A few random thoughts

[purplepoe]

He may not be able to go to the peep show booth and look at it, but he CAN talk to the other officials and if it's determined the ball DID break the plane of the posts, then it's a good field goal. What happened yesterday had no precedent at all. It was one of those one in a million things

And I dont think something was said from the booth. You can cleary see on the replay only one backjudge gave the "no good" signal and then both quickly started talking about it.

In any event, I do agree with you. Getting the right call is important.

Ahh, I see what you meant. I meant reviewable meaning instant replay from upstairs.

But I still question why the referee put his head under the hood and also talked to the replay ref upstairs for some time after he came out from under the hood.

Seriously, if the conversation went as they say it did and the only thing that was said from upstairs was "we cannot review that play and you must make the decision down there" then why even go under the hood? It should have been a 5 second conversation. But it clearly wasn't.

I sit in 510 and I was watching both back judges. You are correct that only one gave the no good sign. But that was after a quick exchange with the other back judge. I'll ask again. If that other back judge was so adamant about the FG being good, then why didn't he express that right away? Why did Morelli have to go over to the booth, converse with the ref upstairs, come back to the field, and only then have the other back judge speak up with such assuredness?

If nothing else it was certainly peculiar the way it wall went down.

We all went from cheering a great comeback to trying to grasp the idea that not was the FG good but the game was over soon after.

Of course, as soon as they ruled for the FG, you pretty much knew we'd lose the toss and in turn, lose the game.

PP

[HoustonRaven]

PP,

Yeah, I had that sinking feeling too ...

What pissed me off was I made the trip, packed like a fool, braved the afternoon in a t-shirt and wind breaker only have that debacle happen.

:(

[purplepoe]

Here's an interesting nugget from the Sun regarding Field Goal Gate (aka FGG):)

Stan White, a radio analyst for WBAL/98 Rock, was standing behind the goal posts when Dawson attempted his field goal at the end of regulation, and then called Pereira after the call was reversed when officials realized that the ball, which first hit the left upright, bounced off the support behind the crossbar.

"They just talked about how to make the call," White said. "The fact that he [referee Pete Morelli] put on the headphones and asked if it was reviewable. He knows that it's not reviewable. He knows what the rules are. There's little doubt in my mind that somebody told him that the replay showed that it was good and they decided they had to get it right or they were going to face worse scrutiny even though the methodology to do it was wrong."

That's exactly what I thought happened.

PP

[RAVENOUS52]

Bottom line... We were SCREWED...AGAIN!!

[StingerNLG]

I sit in 510 and I was watching both back judges. You are correct that only one gave the no good sign. But that was after a quick exchange with the other back judge. I'll ask again. If that other back judge was so adamant about the FG being good, then why didn't he express that right away? Why did Morelli have to go over to the booth, converse with the ref upstairs, come back to the field, and only then have the other back judge speak up with such assuredness?

I'm glad you saw what I saw. I saw the right judge look over at the left judge, then signal no-good. The left judge didn't say or do anything really. He never gave the "It's Good" sign.

I have no doubt that right or wrong the call should have stood, but someone in the ref's ear told him it was no good and he should overturn it.

[Greg]

The referee never "went under the hood." If he did it was very brief, not long enough to see anything, because I was watching everything.

My initial thought was the kick was good, I saw it go through (from my vantage I had a good angle, 519) and then bounce out. I assumed my eyes had tricked me and it hadn't gone through until I saw the replay AFTER the officials changed the call. The guys in the stadium smartly did not replay it on the Smartvision boards despite what some in the media say. I am sure they saw replays in the press box but none was put up on the boards.

The only problem was they let the Ravens leave the field and turn their emotions off, which is a point despite what anybody says. The Browns did not, their exit path took them right by the officials and they didn't leave because they could see the officials talking. They then started lobbying them. Meanwhile half the Ravens were in their locker room not even realizing there was a discussion going on.

[purplepoe]

The referee never "went under the hood." If he did it was very brief, not long enough to see anything, because I was watching everything.

My initial thought was the kick was good, I saw it go through (from my vantage I had a good angle, 519) and then bounce out. I assumed my eyes had tricked me and it hadn't gone through until I saw the replay AFTER the officials changed the call. The guys in the stadium smartly did not replay it on the Smartvision boards despite what some in the media say. I am sure they saw replays in the press box but none was put up on the boards.

The only problem was they let the Ravens leave the field and turn their emotions off, which is a point despite what anybody says. The Browns did not, their exit path took them right by the officials and they didn't leave because they could see the officials talking. They then started lobbying them. Meanwhile half the Ravens were in their locker room not even realizing there was a discussion going on.

Greg, I was looking as well and he most definitely stuck his head under the hood.

It's water under the bridge now.

The ball went through the uprights. The referees handled it about as poorly as possible.

I think we can all agree on that.

PP

[RAVENOUS52]

The fact of the matter is this proves that the NFL officials need lots more training. Incompetence beyond incompetence is what I call Sunday's debacle.

[RavensNTerps]

Tough to say much when the field goal was actually good, but it's akin to the refs in Cincy randomly decided it wasn't pass interference on Heap after reviewing it.

Would have been the right call, but unreviewable is unreviewable.

[xmradiodave]

I agree with RNT^

The kick was good, but the original call should have stuck.

Why should anything go in favor of the Ravens though. It is the curse of Adalius Thomas!!!

(Let's see if that one sticks)