Sports Fixes?

[Budsman]

Yes that was mysterious. Phantom hold. Bengals fans are gonna be angry about that for the next 33 years

The worst part is they were letting the two team play and play rough the whole game and then on 3rd and an important play decide now is the time to call it close. Fishy for sure.

[Budsman]

The game is not fixed, but I am glad they called the marginal defensive holding call late in the game after absolutely giving CIN a TD on an obvious personal foul non-call that caused the long TD to Higgins to happen. The game was still officiated in CIN's favor overall in terms of impact on the game.

That was an obvious example but as we know the refs could have called a bunch of stuff in the Rams if they wanted to. The refs were intentionally letting both teams play.

[Budsman]

I did not think that play was mysterious at all. The Bengal defender committed defensive holding twice on the play, but both times it was very minor. The call was not consistent with how the game was officiated on the whole today, but it was by no means a phantom call. That kind of contact has been called many times in other games even though it was ticky tacky. And, of course, it comes nowhere close to the gift TD the Bengals were given on the long pass to Higgins at the beginning of the second half, which was an obvious personal foul against Higgins.

It was ticky tack because frankly there was no hold. It was obvious he never grabbed him. You may have been thinking of a different play but the 3rd down call was a phantom hold. You are right to say the league has been calling that all year because they have been calling phantom holds the whole year.

My biggest problem is the fact that they chose a pivotal moment in the game to decide “now is when we should call it close”. Of course consistency among nfl fouls is a myth and only feeds into the conspiracy theories because there is no transparency.

personally I think the refs just suck and the nfl doesn’t want to deal with it. At worst the nfl condones it because they do push the scales. I don’t think it’s fake like wwe or anything.

[Boltjolt]

It was ticky tack because frankly there was no hold. It was obvious he never grabbed him. You may have been thinking of a different play but the 3rd down call was a phantom hold. You are right to say the league has been calling that all year because they have been calling phantom holds the whole year.

My biggest problem is the fact that they chose a pivotal moment in the game to decide “now is when we should call it close”. Of course consistency among nfl fouls is a myth and only feeds into the consultancy theories because there is no transparency.

personally I think the refs just suck and the nfl doesn’t want to deal with it. At worst the nfl condones it because they do push the scales. I don’t think it’s fake like wwe or anything.

Agree, Wilson didn't hold on that play.and he batted down the ball which would of been 4th down coming up.

Apple did PI on Kupp but without the hold call, that play may never happen.

The refs do suck but its the NFLs fault for having so many dumb rules now and they want them to enforce some more than others. So on a big hit, it gets called for a head hit even when it isn't. Or it's called for unnecessary roughness.

Roughing the passer gets called whether it occured or not.

[Guest]

It was ticky tack because frankly there was no hold. It was obvious he never grabbed him. You may have been thinking of a different play but the 3rd down call was a phantom hold. You are right to say the league has been calling that all year because they have been calling phantom holds the whole year.

My biggest problem is the fact that they chose a pivotal moment in the game to decide “now is when we should call it close”. Of course consistency among nfl fouls is a myth and only feeds into the consultancy theories because there is no transparency.

personally I think the refs just suck and the nfl doesn’t want to deal with it. At worst the nfl condones it because they do push the scales. I don’t think it’s fake like wwe or anything.

I think there were two instances of illegal contact on the play, but both were ticky tacky. The first was just after the break by the WR and the second was the ever so small hooking of the receiver with the defender's hand/wrist. While I think a no call would have been the best call in terms of that play standing alone, it was not a phantom call at all. Anyone could see that there was some contact at two different times on that play. A phantom call is like the famous 2013 OPI call against Keenan Allen versus Washington where Allen is nowhere near to even toughing the defender.

Also, there really was a certain poetic justice about the call after CIN had been given a TD when Higgins blatantly committed an obvious penalty that was not called on his long TD reception.

[Guest]

That was an obvious example but as we know the refs could have called a bunch of stuff in the Rams if they wanted to. The refs were intentionally letting both teams play.

They were letting the teams play, but the long pass completion play to Higgins has to be called as a personal foul on Higgins every time. That is not letting them play. That is "there are no rules" at that point.

