Pace ejection was bull.....your thoughts

[lakerams]

I know you are not supposed to touch an official, but it was clear that Pace was trying to brace himself from falling. that was clearly a time when the rules are overemphasized. your thoughts?

[RamsFanSam]

It was obvious to me that the officials were picking on the Rams.

[RamDez]

Total bull

[Nick]

Complete crap. Martz should be making a phone call tonight - not tomorrow, tonight! That was absolute crap!

[SFCRamFan]

BS is right. I know his intent was to brace himself, but the league will say that he grabbed the official and dragged him to the ground. Will this result in a fine?? If so it is unnecessary. However, if there is one maybe they can give the money to the ref in charge this game so that he can get some glasses.

[general counsel]

This was the worst call in professional officiating in any sport in the last ten years. Ejection of any player, let alone a superstar is an exteme remedy. Intent is a prerequisite. There was obviously no intent and the refs didnt discuss it or review it. 15 yard penalty -fine.

The call broke rule #1 of officiating-never affect the outcome of the game unless absolutely necessary. This was so, so marginal at best that ejecting pace was just ridiculous. How could they not review it from the booth. What did the official think that he saw?

general counsel

[Nick]

Your right, GC. The officials should be thanking their stars that the Rams won, because if they ejected Pace and the Seahawks ended up coming back and winning it, you could bet they would take even more heat.

[RealRam]

It was clear that Pace was trying to brace himself from falling. --Lakerams

Absolutely. Okay, maybe he AND a Seahawk could have been called for 15 yd. personal fouls penalties, offsetting each other. That's all.

Orlando did not mean to pull the zebra down. It was accidental.

Hey, the bright side: the RAMS got mean after that. Mean AND smart! :angryram:

[Mr.Blond]

Terrible call GO

[Fargo Ram Fan]

First of all...the rule is the rule...and he threw the guy down. You cant be discussing "intent" when 300+ pound padded MONSTERS are tossing little,unpadded OFFICIALS down to the ground. Needless to say you would be opening up quite a pandoras box and I dont think the officials want or need that. Second...since when are PENALTIES reviewed by the booth?? Didnt seem like a fair call as a Ram fan...but I can understand and accept the rule. It simply has to be that way. "It was obvious to me that the officials were picking on the Rams"...way to be objective and rational.

[Mr.Blond]

Quote: He THREW the guy down.
Didn't look like that to me. Looked more like he was falling himself and wanted to stop himself and the guy went down.
Quote: You cant be discussing "intent" when 300+ pound padded MONSTERS are tossing little,unpadded OFFICIALS down to the ground.
You call that tossing?! What game were you watching? Tossing????????
Quote: It was obvious to me that the officials were picking on the Rams"...way to be objective and rational.
I don't think YOURE being objective and rational, I think you KNOW what the poster MEANT, but for some reason you're gonna take it out on a fellow Rams fan. :disappoin

[general counsel]

You can not tell me that every single time that a player makes contact with an official for any reason at all that player is ejected. I believe if you check the rule, you will find that the player has to intentionally make contact with the ref, ie bumps him in protest. What if the player never sees the ref and runs into him? In this case, i believe the ref was BEHIND pace when pace reached out.

Many, many calls on the field involve interpretation of the rule, ie judgement, and my point is that an ejection is such as extreme penalty that judgement is critical and without clear intent, it makes no sense to eject a guy.

Watch a baseball game once. Arguing balls and strikes is as "automatic ejection." Do you think every time someone says anything to an umpire he ejects him? the rule IS NOT always the rule.

The refs in any sport manage the game by interpreting the rules.

Bottom line, if the rules were the rules, the rams would have won superbowl 36. The key is not technically what the rulebook says, its the judgment of the officials on the field.

general counsel

[Fargo Ram Fan]

He weighs WAY OVER 300 pounds and he put BOTH HANDS on the official as he went down...resulting in the OFFICIAL going down. You can play with semantics all you want but by DOING SO you simply add YOURSELF to the list of the IRRATIONAL and NON OBJECTIVE. Was it an accident...it appeared so. Did he intend any harm...no. THE RULE IS STILL THE RULE...and its there for a GOOD REASON. Good lord man...grow up. To decalre that the refs are 'picking on' the Rams or ANY team for that matter is ABSURD and is WORTHY of criticism. Im not 'taking anything out on' ANYONE. GOD FORBID anyone should DISAGREE with a 'fellow Ram fan'. Toughen up sweety.

[Mr.Blond]

Don't call me Sweety. :tough:

[Nick]

According to NFL.com, the rule states that when a player strikes or purposely shoves a game official, it's a 15-yard penalty and an ejection. Pace did not strike or purposely shove an official. By that definition, no foul.