Why the NFL is somewhat FIXED

[PACardsFan]

Our board tonight is chock full of instances where the Cardinals received HORRID calls. I've been an avid NFL fan for almost 45 years now & I'm generally not a conspiratorial type person. That being said, officiating in the NFL is almost criminal. As much as we want to believe that these officials are trying to be fair & balanced, the reality is that they are NOT! These unassuming grown men grew up as avid fans & they still possess a bias towards the teams they grew up loving. Who are those teams? Well it's obvious. They are the teams that were traditionally strong in the 60's, 70's, 80's, etc. The biggest benefactors are the Cowboys, Steelers, Skins & Broncos. To a lesser extent, you can include the Colts, Bears, Giants & Pats.
Football is a game where the officiating can be subjective & officials can get away with subtle bias. With teams like the Cowboys, Steelers & Skins, that subtleness has eroded into blatant bias. Did anyone watch the Skins - Rams game today. The officials did everything they could to take that game away from the Rams. I've seen the Cardinals get screwed in Washington at least a dozen time over the years. When was the last time you saw the Cowboys, Steelers, Skins or Broncos get a call that cost them a game? How about how Seattle was screwed in the SB a couple of years ago. Do you think any of those officials were Steeler fans? I DEFINITELY THINK SO!
It's been said that these officials are monitored & fined for bad calls. I would gladly pay a fine or two if it meant the Cardinals could win a SB or two. I have a friend of mine that referees in the NBA & I know what kind of a nut job fan he was when he was growing up. He was a diehard Celtics fan & when I mention this kind of stuff to him, he just smiles. He said that football officiating lends itself to this BS more than any other sport.
The Cardinals won today, so I guess I should be happy. But the officials did their best to help the Cowboys, but the Cowboys didn't finish the job.

 

[jmt]

You are right, e.g., the Lions were definitely hosed today because they always suck too. It's like that in life, not just sports. We shal overcome! si se puede!

 

[Buckybird]

If a referee on this planet can tell me this a pass (regardless of the rule) he needs his head examined!!!

 

[az1965]

it was a completed pass, alright... completed to the green grass

 

[ajcardfan]

If a referee on this planet can tell me this a pass (regardless of the rule) he needs his head examined!!!

Tuck rule my butt. Where is he tucking it exactly?

 

[nashman]

The refs did everything they could to hand this game to the cowgirls, and the Cards overcame all the BS and still pulled it out! We can now be loud and proud for the next few weeks instead of talking about a screwjob or meltdown, I for one am glad I get to enjoy the next few weeks without being pissed off for getting hosed by the refs. The cards had better send tapes of this game to league office because their were some seriously botched calls today almost soley against the Cards!

 

[Duckjake]

What amazes me is that we have crooks in the banking industry, the housing industry, the record industry, military industrial, the Federal Reserve, Savings and Loans, Airlines, and Real Estate, but By God every body involved in the 7 billion dollar NFL is on the up and up.

Naive.

 

[Alan]

*pretends not to see Dockett's hand on Romo's face mask*

 

[Buckybird]

And tell me this isn't a TD. Even Cards sideline reporter Paul Calvsi said after the play the Cardinals team phototgrapher had a pic showing it was TD. And they refs over turned it. Games may not be fixed but the refs can definately decide the outcome of games. Makes you wonder...

 

[Stout]

As much as I agree that the refs always favor the Cowpukes, leave the Steelers out of that conversation. They get screwed so often it's ridiculous. One season they received not just one official apology for bad calls literally losing the game, but THREE. Yikes.

 

[Totally_Red]

And tell me this isn't a TD. Even Cards sideline reporter Paul Calvsi said after the play the Cardinals team phototgrapher had a pic showing it was TD. And they refs over turned it. Games may not be fixed but the refs can definately decide the outcome of games. Makes you wonder...

Certainly NOT conclusive evidence to overturn the call on the field.

And the facemask by DD is INCIDENTAL. He scraped the facemask. The Cardinals did not get fifteen yards a couple weeks ago on one of those.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

I liked the 2 & inches call against us where the ball was covered by the first down marker.

That was by far the funniest scene I had seen in a LOOONG time.

I sat there and laughed. Saying to myself, I guess this guy doesn't mind looking that dumb on national TV.

HOW ON EARTH can you call a team short on a first down when the ball is blocked by the first down marker.

To the refs I say.......CHOKE ON IT.

 

[moklerman]

Unfortunately, this is one of the things that bad teams have to overcome. Just like a rookie never getting the close calls, I think this is one of those rights of passage for a team to move to the next level. Is the team going to whine and complain about calls that didn't go it's way or is it going to persevere? That is probably the most impressive thing about the win vs. the Cowboys. The Cardinals didn't let the penalties, non-calls, turnovers, etc. beat them.

I'm not downplaying the Cowboys but they weren't exactly a functioning powerhouse coming into the game. I expected the Cardinals to match up physically and potentially. The Cardinals not playing their best, overcoming poor decisions, mental errors, mistakes, bad luck and bad officiating was much more important than the opponent they faced. This is a very good way to go into the bye and hopefully they will stay motivated to correct all the sloppiness.

 

[Scott MS]

It could be worse, we could be San Diego and lost a game over a call.

At least we pulled out the win, but the officials were horrible. The NFL league needs to do the same as the NHL and have a team in New York who can review plays and overturn calls on the field based on replays. Consistent officiating is what is most important.

 

[cardsfanmd]

It could be worse, we could be San Diego and lost a game over a call.

At least we pulled out the win, but the officials were horrible. The NFL league needs to do the same as the NHL and have a team in New York who can review plays and overturn calls on the field based on replays. Consistent officiating is what is most important.

How do you figure?? We are one of those teams.

We lost the Redskin game 24-17. How about when we threw a TD that was called back for delay of game even though there was 2 seconds on the play clock? Or how about the BLATENT pass interference by the skins that resulted in a 40yd interception return by the Skins?

We should be 5-1 right now.

 

[nashman]

^ what he said! we should be 5-1 f'in refs...

 

[Redheart]

*pretends not to see Dockett's hand on Romo's face mask*

Yea, that.

 

[CardLogic]

What amazes me is that we have crooks in the banking industry, the housing industry, the record industry, military industrial, the Federal Reserve, Savings and Loans, Airlines, and Real Estate, but By God every body involved in the 7 billion dollar NFL is on the up and up.

Naive.

Great post!