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youreit

Big Game Commentary

youreit
18 years ago

If I write "Super Bowl", will they sue me? :D

Ok, first of all, I want to congratulate the Steelers on their win! And their fans on keeping their cool. LOL Yeah, right. :D

However, two words come to mind when I think of that game - "BAD CALLS"...not just against the Seahawks (Excuse me, but that sure didn't look like pass interference; should have been a touchdown for Seattle), but against the Steelers, too (actually, not against; did the ball cross the plane?).

I just hate bad calls, no matter if they're against the Cowboys (dreaming, here) or against the Raiders (ugh, I take that one back). It kind of ruins the game for me, and makes me think about what might have been.

Then, that Steeler does that thing (while taking a hit from a Seahawk) in which many gymnasts have won gold medals - the legs flipping backwards, almost touching the back of his head. The last thing it shows before a commercial break is the guy grabbing his lower back, kicking and screaming! Yikes! Return from commercial, and there was no comment from Al or John! What the...?? Did he live or what? LOL

Next, Polamalu - great defensive player, not such a great sport (in my very humble opinion). I saw 3 incidents at the end of play - 1)late hit (shove) to a Seahawk from behind, 2)Seahawk kicked in the head while down on the field (a sort of stumble from Polamalu, "Oops, didn't see ya there..."), and 3)straddling Seahawk after play, not letting him up (official finally shoved him off).

That kind of stuff just leaves me cold, really. I hate the Raiders for doing stuff like that (in general, as a team thing :D), and it's a shame to see such a great player resort to stuff like that.

Bettis, though, is one class act! He doesn't need to pull that carp. Maybe he did when he was younger, and he finally grew out of it. Here's hoping Polamalu does the same. :)

On a side note, I was thinking to myself, "Hasselbeck sure is purdy!" *sigh* Then he took off his helmet. HEL-lo! Yikes! LMAO!!

Ok, I'm done! :D

Brenda

Comments (10)

  • semper_fi
    18 years ago

    I'm afraid I have to disagree with you Brandy. First, on the pass-interference call, you can blame the message but not the messenger (in this case the Back Judge) because the NFL rules clearly state:

    Initiating contact with a defender by shoving or pushing off thus creating a separation in an attempt to catch a pass is considered offensive pass interference

    Frankly, I think the rule and its interpretation is WAY too rigid and that both the defender and the receiver should be allowed SOME contact. Hopefully, the owners will look at this during the off-season.

    I must politely disagree with you on the TD call too. Keep in mind that the call on the field was a touchdown. So the Referee MUST see clear evidence to prove otherwise in order to overturn the call on the field. Because the ball was tucked away in Roeslisberger's arm, it was impossible to know its exact position from the goal-line replay. I have no doubt that IF the call on the field had gone the other way (4th & inches) and was reviewed, it could NOT have been over-ruled as a touchdown because of the same exact reasons: insufficient evidence.

    Finally, although #43 has been known to blow a fuse a couple of times this season, I don't think he was out of line during the Super Bowl©®. But perhaps my SLIGHT bias is getting in my way of seeing that he was being a cheap shot. Maybe I'm like one of those parents who's kid has committed a crime but they still think that their kid is good?! :-) There's definitely a fine line between playing dirty and playing intense. I really believe that the game of football is a lot more mental than people realize. If one can get into an opponent's head and let them know that they will be punished for making a play, then chances are that eventually they won't make a key play. One thing that DOES bother me though is the trash talking both before and during the game. JUST SHUT THE HELL UP and play the dang game. One of the many reasons I love the Steelers is that with the exception of Joey Porter, they always try to take the high road.

  • mike_il
    18 years ago

    Semper fi, The Steelers played a good game, the Seahawks plyed a good game but if this was the best officials in the NFL, then the NFL has either got to get rid of TV or get better officials. All too often the outcome of the game is changed by the calls that are made or not made. I could have cared less which team that won that game but I hate to see the bad calls go in flavor of one team. There was a lot of terrible calls last night game as there is in most games. Normally you will see them going both ways so it sort of equals out but once in a while the calls flavor one team. Last night they all went to Steelers. Would the Steelers have won without them that I do not know. I doubt it but I don't think either team played that good and neither deserved to win. I don't know if the ball crossed the goal line or not but I do know that the line judge that made the call didn't know either and made a call not knowing either. It was clear by his body language that he didn't know if the ball crossed until well after the play was over and made the call based on where the ball was after the play was dead. Only two of the bad calls that were made have been mentioned here but there was far more than those two.
    Mike

  • maryo_nh
    18 years ago

    Hear hear!
    They should have let Tom Brady play. He was there anyway.

