Bad officials: Buffalo, Cleveland, etc.

*DJRamFan* · #1 (**permalink**) -17-12-2001

The buffalo and cleveland games were a travesty, both teams got screwed and while I do NOT condone the throwing of "plastic" objects at people, the refs made one of the biggest blunders I have ever seen.

Now, what tops the cake is the subsequent bullsh*tting done by the higher ups - pres of officiating, etc. They covered the asses of the refs who screwed up, if you **** up, admit it, don't blame it on "technical difficulties."

Phew, my rant is over...

*DJRamFan* · #2 (**permalink**) -17-12-2001

Also, just wanted to throw this in that i've watched CBS and ESPN and Fox and each one of them has given varying opinions on whether the browns receiver caught the ball or not.

I still think he caught it before being tackled.

still a black eye on not only cleveland but the league as a whole.

*Warner13* · #3 (**permalink**) -17-12-2001

yes, the refs for those 2 games were HORRIBLE. The Pats game in OT should have been the bills ball, and the browns game,..... well lets just say that ref (s) wont have much of a future in the NFL

*DaddoRam* · #4 (**permalink**) -17-12-2001

the call in Cleveland was correct, it was no catch.
But that's beside the point...even if it wasn't, the fans behavior was beyond idiotic. HUGE fines should be on the way for Lerner and Policy.

*thoey* · #5 (**permalink**) -17-12-2001

I agree, the fans were wrong. And, I saw the replay a couple of times and don't know if there was enough evidence to overturn the initial call. But the point still comes down to the fact that the rules say that a previously run play is not reviewable if another play has been run. The officials blew this badly, and are now using the bad actions of the fans to cover up this obvious mistake.

I just hope we don't get these officials for any of our games...

*DaddoRam* · #6 (**permalink**) -18-12-2001

thoey, that rule applies to coaches, and applies to when the replay is called for, not acknowledged on the field. It was called for before the snap, and so the play didn't count, and the replay WAS legal.

*Atlas* · #7 (**permalink**) -18-12-2001

Or so they say. But, I'm hesitant to believe instantly what these "officials" say.

Maybe I'm just naturally a suspicious person, but it hasn't failed me yet.

*DJRamFan* · #8 (**permalink**) -18-12-2001

i agree atlas, it's a little suspicious...

I've seen the replay like 100 times like everyone else and it still seems like he used the body to get control of the ball. i'm sure i'm in the minority for thinking it was an original catch. But at the same time, i don't think there was enough proof to overturn the call.

*DaddoRam* · #9 (**permalink**) -18-12-2001

The refs decided to cheat and lie in order to change the outcome of the game to go against 70,000 maniacs...why? Why would they do that? That's ridiculous. There's no possible motive for them to do that. They made the decision they thought was best for the fairness of the game, period. They followed the rules of the game.

*DJRamFan* · #10 (**permalink**) -18-12-2001

no, i wasn't saying that they were purposely going against the 70,000 (or in buffalos case, 45,000). that's just plain dumb. The thing that's suspicious is not only overturning the ruling, but doing it after another play had been called. They say that they were buzzed, but it's just weird that's all. It's not some conspiracy, the part time zebras aren't that smart.

The big problem still remains in these guys not being full time, they need to spend the time better preparing themselves for games...

*DaddoRam* · #11 (**permalink**) -26-12-2001

The referees are exceptionally smart, and honest. It's the fans that need to have their IQs checked, I think. Throwing beer bottles because they didn't like a call (which was correct)
I still haven't heard anyone come up with anything vaguely resembling a legitimate answer to this question.
IF the refs intentionally messed over Cleveland, WHY? Why would they do that?

*Aries51* · #12 (**permalink**) -26-12-2001

The Refs made the wrong call and the Browns fans got the media attention.Both were wrong,but one makes more more money than the other.I'm just not sure which one that is.

Just kidding!I think the fault lies in the officiating.That is no excuse for throwing beer bottles,but I honestly think the Refs have dropped the ball this season.We had less problems with the replacements.IMHO.

:angryram: GO RAMS! STAY FOCUSED! WIN!:shield:

*DaddoRam* · #13 (**permalink**) -26-12-2001

According to the rules, the refs got the call RIGHT. They didn't blow it.
And the replacements were pathetic. They aren't anywhere CLOSE to as good as the real referees. What's bizarre about the whole thing is that before the lockout, Tagliabue told us repeatedly that the NFL officials were the best of the major sports (he was correct in saying so, by the way...NFL officiating is better than Major League Baseball, and FAR better than NBA) and then suddenly told us having a bunch of small college refs was just as good. That's like us putting the QB from Western Idaho Junior College in place of Kurt Warner and saying he's just as good.