I can finally explain it!!!

NFL refs just don't like purple!

Let's change colors in the off season.

I agree with you Peter, good blog. I thought officials are supposed to call the game right down the middle. The game should be decided by players on the field not by some zebras in striped shirts. Maybe Roger Goodall has his favorites and his agenda is to have his favorites win all the time. I guess he might have his Vince Lombardi Trophy with the New England Patriots inscribed on the trophy getting ready to hand it to Robert Kraft.

No kidding. It's nice when the officials decide a game's outcome. What about the horrible "tripping" call that stole the touchdown and instead allowed the home team one more shot at a turnover... and a resulting touchdown.

I find it funny that you cry about the bad tripping call, yet overlook Mike Wallace getting blocked from behind and another kickoff return man getting outright held on the Harvin runback. Watch it on SportsCenter tonight. See, the refs DID call it down the middle.

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Pete's reply: Spare me. There's a block in the back on every runback. That tripping call was absolutely horrible and game-changing. That said, the Vikings allowed two huge turnovers and runbacks, so they should probably leave the complaining about the officials to me.

It will be interesting to see how Perrera tries to justify this on the NFL Network tomorrow, and if they will just fall in line and listen to his bs story...

Hey, I'm still trying to figure out what that phantom call was against the Minnesota defense that gave PIttsburgh that first down. Something about "simulating the start of a play or something." Even the announcers said it's something that's rarely called. But, it was still a good game, it's just a shame the official had to make themselves so noticeable.

The Steelers have become the NFL office's favorite team, so they get all the calls now, just like the Cowboys did when Tagliaboob was commish, and the Packers when Rozelle was commish. And yes, I do believe that the Colts were the sacrificial lamb in Super Bowl lll, since another NFL blowout would have hurt the legitimacy of the merger. Super Bowl V was also fixed, it was the Colts consolation prize for losing lll to a vastly inferior team, only the Colts played so poorly in V the Cowboys really had to struggle to lose.

It's good to see the Ravens crybabies are still out in full force. I don't know of fans who cry more about officiating. Of course no mention of the "penalty" taking away the Steelers first TD. No mention of James Harrison getting held almost every play. Good teams overcome bad officiating and mediocre teams like the Ravens cannot overcome it and use it as an excuse.

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Pete's reply: The Ravens didn't play anybody today, Steely Beam. I was just watching the featured game. Did your team really get a first down off "defensive delay of game?" First time that's been called since they wore leather helmets and the announcers -- who I don't believe are prejudiced against the Steelers -- are still scratching their heads.

Hey, "StillerFan" ... it took terrible officiating and your home crowd to beat the Vikings, Two bad calls gave you the game. Your offense was nowhere to be seen. Don't worry about getting tickets for Miami in February, Steelers not going anywhere. Officials took a TD away from the Vikings with the bogus tripping call .. that's how you won.

This was Ron Winter's crew. The same guys that took the game away from us in New England. Anyone want to advance the conspiracy theory re: the NFL versus Baltimore?

whiners

It's good to see the Ravens crybabies are still out in full force. I don't know of fans who cry more about officiating. Of course no mention of the "penalty" taking away the Steelers first TD. No mention of James Harrison getting held almost every play. Good teams overcome bad officiating and mediocre teams like the Ravens cannot overcome it and use it as an excuse.

Posted by: StillerFan | October 25, 2009 7:24 PM
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Hate to say this but I agree with you. Johnny Unitas, Art Donovan, Lenny Moore, et al, never whined about the officiating like this bunch of cry babies. In the last 10 years, go over the clippings of every Ravens' loss and you'll find crying about this call or that call. It's one of the main reasons (Ray Lewis being THE main reason, that I as a native of Baltimore, can't stand the Wavens. And let's not forget the whining about the NFL schedule makers too. They always give the Wavens more "tough" games *L*, than any other team. And the "fans" are just as much cry babies as the team. Remember last year when a hurricane postponded the game at Houston so the Wavens were given a bye week and the "fans" still screamed it was a conspiracy by the NFL in that gave the Wavens 13 weeks straight without a week off. Yep, only Wavens fans would blame a hurricane on the NFL schedule makers. *LMAO* Bunch of whiners. GROW UP.

