Superbowl

[kosydar 0]

I thought punching a guy in the throat was enough to get someone tossed from a game?

That's what I was thinking, too. Up until that point he was the clear favorite for MVP. Holmes obviously won out rightly in the end, but I can't believe what a chickenshit move that was, especially a D end against a pinned down safety.

[Chadd 916]

Anyone else take the Cardinals and points in Vegas? Most places were giving 7 or 7.5

[RadioGaGa 162]

Anyone else take the Cardinals and points in Vegas? Most places were giving 7 or 7.5

How did that turn out for you?

[Chadd 916]

Anyone else take the Cardinals and points in Vegas? Most places were giving 7 or 7.5

How did that turn out for you?

Steelers win by four and I got 7.5, too bad I'm cheap or I would have made out really well. I learned a long time ago, don't gamble with money you aren't prepared to lose. It keeps me from winning big, but it also keeps me from sleeping on the streets.

[mrusse01 0]

I found it strange that they didn't take more of a look at the fumble at the end of the game. It didn't seem obvious to me and given the gravity of the situation it probably should have been looked over.

Yeah, me too. All my friends were going wild about the lack of coverage by the TV crew....that sure looked like the ball was going forward to me. And I really wanted to see Fitzgerald at least try for a jump ball in the end zone to win the game. That guy is an absolute beast, his first TD catch was ridiculous, I have no idea how he brought that in.

[Jason Harris 31]

I realize that teams play differently as scores dictate, but Harrison's play effectively was the swing play. For that, I think he should have been the MVP.

I was impressed that the official got so close to the action and had the stones to call holding/safety on such a crucial third-down play in the endzone. Alas, I found myself lamenting that I wish the officials had the stones last year on an equally crucial play.....

[WSjo22 1]

I found it strange that they didn't take more of a look at the fumble at the end of the game. It didn't seem obvious to me and given the gravity of the situation it probably should have been looked over.

Yeah, me too. All my friends were going wild about the lack of coverage by the TV crew....that sure looked like the ball was going forward to me. And I really wanted to see Fitzgerald at least try for a jump ball in the end zone to win the game. That guy is an absolute beast, his first TD catch was ridiculous, I have no idea how he brought that in.

Fitzgerald's hands are unbelievable...I attended a camp for recruits when he was still at Pitt and he was working with Pitt's wide rec coach with the juggs machince(machine that shoots balls like a pitching machine for those that didn't know). He had Fitzgerald stand 15 yards away and he was zippin the ball at him..........Fitzgerald caught every ball by just palming the tip with one hand....one of the most impressive things I've seen on a football field

[sabres48 0]

On the Harrison incident:

I dont think it was that big of a deal, infact i didnt really see the need for a flag. If youve ever played the game you know it gets emotional out there (and thats just a HS game, imagine the super bowl) and Harrison was just doing his job. I mean ive had a coach tell me the same thing that im sure their special temas coach told Him, "keep knocking him down, if he trys to get up knock him back down". Come on now, he didnt step on the guys head or anything.

[Chadd 916]

On the Harrison incident:

I dont think it was that big of a deal, infact i didnt really see the need for a flag. If youve ever played the game you know it gets emotional out there (and thats just a HS game, imagine the super bowl) and Harrison was just doing his job. I mean ive had a coach tell me the same thing that im sure their special temas coach told Him, "keep knocking him down, if he trys to get up knock him back down". Come on now, he didnt step on the guys head or anything.

A forearm shiver to the back of the neck followed by a punch/open hand to the throat is just part of the game?

[epstud74 24]

On the Harrison incident:

I dont think it was that big of a deal, infact i didnt really see the need for a flag. If youve ever played the game you know it gets emotional out there (and thats just a HS game, imagine the super bowl) and Harrison was just doing his job. I mean ive had a coach tell me the same thing that im sure their special temas coach told Him, "keep knocking him down, if he trys to get up knock him back down". Come on now, he didnt step on the guys head or anything.

