Do I really need to point out the hilarious irony of this? I do? Alright then: His call was pure ****.
Ridiculous. People who do such things breathe with their mouths open and drag their knuckles around. Anyone over 25 who participates should be cast off the island. Lest anyone assert mistakes weren't made. And no, I'm advocating he also be left alone.
Just proves most fans don't see the whole picture. HL Jerry Bergman #91 called the TD when there was no way in the world he could see the ball cross the plane of the goal line from his angle. The rest is moot.
To be fair if you watch from his view point (down the goal-line camera) Ben's arm crosses the plane, which the ball is being held under, and the ball comes out after he crosses. Ben's shoulder blocks the view of the ball starting to come out and it's only after he crosses the goal-line that you can see the ball coming out. It was still a messed up call, should have probably been played out and went to review after, and I feel we definitely should have the ball. However, from the HL's angle I can honestly see why he signaled touchdown. The whole thing is depressing so just counting the days down to when we can kill Cincy.
I still think its just ridiculous that the NFL would assemble a crew of officials, with one being from Pittsburgh, and the other being just outside of Pittsburgh... to officiate a Pittsburgh Steelers football game. Its just... ridiculous that they would allow that to happen.
Although the referee did, by rule make the correct call in accordance with the rules, this is where the rules need to be amended. Watching NFL Network today, one of the commentators made an astute observation...officials aren't officiating like they used to because they have instant replay to fall back on. Well, if that is indeed the case, then why not make this amendment to the game rules. In the case of a potential fuble on the field, officials need to determine possession of the ball, regardless of the call on the field (down by contact, touchdown, etc...). This way, if a play is indeed challenged, as Miami did on the initial Pittsburgh ruled touchdown and the ruling is overturned, if a turnover is involved, possession has already been determined prior to reviewing the play. Had this been the rule, I'm more than confident that Miami would have been granted possession of the ball and would have, in all probability won the game. Thoughts?
So by rule, Gene made the right call? It's the system that's messed up? As far as Gene being from Pittsburgh, it's really no big issue. The league would give me assignments in my hometown.
To be fair? Are you kidding me. How did he see the ball at all, much less see the ball cross the plane? Why throw up a blind TD?
I heard the Ref from the Dolphins-Steelers game got arrested... Did not see the whole article but it said he Robbed the Dolphins and is facing 2-3 years in prison...
I never said he saw the ball cross the plane. I said Ben dives with the ball under his arm, crosses the goal-line, and from the HL's view the ball doesn't come out until a half yard in the endzone and Ben's body from his chest up is across the plane. He's unable to see the loosening of the ball from his angle because Ben's shoulder blocks it. Not saying he should have been so quick in signaling a touchdown but from his angle it looks like a touchdown, especially in real time. He probably should have let play go then defer to someone else if they had a better view of the ball, if not then he could say from his view Ben scored. I didn't see any ref that seemed like they knew what to call though. The worst part about it is the referee in the middle has an extremely good view of the play just a few yards away, but Steratore only checks with the HL before making a call. After watching the replay over and over though I noticed the ref closest to the play looks off to the right for a split second during the fumble before snapping his head back, almost like he dozed off. From the live TV shot watch the middle ref's head (might be easier to see full screen), especially around the 44 second mark, what the heck? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCV9qvzLmj0&feature=related
According to Carl Johnson, (VP of officiating), the replay call was correct. As far as the Dolphins recovering the fumble, it has to be clear before the scrum who has the ball and clearly, that is the case. We may have been closer to the ball, but there is no video that clearly shows us having the ball before the scrum. So all the deadbeats that called Gene, you need to say "I'm sorry"!
But what did he say about the initial call? The NFL always cover their tracks, I would never expect them to say that they were wrong.
Everybody on here is blaming Gene, but he did nothing wrong. By the rule, the call was correct. As far as the HL's call, he said that he believe that the HL used his best judgement to make that call. Even if he was wrong, you still have replay to correct the call. He also pointed out that if Pittsburgh would have come up with the ball instead of us, it still would not have been a Pitt TD. According to replay rules, the officials have to determine who has the ball before the scrum, not after.
No so fast with always backing the officials. In the GB/Min game Sunday night, they ruled a TD catch by Min to be no good, but by rule it should have been a TD.
In most controversial calls, they back the officials... I realize that they have a thankless job, but I really do believe in controversial calls like the Mia/Pitt one... they will back the refs. As far as the GB/Min games, there were aplenty of bad calls. There was also a GB touchdown that shouldn't have been by Quarless.
In the Mia/Pitt game, that replay call was black and white. Gene got it right. As far as the GB TD, I agree it wasn't a catch, the ball was moving, but look at the official, he was 5 feet away, but behind.
I'm never one to cry conspiracy, but I'm extremely confident that had Miami been up 26-20 at the time of the call, those refs come out of the replay booth with the following determination: Inconclusive evidence that the ball was out before the goalline. Therefore, the Ruling on the field stands......Touchdown!
thanks to the rediculously slow internet/computer that i'm on, i got to see that youtube video in super slow motion as it buffered every 3 seconds. it made me sick! lol
I just watched that video. Notice how the ref standing right there in the end zone with a perfectly clear view of what happened looks at the fumble and doesn't signal touchdown. But this guy Bergman all the way on the other side of the field, with the view of Ben's back has the best view huh? The NFL is a f***ing joke. Plain and simple. I swear to God I have never been this mad over a single call in my life.