Schwartz is pissed

[byco42]

The NFL does not agree with you. That said, your take on the situation is just outright ignorant.

http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2012/1/9/2693438/lions-saints-playoffs-referees

Turns out the refs made the wrong call in awarding the ball to the Lions as well, because "inadvertent whistles are not reviewable."

So my take that the defense is 100% responsible for the Lions loss is ignorant? The Saints did whatever they wanted on offense...that Lions D was terrible and they have been every time they faced a good offense. Good calls or bad calls...that game was going to be won by the Saints.

Your reading comprehension skills are getting in the way again. I am commenting on your saying that the refs were not responsible for the botched fumble/incomplete pass call. "It wasn't a bad call" you wrote. You're right. It was a horrific call. Somewhat ironic that the blown call came from a blown whistle.

 

[Mitchrapp]

Mitch[/color]]I knew that. Screwed both ways but to say the saints got screwed would be incorrect because they did fumble. Just that the refs didn't know what the fk they were doing.

The more complex the games get; the faster the players become--it's clear to me that the present method of refereeing professional football is getting obsolete, as are many of the referees. Some of those guys are older than I am.

True on all accounts. If anyone has ever watched the Jetsons, they need those robots. Not only are they cool but nasty. And make the right calls, lol.

 

[cheeno]

Mitch[/color]]I knew that. Screwed both ways but to say the saints got screwed would be incorrect because they did fumble. Just that the refs didn't know what the fk they were doing.

The more complex the games get; the faster the players become--it's clear to me that the present method of refereeing professional football is getting obsolete, as are many of the referees. Some of those guys are older than I am.

True but I can't see the younger crop of refs weened on 'everything is a personal foul' making the game much better. In the future these guys will get so much tv time we'll be buying our favorite refs jersey.

 

[byco42]

The more complex the games get; the faster the players become--it's clear to me that the present method of refereeing professional football is getting obsolete, as are many of the referees. Some of those guys are older than I am.

True but I can't see the younger crop of refs weened on 'everything is a personal foul' making the game much better. In the future these guys will get so much tv time we'll be buying our favorite refs jersey.

Trust me, vision, reaction time and speed all deteriorate when you get older, no matter how well you take care of yourself. A lot of these referees are well past their prime and some look downright old.

 

[zyxt9]

I disagree with earlier comment that if the refs had let the fumble play out and Detroit scores the TD to go up 21-7 that Brees would have come back out and scored to make it 21-14 at the half. There is such an emotional surge from a play like that, the D quite possibly could have gone out and taken control of the play. So many things affect momentum, but mostly it is the emotional high from plays like that. It would have been a completely different game. Players on that kind of high make plays that at other times they don't and things have a domino effect. It is quite possible the D could have gotten another turnover, the O goes down and score before the half and the Lions are up 28-7 at halftime. We will never know, but just pointing out that the emotional ups and downs and momentum swings are HUGE in games like this and that is specifically what the refs altered at that moment and, as mentioned previously, the no call on Titus Young's catch on the sideline with the DB grabbing his helmet which would have offset the holding penalty and the Lions have a better chance of keeping that drive alive.

Momentum and emotion have tremendous impact on the game as any fan should be able to recognize.

 

[tonyballs]

Mitch[/color]]We're not allowed to vent after a playoff loss? That's all we're doing. Not interesting in hearing it, stage left.

Of course you can vent...I just don't think most people are venting about the right thing. The defense is why they lost...not the refs.

Keep reading then, bud. We all know the defense stunk up the joint but the referreeing was atrocious.

 

[tonyballs]

The D got wore down and part of that is due to the mental wearing down that can happen from refs impacting momentum. If the Lions scoop that fumble and return it for a TD, the D is on a totally different mindset compared to having the O fail to convert the TO into points.

It is a game of momentum. The adrenal rush can make all the difference, not to mention the change in confidence. No matter how "professional" these guys are, they are still human and emotions impact their play. The refs caused that high to be turned into a whatever. The rush was replaced by a crash, and that is never easily overcome. Even if that happened to only 1 guy, that is 1 guy who is not performing at their highest level and therefore vulnerable. So yes, the refs have ability to greatly impact a game.

Actually, that wasn't really a bad call. Watching it full speed (live) it looked like it could have been an incomplete pass. I didn't realize it was a fumble until it was replayed. I do understand that it would have been a huge TD but I don't blame the refs on that one. It was a bang bang play...that's part of the game.

They got fucked over on back-to-back weeks on the same call. Bullshit.