Althouse: Packers got robbed.

September 24, 2012

Packers got robbed.

Shocking officiating.

"Fiasco of a referee situation" — announcers.

ADDED: Video here.

141 comments:

Andy said...: I'm pretty sure this NFL thing is the best opportunity labor in America is ever going to have to convince people that scabs are a bad thing.; 9/24/12, 10:52 PM
Wally Kalbacken said...: Agreed - that was an abuse of officiating. Roger Goodell, call your office!; 9/24/12, 10:52 PM
David said...: Robbed?

That was Rape.; 9/24/12, 10:59 PM
Known Unknown said...: I'm pretty sure this NFL thing is the best opportunity labor in America is ever going to have to convince people that scabs are a bad thing.

Andy, you're not old enough to remember replacement players.; 9/24/12, 10:59 PM
tiger said...: Shockingly BAD officiating.

I've never seen anything like this - for an ENTIRE game!

Sloppy play by the teams is one thing but sloppy officiating for an entire game is inexcusable.

I don't know how bad the officiating has to be for the NFL to settle this strike but if this doesn't do it nothing will.; 9/24/12, 11:00 PM
David said...: Well Andy that was funny.

His first joke. Our little boy is growing up.; 9/24/12, 11:01 PM
Known Unknown said...: Tate pushed off, too.

I thought this game was over when it was 4th down and Wilson supposedly threw an incomplete pass. (Not watching on TV); 9/24/12, 11:01 PM
Evi L. Bloggerlady said...: WTF! The scab refs were the 12th man tonight.; 9/24/12, 11:03 PM
Unknown said...: Godawful.; 9/24/12, 11:03 PM
Beau said...: Wow. Boring game then two robberies in the last five minutes.; 9/24/12, 11:04 PM
Anonymous said...: I'm now glad I didn't watch the game, was feeling a bit guilty. What a damn shame!; 9/24/12, 11:06 PM
traditionalguy said...: Clearly the football gods like Russell Wilson better than Aaron Rogers. The Packers never stood a chance.; 9/24/12, 11:06 PM
Chip S. said...: It appears that Packer fans are irate.

I blame ESPN for showing this inflammatory game. All videos of it should be taken down immediately.; 9/24/12, 11:09 PM
Sprezzatura said...: BTW, the local (i.e. Seattle) post-game show is leading w/ the question, "Did Tate catch it, or was Jennings robbed?"

And, it turns out that God hates cheese people, because Tate just said that this was a blessing from the big guy upstairs.; 9/24/12, 11:10 PM
Ann Althouse said...: I'm sorry I watched. It was sickening. I feel personally ripped off having seen that.; 9/24/12, 11:11 PM
Sprezzatura said...: "I feel personally ripped off having seen that."

Duh.

You were ripped off.; 9/24/12, 11:13 PM
ad hoc said...: What an amazingly bad call, not to mention some bad pass interference calls earlier. The end of the game left even the commentators in shock. And having the packers come out of the locker room for the extra point. Bad, bad, bad.; 9/24/12, 11:14 PM
Chip S. said...: Has there ever been a class-action lawsuit for emotional distress? Got a law license handy, Althouse?; 9/24/12, 11:15 PM
Curious George said...: Yeah, the refs sucked. But Green Bay has a lot of holes. Can't protect Rodgers. Receivers can't get separation, and when they do, the usual drops.

Four offensive TD's in games, with two againt a prevent defense.; 9/24/12, 11:17 PM
Curious George said...: Let me add that there were plenty of bad calls in the Packer's favor. The interference call that kept their first TD drive going...the no call on Woodson on the last drive...; 9/24/12, 11:20 PM
Brian said...: What a game, what an ending. Both the Packers and the Seahawks were on the receiving end of some lousy calls. Golden Tate's catch in the endzone was legit, since the tie goes to the receiver. He did get away with a pushoff beforehand though. I'll take it.

I'm a Seahawks fan, obviously.; 9/24/12, 11:22 PM
ignatzk said...: Nothing like devaluing your product before a national audience of millions. I see no reason to watch next week.; 9/24/12, 11:29 PM
1775OGG said...: Oh, I don't know if this games the worse ever. If Althouse recalls' the NFC Conference Title game in for the 2009 season had terrible officating plus just a tad coruption amongst the home team players and coaches. But still the Ain't went in spite of their terrible habits.

So, Boo Hoo, Cheeseheads, youse got shafted and that's a good thing.; 9/24/12, 11:30 PM
ignatzk said...: ...since the tie goes to the receiver.

Is that how you're convincing yourself? There was no tie. The defender was down with the ball before the receiver grabbed it.; 9/24/12, 11:31 PM
avwh said...: The defensive back had possession FIRST. Was a horrible call.

I tuned in midway in the 4th quarter. The first 4 plays I saw all had penalties --- and 3 of the 4 calls were wrong.