Hey, not to change the subject, but didn't Troy "The Hampster" Polamalu's hair look great?

Just curious, was that Head & Shoulder's commercial he stars in marketed towards a particular demographic?

Delay of game....defense?

Great blog... Ray Charles could have seen something was wrong.

I guess the script this week was that the big dollar spending Steelers high population fan base needed a win to keep them happy enough to buy more Steelers stuff. After all this won't hurt the Vikings too much.

Maybe the NFL is using the golden rule during tough economy times, those with the gold, rule.

I'm shocked, shocked I say, to see that a ref made another ridiculous call that influenced the outcome of another game!!!
Either the refs are incompetent OR the rules are way too subjective...or both.
On the other hand, does anyone here really think the Ravens can match the Steelers, especially their D, for ferocity&talent - AND, defensive schemes (Matti?)?!?
RichardinDallas.

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Pete's reply: The Steelers are definitely the better team at the moment. Sad but true.

Pete

I've said it many times and I'll say it again here. For the NFL, who literally thrives on parity, to have a part-time officiating system is beyond comprehension to me.

There is so much money, both legally and illegally bet on every game. The games are usually very close where any game can be affected by one wrong or missed call, improper spot or other officiating 'mistake' and too many times those calls benefit the front running teams i.e. the favorites that the entire system looks and feels suspect.

I've heard it said that the officials can call holding on every play, so what decides when they do?

The guy on the field does the challenge review. When he does, he already knows the situation in the game and, in some cases has already made the call himself.

Better the NHL way...league officials at headquarters review the play and tell the on-field people what the call should have been.

Basically the NFL is set-up to easily look fixed and it needn't be.

In the meantime we just wonder.

Hey Pete, I was just wondering if there could be any illegal activity with the NFL league officials this year. Not too long ago, an NBA ref Tim Donaghy was caught fixing some games. Do you think the same could possibly happen in the "all mighty" NFL?

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Pete's reply: No, I don't think so. I think they are just ridiculously inconsistent. I don't think they're trying to favor any particular team.

This doesn't fit with the topic, but the title.

Explain this to me:

Why leave Joe Saunders in the game to face A-Rod with the bases loaded when he's already walked four guys?

Another fun fact: Two of the three Yankees that have scored so far tonight were walked.

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Pete's reply: They'll kill you, no doubt about it.

can we just forfeit the Squealer games and not risk injury this year?......THEY OWN US.......LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR!!

troy dandruff head has the girliest voice i've ever heard for a football player. i bet 100 bucks in twenty years it will come out that he likes men.

Aside from Darren Oliver's 2.2 innings, Horrible game for the Angels in each and every way.

The deserve to lose this series.

Game changing stat:

Angels Pitchers: three strikeouts, NINE walks

Yankees Pitchers: six strikeouts, ONE walk

I'm glad that Len picked up on the fact that this was Ron Winter's crew, the same bunch of clowns that officiated the Ravens-Patriots game (so fine me, Goodell). If I'm not mistaken, his crew has led the league each of the last 3 years in number of flags thrown per game, and after watching the games they've officiated this year, I would swear that they LOOK to throw their flags on plays on which other crews don't. It's as if they can't allow an opportunity to throw call a penalty pass on any play. And Winter's tripping call was abominable, not only because it was wrong, but because it literally changed the game.

But, Pete, as you point out, the real problem with the officiating is the inconsistency. Remember back a couple of seasons ago when Bart Scott planted Roethlisberger into the turf at Ravens' Stadium, a hit Big Ben said was the hardest he'd ever taken? Anyone want to tell me that play today wouldn't draw a flag for "slamming" Roethlisberger to the turf? The league has to realize that the laws of physics dictate that when guys are moving as fast as these players are, some hits literally will lift a player off the ground before gravity takes over. Otherwise, we should go to flag football.

