Remember when the NFLPA was locked out last year, Commissioner Goodell said he wouldn't be paid during the lockout? I'll assume he is doing the same during this year's NFLRA lockout, yeah fat chance.

I highly doubt that. This play is an interception in the minds of most. They'd be more focused on the two hand shove in the back or other penalties on the drive before.

I usually use the forum to just read but I think I'll state my opinion on this. I would like to challenge anyone to make this call in real time. It's very easy to say now that Jennings had "control" first after you see the still shots, but in a split second after the jump ball he sees Tate on his back and Jennings on top of him with 4 hands on the ball. I know if I was in that position I would have no choice but to call TD. Granted, a discussion between officials was certainly warranted here. But during a discussion I would be saying they both had it on the ground.

My perspective of this play is certainly biased being an official because I now know how difficult it is to see this stuff when it's happening right in front of you. As a fan I would have been the idiot yelling "Are you blind?"

This play is an interception in the minds of anyone due to one man: Jon Gruden. Had Gruden, who clearly doesn't know what the hell he's talking about when it comes to anything related to officiating, not been so quick to call out the replacement officials on anything he could find, Packers fans and those that bet on GB would be the majority of the ones *****ing.

This is a sports media created circus. I'm extremely disappointed that the guy I plan to vote for for VP of the US would buy his way into this with his own ignorance. I'll tell him that when his boss appoints me for something (!!).

i would of gone TD..just my 2 cents. The strike/lock out is over, so good luck to the NFL officials as they return

You give Gruden too much credit for this one play. I'd venture to say that if this play was shown without any commentary, public opinion would not change. The public (inlcuding I per AR 8.28 and 8.29 and never actually believing that Tate had control of the ball before the DB) would still believe this is an interception/touchback.

I caught a bit of ESPN tonight, and they were analyzing air time, time with the ball, covered surface area, etc. I think they were setting out to create a gold standard for "ad nauseum."

They're just trying to make officiating more a science and less an art. http://tpww.net/forums/images/smilies/shifty.gif ;)

Not to say that Gruden would change everyone's opinion, but believe it or not, the public tends to believe these guys more than they should about rules. People think because someone played or coached they know rules. If Gruden would have said this was a great call when the game was over and ranted about it for 20 minutes, I think a great deal of this issue would have been seen as different, at least from the ESPN point of view. ESPN had the highest ratings in a very long time after a game and this controversy kept that alive. I am not going to give him all the credit, but a lot of people seem to think these guys know things they clearly do not know. I wish I had a dollar for everytime some stupid fan makes some comment in basketball at least about "Did you play the game...." mess I would be rich. Fans are just plain stupid and they do not know how stupid they are, which is sad.

Peace

With regards to rules, most fans are ignorant, not stupid. There's a difference.

It's not what they don't know, it's what they know that isn't so.

And there is a difference to being unaware of something and thinking you know the exact rules better than those that would actually have some background. That is why I said they were stupid.

Peace

Most fans are ignorant. A good number are also stupid.

I will refrain from posting my thoughts on this statement. :)

Here's what I saw in real time without going throught about 200 posts. It appeared that Tate intially controlled the ball, and Jennings got his hands on the ball a split second later. They both fell to the ground with simultanious possession. In that case, my basic knowledge of the rule was the offense had the ball, and thus a touchdown was awarded. I never saw the push by Tate either.

Heck replay didn't overturn it.

IMO-the replacement referees where just pawns in a game of chess where the NFL has lost it's Queen, but were playing well with their rooks. Until this blunder which caused check, and the NFL conceded before mate.