Reality NFL 2008
I was at that Steelers-Chargers game, but didn't see the replay of Polumolu's amazing INT until afterward because, for some reason, they didn't have the replays working on the jumbotron early in the game and I was sitting at the far end of the field, so from where I sat it looked like he didn't catch it.
The confusion at the end was bizarre.
I don't think there was any illegal forward pass on that play. From what I could see, both of San Diego's attempted laterals were backwards. But either way the rule is that as long as the illegal pass doesn't hit the ground, the play keeps going. So it should have been a touchdown.
Anyway, after Polumolu scores, the clock reads zeros and both teams come onto the field to shake hands. Then after some confusion, they both clear the field because, according to the PA, NFL rules state the Steelers have to try and extrapoint even though no time is left and the outcome is certain. Even if the Chargers were to block and return it, that's only worth two points. They'd still lose 17-12. But rules are rules.
Then finally they get set to kick it. And the refs blow the whistle - by this time half the fans have left - and the refs discuss it and decide (quite wrongly) that the play should have been dead when there was a forward pass. Game over.
Everyone leaves, a bit confused, but happy that the Steelers won. It should have been 18-10, but 11-10 is just as much of a win.
Then, not 10 minutes after the game, we're in the car going back to my friend's house and the radio tells us that the refs have admitted that they screwed up and that the rule states that that last play should have gone forward and the touchdown counted because the supposed illegal forward pass didn't hit the ground and that the refs are sorry for blowing the interpretation of the rules but that they can't fix it now.
I don't know why they can't change it now. The made the dumb decision after time had expired. Time was just as expired then as it is right now. Many gamblers are upset.
The game was sloppy. The Steelers were clearly a bit better but were called for 115 yards of penalties. Many of those were legit, but several key calls, like the PI that set up the game's only touchdown, were very ticky-tack and the refs were clearly biased against the Steelers, I guess because they expect them to be dirty or something. The Chargers held Harrison all game and never got called.
But I had a great time. It snowed, like a proper NFL game in November. I could here John Facenda in my head describing the action. The Steelers fans are great. Heinz Field (62,000) is smaller than FedEx Field (80,000) (the only other place I've seen a NFL game) and a lot smaller than Beaver Stadium (110,000) but it's very manageable and we were on the far end from the open endzone so we could see the jumbotron and the river and the cliffs of Mount Washington (or Washington Heights, I forget what it's called). Very cool.
I was told there would be a lot of drunken brawls in the stands, but I didnt' see any trouble at all. There were a handful of Chargers fans around, but they didn't get any trouble.
And it was a breeze to get to the game. It's right by downtown and we had little trouble getting there or getting home and not much delay in and out of the parking lot (free parking pass, thanks to my friend's hook-up - his brother-in-law and sister-in-law work for the Steelers) was very close to the stadium. Much, much, much easier and more pleasant than going to FedEx Field.
I was at that Steelers-Chargers game, but didn't see the replay of Polumolu's amazing INT until afterward because, for some reason, they didn't have the replays working on the jumbotron early in the game and I was sitting at the far end of the field, so from where I sat it looked like he didn't catch it.
The confusion at the end was bizarre.
I don't think there was any illegal forward pass on that play. From what I could see, both of San Diego's attempted laterals were backwards. But either way the rule is that as long as the illegal pass doesn't hit the ground, the play keeps going. So it should have been a touchdown.
Anyway, after Polumolu scores, the clock reads zeros and both teams come onto the field to shake hands. Then after some confusion, they both clear the field because, according to the PA, NFL rules state the Steelers have to try and extrapoint even though no time is left and the outcome is certain. Even if the Chargers were to block and return it, that's only worth two points. They'd still lose 17-12. But rules are rules.
Then finally they get set to kick it. And the refs blow the whistle - by this time half the fans have left - and the refs discuss it and decide (quite wrongly) that the play should have been dead when there was a forward pass. Game over.
Everyone leaves, a bit confused, but happy that the Steelers won. It should have been 18-10, but 11-10 is just as much of a win.
Then, not 10 minutes after the game, we're in the car going back to my friend's house and the radio tells us that the refs have admitted that they screwed up and that the rule states that that last play should have gone forward and the touchdown counted because the supposed illegal forward pass didn't hit the ground and that the refs are sorry for blowing the interpretation of the rules but that they can't fix it now.
I don't know why they can't change it now. The made the dumb decision after time had expired. Time was just as expired then as it is right now. Many gamblers are upset.
The game was sloppy. The Steelers were clearly a bit better but were called for 115 yards of penalties. Many of those were legit, but several key calls, like the PI that set up the game's only touchdown, were very ticky-tack and the refs were clearly biased against the Steelers, I guess because they expect them to be dirty or something. The Chargers held Harrison all game and never got called.
But I had a great time. It snowed, like a proper NFL game in November. I could here John Facenda in my head describing the action. The Steelers fans are great. Heinz Field (62,000) is smaller than FedEx Field (80,000) (the only other place I've seen a NFL game) and a lot smaller than Beaver Stadium (110,000) but it's very manageable and we were on the far end from the open endzone so we could see the jumbotron and the river and the cliffs of Mount Washington (or Washington Heights, I forget what it's called). Very cool.
I was told there would be a lot of drunken brawls in the stands, but I didnt' see any trouble at all. There were a handful of Chargers fans around, but they didn't get any trouble.
And it was a breeze to get to the game. It's right by downtown and we had little trouble getting there or getting home and not much delay in and out of the parking lot (free parking pass, thanks to my friend's hook-up - his brother-in-law and sister-in-law work for the Steelers) was very close to the stadium. Much, much, much easier and more pleasant than going to FedEx Field.
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