Do the owners not care about the product on the field, as long as the cash registers still ring the same??; 9/24/12, 11:31 PM
jrberg3 said...: Packers showed class coming back on the field for the extra point. Can't believe how bad the officiating has been, culminating with the buffoonery at the end of this game. Just goes to show how tough this job can be.

Although they are handsomely compensated for doing it ( at least the ones on strike).

And to Andy's point, the main sticking point for the refs is the change over of their guaranteed pension to a 401k style plan. The refs are part-time employees making around 70 grand a year. I find it hard to be sympathetic to their plight and I doubt others would as well.; 9/24/12, 11:31 PM
Patrick said...: Knock the damn ball away on the hail Mary
and the catch never happens.; 9/24/12, 11:32 PM
Anonymous said...: These refs appear to be the same ones who hand out sixth place trophies, like the ones Ben Stiller was "awarded" in Meet the Fokkers.

Win, shpin...who cares?

As long as you did your best, it doesn't matter who wins.

Isn't that what "fairness" is all about????; 9/24/12, 11:34 PM
AllenS said...: The people in the replay booth are not substitutes. They should get the reviews correct, but this isn't the only game this year where they sucked worse than the refs.; 9/24/12, 11:35 PM
Brian said...: Jennings had the ball first, but they came down with the ball together. Credit goes to the receiver, and that was confirmed on review.

Patrick is right - the Packers should have tried to knock the ball down rather than get a meaningless interception that left the outcome of the game open to an ambiguous call.; 9/24/12, 11:36 PM
jrberg3 said...: Allen, the head referee makes the call after reviewing the replays. The replay officials don't make calls.

And I don't believe the ref could have reversed the call based on possession only.; 9/24/12, 11:38 PM
jrberg3 said...: Brian, the call was wrong. Jennings clearly had possession prior to Tate placing his arm in between Jennings. It was not a "50/50" ball where the offensive player would get it.

It was an awful, awful call.; 9/24/12, 11:41 PM
AllenS said...: Replays are reviewed off the field, by people there solely for that purpose.; 9/24/12, 11:41 PM
MadisonMan said...: Nothing like devaluing your product before a national audience of millions. I see no reason to watch next week.

This.; 9/24/12, 11:43 PM
AllenS said...: The head ref will then announce the decision from the people doing the reviewing. The head ref does not review the plays.; 9/24/12, 11:43 PM
Brian said...: Brian, the call was wrong. Jennings clearly had possession prior to Tate placing his arm in between Jennings. It was not a "50/50" ball where the offensive player would get it.

Tate had both hands on the ball initially. He briefly let go with his right hand and then regained possession before they hit the ground. I can see some ambiguity in the call but it is not as cut-and-dried as you make it out to be.

The Packers are at fault for trying for the INT instead of just slapping the ball away and leaving no doubt.; 9/24/12, 11:45 PM
avwh said...: This league is rapidly becoming a joke. If the call tonight doesn't get the real refs back, what will?

What is replay for, if they can't get it right after that blown call?; 9/24/12, 11:47 PM
avwh said...: Brian, you're just wrong. The DB had the ball first, and ALWAYS had both hands on it and brought it to his chest. Tate never had more than one hand on the ball (the other was wrapped around the DB, not the ball).; 9/24/12, 11:49 PM
garage mahal said...: Fucking scab refs can't even get an instant replay right. Heckuva job Goodell.; 9/24/12, 11:50 PM
Dave said...: Dear Wisconsin,
The Packers lost. Get over it.

Love,
Seattle; 9/24/12, 11:51 PM
AllenS said...: garage, the refs don't review the replay. That comes from other people whose sole purpose is to review the plays. They are not scabs.; 9/24/12, 11:52 PM
Anonymous said...: Given the honesty and integrity on display tonight, I expect the Democrats to immediately offer the replacement refs jobs on the Obama campaign.; 9/24/12, 11:52 PM
jrberg3 said...: Allen, then why does the ref go over to the booth to look at the replays? The replay officials do not have the final say.; 9/24/12, 11:52 PM
AllenS said...: They don't make the decisions, jr, the people doing the reviews make the calls.; 9/24/12, 11:54 PM
jrberg3 said...: "Tate had both hands on the ball initially"

Brian, you are either a diehard Seahawks fan, hate the Packers or are just trying to stir the pot here. It's obvious that you didn't see the play with non-biased eyes, if at all.; 9/24/12, 11:55 PM
AllenS said...: When the refs announce: "the play is under review" that means other people are reviewing the call, the refs don't review anything any more.; 9/24/12, 11:56 PM
Anonymous said...: After the Patriots-Ravens game last night and the Packers-Seahawks game tonight, its quite obvious the replacement refs are deliberately fixing these games.

