NFL Admits Reversal Call Was Incorrect

flipen · Post by **flipen** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 3:28 pm

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/f ... ml?cnn=yes

Bad call
League now admits Polamalu reversal was incorrect
NEW YORK (AP) -- The NFL said the referee made a mistake: Troy Polamalu caught the ball.

The league acknowledged Monday that referee Pete Morelli erred when he overturned on replay Polamalu's interception of a Peyton Manning pass Sunday in the playoff game between Pittsburgh and Indianapolis.

Mike Pereira, the league's vice president of officiating, said in a statement that Morelli should have let the call on the field stand.

"He maintained possession long enough to establish a catch," Pereira said. "Therefore, the replay review should have upheld the call on the field that it was a catch and fumble."

After the reversal, made with 5:26 left in Pittsburgh's win over the Colts, Indianapolis went on to score a touchdown and a 2-point conversion, cutting the Steelers' 21-10 lead to 21-18. That led to a wild final few minutes, filled with unbelievable twists and turns, including Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt's missed 46-yard field-goal attempt that clinched it for Pittsburgh.

On the play, Polamalu made a diving catch of Manning's pass, tumbled with it in his hands and got up to run. As he did, he fumbled the ball, then recovered. Colts coach Tony Dungy challenged the call, and Morelli ruled Polamalu had not completed the catch.

Had the call stood, the Steelers would have had the ball at their own 48 with an 11-point lead.

Shortly after the game, Morelli offered the following explanation:

"I had the defender catching the ball. Before he got up, he hit it with his leg with his other leg still on the ground. He never had possession with his leg up off the ground, doing an act common to the game of football. He was losing it while his other leg was still on the ground. Therefore, he did not complete the catch. And then he lost the ball. It came out, and so we made the play an incomplete pass."

Under league officiating procedure, an "act common to the game" is defined as controlling the ball long enough to hand it, pitch it or pass it. But Pereira noted that this definition only applies when there is "contact with a defensive player and the ball comes loose, which did not happen here."

The NFL almost never makes public the result of its reviews, although it did three years ago, when Pereira said officials should have called pass interference against San Francisco on the final play of a wild-card game with the New York Giants. The correct call would have given New York a second chance to kick a game-winning field goal in a 39-38 loss.

The call in Indianapolis incensed Pittsburgh linebacker Joey Porter, who said after the game: "I know they wanted Indy to win this game; the whole world loves Peyton Manning. But come on, man, don't take the game away from us like that."

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello had no comment on Porter's statement.

In the past, players who have made such statements have been subject to fines.

Polamalu's overturned interception wasn't the only unusual call. Earlier in the game, when the Steelers were preparing to go for a fourth-and-inches from the Pittsburgh 48, two Colts defensive lineman ran across the line of scrimmage, pointing at the Steelers as if one of the linemen moved.

The officials stopped the game, but called no penalty.

Replays appeared to show Alan Faneca barely flinched. But Steelers coach Bill Cowher argued the Colts made contact with the linemen, which would have forced an offside call and a first down. Instead, Ben Roethlisberger ran a quarterback sneak for a first down, which allowed Pittsburgh to use another 5:02 before punting.

lewpac · Post by **lewpac** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 5:17 pm

I've never heard so much about a "conspiracy" from legitimate people in all my life. I drive around in my truck 6-8 hours a day (contractor), and listen to sports talk radio most of the time. All day long today, on ESPN radio and other sports talk channels, alot of national sports journalist's and athelete's who usually brush off such talk after an incident are all on board about something fishy being in play.
I too usually dismiss any talk of referees deliberately up to some skull-dugery. But this one leaves me no choice. What other explaination can there be? It was there for the whole country to see, over and over. It was a very long replay delay. Any pee-wee league ball player could tell it was a slam dunk, very clear, above the board interception at a very pivital time in the game. If ever there was a "we got to do something to keep Manning and the Colts in this thing", this was it.
I'm sorry. I'm no conspiracy theorist (except for the two Clay-Liston fights). But even I believe in what Joey Porter said, and back him up 100%.

BKWarrior · Post by **BKWarrior** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 5:35 pm

As I remember, there's usually one week in every season where the refs are horrid. Looks like it came late , and at the wrong time this year. Besides, there's no excuse for not having your best refs out there, for the playoffs. Putting an italian-american in there, what were they thinkin?

