Latest Jason Whitlock article...

[moklerman]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9168548/Here%27s-the-real-MVP-of-Super-Bowl-XLIII

For those of you that are Jason Whitlock fans. I'm pretty sure someone on this board was pimping his writing at one time. Anyway, the continuing list of writers/analysts that thought the officiating was horrendous keeps growing.

There's also a video on foxsports with former NFL QB Eric Kramer echoing these sentiments.
http://multimedia.foxsports.com/football/arizona-cardinals.htm

My point is, it's not just sour grapes by those of us who were pulling for the Cardinals.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

that was a good, fair article. It gives Pitt credit while rightfully blasting the officials.

 

[CardLogic]

I couldn't help but notice -

It can not just be an oversight by FOX, it's intentional. I have no idea why?

The Cardinals logo changed FOUR years ago! They were just in the SUPER BOWL! Yet, FOX hasn't updated the logo.

FOX

 

[john h]

that was a good, fair article. It gives Pitt credit while rightfully blasting the officials.

In today Little Rock Democrat Gazette there was a feature article on the front sports page. It was devoted to the fact that the people up stairs did not review the last play by Kurt Warner. They contend his arm was clearly going forward and that in any case an important play like this in the super-bowl should without a doubt be reviewed. With the 15 yd penalty we would have been at the Steelers 41 with one play left. Also noted we were penalized 115 yds and the penalty on running into the holder it showed on replay the offensive man was blocked into the holder. This paper is no shill for the Cards or Pittsburgh but they thought we got some bad calls. Amazed that our top sports writer even took the time to comment on this.

 

[john h]

I couldn't help but notice -

It can not just be an oversight by FOX, it's intentional. I have no idea why?

The Cardinals logo changed FOUR years ago! They were just in the SUPER BOWL! Yet, FOX hasn't updated the logo.

FOX

The TV announcers were without a doubt pro Pittsburgh. Madden in particular. We played good enough to win but could not seal the deal at the end.

 

[moklerman]

I'm satisfied that this will go down as "the Steelers won, but...". Super Bowl XL has a hint of that but Seattle, although they certainly got screwed at times, were never in a position to really look like they were going to win. Arizona stood toe-to-toe with the Steelers and the game could have gone either way. And the Steelers clearly benefited more than the Cardinals in that close game by many poor examples of officiating.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

mokler - that's 100% false

after the first half which saw the phantom ben TD and DJs TD taken back due to the push off penalty and josh brown missed a FG the game sat at 7-3

seattle definitely was still in it

parker had that big run in the 3rd (so sick that etrick friggin pruitt was on the field) and it seemed like it was going to be the steelers day

however, momentum took a big shift with the seahawks offense moving for one TD and the defense having a big interception and return (followed by another josh brown missed FG.......)

This left the game at 14-10 after 3 ........ seattle still very much in it

The key drive to the game started late in the 3rd from the seattle 2 yard line. They drove it all the way down to the steelers 20. That is when they hooked up with the "c-smoke" jerramy stevens - would of been first and goal from the 1 if not for one of the worst holding penalties i've ever seen.

That is the play that has most seattle fans upset.

First and goal from the 1 with that team was a guaranteed TD. They would of been up by 3 in the 4th.

Instead of first and goal they were backed up again. Hass through a stupid pick and then another inexusable call happened. Hass gets called for an illegal block while tackling the running from the front.

Instead of pitt ball on the 30 they got it at the 45 - which is perfect field position to try a trick play.

Within a couple minutes that game did a 180 swing.

Seattle had more yards, more TOs forced, more first down and more time of possession in that game.

All said they still should of won it - but you can't say that game wasn't in question in the 4th Q.

 

[moklerman]

Sorry MO, not trying to make it sound like Seattle didn't have a chance, just commenting on what I think the popular perception is. While I agree with you in general terms, people remember all the dropped passes and big plays by Pittsburgh not to mention final score. Losing by 2+ scores and only putting up 10 points is far different than how XLIII went down with Pittsburgh needing a miracle, questionable catch and two missed calls by the officials in the last 35 seconds to ultimately win.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

perception is one thing - reality another

both games were very close

i wouldn't say that pitt needed a miracle on sunday - they had a few minutes left, a couple time outs and didn't face a single 4th down play

those type of comebacks aren't all that common

was it a miracle that the cards erased a 13 point deficit? ..... not really

i could see a miracle if on the TD drive pitt was facing 4th and 15 from the AZ 30, went for it and made it - but that wasn't the case on their game winning drive