For shame that no national sportswriter/journalist is demanding investigations and pointing this out. I know they're suckups, but I didn't figure this much.

But that's normal corruption in America during the age of Obama.; 9/24/12, 11:58 PM
AllenS said...: All touchdowns are reviewed this year. The refs have nothing to do with it.; 9/25/12, 12:00 AM
ALH said...: Dear Dave,
GB 13, Sea 0; 9/25/12, 12:00 AM
jrberg3 said...: Allen, replay officials can alert the referee to review a certain play, like a touchdown or turnover, but the final decision comes from the ref. the replay officials do not make any on the field calls.; 9/25/12, 12:01 AM
Anonymous said...: P.S. all these fixed games remind me of the '76 Olympic basketball final between the Soviets and the U.S. The fix was in then, big time. The U.S. players to this day refuse to accept their silver medals.; 9/25/12, 12:01 AM
Chris said...: this Brian character is a clown. Russell Wilson threw the first game winning TD interception, too bad he wont see the playoffs.; 9/25/12, 12:01 AM
W said...: "Knock the damn ball away on the hail Mary and the catch never happens."

I think I've seen a couple defensive backs knock the ball down right into the hands of a receiver.; 9/25/12, 12:02 AM
Anonymous said...: Excuse me, 1972, not 1976.; 9/25/12, 12:02 AM
Unknown said...: The last call could have been called either way.
Tate caught the ball, and maintained possession all the way to the ground, in the endzone. By the rules, that's a touchdown.
The defender also caught the ball, and maintained possession all the way to the ground, in the endzone. By the rules, that's a touchback.
At the end, it was a judgement call as to which of the incompatible rules took precedence. I'm fine with *this* ruling.

It's the rulings prior that cast the final play into such doubt. I'm a Seahawks fan, and I'll freely admit that the Packers got robbed. Not on the final play (except that Tate should have been called for Offensive Pass Interference before the catch). But the last few minutes of the game were pretty horrendously called.

Not that the "regular" refs are much better. Superbowl XL stands as a case in point (as do several other high-profile games in which the refs took an active hand.); 9/25/12, 12:03 AM
jrberg3 said...: Allen, you're wrong, look it up. You may be thinking of college football rules.; 9/25/12, 12:04 AM
shiloh said...: Roger Goodell may reverse the call. After all, he is god. Or thinks he is.

Interesting he already played god earlier this year w/the NO Saints and that decision was overturned by an appeals panel.

In the final analysis, only one team will be happy after the Super Bowl!

Also interesting two 6th seeds have won the Super Bowl, the Packers and Steelers. I digress.

Oh yea, the Pack got screwed! Life goes on ...; 9/25/12, 12:06 AM
purplepenquin said...: I ain't watching any more NFL until they get rid of these amateur referees. This has been bad enough up to now, but tonite was a total disgrace to not just the NFL but sports in general.

the refs don't review the replay. That comes from other people whose sole purpose is to review the plays.

You sure about that? I always thought that the guy in the booth only indicates that something should be reviewed but the ref on the field is the one making the actual review of the call.

Quick glance on Wiki confirms that to be true, but that source isn't always dependable.; 9/25/12, 12:08 AM
Anonymous said...: @Shiloh:

Oh yea, the Pack got screwed! Life goes on ...

---Fixing games---especially major sporting events with millions in gambling revenue on the line----is a huge deal.; 9/25/12, 12:08 AM
W said...: "Knock the damn ball away on the hail Mary and the catch never happens."

I think I've seen a couple defensive backs knock the ball down right into the hands of a receiver.; 9/25/12, 12:10 AM
purplepenquin said...: Only forty-six posts before someone blamed the refs' performance on Obama...what was the over/under on that?; 9/25/12, 12:11 AM
Tim said...: I don't care for either team, for obvious reasons, but yes, the Packers were robbed by a terrible call.

Isn't that why they review every touchdown anyway?

Anyway, yes, they need to resolve this - but the refs are going to have to give on their defined benefit retirement plan - for a part time job paying an average of $145K for 20 weeks work? That's absurd.; 9/25/12, 12:11 AM
Anonymous said...: @purplepenguin:

Only forty-six posts before someone blamed the refs' performance on Obama...what was the over/under on that?

---I don't know, but if this were the NFL, I'm sure the line moved just before it happened.

Game was fixed.; 9/25/12, 12:12 AM
shiloh said...: "is a huge deal."

All the more reason for Goodell to reverse the call lol. In the final analysis, everything comes down to who has the most $$$.

Except when you have a "product" who is impossible to sell ie Willard! :); 9/25/12, 12:13 AM
Tim said...: jrberg3 said...

"Allen, then why does the ref go over to the booth to look at the replays? The replay officials do not have the final say."

