Major Controversy Over Referees and the Patriots-Colts Game November 4
"Worst officiated game of the season so far"? "Perhaps the worst officiated game I've ever seen"? These are some of the blog postings so far about the Patriots-Colts game that John Parry's crew officiated on November 4.
One visitor asked whether there are any good articles on the referees in the mainstream press. Great question -- why don't sportswriters pay more attention to refs and how well they perform? It's an area that the fans need newspapers and ESPN commentators to talk about because the NFL and other sports leagues refuse to talk about how well referees do. Even worse, the NFL and NBA and other leagues actually fine owners and players who criticize referees (just ask Mark Cuban). If they are gagged, then it's even more important for journalists and commentators to talk about it!
There is also a responsible way to criticize the refs. Just because the refs blow a bunch of calls does not necessarily mean they are cheating or bribed -- maybe they are having a bad day or they have an unconscious tendency. That tendency could even be something unbiased like always favoring the offenses of both teams. It's like an umpire with a big strike zone as opposed to other umpires with smaller strike zones.
Post your comments on the Patriots-Colts game. Blogger even accepts anonymous comments.
What do you want to focus on? Various people are focusing on:
One visitor asked whether there are any good articles on the referees in the mainstream press. Great question -- why don't sportswriters pay more attention to refs and how well they perform? It's an area that the fans need newspapers and ESPN commentators to talk about because the NFL and other sports leagues refuse to talk about how well referees do. Even worse, the NFL and NBA and other leagues actually fine owners and players who criticize referees (just ask Mark Cuban). If they are gagged, then it's even more important for journalists and commentators to talk about it!
There is also a responsible way to criticize the refs. Just because the refs blow a bunch of calls does not necessarily mean they are cheating or bribed -- maybe they are having a bad day or they have an unconscious tendency. That tendency could even be something unbiased like always favoring the offenses of both teams. It's like an umpire with a big strike zone as opposed to other umpires with smaller strike zones.
Post your comments on the Patriots-Colts game. Blogger even accepts anonymous comments.
What do you want to focus on? Various people are focusing on:
- John Parry dropping the coin and saying it was not a coin-flip (Hank Gola of the NY Daily News wrote about this in an article)
- Offensive interference call on Randy Moss for pushing off
- No holding calls against the Colts until late in the game
- No-call on the possible fumble on the 2 yard line
- Bad call that the Patriots used a challenge to reverse
- Defense interference call against Hobbs when he seemed to be tackled
- Late flag on some calls
- No-call on the defender guarding Kevin Faulk
posted by Rex at 6:36 PM
4 Comments:
First off I'm impressed by the numbers you are able to put together; a lot of ref's get certain reputations after a while but to see the numbers stacked up like that paints a more accurate picture of what one can expect from certain people.
Having said that, I watched every second of that game and rarely have I seem that large a number of just plain bad calls. I realize that in every game there's gonna be stuff the ref's will see, stuff they won't, and stuff they'll get wrong; but the 2 pass interference calls against Hobbs and Moss were pretty rediculous. And it seems a bit odd that after everyone and their sister started commenting on the lopsided calls againt the Patriots the Colts started getting more calls against them.
I know all that is statistically circumstantial but it damn suspicious.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=packforgetthepatslookatt&prov=tsn&type=lgns
That is the only major story yet that goes into each call. Look for point number 3 in his "10 pack"
http://bostonbrat.net/2007/11/04/and-the-colts-game-mvp-is/
That is just a funny one.
It would be one thing if the penalties were flying but when one team has the highest number of penalty yards in franchise history and the other has 25 there definitely was a bias. Especially with all the bad calls. I'm not saying it was intentional but wheres good ole Ed Hochuli when you need him.
I will definitely be keeping an eye on Parry next game.
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