A forearm shiver to the back of the neck followed by a punch/open hand to the throat is just part of the game?

It was at least an unnecessary roughness penalty. He could easily have cost his team the ball game. That was a stupid move on his part to be honest with you. He could have been thrown out of the game if one of the referees felt that he had thrown a punch.

[Dean_ 0]

Overall i thought it was a great game to watch, it was very exciting especially the fourth quarter and that catch by Holmes was amazing.

[gungadin19 0]

At least Steelers' fans have something to be proud of. Try living in northern California and seeing Raiders' stuff everywhere!

Why root for them? Seriously. They suck. Their owner is demented. They can't keep a decent player or coach on the roster. They seem to pride themselves in hiring mediocre players well past their prime and they have, hands down, the most annoying, repulsive and idiotic fan base in all of professional sports. I love Nor-Cal, but I hate the f*cking Raiders.

Well said...at first I was thinking you were talking about the Steelers and I was going to ask if you were high or something.

[mrusse01 0]

On the Harrison incident:

I dont think it was that big of a deal, infact i didnt really see the need for a flag. If youve ever played the game you know it gets emotional out there (and thats just a HS game, imagine the super bowl) and Harrison was just doing his job. I mean ive had a coach tell me the same thing that im sure their special temas coach told Him, "keep knocking him down, if he trys to get up knock him back down". Come on now, he didnt step on the guys head or anything.

A forearm shiver to the back of the neck followed by a punch/open hand to the throat is just part of the game?

It was at least an unnecessary roughness penalty. He could easily have cost his team the ball game. That was a stupid move on his part to be honest with you. He could have been thrown out of the game if one of the referees felt that he had thrown a punch.

He did get a penalty on that play, did he not? I thought it was on the punt that was downed at about the 1, and the penalty moved them back half the distance to the goal line.

I can't for the life of me figure out why a penalty like that doesn't result in a first down for the kicking team (like the earlier personal foul on the holder by Adrian Wilson of the Cards I believe), or at least isn't tacked on so it's 1st and 25 for the Steelers. Harrison mugged that guy and it essentially cost his team about 1/2 a yard.

[Jason Harris 31]

It depends on who is deemed to have possession whether the penalty yardage would be added to the kicking team or subtracted from the receiving team. I'm not sure what the rule is on change of possession, but my guess is once the kick has left the leg, and any follow through contact has occurred, possession has transferred to the receiving team.

By the way, a friend of mine pointed out a huge block on the back during Harrison's return by Woodley on Hightower, but most of us missed it because Harrison hurdled Hightower at that moment, so it sort of pulled our attention away. I'm not sure how they would have marked the ball, because it would have been offsetting penalties on the return.

[mrusse01 0]

It's also worth nothing that if they had overturned the 'fumble' at the end of the game, the 15 yard personal foul for excessive celebration would have been taken the ball to the Pittsburgh 29, with plenty of time left for at least one shot at the endzone.

The Cards are right to say they got screwed a bit by the officials that game.

[Jason Harris 31]

It looked like a pass attempt to me, but I don't know the rules well enough. Does a pass start when the hand comes forward or the shoulder? There's no doubt Warner's shoulder was starting to move forward, and it appeared like he was trying to bring his hand through, but one could argue that he started his hand solely to avoid the fumble. What was interesting was a couple of Cardinal linemen just stared at the ball, since they seemed to assume it was an incomplete pass. Of course, they were out of time outs, so even if they had fallen on it, time would have expired.

I'm starting to think that referees get swept up in the magnitude of these games, just as much as coaches and players do. I think they innately don't want to affect the outcome of such big games, so they swallow their whistle, but that in itself affects the outcome of the games.