The NFL prides itself on being clean when it comes to gambling but the way the officials seem to faver certain team , I sometimes wonder . Don't tell me that some officials arn't crooked and making games turn out in faver of the big time gamblers .Today's Steeler game and the Raven's Patriot game are proof . It's a great game but the league must stop these officials from ruining the game by making terrible calls against the underdog team .

Hey Pete; I seem to remember them calling that phantom " defensive delay of game" penalty at least once since they wore those leather helmets. It was a few years ago, when the Ravens got called for it late in the playoff game against the Titans, resulting in them keeping the drive alive and I believe, getting the winning FG. I was there with my boy, and remember us turning to each other and going "what the hell is defensive delay of game"?

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Pete's reply: I don't remember that, but I realize the penalty exists in the rule book. It just seems to be the kind of penalty that can be called at any time. I think it's when a defensive lineman or linebacker tries to disrupt the snap count by yelling stuff unrelated to setting up the defense.

Peter, wonder if Roger Goodall has the courage to do the same thing that the SEC did in suspending the officials. It is beginning to look mighty suspicious to me.

The Colt's lucky horseshoe never made it to Indiannapolis...it went right up Pittsburgh's a**

A Steeler linebacker with his back to the play pushed the Viking receiver on a pass when the Vikings were at the one. Of course there was no call. If that had been Ray Lewis the end zone would have been littered with yellow.

Hate to say it but Dugan threw his leg up into Harrison. And that is a trip. And then on the Kickoff return, he was lucky not to get called for a holding penalty that would have negated the TD.

Stop blaming the officials and blame our Oline for allowing the Steelers to get to Favre and strip the ball. And also blame Taylor for not being able to catch the ball.

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Pete's reply: I have my doubts about your status as a Vikings fan. He hit the guy with his butt and that's legal. The announcers were the ones who pointed out what a ticky-tack call it was.

Fans see what they want to see. Steelers had a TD called back on a rarely called penalty and Harrison was getting held the entire game. The tripping penalty was a leg whip. 2/3 of the NFL Network crew last night said it was a good call.

No conspiracy just Steeler toughness. This is from today's Yahoo sports:
"coach Mike Tomlin's team has an uncanny way of coming up with what it needs to win, usually courtesy of Roethlisberger and the defense. They always are more disciplined and tougher — mentally and physically — than their opponent."

Sums it up! Ravens have played great defense for a decade but make stupid penalties (Ray against the Bengals) due to a lack of discipline.

The two biggest things I want to see from the officials are (1) each crew calls a consistent game regardless if they like tossing the hanky or swallowing the whistle, and (2) don't call things that aren't there. The latter one really gets me -- refs assuming something took place rather than calling only what is seen.

As for defensive delay of game, there have been defensive players who were very talented at imitating the QB calling signals, and could draw an offensive player into motion early. I don't know if it's called less because it's done less, it's caught less, or the refs have taken a preference to ignoring it more.

I remember in the old days at Memorial Stadium, the fans were penalized for booing so loudly, the QB couldn't be heard. The clock was stopped and the game went for as much as 20 minutes with pleas coming from the microphone to quiet down for the snap. Eventually, the fans were flagged although I don't remember if it was unsportsmanlike conduct or delay of game. Obviously, this was pre-silent-count snaps.

I think the Stillers are the team that should have the Horseshoe on their helmets, not the Colts. The Fox INT was couldn't have been anymore Right Place-Right Time than if Favre handed it off to him.

Notice the block thrown on Polamalu on the APete run? The Viking just blocked him, rather than Hines Warding him when he had the chance.

Speaking of Polamalu, do you think Head N Shoulders saw the video on YouTube of him knocking out the K-State KR on a punt a solid second before the ball came anywhere near him? Classy move.

