Friday Funny (GO HAWKS!!)

[csmooth24]

In a school just outside of Pittsburgh, a first grade teacher explained to her class that she is a Steeler's fan. She asked her students to raise their hands if they were Steeler's fans too.

Not really knowing what a Steeler's fan was, but wanting to be liked by their teacher, their hands all went up into the air. However, there was one exception.

A little boy named Timmy had not gone along with the crowd.

The teacher asked him why he had decided to be different.

"Because I am not a Steeler's fan" says Timmy.

The teacher then asked, "What are you?"

Timmy said "I'm a Seahawk's fan."

The teacher was a little perturbed now, her face slightly red, she asked Timmy why he was a Seahawk's fan.

"Well, my mom and dad are Seahawk's fans so I'm a Seahawk's fan too."

The teacher was now angry. "That's no reason" she says loudly. "What if your mom was a moron and your dad was an idiot?"

Timmy smiled and said, "Then I'd be a Steeler's fan."

GO Seahawks!!!

[moyboy]

Go Steelers!

[csmooth24]

Go Steelers!

GO HOME!

[Not_Trapped]

that's pretty damn funny -

[moyboy]

GO HOME!

i am home.

[csmooth24]

i am home.
touche!

[moyboy]

GO HOME!

AND that is what Jerome Bettis is doing...
going home to Detroit to win a superbowl in front of his friends and family!

[reallygroovN]

go hawks!!!

i would like to see coach kower win one for pittsburgh, but, i would also like to see the nfc take the lombardi trophy back where it belongs ;)

oh, and i want chris to be happy :):):)

yeah!

gosh, this time last year, we were in a frenzy here. couldnt sneeze without hearing the eagles fight song. makes me kinda sad.

do the seahawks have a fight song? does pittsburgh?

*sigh*
go hawks!

[JoeInCharleston]

The Steelers don't need a fight song. They beat their opponents too quickly to ever need it :D Go Steelers! I *might* have pulled for the Hawks, but nooo they had to beat my Panthers so it's revenge time!

[Not_Trapped]

cowher...you call yourself a sports fan...ha! :P

[csmooth24]

The Steelers don't need a fight song. They beat their opponents too quickly to ever need it :D Go Steelers! I *might* have pulled for the Hawks, but nooo they had to beat my Panthers so it's revenge time!

John Clayton might be a pompous ass hole, but he's right on here (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs05/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=2317573)

[reallygroovN]

cowher...you call yourself a sports fan...ha! :P

ah, it isnt the first time i misspelled a name - nor the last :P :P HA

[TmasH]

I think the Seahawks are going to suprise a lot of people...Im actually really happy all the focus has been on the Steelers, the media doesnt know whats coming! Not to mention, its more motivation for the Hawks

Its gonna come down to the best player on the field making the plays, and that happens to be Hasselbeck

GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!

[csmooth24]

I think the Seahawks are going to suprise a lot of people...Im actually really happy all the focus has been on the Steelers, the media doesnt know whats coming! Not to mention, its more motivation for the Hawks

Its gonna come down to the best player on the field making the plays, and that happens to be Hasselbeck

GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!

agreed...

[rockrighter]

touche!
GAH! You missed the Wayne's World segue.

Go then.
I am.
So go.
I'm gone.
So go then.
I am!

Or something like that.

GO SEAHAWKS.

[M_F_Cecil]

let's see.......
from a purely musical standpoint

Heart
Soundgarden
Pearl Jam
Alice in Chains
Nirvana
Jimi Hendrix

I don't know one single band that's worth a shit from Pittsburgh...


GO HAWKS!

[Not_Trapped]

I think the Seahawks are going to suprise a lot of people...Im actually really happy all the focus has been on the Steelers, the media doesnt know whats coming! Not to mention, its more motivation for the Hawks

Its gonna come down to the best player on the field making the plays, and that happens to be Hasselbeck

GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!
ah, i've stayed out of this for the most part...but, the best player on the field being hasselback? we'll see if he can keep his manic side out of it and make plays...i don't think he can for the entire game. i think it's gonna be a lot like the past two games...the steeler defense forces the seahawks offense into a few mistakes...short field...and you know the rest.

