the reverse. The NFL head of officials told the head official on the field to lay off of the Steelers. Kindof a makeup game with a good feeling twist (Bettis and to a smaller effect, Ben's winning a Super Bowl at 23 years of age).

Was this game fixed? If you believe that conspiracy theory I just said, yes.

Do I believe it was fixed? No. I believe the officials wanted air time. I voted incompetant. But we'll never know. The NFL embarrasses itself enough with those statements of apology during regular season and playoff games. They'll NEVER admit to wrong doing in a Super Bowl.