Quote:
I understand the rules. I understand the logic behind why it was called.
My only problem was the consistency. If a play is called consistently, then nobody can complain. Complaints are valid when the call is never made, then made at the most crucial of times.
Officials unfortunately forget that the game is about the players and the fans, not about them. Let the players play. A properly officiated game should leave the officials virtually invisible. This was not the case in the Super Bowl. [/B]
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I would posit that virtually any time OPI is as blatent as it was in the play in question, it gets called.
To the extent you are articulating a "but don't call it in the superbowl" rule, I'd urge you to watch the last minute of Superbowl 38. Carolina and New England are tied. New England is driving to try to get in field goal range. Exact same play occurs. Troy Brown makes a catch to get inside the Carolina 40 yard line to essentially put them just a couple of yards from a championship. But wait -- the precise scenario unfolds -- flag on the play. Brown had briefly touched the defender's chest, pushing him back on his heels, to get momentary separation, and Brady put the ball right on the numbers. Instead of being in Vinatieri range, ball gets marched back near the Patriot 30, for a 1st and 20. (Brown then redeems himself with a spectacular catch, the Patriots ultimatley convert on 3d and 3, and the rest is history.) Same play. Same situation. Same call. If anything, it was a much bigger call in Super Bowl 38. If the patriots don't convert from the 1st and 20, the call would have essentially been responsible for taking away a kick by the most clutch kicker in the NFL that year to win a championship.
As for the Roethlesberger crossing the goal line call, is it just irrelevant to everyone that the Steelers had a down left? The chances of them not getting one inch are like 2 percent. The same people who say without hesitation that, but for the holding later in the game, Seattle would have scored a touchdown from the 3, seem to be the same ones saying that Pittsburgh wouldn't have scored from the one inch line.
[Edited by rulesmaven on Feb 9th, 2006 at 07:22 PM]