[csmooth24]

ah, i've stayed out of this for the most part...but, the best player on the field being hasselback? we'll see if he can keep his manic side out of it and make plays...i don't think he can for the entire game. i think it's gonna be a lot like the past two games...the steeler defense forces the seahawks offense into a few mistakes...short field...and you know the rest.
Below are two quotes from the John Clayton article that I completely agree with. Hasselbeck was one of the most consistent QBs all season long and a big part of Alexander's success (the other being the O-line). I'm not sure which game(s) you're referring to with regards to him being 'manic'...perhaps past seasons? If that's the case, I think it's obvious he's grown considerably as a QB. I think he's probably the least likely player on the field (for either team) to make bad mistakes...

1. People are mistaken in thinking that stopping Shaun Alexander (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5048) is the key to beating the Seahawks. Matt Hasselbeck (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=4416) is the most important Seahawk in this matchup. The Steelers run a 3-4 designed to stop the run. Alexander led the league with 1,880 yards rushing and got half of those yards out of three-receiver sets. More than likely, Alexander won't gain 100 yards rushing unless this game is a Seahawks blowout, which is extremely unlikely. The Seahawks' philosophy is to use the pass to set up the run. Stopping Hasselbeck is more important than stopping Alexander. The Steelers will stay in their 3-4 alignment except on passing downs and probably won't come out of that alignment unless the Seahawks go to a four-receiver set. Hasselbeck won't be able to audible as well to the weakside running plays that work so well for Alexander, but he will try to work passes in the slot if he can get mismatches with either Bobby Engram (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=3512) out of three-receiver sets or occasionally can use Joey Porter (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=4723)'s favorite player, Jerramy Stevens (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5914), to get some passes over the middle.

4. While most people are correct in anointing Roethlisberger the next Tom Brady (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5228), they're overlooking the fact that Hasselbeck is actually the hotter quarterback. Hasselbeck had the best December of any quarterback in NFL history, completing 76.1 percent of his passes. He had a 135.5 quarterback rating, the fourth best of all time. During the playoffs, Hasselbeck completed 66.7 percent of his passes and had a 109.4 quarterback rating. He has a more balanced attack. He can spread the ball to more receivers than Roethlisberger. It's harder to shut down one element of the Seahawks' offense than it is against the Steelers' offense, even though Pittsburgh might have bigger names such as Hines Ward (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=4323), Heath Miller (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=7206) and Bettis. Hasselbeck is on the eve of becoming one of the league's elite quarterbacks.

[Not_Trapped]

and, now, ask peyon manning and jake plummer what they think of the situation. :) the pittsburgh offense is clicking and able to eat up time on the clock and their defense is able to shut down any team. i don't think hasselback has the mental acumen, at this point, to handle a situation where the run isn't working and he has to put it all on his shoulders. we'll see tomorrow.

[csmooth24]

and, now, ask peyon manning and jake plummer what they think of the situation. :) the pittsburgh offense is clicking and able to eat up time on the clock and their defense is able to shut down any team. i don't think hasselback has the mental acumen, at this point, to handle a situation where the run isn't working and he has to put it all on his shoulders. we'll see tomorrow.

the run doesn't set up the pass for seattle. it's the exact opposite.

but we'll see tomorrow! :)

[Not_Trapped]

it doesn't matter what sets up what...the run won't happen tomorrow, most likely, as mentioned above. without the run, hasselback will be forced to pass trying to set up a running game and then trying to score because the run won't ever get going. you better watch out when that happens against the pittsburgh defense. that's when that defense forces even good quarterbacks into mistakes.

