The big takeaway for me from this post is this is why you coach players to knock down the pass on a Hail Mary and not to try to intercept it. That and the NFL blew it.
Well TaShawn, if you think these refs are every bit as competent as the regular refs and if this matter hasn't effected your enjoyment of these games or lowered your own perceptions of the NFL...then I say all the power to you! Personally my perception is that these guys are screwing up a lot more than the regular refs. I think the entire mess is an unnecessary blemish on the NFL. I personally am much more confident in the old referees. The NFL has a problem.
ESPN just reported that the call is estimated to have caused $1B in gambling money to have changed hands on that play
Danny Sheridan of USAToday says $1B. Most other casinos are estimating between $150M and $250M. Irregardless, it's still damn funny in my book.
NFL statement says refs made the right call at end of game between Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks - ESPN Really weak. Predictable though.
I think the spirit of the rule is that if 2 guys catch the ball at the same time, the offensive player is awarded the catch. That's not what happened in this case. A defender caught the ball, then the WR put his hands on it. THAT'S NOT A SIMULTANEOUS CATCH. What I'm saying is it doesn't pass the sniff test. If this had happened on a playground or local sports field would anyone playing football with his friends be able to credibly argue that he caught the ball at the same time as the defender? Absolutely not.
One could argue that Jennings had the ball when he was in the air, but a catch doesn't technically occur until you hit the ground with control. At that point, both players had their hands on the ball. SIMULTANEOUS CATCH!!!!!!!
"One could argue" = You would have gotten beat up by your friends if you tried to bring that weak sauce in a neighborhood game. I'm just saying, the rule is there to serve the interests of the game, not vice versa. When the rules are invoked to the detriment of the game, stuff like this happens and the whole idea of sports as entertainment goes out the window.
It's kind of like that Calvin Johnson touchdown a year or two ago that was ruled an incompletion when he set the ball down before finishing the process of the catch. Everyone in the stadium knew it was a touchdown....except the officials ("real" ones, not replacement ones).
I am just hoping that there is new sports story to talk about at least come Thursday....this one played out today on all of the ESPN networks and the NFL net. The games is over, the Seahawks won and I don't think the real refs comeback this weekend despite the fallout.
Must be some pretty large bets there. There are some pretty lousy calls and I hope they settle it soon. Not only lousy calls but I am also seeing a lot of calls that would have had no impact on the play whatsoever.
Hard to blame them. I read that the Sportscenter episode after the game got the highest rating EVER for a Sportscenter episode.
Watch the moment of first contact between the ball and the receiver's gloves. To me, it looks like Tate actually catches it with his left hand against Jennings' right hand. Crazy play.
Great clip. But to me it makes it all the more clear that Jennings intercepted it. I wonder if their positions were switched whether Weaselee would hAve signaled an interception.
The next chapter.... The D Las Vegas casino gives refunds to Packers-Seahawks losers | The Detroit News | detroitnews.com
I'm an NFL novice compared to you guys, but I have noticed a difference in the ref quality this season. I watched the Chiefs-Saints game last week and there seemed to be a lot of missed or wrong calls. There were about 4 video reviews in a 2 minute period in the 2nd quarter. And the outcomes were wrong even after review. The commentators were a bit dumbstruck. I also watched Ravens-Patriots and the first quarter of that game was pretty out of control. The refs just seemed to be afraid to step in and take control of the situation. The NFL needs to do something. Either make them professionals and pay them to do the job full time, or pay them more money and keep the status quo. Either way, the refs are going to have to be paid more money.
BREAKING NEWS: The NFL has reached a deal with the NFL Referees Association to end the referee lockout, a league source tells ESPN. After three weeks of shenanigans with replacement refs, the real ones will return for Week 4, ESPN reports.
Well, that didn't take long after a massively screwed-up game NFL reaches agreement with officials to end lockout - ESPN