 

[moklerman]

Okay, miracle may be a bit strong but the catch and throw that won the game is one of the best ever. Over three defenders in the back of the end zone with toes barely in with 35 seconds left is pretty darned big. Especially considering how poor the Steelers offense had looked for much of the 2nd half. To flip the switch back to "on" was a pretty big deal even though the Cardinals defense makes a habit of allowing such things.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

i agree with that for sure - especially when you look at the earlier play where the ball was fired a little high and hard and it went through holmes hands

it's a funny game most of the time

this is why I drink

 

[joshstmarie]

does the fact that all these writers agree with you that we got "job'd" make you feel any better? it sure doesnt for me. and i dont even think we got screwed. some of you people act like this was the super bowl XL all over again. we had our chances to win and we didnt come through. get over it.

 

[conraddobler]

We've got a good HC a HOF QB hopefully or a top ten first round backup that throws to the best WR in football, well one of them will and we're insane under the cap, even though it'll go fast it could be much worse.

We're good, it sucked, it's over, let's go get there again.

 

[BillsCarnage]

A lot of ppl are talking about the refs, but to me Pitt was rushing 3 guys and they should not have been allowed to even touch Warner. There's really no excuse for that.

Even though i was far away (4 rows from top) I thought it was a fumble to begin with anyway.

 

[moklerman]

does the fact that all these writers agree with you that we got "job'd" make you feel any better? it sure doesnt for me. and i dont even think we got screwed. some of you people act like this was the super bowl XL all over again. we had our chances to win and we didnt come through. get over it.

It doesn't make me happy but yes, it does make me feel better. As far as getting over it, I still haven't completely gotten over the screw job in XXXVI so I'm guessing that it'll be a while before I get over this one as well. For various reasons.

But, my hats off to you if you've moved on and are over it in the span of 24 hours or so.

 

[joshstmarie]

But, my hats off to you if you've moved on and are over it in the span of 24 hours or so.

I havent "moved on" i just feel like we had plenty of chances to win and the loss is on OUR SHOULDERS, not the refs. just because Im not going to sit and sulk about it for YEARS upon YEARS doesn't mean im any less dissapointed than the next guy.

 

[dylanbw]

mokler - that's 100% false

after the first half which saw the phantom ben TD and DJs TD taken back due to the push off penalty and josh brown missed a FG the game sat at 7-3

seattle definitely was still in it

parker had that big run in the 3rd (so sick that etrick friggin pruitt was on the field) and it seemed like it was going to be the steelers day

however, momentum took a big shift with the seahawks offense moving for one TD and the defense having a big interception and return (followed by another josh brown missed FG.......)

This left the game at 14-10 after 3 ........ seattle still very much in it

The key drive to the game started late in the 3rd from the seattle 2 yard line. They drove it all the way down to the steelers 20. That is when they hooked up with the "c-smoke" jerramy stevens - would of been first and goal from the 1 if not for one of the worst holding penalties i've ever seen.

That is the play that has most seattle fans upset.

First and goal from the 1 with that team was a guaranteed TD. They would of been up by 3 in the 4th.

Instead of first and goal they were backed up again. Hass through a stupid pick and then another inexusable call happened. Hass gets called for an illegal block while tackling the running from the front.

Instead of pitt ball on the 30 they got it at the 45 - which is perfect field position to try a trick play.

Within a couple minutes that game did a 180 swing.

Seattle had more yards, more TOs forced, more first down and more time of possession in that game.

All said they still should of won it - but you can't say that game wasn't in question in the 4th Q.

Excellent recap. Not sure which game actually had worse officiating. What a sad situation for the NFL....billion dollar industry, elite athletes that literally put their life on the line to compete at that level, and the biggest game of the year is annually adversely effected by a bunch of guys who go back to their full time jobs AFTER the Super Bowl...ugh....

 

[moklerman]

I havent "moved on" i just feel like we had plenty of chances to win and the loss is on OUR SHOULDERS, not the refs.

I'm sorry, but I can't agree with you that it was simply being outperformed by Steelers. It was certainly not left entirely up to the players on the field. Maybe it was just 1% bad officiating but in a tight game, the officials were certainly making their presence felt with mistakes.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I havent "moved on" i just feel like we had plenty of chances to win and the loss is on OUR SHOULDERS, not the refs. just because Im not going to sit and sulk about it for YEARS upon YEARS doesn't mean im any less dissapointed than the next guy.

Yep this is how I feel.