Pete, not sure if anyone else noticed this on the blog, but this was the same officiating crew who officiated the Ravens-Patriots debacle. Ron Winter's crew. Based on their performance this season they should be demoted to reffing pop warner games.

It's so much easier to cry about the officiating than to admit that your team wasn't good enough.

I'm still waiting for the day that the Ravens (or their fans) admit that the were beaten. Every time they lose, it's either the refs, or "they beat themselves."

Even on their bye week, I guess they have to cry about something.

Look, the refs took a TD off the board for both teams. (2nd time in 2 games for the Steelers.) And just because the lame telecast didn't show the replay, doesn't mean it didn't happen.

How about when the Vikes LT came up out of his stance a full beat before anyone else on the line and there was no call? Yeah... must have temporary Vikings bias, then they went back to manipulating things for the Steelers.

Put away the tinfoil hats and just admit it. The refs blow calls sometimes. For both sides. And sometimes the calls are on the money. If you don't want the penalty, don't commit the penalty. Sure some of the rules are dumb, but that is not up to the refs. They have to call what's on the books. Good teams overcome tough calls, and losers cry in the media the next day about official bias.

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Pete's reply: Who's the Ravens fan crying about the officiating, Steeler-breath? I wrote that, and I was watching the Steelers/Vikings game. Never said the refs were intentionally favoring the Steelers. I said they did a poor job, and they did. And, while we're on the subject, everybody's fans whine after a big loss in the NFL. I'm sure you're no different.

Ron Winter's crew is the most flag happy in the league.

I hear wveryone on the quit whining, but the Raven's calls always seem to extend drives. But idiotic calls like the reversed Flacco fumble need to stop. Clearly a thrown ball. Crap like that gets people hurt chasing down plays that should have been called right. What is Flacco got his ankle stepped on in that play?

Refs are getting lazy, almost like they just guess then wait for the replay.

No matter what happens in the NFL with their bungling refs, at least we don't have to live in a sewer like Pittsburgh. People born there can barely wait until they get out of high school to get out of that closed gene pool city and plague the rest of the country with their idiocy.
The huge beer guts and cheesy mustaches in Pittsburgh are disgusting.....and that's just on the Steeler women!

Hey Kevlar,
It would be one thing making fun of the city of Pittsburgh if you were actually from a decent city...but Baltimore? One of the nastiest cities in the whole nation. Ridiculous crime rate and murders and the streets look like a landfill. But I'll admit it was nice to see a comment from a Ravens fan that didn't include crying about officiating. It was awesome last year kicking Ravens butt 3 times, including the AFC Championship game. This year will be even more fun.

There is no conspiracy against the Baltimore Ravens or any other team. To say as much only discredits us as a knowledgable fan base, so keep the whining at bay.

I will say, however, that I have seen many refs making mistakes at the benefit of the home teams. The New England game was a perfect example. When Golden Boy got "thrown" to the turf, the crowd obviously took exception and I feel the refs were reacting to that. Be a man an make the right call, regardless of what that crowd may say about you.

@ Stiller Fan

# of people that move from Baltimore to Pittsburgh = 0

# of maggots that crawl out of Pittsburgh to infest the Baltimore area = thousands

If you are a transplant from Pittsburgh to Baltimore, we thank you for cooking our fries, digging our ditches and cleaning out our port-o-pots.

The weird combination of steroids, luck, flukes and bad calls that has been the the hallmark of Steeler football for decades has got to end sometime.

Why all the AFC North haters?

I only root against the Steelers, Bengals or Brown for 3 games, PERIOD!!!

I root against them when they play us during the regular season and when we meet them in the playoffs. Other than that I hope for the AFC North Division to have 4 teams with 10 or more wins.

I'm glad the Steelers won against the Vikings and I'm glad the Bengals crushed the Bears and I wish the Browns would have played a lot better.

I root for the Ravens first, then the AFC North and finally the AFC.

