A few interesting things.

1- Three calls overturned on review.

2- Shot of Belichik discussing a call with Hoculi on the sideline.

3- Interception in the EZ by NE that was eventually called back because of an NE foul. I definitely saw one, and probably two block in the back fouls on the return. No flag.

1. Agreed, oviously shows how the NFL is wanting officials no calling 'close' fumbles instead of blowing the play dead.

2. You think he was discussing a call or were they just chitchatting? I saw the same thing and was wondering what that was about.

3. Good call against NE, I saw atleast one BIB too.

They were discussing the first play after the 2 minute warning and before the TD pass. McNabb threw the ball and it hit somebody in the line. I thought it was batted by a Patriot. The R and U got together and seemed to be discussing it. In any case, it looked like Belichik was wanting illegal touching but Hoculi didn't think so. Just my guess.

1. This was interesting to me too. I'd like to know the average number of challenges per game. And the average # of reversals per game, all in this season and throughout this system of IR.

2. Why wouldn't he ask the best referee in the NFL a question?

3. I have seen many of these in the RS. They were rarely called then too. Seems consistent.

4. I think it's neat that Tom Sifferman has done 3 straight Super Bowls. Lucky guy. I do believe that he's on Hochuli's crew.

And the U, Carl Paganelli, was doing his second consecutive.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by JugglingReferee

Quote:

in this season and throughout this system of IR. 2. Why wouldn't he ask the best referee in the NFL a question?

Why would the best referee in the NFL answer?

I was at the game (I'll post more on that tomorrow). His little daughter was shown on the stadium screen holding a sign..."My daddy is the Umpire #124." She couldn't have been much older than 6 or 7. Pretty little thing!

I have a 5 year old. She'll never bring a sign like that to a high school game unless there were oodles of FBI agents like there was at ALLTEL last night.

[Edited by ljudge on Feb 7th, 2005 at 10:14 PM]

And from the perspective of someone who's probably never had a whistle in his mouth in his life:

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/3381422

There were two other situations that were interesting; A potential late hit OOB and a potential OPI. Already forgotten who did what, but perhaps you remember the plays in question.

I taped the game knowing I would miss parts of it since I was an usher for the game. I watched the 1st quarter last night and there was definitely a pick thrown that got T.O. sooooo wide open. I was in the concession line and they had a TV and I heard the FOX team saying a flag was thrown away from the play but I didn't see that yet.

REPLY: Dommer...I'm assuming the OPI you're referring to was the pick by Freddie Mitchell that freed up Owens coming across the middle. I was just returning to the room when that play occurred and I didn't see it. They never showed it on replay that I can recall, but Collingsworth or Aikman did make note of it. I'd love to see exactly what he did. For the late hit, I do rememeber one where the Pat defender hit the runner pretty far OOB. It appeared to be a case of two players moving pretty fast arriving at the same place at the same time. But to minimize the impact, he wrapped his arms around the runner to keep him from falling. I can only imagine that this was the reason it didn't draw a flag. Don't know if that's the one you were thinking of.

I have to admit, the referee in my cringed when they blew that illegal pick. It was blatant, and it was right in front of B.

On replay, the illegal nudge looked like a bad call too, but who knows how it looked to the man that threw the flag (never found out if that was U trailing that called it, or B in front).

I haven't had any signs in the stands yet, but my family does show up for 2 or 3 games a season, weather permitting... Nothing better for me than to have my 3 kids (7,5, and 3) come running up to me at half all looking for hugs, as I walk off to get some H2O and discuss the 1st half with the crew. Some might say that its not professional, but I think it calms the fans a little to remind them we are human too.

My 3 year old even said to me this a.m. that he wants to be a referee when he grows up! :D And its 7 months to the season.

Originally, they broadcast the replay of the pick, the announcers thinking that was the penalty (along with many of us watching). Then they showed the replay of the PF, after realizing it wasn't a pick call. You are correct, there may have been more there that the official saw that we didn't (typically is). What Fox replayed for the PF didn't seem worthy of a flag, though, the pick sure should have been called.

[Edited by GBFBUmp on Feb 8th, 2005 at 12:12 PM]

Personally, I liked the no call on the OOB 'hit'.