Troy Polamalu-(A Football Move)-The Zebra's 9th Circuit

Free Republic ^ | 1/16/06 | beyond the sea

[beyond the sea]

This is going to be less than pretty, but someone had to do it.

Yesterday's Steeler/Indy game was .............. well, you fill that in.

I'm a Steeler fan of 55 years or so, and the game yesterday was, to say the least, quite bizarre --- as the concept of "a football move" brought back visions of Elroy 'Crazy Legs' Hirsh. The LIVE THREAD yesterday including this incredible game was as lively as the game itself. This morning I gathered some of your comments on the Troy Polamalu interception.

Let's be honest............. he caught the damn ball and the refs blew the call. But FReepers' humor and insights were pretty darn funny as all this was happening. I'm a crappy typist, so this may be a quite ugly presentation. I am just going to present some of the posts from all of you who were transfixed by yesterday's game and the bizarre officiating. It all was unreal, and your comments were fabulous.

Yoi!

*****

I'm glad its not my team, I would have a heart attack!

932 posted on 01/15/2006 4:15:57 PM EST by scott says

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He had one knee and a head of hair down .... Interception — mikrofon (ROFL)

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What the HELL is a "Football Move" all of a sudden??

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Damn I hate the way LIBS have to try and start new verbiage.

675 posted on 01/15/2006 3:53:56 PM EST by ThreePuttinDude

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After further review, and a review of security provisions, we reverse the call.

677 posted on 01/15/2006 3:54:14 PM EST by steveegg

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HORRIBLE CALL by the Blind Zebra

689 posted on 01/15/2006 3:54:38 PM EST by GRRRRR

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I'm glad the NFL rule book is a living, breathing document! The 9th circuit is officiating today ;) (A CLASSIC !!)

714 posted on 01/15/2006 3:56:12 PM EST by cgk

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CBS considers the money slipped to the refs to make that reversal the best investment it could make. 715 posted on 01/15/2006 3:56:15 PM EST by steveegg

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Peyton Manning and Head Referee Caught in Uncompromising Position. 721 posted on 01/15/2006 3:56:45 PM EST by LdSentinal

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this ref will not be working the playoffs next year. Worst call i have ever seen.

734 posted on 01/15/2006 3:57:40 PM EST by connectthedots

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I'm a Colts fan, and that INT call was horrible. Seemed like TV wanted an interesting finish.

738 posted on 01/15/2006 3:58:12 PM EST by Teacher317

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That was an 8-point call. 745 posted on 01/15/2006 3:58:49 PM EST by steveegg

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The true 12th man in the game, The zebras..

794 posted on 01/15/2006 4:04:18 PM EST by NormsRevenge

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If the Colts win, this will be the biggest robbery since Brinks.

812 posted on 01/15/2006 4:07:15 PM EST by dfwgator

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Bettis is the happiest guy in 2 cities!

967 posted on 01/15/2006 4:17:54 PM EST by freedumb2003

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Ok Cowher, this time can you just take a knee?

974 posted on 01/15/2006 4:18:09 PM EST by dfwgator

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[Poser]

The term "a football move" was purposefully intended to be vague so the referees could keep the games close, TV viewers would keep watching, and the league could charge more for TV advertising.

[beyond the sea]

I was rooting for the Steelers because Mannings playoff futility stimulates my Schadenfreude gland. --- LOL!

HOWEVER, when Bettis lost that ball on the 1-inch line, I suddenly started rooting for the Colts: the thought of Bettis ending his career with that play was just too delicious. --- oooh, the sadist in you. ;-)

Hey, is Manning overrated because he's white? ---- Hey, Rush.

[airborne]

The referees did everything in their power to hand the game to Manning.

The interception, the offsides and the pass interference all were blown calls that went to the Colts.

All three were so obvious that it is an insult to say otherwise.

[InvisibleChurch]

I'm a big fan of the DGFL, the Delayed Gratification Football League. I'm so excited when my team has a great play, but I am even happier because I usually have to wait an extra 5 minutes to see if my cheering is justified. That just makes my elation even more elatier. Of course, sometimes the call doesn't go my way because of the sudden influx of "football moves", but that just gins me up for the NEXT big play where I can sit on pins and needles to see if it really happened or if the opposing team is going to file an injunction against it. Maybe it ought to be called the ACLUFL.....

[Lou L]

Ok, answered my own question.

http://www.nfl.com/fans/rules

Still, that appears to be a "watered down" rule book and definitions...not the "official" NFL Rule Book. I can't find a definition for "football move."

