Did Officiating Influence the SB Outcome?

[LeftWideOpen]

This seems to be a contested issue, so I figured it makes for a good poll question.

Did questionable calls by the officials influence the outcome of this game? Yes or no.

[still_life]

You took the easy route there by saying "influence". Refs influence the outcome of every single game in every sport.

[Johnny_G]

You took the easy route there by saying "influence". Refs influence the outcome of every single game in every sport.

They weren't the deciding factor, so I voted no.

[Fullcollapse3k]

A few really bad/questionable calls, but no. Seattle didn't make the plays Pittsburgh did and their time management to end both halves was atrocious.

It was one of those games where the losing team played relatively well, but just didn't execute when they had to, and therefore lost the game.

[mikeford]

it was basically playing russian roulette with 5 bullets in the chamber for the seahawks.

everything fucked them.

[LeftWideOpen]

You took the easy route there by saying "influence". Refs influence the outcome of every single game in every sport.

well I dont wanna put words in people's mouth's so I left it open. Typically, a well officiated game would be one where the refs didnt become a plotline, in my mind. The question isnt so much was it the reason for Seattle's loss, but instead do people think it was a factor?

[mikeford]

the refs blew a touchdown call and a call on matt hasselbeck but jeremy stevens also dropped like 3 balls and matt hasselbeck also managed a game like he was a 3rd stringer on an AFL team so fuck it. they deserved to lose and thats that. good teams overcome bad shit that happens and they didnt.

that said, i hope the city of pittsburgh burns down tonight.

[still_life]

The Steelers/Colts playoff game had worse officiating than this, but the Steelers were able to overcome it and win the game like a champion should. Seattle didn't do that, because of poor playcalling and execution.

[NoPenguinsInPA]

The Steelers/Colts playoff game had worse officiating than this, but the Steelers were able to overcome it and win the game like a champion should. Seattle didn't do that, because of poor playcalling and execution.

amen.

[Caleb Cattivera]

The Steelers/Colts playoff game had worse officiating than this, but the Steelers were able to overcome it and win the game like a champion should. Seattle didn't do that, because of poor playcalling and execution.

haha and you were rooting for the colts. traitor.

[Scott Weber]

did it influence it? absolutely. this is a game seattle *could* have won without those officiating mistakes. i'm not saying they woudl have, but they would have been a lot closer and they would have taken the lead instead of turning the ball over.

[NetNerdsRevenge]

the refs blew a touchdown call and a call on matt hasselbeck but jeremy stevens also dropped like 3 balls and matt hasselbeck also managed a game like he was a 3rd stringer on an AFL team so fuck it. they deserved to lose and thats that. good teams overcome bad shit that happens and they didnt.

that said, i hope the city of pittsburgh burns down tonight.
exactly. If Stevens makes those catches this could be a different game. The PI call on Jackson sucked, but you gotta work with it. Seattle had some questionable calls tonight and their clock management (which would be a questionable call) was terrible.

it probably took points off the board for Seattle, but im not sure if it wins the game.

[Jesse2]

The Steelers/Colts playoff game had worse officiating than this, but the Steelers were able to overcome it and win the game like a champion should. Seattle didn't do that, because of poor playcalling and execution.

now try and answer this honestly... do you think if the steelers had one or two of those TDs brought back they could have overcome and won like champions?

[dai the flu]

there were calls that went seattles way as well. the block in the back that wasnt called led to seattles only touchdown. the no-fumble by hasselbeck was just as much a ticky-tack call as the push-off PI. and im still searching for a video of that holding penalty, i want everybody to look at it and tell me it wasnt holding. the o-lineman was behind the steeler, holding him around the neck/shoulders, if he HADNT held him back, hasselbeck wouldve clearly been sacked.

[getupkid53]

did it influence it? absolutely. this is a game seattle *could* have won without those officiating mistakes. i'm not saying they woudl have, but they would have been a lot closer and they would have taken the lead instead of turning the ball over.

I agree. I think if either Ben's touchdown.. or Seattle's offensive pass interference call would have not only swung the points, but also the momentum of the game.... but like someone said earlier, champs overcome and seattle didn't. Their clock management was awful and Stevens made more than his fair share of mistakes. Not to mention how much a couple missed field goals will take the wind out of your sails.

[yeat182]

worst officiated superbowl i've ever seen. in fact, it might even have been worse than the pats/denver game.

[Scott Weber]

there were calls that went seattles way as well. the block in the back that wasnt called led to seattles only touchdown. the no-fumble by hasselbeck was just as much a ticky-tack call as the push-off PI. and im still searching for a video of that holding penalty, i want everybody to look at it and tell me it wasnt holding. the o-lineman was behind the steeler, holding him around the neck/shoulders, if he HADNT held him back, hasselbeck wouldve clearly been sacked.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=bayless/060205

read that. it wasn't even close to even officiating yesterday.

[dai the flu]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=bayless/060205

read that. it wasn't even close to even officiating yesterday.

i dont give a flying fuck what that idiot has to say, since when do we on this board give any credence to his opinions?

[Jesse2]

i dont give a flying fuck what that idiot has to say, since when do we on this board give any credence to his opinions?

i still hate the guy, but seeing him say something like would be like if still_life wrote an article about that game being BS. It wouldn't make his op. ed. correct, but it'd certainly not be bias in any way.

[LeftWideOpen]

ESPN has this same exact poll on the main page and right now it's in favor of "Yes" by a margin of 61 to 39 percent.

The more telling stat is that 48 states say yes, and 2 say no. Those 2 are Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

[ActorInThisPlay]

yeah that was not PI in the endzone against Jackson, sorry but he didn't push off enough to gain any sort of advantage and the Steeler guy had to beg for it. Bad officiating for the Seahawks was what basically lost them the game in my opinion. They had the Steelers beat in almost every other offensive stat but oh well, the Steelers won it. congrats to them.

[nateisawesome]

the offensive pass interfernce call. The block that wasnt on the pass to stevens in the 4th quarter. I think officiating had a direct impact on the game

[btbam > you]

no, stop bitching already

[SuperJoe]

i'm glad that i graduated from penn state last year, cause if i had to deal with those dickhead fans today, there would be problems.

[ActorInThisPlay]

no, stop bitching already
come on the officiating is what gave Pitt the game for the most part. stats wise, Pitt did terrible, especially Roth. Seattle is to blame as well because they couldn't capitalize on anything and they missed 2 FG's, but the officiating sure didn't hurt Pitt like it did Seattle. I was saying all game that the officials wanted Pitt to win.