[csmooth24]

it doesn't matter what sets up what...the run won't happen tomorrow, most likely, as mentioned above. without the run, hasselback will be forced to pass trying to set up a running game and then trying to score because the run won't ever get going. you better watch out when that happens against the pittsburgh defense. that's when that defense forces even good quarterbacks into mistakes.

You must have missed the Seattle/Carolina game where the Hawks stomped all over a very similar (almost identical) Panther defense...

<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR class=colhead align=right><TD align=left>RNK</TD><TD align=left>NAME</TD><TD>YDS (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/statistics?stat=team&sort=yds&pos=def&league=nfl&season=2&year=2005)</TD><TD>YPG</TD><TD>RUSH (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/statistics?stat=team&sort=ryds&pos=def&league=nfl&season=2&year=2005)</TD><TD>RUSH YPG (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/statistics?stat=team&sort=rypg&pos=def&league=nfl&season=2&year=2005)</TD><TD>PASS (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/statistics?stat=team&sort=pyds&pos=def&league=nfl&season=2&year=2005)</TD><TD>PASS YPG (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/statistics?stat=team&sort=pypg&pos=def&league=nfl&season=2&year=2005)</TD><TD>PTS (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/statistics?stat=team&sort=pts&pos=def&league=nfl&season=2&year=2005)</TD><TD>PTS/G (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/statistics?stat=team&sort=ppg&pos=def&league=nfl&season=2&year=2005)</TD><TR class=oddrow align=right><TD align=left>1</TD><TD align=left>Tampa Bay (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=tam)</TD><TD>4444</TD><TD class=sortcell>277.8</TD><TD>1515</TD><TD>94.7</TD><TD>2929</TD><TD>183.1</TD><TD>274</TD><TD>17.1</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD align=left>2</TD><TD align=left>Chicago (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=chi)</TD><TD>4509</TD><TD class=sortcell>281.8</TD><TD>1637</TD><TD>102.3</TD><TD>2872</TD><TD>179.5</TD><TD>202</TD><TD>12.6</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow align=right><TD align=left>3</TD><TD align=left>Carolina (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=car)</TD><TD>4522</TD><TD class=sortcell>282.6</TD><TD>1465</TD><TD>91.6</TD><TD>3057</TD><TD>191.1</TD><TD>259</TD><TD>16.2</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD align=left>4</TD><TD align=left>Pittsburgh (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=pit)</TD><TD>4536</TD><TD class=sortcell>283.5</TD><TD>1368</TD><TD>85.5</TD><TD>3168</TD><TD>198.0</TD><TD>258</TD><TD>16.1</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

And if anyone was wondering, here is the line the Hawks put up against the Panthers...

<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR class=colhead align=right><TD align=left></TD><TD>C/ATT</TD><TD>YDS</TD><TD>AVG</TD><TD>TD</TD><TD>INT</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>M. Hasselbeck (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=1575)</TD><TD>20/28</TD><TD>219</TD><TD>7.8</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>0</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR class=colhead align=right><TD align=left></TD><TD>CAR</TD><TD>YDS</TD><TD>AVG</TD><TD>TD</TD><TD>LG</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>S. Alexander (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=2150)</TD><TD>34</TD><TD>132</TD><TD>3.9</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>18</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>M. Hasselbeck (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=1575)</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>27</TD><TD>4.5</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>15</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>M. Morris (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=3582)</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>24</TD><TD>3.4</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>10</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>M. Strong (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=518)</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>1.8</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>3</TD></TR><TR class="bi oddrow" align=right><TD align=left>Team</TD><TD>51</TD><TD>190</TD><TD>3.7</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>18</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hasselbeck has TOO many targets to chose from...

