What BS call will be made in favor of the Steelers tonight ???
Michael
"tripping" call in favor of the Steelers. This total BS call negated
a TD and cost the Vikings the game and their perfect record.
What BS call with the friends of the ambasador make tonight to screw
yet another team that out playes the Steelers ???
It is Monday night, so I know it is gonna be a hot one. Cant wait to
see what BS they concoct tonight.
Watch for any last minute go-ahead passing drives by the Steelers
while the officials look the other way as Steelers offensive line guys
use hand cuffs and duct tape on Denver pass rushers.
Michael
BS call number one
A Denver receiver catches a ball for a first down. He has the ball
under controll and then fumbles it out of bounds. Denver challanges
it. The refs call in in favor of the Steelers
BS call number two
Denver converts with a pass on 4th and 5. The friends of the
ambasador are ready with their holding penalty flag. On a play that
could barely be described as a hold, the officials step in for the
ambasador and kill the Denver drive. Oddly enough, Steelers offensive
line players have been doing far worse on all the Steelers drives
where Big Ben the hero holds the ball for over six seconds and
Steeler offensive line guys are seen with their arms around Denver
pass rushers
Michael
uh oh... steelers are at it already... pulling out there secret
weapon. love that holding by the steelers right tackle on their
"impressive" td trive to go ahead 14 to 10. last i chedked when the
offensive line guy grabs hold of the defender and PULLS him outside it
is no longer a block, it is a hold... wow... the steelers are soooo
impressive. i cant imagine how the officials missed those holds when
I could see them on tv... this is beyond being a joke
Michael
>
> - Show quoted text -
bottom line in denver loss and vikes loss to the steelers... officials
made calls in favor of steelers to kill a denver drive and a vike
drive. not to mention, there are two sets of latitude allowed for use
of the hands by offensive line guys. one of the steelers and one for
the rest of the nfl. all it takes is a few bogus calls to turn things
in favor of the steelers. this has happened one too many times.
Harlan Lachman
<89b45490-38c6-48be...@h2g2000vbd.googlegroups.com>,
Michael <mjd...@verizon.net> wrote:
Michael, I did not watch much of the game, I am sort of done with
football this year.
But I did see the holding call on the fourth down play and what was
egregious was, as you point out, the double standard of what the Champs
can do and their opponent cannot. Even the announcer alluded to it.
You are not crazy. Double Yup!
The NFL will obviously be the new NBA where the officials determine who
wins and loses most games.
It definitely seems worse the past ten years than previously to me. With
more money tied up in TV rights and more visibility for the league, it
is important that the right teams continue to do well.
harlan
Michael
> In article
> <89b45490-38c6-48be-9b07-cadffe2ea...@h2g2000vbd.googlegroups.com>,
>
> - Show quoted text -
Harlan... Thank you very much for not mocking my thread here.
Obviously, on the surface it seems demented and obsessive, but I'm
trying to get a point across here. Sure you can argue that the things
I'm pointing out are just typical imperfections that go both ways...
BUT... As of the past three seasons, there has been no end to the
calls I see go in favor of the Steelers. More importantly, I'm
disgusted with the latitude their offensive line is being given while
at the same time, the flag for holding comes out for WAY less in the
way of holding against the team they are playing. And those flags and
poor calls always seem to come out at VERY pivotal times in the
games. It is right up there with Tom Brady calling for flags and
getting them if a defender looks at him the wrong way. I think you
are exactly just right here... It is now all about TV, money and
league prestige. I think in the future, the NFL will become more an
more of an exhibition and less and less of a sport. Wonder why the
Patriots were chosen to play in England this year ??? Hmmm.. One of
the NFL Flagship teams along with the Steelers. We gotta see they
stay on top no matter who gets screwed.
MZ
Ya think?
Michael, if you applied the same kind of scrutiny to any team, I think
you'd arrive at the same conclusions that you do about the Steelers.
That's why so many sports fans insist that their teams always get
screwed by the refs.
Michael
>
> - Show quoted text -
I dont agree in this case... Odd calls and the Steelers go hand in
hand the past few years. Odd calls to the Steelers benifit of course.
Do you by any chance have the last SuperBowl on tape ??? Do you know
what offensive holding is ??? Do you wonder why Steelers offensive
line guys had HAND FULLS of Cards defenders on their "heroic" last
drive and no one seemed to notice ??? Cards tackle Gandy was flagged
for holding in that game just for touching a Steelers defender. Did
you see the hold called agaisnt Denver yesterday ??? Did you see the
ball that was CLEARLY in the possession of the Denver receiver last
night before being fulbled out of bounds ??? Did you see Steelers
defenders CLEARLY hitting leading with helmet to the head of a Denver
receiver near the end of the game.. and... No flag ???
