Poor poor Ed Hochuli. Yes it was an absolutely terrible call, and it cost the San Diego Chargers the game, but should he be downgraded, or investigated for the call? In the heat of big plays throughout history, many umpires, referees etc. have made terrible calls. Are they all Tim Donaghy’s? That’s doubtful. The bad calls are just that, bad calls. In the NBA’s case there is a mich more severe problem then just bad calls. Yes the NFL does have cases of cheating (belicheat) and has issues with player behavior, but the NFL seems to have the best group of officials that money can buy. What do you think?
Should NFL Referees be Investigated for Blown Calls?
The URI to TrackBack this entry is: http://rogergoodell.wordpress.com/2008/09/17/should-nfl-referees-be-investigated-for-blown-calls/trackback/
I think Hochuli just blew the call but I don’t think there was any malice. He certainly paid for his mistake. He was downgraded so there will be no Super Bowl for him. Donaghy was dirty, Hochuli just made a huge mistake.
I feel the NFL refs are way out of hand. Some games they call no penalties and other games they call a boatload. What are the reasons for that? Simple they are cheating. There is no way to fix it. It is a crooked organization. Why is Goodell sitting back and letting the officials on the field decide the games. Players should decide the outcome of the games, not the officials. My answer is Goodell is involved in the cheating. The whole NFL organization should be investigated. I will not be renewing my season tickets this year. This makes the NFL look terrible.
Instead of suspending players, maybe they should start suspending the referees who are obviously changing the outcomes of games. I agree with the previous poster, everyone in the organization needs to be investigated. Even my wife is noticing the horrible job the refs are doing.
Does the NFL organization or Roger Goodell have any “family” ties to New York or Chicago? Just curious. He going to clean up the league, aren’t the referees a part of the league? Or, is this the way Goodell is “cleaning” up, by raking it in?
Well my husband and I watched the majority of the games on TV yesterday. The Giants game was ridden with penalties until I watched the Steelers game. Forget it! The refs were too much yesterday! Every minute there was a penalty for something. I thought it was the worst officated game (including MLB, NFL, and NBA) I had ever seen. The penalties called throughout the game, many wrong and unecesary! They need to susupend refs when they make bad calls!
If you watched the last play of the super bowl, it is obvious that it was rigged. How does the rule change when your arm is going forward become a fumble, or when there were 3 block in the backs missed when harrison ran back the interception. My point is that rooney was a bookie and is corupt like goodell and tagliabu. Thats why a team like *hitsburgh has been so good over the years because of a crooked owner. Lets see how good they are when the crook sells them. It’s sad to see Arizona get screwed. Also research Mccauley and see all of the blown calls he has made over the years. A big one was in Cleveland when the fans threw bottles onto the field.
I believe that there is ample visual evidence to suggest that NFL Referees are biased towards or against certain teams. Whether they are or not is irrelevant at this point, appearance is what matters.
Here are my suggestions concerning the situation.
1. Fine officials for bad calls.
2. Make penalties reviewable (along with this, allow more coaches challenges.)
3. An independent investigation into the possibility of prejudice or outright cheating by officials or teams.
4. Have an official monitor the game from above and be able to call penalties that the field officials miss, as well as override field officials calls.
These are only a few suggestions because if something isn’t done the NFL stands to lose a lot of fans who enjoy true sport, including this one. But maybe that doesn’t bother you, after all, the WWE has plenty of fans so fixed athletics still have a market I guess.