<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR class=colhead align=right><TD align=left></TD><TD>REC</TD><TD>YDS</TD><TD>AVG</TD><TD>TD</TD><TD>LG</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>D. Jackson (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=2211)</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>75</TD><TD>12.5</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>20</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>J. Stevens (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=3556)</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>66</TD><TD>11.0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>17</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>B. Engram (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=937)</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>34</TD><TD>11.3</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>13</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>S. Wallace (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=4568)</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>28</TD><TD>28.0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>28</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>R. Hannam (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=3699)</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>7.0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>7</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>J. Jurevicius (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=1485)</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>6.0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>6</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>M. Strong (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=518)</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>3.0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>3</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

And Jurevicious was our 2nd leading this year. Watch for him to have a big game tomorrow. And watch for DJ Hackett to have at least one big play down field...that guy can FLY!

[Not_Trapped]

:) i didn't miss the game. it might be the same scheme...but, it's not the same defense.
http://www.pyramidbrew.com/images/bottles_2005/hefeweizen.jpg<img src="http://www.pyramidbrew.com/images/bottles_2005/ipa.jpg"><img src="http://www.pyramidbrew.com/images/bottles_2005/amber_weizen.jpg">

These look pretty inviting :P

[reallygroovN]

hey - go seahawks!!!!! hope you are havin fun, smoothie!!!!!!!

and same to you too, dominic, and as always when it comes to sports - i hope you are WRONG :P

[Not_Trapped]

nice footnote...

[rockrighter]

Seattle's going to have to turn down the Suck if they even want a chance at simply tying this game.

That said, the game's score will likely stand as is with 4:45 left to go, maybe add an irrelevant field goal on either side.

[Immortal]

it's just unfortunate that the referees decided the outcome of the game, rather than the players

[Not_Trapped]

that wasn't a hold - but, the offensive pass interferance call...that's kosher - doesn't matter if he needed to do it or not - it's not about gaining an advantage...it's about interfering. other than the hold, i am not sure what else could be disputed...but, the holding call was a big deal...

[Immortal]

the holding call was a big deal

roethlisberger crossed the plane of the goal, but the ball did NOT until after he was down

the pass interference call in the 1st was BS... he did not interfere with the defender's momentum, he didn't even push off. he just put a hand on him. watch the replay, the defender doesn't even flinch when touched. for the offense to gain an advantage, the defender would have had to have been pushed backwards. in the replay, though, he doesn't move.


replace the field goal in the 1st with a touchdown, take away the roethlisberger touchdown, it's 14-14. add in some kind of points after disregarding the holding call (who doesn't score something on 1st and goal on the 2?), and the seahawks win a close one. they got robbed

[reallygroovN]

amen immortal. goshdarnit :patch: pittsburgh should have thanked the refs after they thanked the owner and the fans.

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[Immortal]

and hines ward should have been co-MVP with the refs.

i think the line judge wanted one of those new cadillac escalades

[yer ardy]

the superbowl was today??

[Not_Trapped]

the holding call was a big deal

roethlisberger crossed the plane of the goal, but the ball did NOT until after he was down

the pass interference call in the 1st was BS... he did not interfere with the defender's momentum, he didn't even push off. he just put a hand on him. watch the replay, the defender doesn't even flinch when touched. for the offense to gain an advantage, the defender would have had to have been pushed backwards. in the replay, though, he doesn't move.


replace the field goal in the 1st with a touchdown, take away the roethlisberger touchdown, it's 14-14. add in some kind of points after disregarding the holding call (who doesn't score something on 1st and goal on the 2?), and the seahawks win a close one. they got robbed
ah, if the defensive player touches the offensive guy the same way...the call goes the other way...

not sure what you're talking about with the roethlisberger touchdown...i watched the replay...and, to me, the nose of the football cross the plane of the end-line before he was down.

the holding call is a big deal. i know that.

but, in all sports, it comes down to execution. you put those things behind you and you move on.

[rockrighter]

the superbowl was today??
Best response in the whole thread. I'm not kidding.

[Not_Trapped]

the superbowl was today??

hahahahahahahahahahahahaha

[rockrighter]

Oh, and I should add that Bettis was in his hometown for the Super Bowl, in case any one missed that.