Touchdowns are reviewed in a booth upstairs, NOT by the on-field officials.; 9/25/12, 12:15 AM
purplepenquin said...: but the refs are going to have to give on their defined benefit retirement plan - for a part time job paying an average of $145K for 20 weeks work? That's absurd.

You sound like a couple of my liberal friends who complain about the salaries/benefits of NFL players in general...they simply refuse to beleive that someone should be paid so much for just playing a game, and "absurd" is also the exact word that tends to get used.; 9/25/12, 12:15 AM
Anonymous said...: @Shiloh:

Yep, thats classic left-wing arguing right there. Mocking and laughing at massive corruption---hey, its the left-wing way.; 9/25/12, 12:15 AM
AndyN said...: The regular refs pretty frequently blow obvious calls that change the outcome of the games. They might have gotten that one right, but it's almost a dead certainty that if they'd been working this entire season, at some point they would have made a call just as bad that proved to be just as much a deciding factor in a game.

As for devaluing their product - this is a league that caught one of its premier teams in an institution-wide cheating scandal, knew that it had gone on throughout all their championship seasons, gave the coach a slap on the wrist, destroyed the evidence and let them keep their fraudulent titles. Any fans who believe the NFL has any kind of integrity is delusional.; 9/25/12, 12:16 AM
jrberg3 said...: "Touchdowns are reviewed in a booth upstairs, NOT by the on-field officials"

Sorry, but this is wrong. Seriously, look it up. The replay officials call down to the ref.

Tim and Allen, please explain why the ref walks over to the "replay booth" to view the replays? Why would he need to do that if it wasn't his call to make?; 9/25/12, 12:18 AM
shiloh said...: How many U.S soldiers have died recently in Afghanistan and hardly anyone in America is upset or is payin' attention.

Perspective!

Everyone will be discussing this game tomorrow and Willard didn't even mention the Afghan War or the troops in his acceptance speech.

What's the over/under on whether reporters will ask Obama and Willard about this game?

And so it goes ...; 9/25/12, 12:18 AM
Anonymous said...: That's true Shiloh.; 9/25/12, 12:20 AM
jrberg3 said...: PP, I have no problem with their salaries nor the salaries of pro athletes. All I am saying is that I find it hard to be sympathetic to the retirement plight (and other grievances) of a well compensated part-time employee who works 16 days a year for about 70 grand.; 9/25/12, 12:21 AM
Tim said...: "You sound like a couple of my liberal friends who complain about the salaries/benefits of NFL players in general...they simply refuse to beleive that someone should be paid so much for just playing a game, and "absurd" is also the exact word that tends to get used."

You might think so, but you'd be wrong.

I don't care what they are paid; I do care that they are striking for something no full time NFL employee has: a defined benefit retirement plan.

These are part time jobs.

There might be one or two employers in the US who offer retirement for part-time employees, but I don't know of any. If there are any, I doubt they offer defined benefit retirement plans.

So blaming the NFL for this, rather than the refs, in my opinion is just dumb.; 9/25/12, 12:22 AM
Anonymous said...: @Shiloh:

Amazing how more "serious" issues occupy your mind when corruption is right in front of you.

Quite frankly, I'll bet you think the following are "no big deal": Fast & Furious...Treasury Secretary cheating on his taxes....Obama burning the 1st Amendment to the ground...embassy attacks...bankruptcy of the country...

I could go on, but its clear that you think a major fix costing millions of dollars on national TV is no biggie.; 9/25/12, 12:22 AM
Col Mustard said...: Either way the call went - it was defensible.

The commentary on ESPN is mostly pro-labor v. owners. Fuck that!

The 'real' refs have altered the outcome of many games. Play on!; 9/25/12, 12:29 AM
shiloh said...: Whore, you're partisan analysis is duly noted. As a former Cleveland Brown's fan, it's hard for me to get excited about the current why's and wherefore's of the NFL.

Just another reason why one shouldn't bet on sports. Wagering notwithstanding, there have been reports of a husband beating his wife and shooting the television set :D after his team lost an important game.

Hopefully cons won't be too upset after Willard loses.; 9/25/12, 12:29 AM
Anonymous said...: @Shiloh the Wonder Bitch:

it's hard for me to get excited about the current why's and wherefore's of the NFL.

---The NFL doesn't interest me. It's the blatant corruption and illegal stealing of millions of dollars that does.

Just another reason why one shouldn't bet on sports.
---Not fixed games, anyway. Unless you're the fixer. Like when Barney the Fag fixed it so Freddie and Fannie wouldn't be investigated, and then got his prostitute-boyfriend a job there.

Wagering notwithstanding, there have been reports of a husband beating his wife and shooting the television set :D after his team lost an important game.

---Hopefully, she was a lefty.; 9/25/12, 12:32 AM
jrberg3 said...: "The 'real' refs have altered the outcome of many games."

I can agree with that.