A perfect example still rankles me to this day, after paying attention to how it was refereed this year. The Giants fumbled in last year's SB and the ball bounced toward Pierre Woods, who was maybe two yards away from anyone else. He fell on the ball and was wrapping it up before everyone jumped on him. The second anyone touches him, he's supposed to be down by contact. In fact, I saw an exactly similar play this year in which the referee demonstrably came running up and signaled change of possession, even as other players tried fighting for the ball, because it was clear one player had possession and any subsequent players could only serve to down him. Well, in last year's SB, all kudos to Ahmad Bradshaw for scratching and clawing and coming away with the ball from someone who clearly had possession, but I thought that was an example of the referees scared to affect the outcome of the game, because even at live speed it should have been an easy call.

[mrusse01 0]

I believe it is the ball/hand that has to be coming forward. It certainly looked like a pass attempt to my eyes.

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

It looked like a pass attempt to me, but I don't know the rules well enough. Does a pass start when the hand comes forward or the shoulder?

A Patriots fan and not knowing that? Or does it just not apply? ;)

[Race4LastPlace 31]

according to the rules: Warner fumbled. Video proof shows it. He has to have TOTAL CONTROL of the ball prior to forward motion of the ball. The ball was jarred a bit and clearly loose as it went forward. no brainer to me, and the officials (who did review it, just not onfield and determined within just a few seconds it was indeed a fumble)

[Chadd 916]

according to the rules: Warner fumbled. Video proof shows it. He has to have TOTAL CONTROL of the ball prior to forward motion of the ball. The ball was jarred a bit and clearly loose as it went forward. no brainer to me, and the officials (who did review it, just not onfield and determined within just a few seconds it was indeed a fumble)

At that point in the game, there has to be a more significant review of the play. It was a close play, in a close game, with the championship on the line. To not take an extra sixty seconds to make sure it is the right call, in real time, is unacceptable. It's not up to the booth to make the decision as to the call being right or not, just that it was an extremely close play worthy of a second look.

[Race4LastPlace 31]

according to the rules: Warner fumbled. Video proof shows it. He has to have TOTAL CONTROL of the ball prior to forward motion of the ball. The ball was jarred a bit and clearly loose as it went forward. no brainer to me, and the officials (who did review it, just not onfield and determined within just a few seconds it was indeed a fumble)

At that point in the game, there has to be a more significant review of the play. It was a close play, in a close game, with the championship on the line. To not take an extra sixty seconds to make sure it is the right call, in real time, is unacceptable. It's not up to the booth to make the decision as to the call being right or not, just that it was an extremely close play worthy of a second look.

i agree that a booth review would have been more appealing, probably the right thing to do. But not required since the replay assistant had about 90 seconds to review it upstairs, as was done. (due to penalty and respotting of ball, change of poss.). The booth replay could have made it more dramatic, but it was not neccessary

[Chadd 916]

according to the rules: Warner fumbled. Video proof shows it. He has to have TOTAL CONTROL of the ball prior to forward motion of the ball. The ball was jarred a bit and clearly loose as it went forward. no brainer to me, and the officials (who did review it, just not onfield and determined within just a few seconds it was indeed a fumble)

At that point in the game, there has to be a more significant review of the play. It was a close play, in a close game, with the championship on the line. To not take an extra sixty seconds to make sure it is the right call, in real time, is unacceptable. It's not up to the booth to make the decision as to the call being right or not, just that it was an extremely close play worthy of a second look.

i agree that a booth review would have been more appealing, probably the right thing to do. But not required since the replay assistant had about 90 seconds to review it upstairs, as was done. (due to penalty and respotting of ball, change of poss.). The booth replay could have made it more dramatic, but it was not neccessary

It may not have been needed to make the right call, but it was needed to provide a sense of fairness and finality. Especially given the two overturned calls from earlier in the game.

[Race4LastPlace 31]

agree completely.

But otherwise it was a good game. Commercials sucked, some of the trailers were alright. I kinda got caught up watching the 'HOUSE' marathon on usa so had to re-watch the game on my dvr