# Super Bowl Thoughts



## Bucky Goldstein (Jun 23, 2007)

Great football game.

Lopsided officiating.

How was there not a review of Warner's "fumble" on the 2nd to last play of the game?

Why was Holmes not penalized the standard 15 yards for his celebration after the game winning TD? Using the ball as a prop is an automatic unsportsmanlike.






Pittsburgh's third quarter drive to go up 20-7 was kept alive by an incorrect face mask penalty. How are you calling Rodgers-Cromartie for a face mask when Holmes has a better grasp on his face mask than Rodgers-Cromartie does on Holmes?










The new NFL rules for 2008-2009 dictate that there are no longer face mask penalties for 5 yards. To get the 15 yard facemask call, it's stated that the player's whose mask has been grabbed must have his head twisted. Otherwise it's considered incidental = no penalty. You can clearly see in the pic that Rodgers-Cromartie is the one actually having his head twisted.

On the same scoring drive for the Steelers in the third quarter the drive saving roughing the passer call on Arizona was also very questionable.

I'll admit, like most non Steelers fans, I was pulling for the Cardinals. I always like the underdog and I think the Cards were a great story. I am perhaps a bit biased. More than anything, I'd like to see the NFL get it right and have solid officiating in the NFL.


----------



## T Shot (Oct 4, 2002)

Bucky Goldstein said:


> Lopsided officiating.


I thought the same. How was Harrison's right hook not a 15 yarder?

EDIT: It was a penalty, and I'm an idiot. :idiot:


----------



## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

Bucky Goldstein said:


> \I'll admit, like most non Steelers fans, I was pulling for the Cardinals. I always like the underdog and I think the Cards were a great story. I am perhaps a bit biased. More than anything, I'd like to see the NFL get it right and have solid officiating in the NFL.


As a Seahawks fan.. so was I ..

The NFL wanted the bigger story. They had the fix in for the Steelers to win their record breaking most Super Bowls. It is a better story line.

That makes it 2 Super Bowl wins in a row for the Steelers that they didn't deserve and had major referee assistance push them over the top.

Sad to see.. It was the best fourth quarter ever, combined with the best catch under pressure in Super Bowl history.


----------



## Dak (Feb 28, 2005)

All the Cardinals needed to do to win was:

a. not throw an interception at the goal line.

b. not have it take a hundred yards for your speed guys to catch up a linebacker after he intercepts the ball.

It wasa a good game. Steelers won as fair and square as any team wins.


----------



## nita (Dec 11, 2008)

Pitt did not win the game fair and sqaure! And Harrison should have been thrown out of the game! And there definitely should have been a review of Warner's fumble! This is just the begining to a very long list! The game was rediculous! Yes Ariz defense didnt do the greatest but the one sided calling made them look like JV high school players playing against the NFL. The only people who will say other wise to all of this are the biased Pitt fans! :******:

uke: Pitt


----------



## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

> The NFL wanted the bigger story. They had the fix in for the Steelers to win their record breaking most Super Bowls. It is a better story line.
> 
> That makes it 2 Super Bowl wins in a row for the Steelers that they didn't deserve and had major referee assistance push them over the top.
> 
> Sad to see.. It was the best fourth quarter ever, combined with the best catch under pressure in Super Bowl history.


Give me a fricken break........The Fix was in??? Are you serious????
Sounds liek a conspiracy theorist to me!!!


----------



## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

djleye said:


> > The NFL wanted the bigger story. They had the fix in for the Steelers to win their record breaking most Super Bowls. It is a better story line.
> >
> > That makes it 2 Super Bowl wins in a row for the Steelers that they didn't deserve and had major referee assistance push them over the top.
> >
> ...


I agree with djleye 100%..

If the NFL "wanted a story" an Arizona win would have made a much better one.


----------



## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

dblkluk said:


> djleye said:
> 
> 
> > > The NFL wanted the bigger story. They had the fix in for the Steelers to win their record breaking most Super Bowls. It is a better story line.
> ...


----------



## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Bucky Goldstein said:


> Pittsburgh's third quarter drive to go up 20-7 was kept alive by an incorrect face mask penalty. How are you calling Rodgers-Cromartie for a face mask when Holmes has a better grasp on his face mask than Rodgers-Cromartie does on Holmes?


I personally see that as a legal stiff arm.


----------



## Bucky Goldstein (Jun 23, 2007)

Dak said:


> All the Cardinals needed to do to win was:
> 
> a. not throw an interception at the goal line.
> 
> ...


Agree with how much that play hurt them.

HOw did someone not just TACKLE him?

I saw on ESPN replay last night that Fitzgerald was closing on him quickly near midfield, but ran into Rolle (az defensive player) on the sidelines because he was crowding the field. He would have easily caught him.