"Either way the call went - it was defensible"

You're out of your mind! And I can't stand the Packers!; 9/25/12, 12:34 AM
purplepenquin said...: I do care that they are striking

They ain't striking, but rather the owners have locked 'em out.; 9/25/12, 12:34 AM
shiloh said...: Damn, whore is already calling me childish names ...

blessings; 9/25/12, 12:34 AM
Anonymous said...: @Shiloh:

Damn, whore is already calling me childish names

---childish names for a person who argues like a child:

"Waaa! Stop talking about corruption and Obama in the same sentence! Waaa! Look the other way, change the subject, don't make fun of Barry the Affirmative Action President! Waa! I like fixed games! Waa!"; 9/25/12, 12:36 AM
purplepenquin said...: The commentary on ESPN is mostly pro-labor v. owners. Fuck that!

I don't think it is only ESPN that is taking labor's side in this dispute...is any station/blog/newspaper sticking up for the owners decision to use these replacement refs?; 9/25/12, 12:37 AM
Tim said...: "Tim and Allen, please explain why the ref walks over to the "replay booth" to view the replays? Why would he need to do that if it wasn't his call to make?"

Let me clarify: the official, off the field ("up in the booth" is how it's usually characterized) makes the initial call if the TD needs to be reviewed.

If he does, then yes, the on-field referee then reviews the call. But he doesn't instigate the review - the official off the field does so.

I didn't watch tonight's game, so I don't know how the refs handled it - I only saw the replays on ESPN.; 9/25/12, 12:38 AM
Joe said...: The ESPN commentary was awful. At one point, the claimed a call was bad, when it clearly wasn't.

Maybe the call should have gone the other way, but Green Bay played terrible and shouldn't have been in this situation in the first place. Rodgers was sacked eight times in the first half (not a record, but pretty bad.); 9/25/12, 12:39 AM
jrberg3 said...: "They ain't striking, but rather the owners have locked 'em out. "

That's correct, PP, my bad.; 9/25/12, 12:40 AM
Tim said...: "They ain't striking, but rather the owners have locked 'em out."

Yes, I checked that - you are correct.

I still think they take the deal on retirement.; 9/25/12, 12:40 AM
Joe said...: BTW, I liked a game last week because they hardly called any penalties. It made the game much more entertaining.; 9/25/12, 12:41 AM
shiloh said...: whore, as Spock said to McCoy ...

You must learn to govern your passions; they will be your undoing!

Klaatu barada nikto ...; 9/25/12, 12:42 AM
Kansas City said...: The NFL owners historically have been excellent in handling their labor relations. They basically have won all their disputes wiht the players.

Here, they probably made a mistake in taking on a labor dispute with a peripheral part of their product, but a highly visible one that inevitably would produce controversy on the field. There was almost no chance the NFL would wind up looking good using replacement officials. The call tonight will doom the owner's labor position, with the still photograph showing the two officials purportedly making different calls (not necessarily true)becoming iconic. They also will be hurt by the official missing the clear offensive interference penalty prior to the catch (even though that type of penalty also is missed all the time by the regular officials).

HOWEVER, the call might be correct. I will be interested to hear what the NFL says tomorrow. The reason the call might be correct is that there is no "catch" by the defender until he comes down with both feet on the ground and, at that point, it looks like it was a shared catch, which goes to the receiver. None of the TV people at this point have considered that issue. They are all looking at how the defender "caught" the ball at the top of his jump. If the relevant time is when the defender has both feet on the ground, it is a very close call.; 9/25/12, 12:43 AM
jrberg3 said...: "Let me clarify: the official, off the field ("up in the booth" is how it's usually characterized) makes the initial call if the TD needs to be reviewed."

To be clear, every TD gets reviewed by the "booth" as we'll as each turnover now.

My point is tat the ref on the field makes the final call.; 9/25/12, 12:43 AM
Anonymous said...: @Shiloh the Wonder Bitch:

You must learn to govern your passions; they will be your undoing!

---Yes, its really horrible for you lefties if an anti-lefty starts being passionate and refuses to follow the rules you require of us. How dare I get upset at massive fraud and corruption! Off with his head!

The NFL is fixing games.; 9/25/12, 12:44 AM
purplepenquin said...: I still think they take the deal on retirement.

Heck, after tonite's game the owners will be lucky to get what was last offered by the union. If I'm negotiating for the refs then the terms have just changed.; 9/25/12, 12:44 AM
Anonymous said...: Yeah. Because it's not like the Seahawks have ever been jobbed, right?

Without even getting into the nonsense that was Super Bowl XL, do recall officials ruling Vinny Testeverde's helmet - not the football - crossed the goaline giving the Jets a win and in the process, cost Seattle a playoff berth.

