darkpower
01-17-2006, 07:55 PM
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<blockquote> NFL: Referee erred in overturning Polamalu's interception
Pickoff should have counted
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Upon further and further review, Troy Polamalu did intercept the ball.
<table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="240"><tbody><tr><td>http://www.post-gazette.com/images3/20060117pd_polamalu_int_reax_fbnPJ_230.jpg (http://www.post-gazette.com/popup.asp?img=http://www.post-gazette.com/images3/20060117pd_polamalu_int_reax_fbnPJ_450a.jpg)</td><td>http://www.post-gazette.com/images/blank.gif</td></tr><tr><td>Peter Diana, Post-Gazette
Troy Polamalu raises the ball and heads to the sidelines and celebrates after an apparent interception. However, the play was ruled an incomplete pass after Indianapolis challenged the call. Today that call was overruled.
Click photo for larger image.<center>http://www.post-gazette.com/images/steelerslogo75.gif</center></td><td>http://www.post-gazette.com/images/blank.gif</td></tr></tbody></table>
The play stands, though, as an incomplete pass in the records.
The NFL admitted that referee Pete Morelli erred when he overturned Polamalu's interception in the fourth quarter of Sunday's AFC divisional playoff game between the Steelers and Colts in Indianapolis.
Polamalu intercepted Peyton Manning's pass on a play that started with 5:33 left and the Steelers leading, 21-10. Polamalu fell to the ground and rolled over, untouched. As he stood up to run, his left knee knocked the ball out of his arm. Polamalu fell on the ball and the officials ruled it an interception and a recovery of his own fumble.
Colts coach Tony Dungy challenged it and, after looking at replay, Morelli overturned it and called it an incompletion.
"Before he got up, he hit it with his leg with his other leg still on the ground," Morelli told a pool reporter after the game. "Therefore, he did not complete the catch. And then he lost the ball. It came out and so we made the play an incomplete pass."
Wrong, his boss said yesterday.
"The definition of a catch -- or in this case an interception -- states that in the process of making the catch a player must maintain possession of the ball after he contacts the ground," said Mike Pereira, NFL vice president of officiating, in a statement.
"The initial call on the field was that Troy Polamalu intercepted the pass because he maintained possession of the ball after hitting the ground. The replay showed that Polamalu had rolled over and was rising to his feet when the ball came loose. He maintained possession long enough to establish a catch. Therefore, the replay review should have upheld the call on the field that it was a catch and fumble."
Morelli further tried to explain his decision Sunday when he said that Polamalu "never had possession with his leg up off the ground doing an act common to the game of football. He was losing it while his leg was still on the ground."
Wrong again, Pereira said.
"The rule regarding the performing of an act common to the game applies when there is contact with a defensive player and the ball comes loose, which did not happen here."
There was no reaction from the NFL to Steelers linebacker Joey Porter's comments Sunday accusing officials of cheating to help the Colts win.
The Steelers went on to win the game, 21-18.</blockquote>
Now that they've amitted this mistake, let's hope another shitty reffing job like any of the divisional games doesn't happen again.
<blockquote> NFL: Referee erred in overturning Polamalu's interception
Pickoff should have counted
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Upon further and further review, Troy Polamalu did intercept the ball.
<table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="240"><tbody><tr><td>http://www.post-gazette.com/images3/20060117pd_polamalu_int_reax_fbnPJ_230.jpg (http://www.post-gazette.com/popup.asp?img=http://www.post-gazette.com/images3/20060117pd_polamalu_int_reax_fbnPJ_450a.jpg)</td><td>http://www.post-gazette.com/images/blank.gif</td></tr><tr><td>Peter Diana, Post-Gazette
Troy Polamalu raises the ball and heads to the sidelines and celebrates after an apparent interception. However, the play was ruled an incomplete pass after Indianapolis challenged the call. Today that call was overruled.
Click photo for larger image.<center>http://www.post-gazette.com/images/steelerslogo75.gif</center></td><td>http://www.post-gazette.com/images/blank.gif</td></tr></tbody></table>
The play stands, though, as an incomplete pass in the records.
The NFL admitted that referee Pete Morelli erred when he overturned Polamalu's interception in the fourth quarter of Sunday's AFC divisional playoff game between the Steelers and Colts in Indianapolis.
Polamalu intercepted Peyton Manning's pass on a play that started with 5:33 left and the Steelers leading, 21-10. Polamalu fell to the ground and rolled over, untouched. As he stood up to run, his left knee knocked the ball out of his arm. Polamalu fell on the ball and the officials ruled it an interception and a recovery of his own fumble.
Colts coach Tony Dungy challenged it and, after looking at replay, Morelli overturned it and called it an incompletion.
"Before he got up, he hit it with his leg with his other leg still on the ground," Morelli told a pool reporter after the game. "Therefore, he did not complete the catch. And then he lost the ball. It came out and so we made the play an incomplete pass."
Wrong, his boss said yesterday.
"The definition of a catch -- or in this case an interception -- states that in the process of making the catch a player must maintain possession of the ball after he contacts the ground," said Mike Pereira, NFL vice president of officiating, in a statement.
"The initial call on the field was that Troy Polamalu intercepted the pass because he maintained possession of the ball after hitting the ground. The replay showed that Polamalu had rolled over and was rising to his feet when the ball came loose. He maintained possession long enough to establish a catch. Therefore, the replay review should have upheld the call on the field that it was a catch and fumble."
Morelli further tried to explain his decision Sunday when he said that Polamalu "never had possession with his leg up off the ground doing an act common to the game of football. He was losing it while his leg was still on the ground."
Wrong again, Pereira said.
"The rule regarding the performing of an act common to the game applies when there is contact with a defensive player and the ball comes loose, which did not happen here."
There was no reaction from the NFL to Steelers linebacker Joey Porter's comments Sunday accusing officials of cheating to help the Colts win.
The Steelers went on to win the game, 21-18.</blockquote>
Now that they've amitted this mistake, let's hope another shitty reffing job like any of the divisional games doesn't happen again.