Posted on 02/07/2006 4:55:05 PM PST by bikepacker67
GOT SCREWED, USA -- Complaining about officiating is a time-honored sports tradition. It's much easier to believe your team got screwed than it got whupped because anger is more manageable than sadness.
It's sour grapes, plain and simple.
But, America, please forgive Seahawks fans if they sound a little bitter and paranoid after the rest of the country got its sweet, little fairy tale with Jerome Bettis winning Super Bowl XL in his hometown of Detroit.
It just seems a bit too tidy, considering how things went down.
Here's the rub: No intelligent person, and that includes Pittsburgh fans, watched the Steelers 21-10 "victory" and believed it was well-officiated. Period.
And every -- EVERY -- call went against the Seahawks.
Seahawks fans promise to stop being paranoid just as soon as the NFL proves it isn't out to get them.
The Seahawks, who were tied for second-fewest penalties in the NFL this year, were flagged seven times for 70 yards. Three were critical. Two were dubious. Another flag was so stupid the official explanation didn't actually make any sense.
As for head linesman Mark Hittner's oh-what-the-hell delayed touchdown call on Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's 1-yard touchdown dive? Think the officials want that tape taken to the FBI crime lab?
The Steelers, who were tied for sixth-fewest penalties this year, suffered just three horrible hankies for 20 yards. Two were false starts on their first possession. The third was offensive pass interference on rookie tight end Heath Miller deep in Seattle territory in the second quarter. That call will inspire no wringing of hands, even from Miller.
Thereafter, apparently, the Steelers felt guilty and decided not to break the rules for the next 35 minutes. Jerome probably wanted it that way.
Apoplectic Seahawks fans are not alone. ESPN.com's Michael Smith pointed this out Monday in a story ripping the officials: "The Seahawks lost 161 yards to penalties when you combine the penalty yards (70) and the plays the flags wiped out (91). By halftime alone, when it trailed 7-3, Seattle had had 73 hard-earned yards and a touchdown eliminated."
Let's rewind.
Matt Hasselbeck hits Darrell Jackson for a 16-yard touchdown pass for a 7-zip lead?
Nope. The incidental contact that occurs on nearly every NFL passing play was, actually, offensive interference -- at least the officials decided so after safety Chris Hope stomped and huffed and demanded a flag, perhaps insisting that Jerome wanted it that way.
Beleaguered tight end Jerramy Stevens makes a spectacular catch inside the Steelers 2-yard line setting up what surely would have been a Shaun Alexander touchdown run and 17-14 Seahawks lead early in the fourth quarter?
Nope. Seems that offensive tackle Sean Locklear's incidental hooking (which occurs on nearly every NFL play from scrimmage) on his block of Clark Haggans (who was offside) was too dastardly to ignore.
Maybe the officials were calling the game tightly.
Nope. Only two plays later, Steelers linebacker Joey Porter used an illegal "horse collar" tackle on Alexander, and the officials decided to let it slide, even though that would have transformed a third-and-18 on the Steelers 34 to a first down on their 19.
"Penalties, as much as anything, were the story of the game," Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said. "That's unfortunate. And that might be the first time I've said that in my life."
Here's the comic relief.
After the no-call on the horse collar, Hasselbeck tossed a critical interception to cornerback Ike Taylor. Hasselbeck then, apparently, forgot which team he plays for and tried to throw a block in order to spring Taylor. Only he threw a "low block," according to the game's official book.
So not only does he toss a pick and then try to block for an opposing player, but he also gets called for a 15-yard penalty.
Most folks would figure that Hasselbeck was trying to TACKLE Taylor. Seeing Hasselbeck is a quarterback lacking tackling skills, he went low. But the officials decided it was a block. Only Hasselbeck was credited with a tackle on the play.
(The official explanation is he went low on a guy trying to block him, which is against the rules on a change of possession. But the fact that he made the tackle erases, at least for a reasonable person, his potential motivation based on the result. It was a tackle.)
Like we said: Stupid.
Steelers fans should be angry, too. For one, they know how this feels, see their playoff game vs. Indianapolis, when they were the interlopers ruining the heartwarming tale.
Moreover, the execrable officiating cheapens their championship because it's what folks are talking about now, not the glory of Bettis.
Is all this an accusation -- J'Accuse! -- like Porter's ranting about the terrible officiating in the Indianapolis game?
Yes. No. Who knows?
It's just too bad -- for everyone -- that the officials made sure Super Bowl XL wasn't "Extra Large," as the joke went, but "Extremely Lame."
Moreover, the execrable officiating cheapens their championship because it's what folks are talking about now, not the glory of Bettis.
Forever Tainted.
The only reason the nFL apologized for the reversal of the Palamalu interception in the Indy game was because Pittsburg still won.
Don't expect similar admissions about the bad calls in this game.
Every professional football player should get a $40,000 per year salary. Unless their team wins the superbowl. In that case, they should get $100,000,000 for each member of the team. Then we'd see some real competition.
I guess the referees threw those interceptions too, and managed the end of regulation time for Seattle too.
Scoreboard.
I thought the "disputed" calls were all correct, and that Seattle failed to capitalize when it counted.
We had a great thread about this subject yesterday.
My take. The officials were outrageously bad, but when the time came, Pittsburgh came through.
Teams have to overcome this stuff, but sometimes it is impossible. You know like the tuck rule! Seattle could have overcome, but alas, we all will have to listen to the loud mouth Steelers for a year.
I'll never forget the Patriots telling the Steelers to "cancel those reservations" back in 2001 after they beat them in the AFC Championship game.
The Steelers are a trash talking team, but they played good when it counted, and they did not call the bad penalties.
Seattle outplayed the Steelers and got screwed by the officials and still had several chances to turn the game around by making a catch, by making a catch inbounds, and by making fieldgoals. So it was a combination of luck by the Steelers, inept officiating, and blown chances by the Seahawks.
how many field goals did the sehawks miss? If they were that good, they could have gotten more points. They were moving the ball well but did not do squat in the red zone. How bout that nice fancy play the steelers pulled off with whats his name... I don't like either teams but watched anyway... I think the sehawks screwed themselves. They looked better but could not get it done... its all about points. it is what it is...
I'm really starting to get embarrassed for the Seattle fans.
You might be on to something. As someone new to watching football, I can't help but notice that once a team is behind they seem to give up. Much of the playoffs was like that.
I also can't believe that guys who get paid so much money can drop so many passes. Lastly, how the hell can you not have a defensive strategy against "gadget" plays. The Bengals and Seahawks both looked like chumps when they ran those plays. Veterans, please educate me on this point.
If they had WRONGLY lost that game in Indy they'd be bytching louder then the Starbucks crowd.
They STOLE FLUCKIN 14 POINTS from the Hawks.
I REALLY didn't care WHO won this game, but it was SOOOOO lame that the Refs were so biased.
Sickening.
Of course, controlling the entire first half and scoring only three points, receivers dropping easy catches and the worst clock management in NFL history did not contribute to Seattle losing.
Maybe they'll win when they go again in 30 years.
I'm really starting to get embarrassed for the Seattle fans.
One day. After that you have to remember that it was just a game. Much of the Seattle whining is by liberals who thought they *deserved* a Superbowl win. They don't care whether the Seahawks earned it or not, they just think they deserved the win. Disturbing (and I'm a Seahawks fan until the 49ers get new ownership).
You can bet one thing Petro... Forever this will be tainted to all but you ironheads.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.