So, pardon me if I don't get the vapors over one call during Week Three.; 9/25/12, 12:46 AM
Kansas City said...: It also is true, as some have pointed out, that defenders should not go for interceptions in this situation. They really should bat the ball out of the end zone if possible and, if not, they should bat it down (some risk that they will bat it to an offensive player, but more risk trying to catch it).; 9/25/12, 12:49 AM
Clyde said...: How badly do you have to devalue your brand before the customers throw up their hands in disgust and walk away? Probably quite a bit more than this. The NFL realizes this, which is why the replacement refs will probably still be around next week. The NFL has their money, and that's all they care about. Integrity of the game? If they cared about it, they wouldn't insult your intelligence like Jay Carney by using replacement refs.; 9/25/12, 12:50 AM
Kansas City said...: I do feel sorry for that official coming up and looking at the players, realizing he had to make a call. There is not way that he could have actually known whether it was a shared catch when the players came down by looking at them after they have been on the ground for several seconds. He was screwed and had to make a call.; 9/25/12, 12:50 AM
Kansas City said...: Clyde, I just don't understand why the owners would take the risk of TEMPORARILY devaluing their brand over just a few million dollars. It does not seem worth it, but the damage will be temporarily. Since this is a political site (largely), compare it to the damage to Bill Clinton's brand when he was caught with Monica and lied to save his job. Big hit short term, but as far as I can tell, virtually no damage long term.; 9/25/12, 12:53 AM
Anonymous said...: There is a difference, everyone, between a blown call, a bad call, and a phantom call.

The refs aren't just blowing calls or making the bad calls. They are making phantom calls--and a series of them right in a row---and refusing to overturn clearly wrong calls when challenged.

And making several phantom calls/failure to overturn reviewed calls in a row, all in favor of one team, at the end of games, to ensure that one team wins.

The fix is in.; 9/25/12, 1:00 AM
Steven said...: Politifact rates the refs' call "mostly true."; 9/25/12, 1:21 AM
Debbie Andrews said...: We were at the game, wearing our Packer colors, and along with the rest of the Packer fans, simply stunned when we heard the call. Then the text messages started streaming in from friends watching the game at home. Everyone of them, including our Seahawk-fan friends, basically said the same thing you said, Ann: the Packers got robbed. On our walk up Capitol Hill from Century Link Stadium, a motorist suddenly pulled over to the curb next to us and jumped out of the car. I thought he was in some sort of disparate state and was about to ask us for help, but much to our surprise he confessed that he was a die-hard Seahawks fan, but he wanted us to know that it was a terrible call and that the Packers were the real winners of that game. Such is the sentiment in Seattle.; 9/25/12, 2:06 AM
rhhardin said...: If you don't want to lose, don't let it get that close.; 9/25/12, 5:27 AM
Michael said...: But wait. Everybody ought to get a shot! They felt like they were trying their hardest and doing their best. Everybody makes mistakes. You want to shut out a class of men and women from reaching the top.

Who else came to the game with shaky credentials and little experience in the big league?; 9/25/12, 5:43 AM
bhfrik said...: I'd be willing to bet that the locked out refs will back up this call at the end of the day. Both players were fighting for the ball. You won't find many, if any plays where both the reciever and defender are lying on the ground fighting for possession and the reciever isn't given the reception. Any regular watcher of the game see's those tug of wars on a somewhat regular basis, and how often does that call go to the defender? The answer is never.

It's such a bang-bang play, so the assumption that a tie goes to the reciever means once a ref sees the fight for possession and calls it a reception that's all there is to say about it. Replay isn't going to turn that call around because it can't. Maybe the replay official sees the defender having a better position in super slow mo, but he's not ruling on possession, he's ruling on whether or not it's a catch in the first place.; 9/25/12, 6:01 AM
DrSquid said...: Didn't see it live but heard the screaming right away when my alarm went off this morning. After seeing the slo-mo replays from every angle I would say the evidence slightly favors the Packers defender. But mostly I would like to point out how odd it is to hear fans cheering for the regular refs, sure can't recall hearing any love for them ever over the last several decades of NFL football. Admit it, they stink too, and history is full of examples of how they blew calls (or even coin tosses) and effected outcomes of bigger games than this. I'm not so sure they locked out zebras would have made the call any better than these greenhorns did.; 9/25/12, 6:17 AM
Clyde said...: Hey, wasn't that Andrew Sullivan ("President Obama: The Democrats' Ronald Reagan") moonlighting as a replacement ref and making that touchdown call?; 9/25/12, 7:13 AM
AndyN said...: Am I the only one who appreciates the irony that while everybody else is complaining that the replacement refs ignored a blatant offensive pass interference call, Seahawks fans are still complaining that 7 years ago the normal refs robbed their team by properly calling a blatant offensive pass interference?; 9/25/12, 7:30 AM
madAsHell said...: How many times have you seen Notre Dame win due to the officials?

