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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.

Bad Company
01-17-2006, 09:08 PM
that's what happens when you have referees for the referees.

The Refs call is final, should always be that way, why overcomplicate things.

darkpower
01-18-2006, 02:04 AM
that's what happens when you have referees for the referees.

The Refs call is final, should always be that way, why overcomplicate things.

Because then we get horrid calls like what plagued the 97-98 season (which is the reason we had the replay thing).

If it was just that, though. They also botched up a false start penelty (anyone have any idea WHAT the fuck happened there, who moved and where was the damn flag when it was plain as day that there was movement), a blown pass interference call in the 2nd quarter that was TOO obvious (some missed calls are arguable in how hard to call they can be, but that one was just TOO obvious and too out there to not see), both in the Colts/Steelers game and, in the Panthers/Bears game, they let the last play of the game go when the play clock is WAY past the delay of game mark, in which led to the Panthers interception and the game. And of course, the botched calls in the Patriots/Broncos game (a PI call that saved a touchdown in the second period, I don't remember the team that had the chance to score during that play now).

Basically, they need to get the officiating act down for next week, or heads will start rolling yet AGAIN!

VonErich Lives
01-18-2006, 04:23 AM
Because then we get horrid calls like what plagued the 97-98 season (which is the reason we had the replay thing).

If it was just that, though. They also botched up a false start penelty (anyone have any idea WHAT the fuck happened there, who moved and where was the damn flag when it was plain as day that there was movement), a blown pass interference call in the 2nd quarter that was TOO obvious (some missed calls are arguable in how hard to call they can be, but that one was just TOO obvious and too out there to not see), both in the Colts/Steelers game and, in the Panthers/Bears game, they let the last play of the game go when the play clock is WAY past the delay of game mark, in which led to the Panthers interception and the game. And of course, the botched calls in the Patriots/Broncos game (a PI call that saved a touchdown in the second period, I don't remember the team that had the chance to score during that play now).

Basically, they need to get the officiating act down for next week, or heads will start rolling yet AGAIN!

Yeah,. the refs were pretty horrible all weekend, which is suprising, because the playoff refs I had heard get the job based on grading/scoring from previous performances.

That being said, what good does it do to come out after and say "we fucked up", I'd rather see the refs keep it in house.

The Outlaw
01-18-2006, 03:08 PM
Yeah, a lot of calls or no-calls had a big impact as well.

Bad Company
01-18-2006, 05:57 PM
so, get over it. Refs call should be final.

VonErich Lives
01-18-2006, 06:56 PM
so, get over it. Refs call should be final.

Are you suggesting no instant replay?

Also,
NFL network has the head of the refs who goes over the "controversal calls" from the previous weekend tonight.

darkpower
01-19-2006, 01:35 AM
so, get over it. Refs call should be final.

Maybe, but then you have shitty calls like what happened in 98 with the helmet thing. If you don't remember, that's when the ref thought a helmet was the ball and awarded the touchdown and caused the game to turn around when it shouldn't have been.

The ref's call should be final...as long as it ends up being the right call. Imagine a call that ended up being the worst call ever and they couldn't do anything about it because the "refs decision was final". There are more than one sets of eyes that officiate the game, too. Which ref's decision should be final, then, if everyone saw something diffferent. And what happens when a shitty call fucks up the game for a team, and everyone BUT the one who made the call knew without any doubt that the callmaker was the one that was mistaken.

Replay is the way to go, I think. The NHL had been using Instant Replay for the longest time. Why should the NFL be any different. It keeps everything good and fair.

The Outlaw
01-19-2006, 02:36 PM
Music City Miracle.

The Outlaw
01-19-2006, 02:37 PM
The Play.