    :) MaryO

  • semper_fi
    18 years ago

    "I doubt it but I don't think either team played that good and neither deserved to win."

    Did we watch the same game??? A record breaking 75 yard run, a wide receiver throwing a beautiful spiral for a touchdown (a first in Super Bowl history), an incredible battle in the trenches all game long, and a hall-of-fame career with a fairytale ending. Granted, both teams played wayyyyyyy too tight and last night's performance by the Steelers was not even in the upper 1/2 echelon of the 20 games they played this season. I think a LOT of this can be contributed to the extra week of hiatus between the Super Bowl and the Conference Championship games just like what we had talked about a few weeks ago when the Bears and the Colts both lost after their wildcard weekend layoff.

    As far as the referees go, NFL is by far the most lucrative league in North America and yet all the refs are part-time workers. Most of them hold OTHER jobs. The league SHOULD address this. I don't know if having full-time referees will significantly improve the officiating but it can't hurt. They are still human and will err like the rest of us. Maybe the calls last night did go mostly the Steelers' way... but remember the horrible calls AGAINST the Steelers in the Colts game??? So perhaps in the end, it does even itself out.

  • mike_il
    18 years ago

    Semper, The pass by the wide receiver was about the only high point in the game. But he also was a quarterback in college. When you said "last night's performance by the Steelers was not even in the upper 1/2 echelon of the 20 games they played this season" you were correct about both teams and the game was played as well as a lot of games played during the regular season. But the referees were also as bad if not worse than the regular season. The remarkable thing about the Steelers playoff run is that they had to win all the games on the road until the super bowl. Almost always the calls go to the home team which makes even harder to win on the road. The other thing about super bowl is that they have TV cameras there so the bad calls are easier to see. The part time officiating is not good. Full time the referees could at least spent time practicing and getting better.
    Mike

  • youreit
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Mary, or Broadway Joe! :D

    (Sorry for starting this thread and running off! I was in transit from my folks' to home yesterday, and I didn't get a chance to reply. But the season's over for now, so I'll just shut my mouth. LOL)

    Brandy Whiner

  • semper_fi
    18 years ago

    ACK!!! Broadway Joe??? Probably NOT a good idea at his age. Besides he gets carried away wayyyy too easily.

    I have to admit that even as an ardent fan, at the end of the regular season I thought it would be {{gwi:164813}} for a #6 seed to be able to overcome those incredible obstacles.

    _________________________________________________________________

    Brenda, I hope you don't mind me asking but your mention of family reminded me of something I've been meaning to ask..... how's your MIL doing healthwise???

    *hoping for 1st good news today*

  • youreit
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    As usual, your memory is impeccable, Mark. Unfortunately, my MIL Betty passed away in August. :( She was a fighter, but that particular cancer is one tough #1 seed.

    We also found out yesterday that my godfather has thyroid cancer (not sure what kind), so we're keeping our fingers crossed that he'll beat it after he starts treatment (with radioactive iodine) next month.

    Sorry for the bad news! I'm hoping to view that Namath video as soon as it's done buffering (dang ol' dial-up). From the descriptions, it sounds like just what I need! :)

    Brenda

  • semper_fi
    18 years ago

    Brenda, I was hoping for better news. I know how much she meant to you. I'm really sorry.

    Having buried a friend yesterday who was found dead in his sleep at the young age of 40 without any prior illness, poor health, or unhealthy habits, should serve as an important reminder that we should all try to enjoy our lives to the fullest because one just never knows when it's one's last lap.

    I don't think the Namath video is much of a picker-upper. It's actually a lot more creepy than funny. The only good part is that it appears that since (because of) that incident Broadway Joe has turned his life around again.

    Best wishes on a speedy and full recovery for the Godfather. :-)

  • youreit
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Geez, 40 is so young! I'm so sorry to hear that. And it sounds like he even did everything right to extend his life! Our thoughts are with you, his family & friends.

    Thanks for the well-wishes for my godfatha. :)

    Brenda