There are a lot of what if's for the Cards.


----------



## Bucky Goldstein (Jun 23, 2007)

blhunter3 said:


> Bucky Goldstein said:
> 
> 
> > Pittsburgh's third quarter drive to go up 20-7 was kept alive by an incorrect face mask penalty. How are you calling Rodgers-Cromartie for a face mask when Holmes has a better grasp on his face mask than Rodgers-Cromartie does on Holmes?
> ...


Probably right.

I can't find video to see if he actually grabbed and twisted.

But I question whether it looks like a legit 15 yard face mask on Rodgers-Cromartie.


----------



## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Personally wouldn't flag it because it didn't affect anything. That's what really gets to me is when they flag something that has no bearing on the play. Like alot of the defensive holding and passing interference. Some of those flags are not justified because it didn't affect the outcome.


----------



## jtillman (Oct 31, 2005)

Arizona lost the game....more specifically, Warner lost that game on two plays:

1. Obviously the pick at the end of the second quarter. This pick cost the Cardinals at least 10 points, maybe 14. And why did he try to force that throw inside and not throw up a jump ball to Fitzgerald like he did in the 4th quarter? Just didn't get that play calling there.

2. And the fumble at the end of the game....what was he doing holding on to the ball for 10 seconds anyway? He should have thrown the ball away if there was nothing there, at least he would have had another shot.

Waner had a GREAT game via stats (377, 3td's), but those two plays cost the Cardinals the game.


----------



## Ron Gilmore (Jan 7, 2003)

Well the face mask call was correct, the Pitt receiver does not have his hand engaged in the mask and the Card player did not release the mask and did turn the head of the receiver as the play progressed.

In regards to the fumble at the end of the game, one has to understand that all reviews come from the booth. One replay from the back side made it clear that the ball was not in Warner's control when forward motion started. Control is determined as explained many times over the course of the season as the ball not moving. The ball angle changed prior to the forward arm movement. So no booth review needed!

For those that felt it was a pass and not a fumble, review would not have changed their minds. They forget that to overturn the ruling on the field it has to be conclusive and with the ball changing angles it was clear that this was not the case!!


----------



## Gildog (Jan 30, 2007)

blhunter3 said:


> Personally wouldn't flag it because it didn't affect anything. That's what really gets to me is when they flag something that has no bearing on the play. Like alot of the defensive holding and passing interference. Some of those flags are not justified because it didn't affect the outcome.


maybe...but how to know what affects the outcome of the play? The stripes see an infraction, they throw the flag...how do they know if the ball is already released and thrown the other side of the field? They DO know that contact was made past 5 yards, because they are looking at it...for all they know, Big Ben is still running around in the pocket because AZ couldn't sack him, and that contact downfield could affect the play.


----------



## Gildog (Jan 30, 2007)

jtillman said:


> Arizona lost the game....more specifically, Warner lost that game on two plays:
> 
> Waner had a GREAT game via stats (377, 3td's), but those two plays cost the Cardinals the game.


I'd add that Warner had a great game, period...those two plays included in the overall performance. Quite the gut check for him to lead biggest comeback in SB history, against the vaunted D FENCE of the Steelers, after the crushing end-of-half letdown. It was ONLY the best defensive play in SB history, and the resulting deficit, that he had to overcome...and overcome he did, brought his team back into the lead. After that it was out of his hands, and like he classily said--Pburg did it at the end and deserved to be champs.


----------



## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Gildog said:


> blhunter3 said:
> 
> 
> > Personally wouldn't flag it because it didn't affect anything. That's what really gets to me is when they flag something that has no bearing on the play. Like alot of the defensive holding and passing interference. Some of those flags are not justified because it didn't affect the outcome.
> ...


Well for instance, they call can offensive holding every play if they wanted to. But they don't because it doesn't affect the outcome of the play. The same with some of the passing interfernce and defensive holding calls. The hold wouldn't have changed the play at all, with the exception of the offensive player having to tuck in his jersey. And the same with passing interefence.


----------



## woodpecker (Mar 2, 2005)

Excellent game to watch!! Eats and treats were terrific also!!

AFC all the way Baby!!!!!!! :beer:


----------



## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

I agree....great game to watch......only the wrong team won.


----------



## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

Did you guys know something like 80% of college level up sports are thrown in one way or another? Weather it be one play or the whole game. We had a really interesting speaker come in to NDSU and all sports teams had to go. He made BILLIONS of dollars off of sports betting. Now has to speak as part of his punishment. Anyways he threw out some numbers. It was rather interesting!

I thought the game blew, up until the last 4 min!


----------