[Immortal]

see, i don't think that if the roles were reversed that there would have been a call, necessarily, judging solely on the amount of contact present.

the curious thing to me is that the call was SO late. the ref didn't pull the flag until after the defender started complaining. you call what you see, not what the players tell you that you saw.

i can't find a video clip online of the roethlisberger touchdown yet, but when i do i'll be happy to post some screen shots of the ball not crossing the goal line.

and you're totally right, it comes down to execution. and in the end, if not for the ike taylor interception, it might have been a different outcome. but the fact is that the referees cost the seahawks at least 11 points and gave the steelers an extra 7. if the score was 14-7 at the time of taylor's interception, like it would have been without the questionable calls, then the game may have turned out different. we'll never know. all i'm saying is that sometimes it's not that easy to just put the bad calls behind you and still win

[Johnny Carwash]

the superbowl was today??
i'm right there with ya ards..
didn't watch a minute of it

[Beta]

i'm right there with ya ards..
didn't watch a minute of it
she was probably joking cause she's in detroit:P

[Johnny Carwash]

oh,
yeah
well,
whatever.
iamaloser

[mensane]

it's just unfortunate that the referees decided the outcome of the game, rather than the players

well, it was obvious to me that the game was going to be one-sided early on....

...i mean, what the hell was up with those trophy commercials? for the entire first half, the only players being featured in the commercials were steelers....and when they FINALLY showed seahawks holding the trophy during the second half, there were steelers mixed in with them.

....i think the refs got a little caught up in the whole yellow towel thing. they wanted to fit in so they kept pulling out their yellow flags.

[Immortal]