[Nunc Coepi]

The head referee in the Super Bowl today was Ron Torbert. He's an interesting NFL referee. Not long ago he was the vice president of the company that built the Patriots stadium. His company was called Barton Malow.

He obviously has strong ties to the Patriot franchise. I would think he would be the last man to officiate a Patriot playoff game, if the NFL wanted to avoid the appearance of favoritism. But Ron Torbert, whose company built Gillette Stadium, has officiated many Patriot playoff games, including
the last one against the Chargers in 2018.

Cameras showed him hugging Tom Brady while Rivers was warming up for the game.

Think about that.

If you go back and watch the game, there were a few ticky tack holding calls that created touchdowns for the Patriots--- much like what was seen in the closing minutes of the Super Bowl today.

I have a long memory for this shit

[Budsman]

I think there were two instances of illegal contact on the play, but both were ticky tacky. The first was just after the break by the WR and the second was the ever so small hooking of the receiver with the defender's hand/wrist. While I think a no call would have been the best call in terms of that play standing alone, it was not a phantom call at all. Anyone could see that there was some contact at two different times on that play. A phantom call is like the famous 2013 OPI call against Keenan Allen versus Washington where Allen is nowhere near to even toughing the defender.

Also, there really was a certain poetic justice about the call after CIN had been given a TD when Higgins blatantly committed an obvious penalty that was not called on his long TD reception.

I guess I’ll agree to disagree, contact is allowed if it’s not initiated by the defender and not meant to redirect (for example the cb can have their hand touch a wr while running down field with them). I didn’t think any sort of illegal contact was created but that’s cool.

I also don’t love the idea that it’s justice for one missed call that was obviously a foul if calling the game tight. The whole game both sides were allowed to play physical. It’s not as if the bengals go away with one there, everyone was getting away with things because the refs (and I think it made it a better game) we’re holding their flags and letting them play.

the timing of the decision to switch that philosophy to call it tight is questionable at best.

[Boltgang74]

I did not think that play was mysterious at all. The Bengal defender committed defensive holding twice on the play, but both times it was very minor. The call was not consistent with how the game was officiated on the whole today, but it was by no means a phantom call. That kind of contact has been called many times in other games even though it was ticky tacky. And, of course, it comes nowhere close to the gift TD the Bengals were given on the long pass to Higgins at the beginning of the second half, which was an obvious personal foul against Higgins.

The Rams were gifted a non holding call way earlier when it would have probably been a TD for the Bengals.

[Budsman]

The head referee in the Super Bowl today was Ron Torbert. He's an interesting NFL referee. Not long ago he was the vice president of the company that built the Patriots stadium. His company was called Barton Malow.

He obviously has strong ties to the Patriot franchise. I would think he would be the last man to officiate a Patriot playoff game, if the NFL wanted to avoid the appearance of favoritism. But Ron Torbert, whose company built Gillette Stadium, has officiated many Patriot playoff games, including
the last one against the Chargers in 2018.

Cameras showed him hugging Tom Brady while Rivers was warming up for the game.

Think about that.

If you go back and watch the game, there were a few ticky tack holding calls that created touchdowns for the Patriots--- much like what was seen in the closing minutes of the Super Bowl today.

I have a long memory for this shit

Wow I didn’t know that, thanks for the info! Yeah the NFL is a good old boys club and if you don’t think they want things to go a certain way your a bit naive. It an entertainment business and money is the name of the game, not competitive integrity.

[Boltgang74]

They were letting the teams play, but the long pass completion play to Higgins has to be called as a personal foul on Higgins every time. That is not letting them play. That is "there are no rules" at that point.

What about the Obvious hold the Lambs commited early in the game that kept them to going for a FG i stead of a TD.Even the Collinsworth admitted it was a hold.Went both ways totally.

[Budsman]

They were letting the teams play, but the long pass completion play to Higgins has to be called as a personal foul on Higgins every time. That is not letting them play. That is "there are no rules" at that point.

I tend to agree with this point, that was just a missed call. Which I’m ok with happening from time to time and frankly in real time it wasn’t easy to see the face mask. Also we have the benefit of camera angles etc.

when are we just going to have an eye in the sky and lasers for boundaries so every call is correct. I could also see having pressure sensors in hands feet knees etc to be able to tell if someone is down.