Don’t be mislead by the ‘exciting’ finish, this game was a series of blown calls and attempts to fix them with even worse calls. Starting with this missed clipping call on the 1oo yard interception for touchdown and ending with the inexplicable ‘non-review’, the second half was a manufactured comeback and orchestrated result. Here’s a list of the offenses:
1) Missed clipping call, cost the Cards 7 points
2) Bogus roughing the passer call which everyone thought was going to be grounding against Rothliesberger
3) Yellow Hankie Nominee: “Piling on the Holder” call against the Cards
4) Yellow Hankie Nominee: Why wasn’t the last play of the game reviewed??!! The NFL rules say all questionable calls inside of 2:00 has to be reviewed, but for some reason this one wasn’t.
Personally, I’m glad I took the time to record and watch the Mens tennis final (Nadal’s obsessive butt-picking notwithstanding) in Melbourne at the Australian Open because I saw more athletic brilliance in one point in the tennis match than in the entire 3rd quarter of the “McGruber Bowl”. And the fifth game of the fourth set was arguably more interesting and entertaining than anything the NFL produced all year. It had excitement, greatness, drama and efficiently managed officiating disputes, something the NFL still struggles to deliver. What’s more, tennis continues to perfect the officiating resolution process while the NFL continues to ignore the officiating elephant in the room. While entertaining, the Cardinals’ comeback wasn’t real, it was artificially manufactured with make-up calls in a terrible attempt to make for prior missed calls. Without the help of two absurd personal foul calls (presumably givebacks for the “piling on the holder” call and the rest), the Cardinals don’t score the first touchdown of the 4th quarter which pulls them to within 6 points. This Super Bowl stunk more than the Super Bowl Michael Phelps got caught smoking somewhere in the UK. Statistically, this has got be the most error-prone Super Bowl ever with 18 penalties for a combined 162 yards, 11 and 106 against the Cardinals and doesn’t count the two most glaring errors: the missed clip call on the interception for a 100 yard touchdown, and the non-review on the last play of the game. As a reference, 162 represents 23% of the 699 in total offense. Tonight’s team of officials collectively win the “Ed Hochuli Award” for officiating ineptitude, which is really too bad since sports is about the only thing any of us haveto look forward to these days.
It has been brought to my attention that Santonio Holmes should have been flagged for excessive celebration, which would have forced the Steelers to kick from their own 20 yard-line. This would have given the ball to the Cards at their own 40 or so with 2 timeouts and around 35 seconds to go. This would have been more than enough time for Warner to do his thing….
finally i find something that i want to know..