Go Seahawks!!; 9/25/12, 7:33 AM
Anonymous said...: 'Blogger purplepenquin said...

Only forty-six posts before someone blamed the refs' performance on Obama...what was the over/under on that?

9/25/12 12:11 AM'

------------------------------

I blame Bush.
Obama is awesome.; 9/25/12, 7:40 AM
Tank said...: shiloh said...

How many U.S soldiers have died recently in Afghanistan and hardly anyone in America is upset or is payin' attention.

shiloh, it doesn't count when a Democrat is President. Like the homeless "issue," this is only important when a Repub is President.

Geez, this is Media 101.; 9/25/12, 7:42 AM
Humperdink said...: Former coach of the Steelers Chuck Noll said never put yourself in a position where one play could decide the game. That being said, the Pack got hosed big time.; 9/25/12, 7:59 AM
damikesc said...: P.S. all these fixed games remind me of the '76 Olympic basketball final between the Soviets and the U.S. The fix was in then, big time. The U.S. players to this day refuse to accept their silver medals.

Several have, in their wills, demands that their children cannot accept them, either.

That was egregious.

As for last night, let's not wax too nostalgic about the "real" refs. They did botch such things as coin tosses.

HOWEVER, the call might be correct. I will be interested to hear what the NFL says tomorrow. The reason the call might be correct is that there is no "catch" by the defender until he comes down with both feet on the ground

...which is key. A pass that is caught in mid-air and dropped before the feet touch the ground isn't ruled a catch and a fumble. It's rules incomplete. Getting your hands on the ball isn't the only thing you have to do.

Heck, after tonite's game the owners will be lucky to get what was last offered by the union. If I'm negotiating for the refs then the terms have just changed.

Given no appreciable change in attendance, ratings, or revenue --- the league still has no reason to give in.

Refs aren't that hard to replace. The "real" ones were about as incompetent.

And Green Bay played like a plate of refried shit. How about block for a QB once in a while? Might not be in that situation.; 9/25/12, 8:03 AM
X said...: I feel personally ripped off having seen that

waah. that's football. your team shouldn't have let it be so close. and it wouldn't have been close if the pack hadn't benefited from a bad call. it's not like the locked out part-time officials never blew calls. they did constantly. and if you let it get to that point, you take your chances.; 9/25/12, 8:12 AM
test said...: I'm pretty sure this NFL thing is the best opportunity labor in America is ever going to have to convince people that scabs are a bad thing.

I'm shocked the nutty left is dehumanizing their opponents. Even when circumstances conspire to hand them a public relations gift they instead choose hatred. It must be confusing to go through life so full of both hate and self-righteousness.; 9/25/12, 8:15 AM
kjbe said...: In Tate's defense how awesome is it to make a no-handed catch?; 9/25/12, 8:15 AM
test said...: EMD said...
Tate pushed off, too.

Probably the most blatant push-off I've ever seen.; 9/25/12, 8:16 AM
Roy Lofquist said...: The rules in pro football differ from the rules in college which differ from the rules in high school which differ from the rules in Pop Warner. The old AFL rules differed from the NFL rules. The NFL rules for this year differ from last year's rules.

Most of the bad calls this year would be correct in a college game.; 9/25/12, 8:22 AM
jrberg3 said...: On ESPN they commented on an excellent tweet: Russell Wilson became the first QB to throw a game-winning interception!; 9/25/12, 8:27 AM
MaggotAtBroad&Wall said...: Let's stipulate the obvious that it was a horrible call.

But the elite sports media have been bad mouthing the replacement refs to manipulate the public into turning on the owners since the pre-season. They amp up the outrage on every bad call and insist/demand that the owners give in to the regular refs demands.

In this case Green Bay played like shit the entire first half. Their offensive line just didn't show up. If they'd made the adjustments they made after half-time in the first or second quarter, they may not have been in the position where the game came down to the last Hail Mary pass.

Poor coaching is getting a free pass so the elite sports media can pump their agenda that the owners are bad guys for not caving in to the regular refs demands.

The elite sports media is just as liberal and just as biased as the elite political media. No wonder Gallup says 60% of the country no longer trust the media.; 9/25/12, 8:30 AM
Patrick said...: The inaccurate reception.; 9/25/12, 8:38 AM
Comanche Voter said...: Look there were some howlers both ways. I will say that the defensive pass interference call that brought the Seahawks down to the 25 yard line on their final drive ranks as the worst pass interference call that I have ever seen. The defensive back was playing the ball looking for an interception and had inside position. The receiver was grabbing the D backs shoulder pad with his right hand and holding the D back's left arm with his left hand. And the zebra calls "defensive" pass interference? In the hall of bad calls, that's the worst one I've ever seen. And I've been watching game for almost 50 years now.; 9/25/12, 8:39 AM
Patrick said...: Iowahawk tweeted this this morning, but wrote it several years ago.