MZ
It's kind of whiny to complain about non-calls, IMO.
But yes, I agree that there were some questionable calls in the first
Steelers SB victory this decade. The second one, not so much. But you
guys are all the same -- yeah, it's the successful teams getting all the
calls all the time. But you never say a word when the Steelers, Pats,
or Colts get screwed by the refs. I guess it never happens.
Michael
>
> - Show quoted text -
I cant remember the last time the Steelers got screwed. No kidding.
And I Saw both Steeler Super Bowls of this decade. The refs did more
to screw the Cards than they did to screw the Seahawks.
Also.. I dont think the Colts get "special treatment" I think the
Patriots and their oh sooooo special QB get special treatment and so
do the Steelers.
MZ
Then you must think Trent Edwards gets the most special treatment of
them all, since the Bills currently lead the league in being on the
receiving end of roughing the passer penalties.
Michael
>
> - Show quoted text -
no.. i think defenders feel they can get away with late hits on qb's
that are not special like little tommy or on teams owned by people
that the leage feels are important.. those ruffing calls on edwards
are all accurate...
Johnctx
Good teams do get calls because referees are human, and like johnny or
buRf (OK & me) defending their opinion by finding or seeing something in
a game, & they have an opinion about who will win. So when a play is
close either consciously or subconsciously they favor the "better" team.
MZ is right they sometimes do get screwed as well.
MZ
I think it goes a little further than that. I don't think it's the
"better" team that gets it as much as the home team, or the team with
the "better" personalities or better actors. A high profile player will
get calls more often than, say, a rookie.
Sanchez has no roughing the passer calls this year. Interesting.
And then there's the offense vs. defense bias -- especially when it
comes to PI (favors the offense), or holding (favors the defense).
I remember the Pats getting called for PI all the damned time, including
Asante Samuel. Then, all of a sudden, Samuel is a "good player" (who
was good long before the league recognized him as being "good"), and
he's not called for PI as often. Is it because he's better at avoiding
PI? Or is it because he's no longer just #22? Probably a little of both.
Brady probably gets more calls than Sanchez for a number of reasons. I
don't think one of those reasons is a conspiracy from the NFL offices to
make sure good teams win. The real reasons are probably because he's a
better actor, and a better personality.
Anyone ever notice how much talking goes on between the officials and
the players/coaches? Including before the games, and during training
camp? A lot of it is good-natured. I bet some of it is "how's the wife
and kids, Ron?" "They're doing well, Bill, thanks." These guys are
humans who work together and know each other, and there's no way to
completely remove biases. As it is in "real life", it pays to be likable.
Johnctx
"Better" players get calls but "better teams" don't?
:)
I agree with everything you wrote and I am not saying it is a conspiracy
it is human nature.
Surprisingly being an ass like Jimmy Johnson pays off. It is
counterintuitive to treat people better who abuse you but most people
don't like conflict & turmoil, even referees, and the fear of fighting
the idiot can keep a ref from throwing or not throwing the flag to avoid it.
My biggest pet peeve is why is a stiff arm by a runner against a
tackler''s mask not a penalty?
MZ
Shockingly, the better teams tend to have more of the better players. :)
> :)
>
> I agree with everything you wrote and I am not saying it is a conspiracy
> it is human nature.
>
> Surprisingly being an ass like Jimmy Johnson pays off. It is
> counterintuitive to treat people better who abuse you but most people
> don't like conflict & turmoil, even referees, and the fear of fighting
> the idiot can keep a ref from throwing or not throwing the flag to avoid
> it.
>
> My biggest pet peeve is why is a stiff arm by a runner against a
> tackler''s mask not a penalty?
Didn't they change that rule? If so, it doesn't seem they're enforcing it.
Michael
<SNIP>
The desires and appetites of the league and people who are influential
within the league make their way subtly but purposely down the line.
If you have been watching the NFL for a long time you know all about
it. When they want something done or changed, the rest fall in line.
Quickly. The Steelers are the leagues pet brand now. They are
getting favors on the field. What is happening now is well beyond
typical imperfections in officiating that effect all teams equally.
Bad calls are made against all teams, including the Steelers, Colts
and Pats. None the less... The Steelers are still being given gifts.
They wanna sell the NFL abroad now. Nothing sells like winners and
heroes. Looks like they have their flagship brands and heroes all
packaged and ready for the shelf. Little Tommy The Poster Boy Brady
with his "model franchise" and the big bad working class hero
Steelers. So what if the Cardinals get screwed out of a SuperBowl and
the Vikes get screwed out of a win and a perfect record ??? It is good
for business.
MZ
And what happens to the brand when one of the employees leaves and blows
the whistle?