I’ve been an NFL fan for years, and it is always sad when the officials get in the way of any game. much less the Super Bowl. how many bad calls do we have to tollerate until something is done. those referees on the SB field were so blatantly throwing the game into the steelers lap that it was sickening. how much money did rooney pay the officials?
it should have been the officials hoisting up that trophy at the end; or at least it should have been the officials handing the trophy off to the steelers.
that was so corrupt and shameless that i can’t believe any steeler player could honestly hold there head up at all.
when is the NFL going to get off their butt and do something about this. can you say “olympic ice, in salt lake?”
i really felt sad for the Cardinals. they worked so hard and overcame so much; and they truly were the best team out there on the field in Tampa. not only did they strip the britches off of the steelers but also they had to overcome the referees.
go back and watch the game. there was more than one block in the back on that interception at half time. why was that not called?
how do you call a fumble when it is clearly a forward pass? of course, what an opportunity for a “paid off” official to call the game for the steelers with only 5 seconds. “here, quick, take possesion, take a knee, and end the game now.” what garbage!!!
where do they get these clown refs anyway, from pro wrestling? at least their wearing the right colors, a black and white pin stipe suit; but they belong in jail.
i’m done with the nfl.
Hello webmaster
I would like to share with you a link to your site
write me here preonrelt@mail.ru
Thank you . you can see NFL fans shop
why are these biased people still allowed to officiate games, one look says they are on the take. Watching the Lions Vikings game they are doing the best job they can to give one to Detroit. Where is the old Vikings whiskey bottle, its needed again
I can so see the Officials leading the way for Farve to get into the Superbowl… The same way they made sure that Bettis got his ring before he retired. Totally wrong, but that is the way of the NFL today.
I have been a fan of the NFL for years, but no longer. I am so tired of the officials deciding the outcome of games that I have decided to start spending my Sunday’s doing something constructive or at least doing anything but watch the crap they are calling football. The Chicago vs. Seattle game on Sunday was a prime example. Media hype follows Chicago, then so do the Refs. Go back to Superbowl XL, that was one of the most rediculous games ever. Don’t know how much the NFL pays the Refs, but I am sure that the Steelers paid them more!! Oh well enough said, one less NFL fan to worry about!!!!!!!
I can truly say that the nfl officials are the worst I
have ever seen. The game between the Ravens and New England Patriots was so bought by the New England Belecheat. I personally blame Goodell he should be reading our blogs and checking the replays so he can see for himself what is going on. He is suppose to be the best in his field well lets see what he thinks after this week. If he does not see what I see than I will back down but the calls were ridiculous. I am a
Ravens fan but I am very fair when it comes to our games.If we deserve a penalty I will be first to give it
to them but this week was out of control and me as a great fan of football would like to call Goodell out and make him tell the Officials to call the games clean.
I agree with the above poster what a botched game by the refs of the NFL. They get paid too much money to make obvious wrong calls. I can’t imagine how frustrating it is for the players to play their hearts out only to be beaten by the refs on any given Sunday. The whole reason this problem isnt being fixed is because it isnt being recognized, no one is allowed to call them out when they screw up…not the coaches and not the players. Maybe if coaches/players were allowed to call them out on National Television they will get the idea and think twice next time they intentionally make bad calls. Another option is fining them as other posters have suggested. Why should they stop deciding the outcomes of the game….they have all the power and are not repremanded for screwing up. This problem has went on for so long I dont think it will ever be fixed but the first thing that needs to happen is the NFL needs to admit they have a problem instead of ignoring it week in and week out. It’s not fair to the fans, the coaches, and especially not fair to the players.
Anyone remember the Chargers/Steelers game last year where a last minute fumble return for a touchdown was, based on no discernible rule, called back?
That little play made the gambling industry a cool $70 MILLION profit. Where is the investigation?
Vikings at Steelers.. vikings score a touchdown pass.. called back because of “tripping”? No tripping occured. Even the announcers couldn’t believe the call! What a joke! College refs are being suspended and so should the NFL refs. This is getting out of hand. Losing respect for the NFL
For the referees to be so obviously favoring one team over the other can only be happening at the direction of the league. As they are the most popular sport on television, I am sure they are unconcerned that they are ruining the game for the sake of bigger and bigger bucks. Welcome to the WWFL, football purist…too bad!
I am (was) forced to buy the football package in order to see the games….I will not be wasting that time or money in the futeure, despite being an avid football fan for 46 years.