Holds up well, unfortunately.; 9/25/12, 8:39 AM
Patrick said...: It probably wouldn't have been that close if the Packers' O line had allowed only, say six sacks in the first half.; 9/25/12, 8:41 AM
furious_a said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 9/25/12, 8:46 AM
furious_a said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 9/25/12, 8:48 AM
furious_a said...: Roger Goodell inherited these replacement referees from the previous commissioner.

How many U.S soldiers have died recently in Afghanistan and hardly anyone in America is upset or is payin' attention.

Perspective!

Same w/homeless people -- Democrat in the White Hou...look -- Romney's tax returns!; 9/25/12, 8:52 AM
Known Unknown said...: These are part time jobs.

Steve Young actually made a great point about bringing the refs fully into the NFL, and making them full-time employees, but having strings attached about performance and fitness.

That way, you could train the hell out of them all year every year and not have to worry about whether they are part-time lawyers or masseuses or whatever.

It would cost the league more, but not that much in the long run.; 9/25/12, 8:58 AM
Known Unknown said...: Of course, the contrarian in me says the NFL is getting even more eyeballs on the product via controversial calls, and more eyeballs = more revenue.; 9/25/12, 8:58 AM
traditionalguy said...: That does it. The Feds need to nationalise football.

The trouble is that the NFL is not run by a million faceless bureaucrats living in luxory in norther Virginia.

We demand a czar!; 9/25/12, 9:11 AM
Portia said...: You're lucky you weren't playing the Piggsford Stealers it woulda been a blowout.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5444048; 9/25/12, 9:46 AM
Nathan Alexander said...: My thoughts:
The rule is that a shared catch goes to the passing team.

Jennings did not bring the ball to his chest. He was prevented from doing so by Tate's arm/hand, which was between Jennings chest and the ball.

That being said, the ball was much closer to Jennings torso than Tate's. I have no idea if the NFL takes "proximity to body mass" in consideration when determining possession. I don't think so.

Still, Tate pushed off very blatantly. If the OPI had been called correctly, the game would have been over regardless of the call on the play.

Then again, Seattle had to score a TD only because the refs made a bad call on Rogers' 3rd down run on GB's previous scoring possession. The ref on the field made the right call, but it was overturned, despite clear evidence it shouldn't have been overturned. He didn't make the first down marker, and GB faced 4th down and probably would have kicked a FG, so Seattle would have won on a FG of their own on their next possession.; 9/25/12, 10:03 AM
Lyle said...: How that was a catch, I do not know.; 9/25/12, 11:38 AM
shiloh said...: NFL referees lockout makes Scott Walker a union supporter

Oh the humanity!; 9/25/12, 11:57 AM
shiloh said...: EVEN SCOTT WALKER TURNS AGAINST THE LOCKOUT

As NFL Referees Lockout Continues, Gov. Scott Walker Calls For Return Of Unionized Refs; 9/25/12, 12:04 PM
jr565 said...: It appears that Packer fans are irate.

I blame ESPN for showing this inflammatory game. All videos of it should be taken down immediately.

Game officiating like this are reasons people storm embassies and kill the people inside.; 9/25/12, 1:35 PM
edward said...: Which time? The late hit that negated an INT on Seattle's 2nd to last drive. Or the PI call on 1st and 30 on Sam Shields? Or the No call on the Sam Shields Offensive PI on the last play? Or are you talking about MD Jennings INT that was somehow given to Golden Tate? Whatever. This is what the game has come to. I knew a team would get screwed. Unfortunately it was the Packers.; 9/25/12, 1:48 PM
Original Mike said...: Virtually every fan in the world: "That call was bull!"

Roger Goodell" "I won."; 9/25/12, 1:56 PM
Known Unknown said...: I do feel sorry for that official coming up and looking at the players, realizing he had to make a call. There is not way that he could have actually known whether it was a shared catch when the players came down by looking at them after they have been on the ground for several seconds. He was screwed and had to make a call.

The referee with the best vantage point made the right call. How he was overruled is beyond me.; 9/25/12, 9:34 PM
Known Unknown said...: How many U.S soldiers have died recently in Afghanistan and hardly anyone in America is upset or is payin' attention.

Perspective!

Your concern about that in this thread about football and officiating is duly noted.

Thank you for that concern.; 9/25/12, 9:36 PM
shainex said...: awesome , yours info effectively done it . movers packers
good job ,welldone keep it up , look it this website

http://www.shainex.com/delhi-ncr/; 10/12/12, 3:40 AM
shainex said...: awesome , yours info effectively done it . movers packers
good job ,welldone keep it up , look it this website

http://www.shainex.com/delhi-ncr/; 10/12/12, 3:40 AM
Unknown said...: Packers And Movers Hyderabad; 4/14/14, 7:23 AM