I am a Canadian. Yet I am different
then many in my country. I prefer football to hockey. Part of the
reason is I believe football is officiated more legitimately. My
ultimate irritation with hockey is when they completely abandon the
rule book during the playoffs. The brand of hockey that gets you to
the playoffs is not always efficient in the playoffs. The “make up
call” is a real element in hockey. I do enjoy watching hockey and I
cheer for my hometown Senators. But it pales in comparison to my love
of football.
I watched games all Sunday and I
watched the Monday nighter. I have done this for all three weeks of
football save two Monday night games when I worked. Never have I seen
so many scrums after the whistle (something that is constant and
irritating in hockey), more questionable penalties, more
inconsistency, and more confusing moments then I have this year in
the NFL.
The tip of the iceberg has been
reached. The Seattle Seahawks got away with injustice tonight. The
Sydney Rice push off that was called as defensive pass interference
was excusable. Yes it allowed the Seahawks drive to continue, yes it
allowed them to gain over 30 yards, and yes it was a bad call.
However defensive holding and pass interference was botched and
questionable all game. The tip of the iceberg was the final play of
the game. Golden Tate pushed off the defender. Okay we can let that
slide. There are seldom calls on jump balls at the end of the game.
The ball was then caught by Jennings. He fell to the ground and
landed on his back with the ball. On the way down Tate grabs on but
his hand comes off. The referees gave a touchdown to Tate. The play
was reviewed and after all the evidence pointing to it being an
interception the referees gave the touchdown to the Seahawks. John
Gruden was livid in the booth. Players are responding negatively via
twitter. Analysts across the television media are upset. Fans are
upset. My friend I watched the game with was shocked and horrified as
was I. I have seen many horrible calls this year. I saw the Cardinals
almost lose a game due to an extra timeout being given to the
Seahawks without a clock runoff. I have seen so much questionable
officiating.
You can usually be content with a bad
call. People make mistakes, bad things happen. However now it is not
the same. The referees are completely altering the outcome of the
games. They are taking the game out of the players hands. The Seattle
Seahawks one a game tonight due to the Zebras, the black and white
clad officials. It is a shame for that the Green Bay Packers had to
suffer this injustice. Every team plays 16 games. One game in
football often means the difference between higher playoff seating,
or a wild card berth. It is a complete travesty. My friend often
used to tell me how NFL officials had to be so intelligent. How the
rules were so complicated, how many of them had high level or
intellectual jobs when not refereeing. Maybe the normal refs had
those standards I am not sure about the replacements. Maybe they are
doing their best. I have no ill feelings towards these replacements.
But something must be done. These refs are ruining the best game in
the world. Football is probably the most complicated high level sport
in the world. It somehow always managed to have the best officiating
in the world. Please, Roger Godel, the NFL, don't allow this
tarnishing of the best game in the world to continue.
Travis
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