[evets]

[smith288]

$hit happens and you KNOW it was not a purposeful hit !

When did I say it was on purpose? It wasnt a clean hit but it wasnt an intention-to-hurt hit.

Im saddened that the Bengals never got the oppurtunity to give it their best shot with the talent that got them there. To me, Pitts win over them isnt as impressive unless Carson plays.

And i dont blame teams not selling to Pitt fans. There is a reason they call it home field advantage.

[beyond the sea]

OK now I'm going to defend not taking the knee. Yeah sure given the fumble it looks like going for it was the wrong call, but when you look at the math it was the right call. There was 1:20 left in the game and Indy had all their time outs. If the Steelers take 3 knees the Colts call 3 time outs, so then we're at 4th and goal with about 1:14 or so left on the clock (knees and instant time outs don't take much clock), so then we kick the FG and are up by 6 but the Colts will get the ball back around their 20 with 1:00 on the clock. And then you have to ask yourself if the Colts can get a TD in 1 minute from 80 yards away, then think of the Colts first play in their regular season matchup and the answer is a big YES.

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I hear you. You make a great point. I wasn't thinking well. I just let the bizarre fumble cloud my thinking.

God, it would have been nice if THE BUS had just rumbled that ball into the endzone. That fumble was a severe bummer.......... but, thank God for Ben's tackle!

[evets]

Whew!

[beyond the sea]

IMHO the "perfect" call would have been a fake knee QB sneek, catch the Colts hanging out by the umpire getting ready to call a timeout and maybe get the TD then

Great idea!

[wildbill]

Forget about the call--you have the makings of a real NFL superstar in Troy Opal...opol...apola...this Troy guy.

I love the way he flies headlong over the field and he's not afraid to give up his body by stretching out, knowing he's gonna get hit by the ground or another player.

If it wasn't for the fact he plays for Putzberg, I might become a fan.

[rudy45]

How about changing the rules to allow challenges regarding penalties, in BOTH respects. That is, allow a challenge to a penalty that was called, saying that it shouldn't have been called... And, allow a challenge in a play when a penalty wasn't called, but SHOULD have been called.

While we're on the subject: are teams still allowed only two challenges per game? And is a team charged with a challenge EVEN IF they're correct? If so, that's wrong.

[beyond the sea]

I knew it was over when it was 21-3.

LOL!

Karnac The Magnificent?

[Wolfie]

And then you have to ask yourself if the Colts can get a TD in 1 minute from 80 yards away, then think of the Colts first play in their regular season matchup and the answer is a big YES.

And that 80 yards away is no guarantee. Pittsburgh's special teams has been know to cough up a long kick return (or 2, or 3, or 4...)

[discostu]

Whenever there's a turnover late by the leading team the first instinct is "what the hell were they thinking", but sometimes they were right. Sean Salsbury said pretty much the same thing on sports center, at first he thought the play was stupid then he started thinking through the numbers and decided that it was the right call, especially when you remember that was the first time in 2 years the Bus lost a fumble. They always say when the game is tight put the ball in the hands of your best player and let him remind you why he's your best player, and that is the call Cowher made, forget the technical name of that play the real play call was "Jerome, go get us to the AFC Championship".

Gotta love Ben's post game interview on that too. Place no blame on the Bus and took no credit for himself, said it was two 1 in a million shots (Bus fumbling and him making that tackle) that just happened to happen on the same play. Good kid.

[beyond the sea]

I didn't care as much about the game or the season, I could not bear the thought of my hero Bettis' career ending with that horrible fumble.

I hear you.

But, I wouldn't be totally surprised to see him come back again next year. He's running nearly better than ever! He's running over people, and his feet are quicker than ever!

[learner]

I heard the Sunday Night Football crew discussing the review of a catch and fumble. They made reference to "the receiver must have possession, control and make a football move." Could you define "a football move" as it relates to a catch? --Steve Supica, Canton, Mich.

When a catch is made by a receiver who comes down with both feet on the ground, the "football move" would be: stretching for a first down, diving out-of-bounds or running with the ball. If the "football move" is accomplished, and the receiver is then hit and the ball comes out, it is ruled a catch and fumble, instead of an incomplete forward pass.
Source:Jerry Markbreit former NFL umpire

[AGreatPer]

Bettis hasn't fumbled all year. It was the only call to make.

Just wondering, can you Challenge a Challenge?

[discostu]

Yup, go for the throat and get the two score lead. Fortune favors the bold, I might have even gone for two just because an 11 point lead is a touch more secure than a 10 point lead... might have.

[NRA1995]

D-CAF! D-CAF! D-CAF!