Michael
>
> - Show quoted text -
There are no conversations or documents for the whistle blower to
produce in this case. Nor are there any criminals. We are not
talking about crime. You can no more legally beef an NFL official for
going with he flow than you can legally beef a participant in the WWF
for following the script in the ring complete with using blood
capsules at the planned time. I'm not saying we have criminals of any
kind. I'm saying that we don't have a sport now in the NFL. We have
a big money exhibition when the brand names are on the field.
MZ
There's no crime, but what happens to the brand? If it can be shown
that the NFL is operating on WWF principles, then surely interest in the
sport would wane. I think they'd probably take a major hit $$$-wise.
Johnny Morongo
"RollerBall" anybody?
Johnny Morongo
So they must keep up the pretense at any cost? Michael is right.
Keeping the top dogs in place pays off in dollars and cents. Like the
man said: it is what it is.
MZ
They why are the Raiders at the bottom? The Raiders are one of the
NFL's most popular brands. Yet they constantly lose. The Cowboys also
haven't won anything in a long time, even though they're the #1 seller.
It just doesn't add up. If there really is a conspiracy, why in a
market like Indianapolis? Why not in NY? Whoever's orchestrating the
conspiracy is really a numbskull...
Johnny Morongo
Who said anything about a conspiracy? What I, and I believe Michael
also, think is that there are a few teams that get the "look the other
way" treatment and the Pats, Colts and Steelers are among them.
The Raiders haven't been that kind of a team for many years now. And I
have no idea why the Cowboys are still a hot seller either. Must be the
redneck penchant for NASCAR that has rubbed off on them?
Michael
>
> - Show quoted text -
Johnny... I think Rollerball... The 1970's movie, not the recent
moronic remake is probably the best futuristic representation ever
made in any movie. Such gifted insight. Big money and corporations
taking over as global powers and governing bodies. With plenty of
distractions of bread and circuses for all people to confuse them from
their lack of true freedoms and control. Look at the names of all the
stadiums now to get the idea... Corporate society. Like Rollerball.
And the "executives" manipulate the teams and the games as is good for
"corporate interests". But no happy ending in real life. In the
movie, the free spirit wins out over control. In real life, Brady
calls for a flag and he gets it. In real life the major underdogs
Arizona outshines the corporate sponsor in the big game, and they get
screwed. Rollerball had the happy ending that we wont see in real
life.
Michael
>
> - Show quoted text
The "cowboy" is a uniquely American icon. That is why. Look at how
the American Olympic teams dresses up for the opening day parades.
Cowboy costumes usually. Many foreign countries romantisize over our
cowboy image. We also romanticize over it domesticly. If I wanted to
expand the NFL and sell it worldwide, I'd go with the American Cowboy
image as a major brand. A smart marketing guy would also go with the
Steelers image. Football appeals to a lot of people, but for some
reason, if you watch the TV commercials, the marketing people think
correctly or incorrectly that football appeals to uneducated basic
working class blue colloar folk even if they can no longer buy tickets
to games. How better to sell football than with the Steeler image ???
Your target market can relate best with the Steeler image.
Johnny Morongo
Twas the very one to which I was referring. I didn't know there was a
remake. And your analysis is spot on AFAIC.
Johnctx
What I find clever is that the conspiracy was so deep that they paid
Lloyd Carr not to properly use Tom Brady for at Michigan. Then have the
league on a down cycle, with parity at its highest as he showed up, then
plan it all to happen just prior to Kraft opening his stadium. The
Jews evidently control everything. Oh yeah, the Rooneys must be part of
the lost tribe, Dan Snyder is obviously not keeping Kosher or all you
huys are crazy.
:)
I think you guy need to take a deep breath & realize that good teams
appear to get the calls because that happens in every sport. refs are
human & show up in their mind who is a batter team. As fans you also
remember the "bad" calls. Who cares if NE & Pittsburgh got a call in
1970 when they sucked?
Johnctx
If you guys preferred Rollerball to the KC Bomber, well, enjoy each other.
:)
Michael
>
> - Show quoted text -
john... no planned conspiracy here... the league did not get together
and say we will vault the Steelers and pats to "VIP BRAND STATUS".
The Steelers and Pats vaulted themselves to the top. Now, their self
earned status is useful to the league. It is also being perpetuated
by the league now. Including a little help from the officials. When
in doubt, go with the "name brand". It is an audience pleaser and
they want to sell more product. We'd also like to umm... give a
little back to the franchise owners that have been good for business.
In short, we don't have a sport. We have an EXHIBITION.
Michael
<SNIP>
Funny stuff... Still... Going OT... You have to admit that major
conspiracies have occured in the past. You've got the Lusitania
incident, Pearl Harbor and the Gulf Of Tonkin. Each of those capitol
events involved high level conspiracy. Every now and then you do find
one.