This whole article was a lame journalists lame attempt at stirring the pot during the BYE week.

Pete, it's true that most fans cry and boo-hoo after a big loss, BUT that doesn't make it classy or right. Show a little class and do the right thing and stop perpetuatuig all the crying Raven Nation is doing.

I hate the Steelers but I got to be honest for a second. Baltimore Street after dark is one of the nastiest places I've ever been(many times, lol).

That is a different world there, cops on one corner and prostitutes an dealers on the others.

Pete, your blogs over here are way more insightful and fun than the collection of doofusses on the "Ravens Insider" blog. One of those loggerheads said this defense was going to be better than the 2000 defense, and still maintains that this defense is "elite". Elite, my tookus.

You should kidnap Preston and team up on a blog: The Prest Schmuck. He's the only one over there who knows his head from a football (plus it's funny when he tells it straight and some pencil neck behind a keyboard gets all up in his eFace about being a hater).

The Ravens fan crying about the officiating is... well, most of the commenters that follow, and that was predominantly to who I was addressing my remarks. I apologize for not making that clearer.

The inference that I read all over the comments, that there is a bias for the Steelers, is completely laughable. They must lead the league in TDs taken off the board, and in league apologies.

The truth is that calls get blown for everyone. When I whine after a loss, it's because they couldn't run the ball or protect the quarterback. Or drop a pass that floated right into the receiver's arms. I accept that on that day, my team wasn't good enough. The next time I hear that from Ravens fans will be the first time.

What a dumb article!

Why agitate the Steeler fans?
We don't want to hear them on here defending themselves and their city. The Ravens - Steelers game is weeks away. Why have this article?

Are out of material Pete? You couldn't find anything else to complain about this week? Come on Pete, I thought you were better than this. This is the kind of garbage Mike Preston posts. Raise your game, Pete.

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Pete's reply: Geez, I wish you were around that day to advise me before I put it up.

Ravens, Intimidating? Hardly!
I have lived in Maryland for over 30 years and I can’t get over how obnoxious Raven fans are. They keep insisting that the mighty Ravens intimidate other teams and what is even more hilarious is they say it with a straight face. What is in their Kool-Aid?
Is Peyton afraid of your team even though he owns you? Don’t think so. Do Troy, Ben and Hines stay awake at night fearing their encounter the next day? Doubt it. The kicker was last year before the Giant game; every one insisted that the Giants rushing game would be stuffed. We all know that your D was used and abused that day. Ray-ray and T-SIZZLE fizzled against the Giants “intimidated weak O-Line”. That was a yawner for Giant fans.
Contrary to this city’s “wacky tobaccy” myth that they intimidate others, the only team that is worthy of the word INTIMIDATION is the 70’s Steelers…they dominated and destroyed during their 70’s tenure, All Pros everywhere…Greene, LC, Lambert, Blount, Ham, Terry, Franco, Stallworth, etc.

Why did you take this post off?

The Ravens can only dream of the Steelers success. What puzzles me is, how can a team act or think they put fear in other teams while going 38-32 in their last 70 games. Instead of dominating, the more appropriate word for the Ravens based on the past few years appears to be mediocrity. The Giants in that same timeframe are 46-24 with a Super Bowl. So Balteemore, empty your Kool-Aid cups… ya ain’t that good. Steelers, Giants and other successful franchises with recent Super Bowls usually act professional. Ravens (Ray-Ray)state periodically that they have to play like champs blah, blah, blah. Him being a champ was over EIGHT YEARS AGO, let go Ray you’re not a champ anymore.
By the way if you mention Ray as the best LB ever, put your Kool-aid down. LT by far was the best. LT earned his pay fighting through double teams (OT and TE chip), while Ray went on national TV begging for players like Ngata to allow him to run free to the ball. Ray now gets taken out by FBs.
One other question why did Ray and TFIZZLE pound their chest when they trailed the Giants 20-0 last year? Must have been that Kool-Aid.