The Super Bowl is never without controversy. Compared to this year's game, the last three were like a group of granny's discussing pearling at a knitting convention. This year's was a fur coat at a Peta rally.
When I don't have a horse in the race I want the fairest Super Bowl possible. I want people standing around the water cooler talking about "that play" and "that player" rather than "that call" and "that penalty." I'm afraid, even more than past years, I'm sadly disappointed.
For the most part, last years game was well officiated. The previous Super Bowl that featured the team from the Steel City (vs Seattle) was, let us say, questionable. This year's game was atrocious.
As usual, I'll list the officiating offenses from least to most egregious:
- We are able to overlook the non call on the Safety when Parker was not able to get the ball fully out of the end zone due to the holding call on the next play..
- At one point in the second half there were over 90 yards of penalties against the Cardinals and zero against the Steelers. Maybe the refs forgot there were two teams on the field. It got so bad that even the neutral fans were shouting out things like, "Evading a tackle, Arizona, ten yard penalty." "Unsportsmanlike conduct, Sacking the Quarterback, Arizona, fifteen yard penalty, automatic first down." "Game misconduct, general success, Arizona, half the distance to the goal." It was pretty ridiculous.
It was 1st down. Big Ben had been evading the rush all game. He does it again and, while still in the pocket, hurls the ball to nobody. Not even a defender or an official in the vicinity. Arizona is flagged for roughing the passer. Look how close this defender is when Ben lets go! He is supposed to be able to stop this hit? And when the pass falls incomplete out of bounds, the closest Steeler is 12 yards away.
So, Rather than second and 20 (ten yard penalty for Intentional Grounding and loss of down), it was first and ten fifteen yards down the field. This is the man that had been pump faking and scrambling all game and the defender was expected to let up because he saw the arm moving? No guarantee that the Steelers wouldn't have converted, or tied the game. But they should not have had an opportunity to continue the drive and have the next terrible call happen.
The ruling on the field was that he got both feet down. They even reviewed this play and still got it wrong! I was concerned as the overhead shots they kept showing were inconclusive. Look at the back foot. This shot shows that it is clearly hung up on the front cleat and never touches the ground in the end zone. This was not a touchdown. This does not mean that the Steelers wouldn't have scored on the next play nor does it mean that they wouldn't have been able to hit a FG to tie the game, but this play should not have given them the lead.
Rule: Using the ball as a prop during a touchdown celebration is a penalty. This may seem like a petty, ticky-tack complaint. I mean, after all, they did just take the lead in the closing seconds of the Super Bowl. But not only have these refs been calling the tightest Super Bowl (against the Cardinals) in recent memory, but consider this: the penalty is 15 yards assessed on the kickoff. Instead of starting on the 30 yard line, the Cardinals would have started on the 45. Instead of them being on the 50 with 12 seconds left, they'd have been on the 35. Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, 35 yards? Much more likely than that same equation with 50 yards to the end zone. This was a huge, blatant no call that no one is talking about!
Earlier in the half the officials had already forced the Cardinals to use their second challenge on another obvious incomplete pass that was called a fumble on the field. Here, 9 seconds remain and the Cardinals are within Hail Mary range and this play isn't even reviewed?! Ruling is made on the field. Replay is shown to the national audience showing some question as to whether or not Kurt had control of the ball when his arm was going forward. Ben takes the knee game over. What? While I don't expect this would have necessarily been overturned, or that it would have altered the outcome, it did add a final stamp of unprofessionalism and incompleteness on the part of the officiating. It provided a fizzle of an ending that, in hind sight, seems fitting considering all of the other blunders made by the men in black and white.
The call on the field: Interception on the goal line, 100 yard return for a touchdown. First blown call: Neutral zone infraction. The blitzer at the top of the image was moving toward the ball and found himself in the neutral zone when the ball was snapped. Correct call: "free play" as it's known. Arizona can accept the outcome or replay the down. Result: no interception. Time had expired. Arizona gets one more offensive play. (likely outcome, FG, tie game.) Ok, let's assume this picture is inconclusive. 
Second blown call: Holding. Notice how the defender clearly has a grasp of Kurt Warner's jersey over his shoulder pad. This is illegal. (Please note: the ball carrier is between Warner and the holding defender. Warner would have made this play) Correct call: Interception. Holding during the return. Ten yard penalty from the spot of the foul. Time had expired, end of the half. Alright, we ignore this image. 
Third blown call: Block in the back. This was definitely the most egregious of the egregious calls. You need to be in front of or next to the defender that you are blocking. You cannot be behind them. Look at this image. Two extended hands on the back of the Cardinal's jersey. Correct call: Ten yard penalty from the spot of the foul. Time had expired, end of the half. Alright, let's pretend this didn't happen right in front of the referee. 
Fourth blown call: Down by contact prior to entering the end zone. When the
player's helmet hits the turf he is down. When his helmet hits the turf on the goal line, there is no possible way the ball has crossed the line. Correct call: Down by contact at the one yard line. Time had expired, end of the half. If any one of these had been called correctly the final score would have been 24-20 Cardinals (Possibly 27-20 Cardinals had the actual right call been made.) This is the most egregious missed call, not only for the number of blown calls, but the magnitude and momentum sway that it caused.***On a weird note: I always set up whatever gaming system I happen to have to play out the game to see who might win according to the most recent Madden version I own. After assuring that the rosters were corrected and the game set in Tampa I let my PS2 loose on autopilot. The end prediction: Cardinals victory 20-17. That's not the weird part. In the Madden game, with 17 seconds left in the second quarter the Steelers had the ball 1st and goal from Arizona's one yard line. Big Ben fumbled and Arizona recovered and returned the fumble 99 yards for a touchdown. In the real game, with 19 seconds left in the second quarter, Warner threw an interception that was returned 100 yards for a touchdown. Just a little too strange!
And so the "year without Brady" comes to an end. All in all, this Super Bowl was an emotional roller coaster of a game. An "instant classic" I'm sure. Very exciting and kudos to Arizona for overcoming all that you did to make it as close as you could. The players and back and forth certainly made for a great game but the officiating was far from super!
I can't wait for next year!
1 comment:
Bill Simmons (The Sports Guy) agrees with me. From his Super Bowl write-up:
"when James Harrison unleashed his amazing 100-yard TAINT with help from the officials (who ignored LaMarr Woodley's blatant clipping and Harrison's getting tackled just short of the goal line)."
Post a Comment