Sorry, just pokin a bit of fun at my fellow man. (or, half my fellow man)

lou909 · Post by **lou909** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 8:09 pm

everyone and their uncle knows that the league wanted the poster boy in the super bowl so they tried everything in their power to do that.......... i am getting tired of how the NFL is trying so hard to make manning the best player in the league... he may not even be the best QB in the league (that would be Brady)...... they (the NFL) finally got caught and all this apologizing is just damage control for them.....

warriorfan808 · Post by **warriorfan808** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 8:15 pm

lou909 wrote:everyone and their uncle knows that the league wanted the poster boy in the super bowl so they tried everything in their power to do that.......... i am getting tired of how the NFL is trying so hard to make manning the best player in the league... he may not even be the best QB in the league (that would be Brady)...... they (the NFL) finally got caught and all this apologizing is just damage control for them.....

Sorry, big Ben is the best QB in the league this year.

BTW, I did said, "this year"

lou909 · Post by **lou909** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 8:18 pm

warriorfan808 wrote:
lou909 wrote:everyone and their uncle knows that the league wanted the poster boy in the super bowl so they tried everything in their power to do that.......... i am getting tired of how the NFL is trying so hard to make manning the best player in the league... he may not even be the best QB in the league (that would be Brady)...... they (the NFL) finally got caught and all this apologizing is just damage control for them.....
Sorry, big Ben is the best QB in the league this year. BTW, I did said, "this year"

sorry warrior... it's Jake the Snake....

.......

lewpac · Post by **lewpac** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 8:33 pm

Jake the Snake? More like Jake the Fake! Even if the Broncos win it all this year, everyone knows it's Shanahan and the system tons over the QB play.
Again, IF he ever wins the SB, he'll go down with Mark Rypien and Trent Dilpher as a system guy who didn't lose it. Sorry, it's a fact. If they do get lucky and win it all in this day of salary cap and free agency, it'll go down as a year where "anyone could have won it" given the parity and all. Certainly no dominance or dynasty. Just the latest who drew the lucky draw in free agency and played it right for one year.

lou909 · Post by **lou909** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 8:38 pm

i could give 2 $hits about what people will say about jake...... as long as we win it all!!!!....... $\:D/$ .... but yeah your right... i post on broncomania and a lot of us there aren't completely convinced that this new jake will last that long... well as long as it lasts until after SB XL...........

lewpac · Post by **lewpac** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 9:24 pm

And that's the state of the game today. Just get me through this one year. The hell with a consistant team, the hell with any semblance of a couple years. This day and age of "immediate gratitude", the hell with last year, the hell with next year, just gimme' mine NOW, disturbs us old guys.
Day was, a team and franchise, storied and legendary, built a program, climbed atop the hill, stayed there for at least a while, and gradually declined back to the pack. Nowadays, you young'un's need your team to go 3-13, win a Super Bowl, and follow that with a 8-8 season.
Sorry, that doesn't cut it for us old-timers.
Give me a team, a family, a franchise, a run, something to sink my teeth into and follow for more than a few weeks. Give me a jersey I can wear for more than a T.O. moment. Give me a reason to buy season tickets for more than one free-agent year. Give me a running back, a wide reciever or a QB I can track and gauge his worth to our time for more than a season.
You make my point, and I thank you................

Macnut · Post by **Macnut** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 9:31 pm

lewpac wrote:And that's the state of the game today. Just get me through this one year. The hell with a consistant team, the hell with any semblance of a couple years. This day and age of "immediate gratitude", the hell with last year, the hell with next year, just gimme' mine NOW, disturbs us old guys.
Day was, a team and franchise, storied and legendary, built a program, climbed atop the hill, stayed there for at least a while, and gradually declined back to the pack. Nowadays, you young'un's need your team to go 3-13, win a Super Bowl, and follow that with a 8-8 season.
Sorry, that doesn't cut it for us old-timers.
Give me a team, a family, a franchise, a run, something to sink my teeth into and follow for more than a few weeks. Give me a jersey I can wear for more than a T.O. moment. Give me a reason to buy season tickets for more than one free-agent year. Give me a running back, a wide reciever or a QB I can track and gauge his worth to our time for more than a season.
You make my point, and I thank you................

Thats what happens in this era of free agency and salary cap restrictions. Thats why its so hard to turn out a good team for multiple years. New England did it for awhile.

BTW - I like the Broncos but Plummer sucks.

lou909 · Post by **lou909** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 9:35 pm

lewpac.... one question old man..... why in the world do you hate the parity in the league so much....... i mean the league has prospered into the most popular of the big three (MLB and NBA) because of the parity..... and the thrill of anyone being able to win it any year...... this is what made football the most popular sport in the nation.... you know what we younger folks call a dynasty.... boring (unless of course it's your team)..... but my point is you need the parity because that's what makes good competition... i mean if we knew that a certain team was going to win the SB every year then why watch at all right?... so chill pops.... parity is good.........