Game's third team upstaged Steelers, Hawks
By Michael Smith
ESPN.com
DETROIT -- Three weeks ago, after the Steelers held on to upset Indianapolis, Joey Porter was unhappy about the overturning of Troy Polamalu's fourth-quarter interception that could have sealed the win much earlier. Believing that deep down the league preferred Peyton Manning and the Colts to win, Porter publicly criticized the game officials, asking them not to "take the game from us."
Well, the Steelers can call it even now, as the officials who performed well enough throughout the season to earn the privilege of working Super Bowl XL performed Sunday as though they were trying to make it up to the Steelers by giving them the game -- not just any game, but the biggest game. And, yes, this time the other guys, the Seahawks, cried conspiracy, only not quite as loudly as Porter.
"You know, that's what happens when the world is against you," one Seahawk said after the 21-10 loss at Ford/Heinz Field. "No one wanted us to win. They wanted Jerome Bettis to win and go out a hero, and they got it."
Seattle had its share of goats: in particular, tight end Jerramy Stevens, who dropped four balls, and kicker Josh Brown, who missed two field-goal attempts. Almost to a man, the Seahawks pointed the blame finger at themselves for converting only one of three red zone attempts (when they had been the best in the league in that area, scoring a touchdown on 71.7 percent of their trips inside the 20-yard line); for allowing Ben Roethlisberger (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6770) to improvise and complete a 37-yard pass to game MVP Hines Ward (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=4323) to the 1; for giving up a 75-yard touchdown run to Willie Parker (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=7073); and for getting beaten by a trick play on Antwaan Randle El (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5948)'s pass to fellow receiver Ward for a touchdown, a first in Super Bowl history. If you read between the lines, though, they pretty much spelled out in bold letters that they had plenty of help in handing Pittsburgh its fifth Lombardi Trophy.
Namely, the boys in black and white.
"Those things are out of our control," Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=4416) said of the three major penalties that helped change the game completely. Not saying the outcome of the game would have been any different, but for sure it would have been a different game. "That's the way [the officials] called them," Hasselbeck continued. "The Steelers played well enough to win tonight, and we didn't. They should get credit. It's disappointing, it's hard, but what are you going to do?"
Here's what referee Bill Leavy's crew did, point blank: It robbed Seattle. The Seahawks could have played better, sure. They could have done more to overcome the poor officiating. We understand that those things happen and all, but even with all the points Seattle left on the field, there's a good chance the Seahawks would have scored more than the Steelers if the officials had let the players play.
In the biggest game of the year, the biggest game in sports, even, the officials were just a little too visible. In that regard, the Super Bowl provided a fitting conclusion to a postseason packed with pitiful performances by the game's third team. There were incorrect down-by-contact rulings in both NFC wild-card games; a touchdown that could have gone either way and should have gone the other way -- in favor of Tampa Bay -- in the Bucs' loss to the Redskins; the Patriots got no love in Denver in being hit with a bogus pass interference penalty and not catching a break on Champ Bailey (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=4655)'s fumble at the goal line that looked as though it could have been a touchback; and, of course, the Polamalu play.
Still, what happened to the Seahawks wasn't the same as, say, New England going into Denver and playing badly (five turnovers) on top of the bad calls. Seattle gained almost 400 yards and turned it over just once.
You see, you can spend weeks -- and we did; two, in fact -- analyzing and dissecting matchups and giving each team the edge in certain areas and trying to figure out how the game is going to play out, but the two things you can't account for are turnovers and officials. The latter were the X-factor Sunday. Edge: Steelers.
It actually was a fairly clean game from a penalty standpoint, without a whole lot of yellow on the field -- 10 accepted penalties between the teams. Seven were against the Seahawks, though, a team that tied with Indianapolis for the second-fewest penalties (94) in the regular season. But those calls against the Seahawks stuck out like the Space Needle on the Seattle skyline.
Consider: The Seahawks lost 161 yards to penalties when you combine the penalty yards (70) and the plays the flags wiped out (91). By halftime alone, when it trailed 7-3, Seattle had had 73 hard-earned yards and a touchdown eliminated.
Hasselbeck hit Darrell Jackson (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5109) with an apparent 16-yard scoring pass in the first quarter, but the play came back when Jackson was called for offensive pass interference. It was a touch foul. Jackson extended his arm, yes, but both players were fighting for position, and he didn't create any separation by doing so. It was like a referee calling a hand-check in a key moment of Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
The Seahawks had to settle for three instead of seven.
Still, that was early, and that one didn't change the game as much as did a holding call against Sean Locklear (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6843) early in the fourth quarter with Pittsburgh leading 14-10. That one wiped out an 18-yard catch by Stevens that would have taken the ball to the 1. Locklear supposedly held Clark Haggans (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5166), so instead of first-and-goal at the 1 and the chance to complete a 98-yard touchdown drive and take a three-point lead, Seattle faced first-and-20 at the 29.
Three plays later, Ike Taylor (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6461) picked off a Hasselbeck pass, and Hasselbeck went low to make the tackle on Taylor's return and was called for a 15-yard personal foul for a low block. The Steelers set up shop at their 44. That one right there made no sense.
Pittsburgh likes to run its trick plays in the middle of the field. Boom! Four plays later, from Seattle's 43, Randle El took a reverse and threw a sweet strike on the run to Ward. It was 21-10, and that was all she wrote. Everyone knows how important it is to play Pittsburgh with a lead or with the score tied. The Steelers don't lose when they're up by 11.
Eleven just so happens to be the total points taken away by bogus calls. Some penalties meant points; others meant field position. A holding call in the second quarter negated Peter Warrick (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5033)'s 34-yard punt return that would have started Seattle in Pittsburgh territory.
By contrast, the Steelers might have gotten a break on Roethlisberger's 1-yard touchdown plunge on third-and-goal in the second quarter. Leavy reviewed the play under the booth's orders, since it occurred inside the two-minute mark, and while still photos of an airborne Roethlisberger showed that the ball might have broken the plane of the goal line, he landed short of it and reached the ball over. It was close. Head linesman Mark Hittner didn't seem so sure of it, hesitating before signaling touchdown.
"I don't think he scored," Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said.
It was that kind of evening for the Seahawks, who represent a town where residents know all too well that when it rains, it pours. If having what seemed like 90 percent of the 68,200 in attendance waving Terrible Towels wasn't enough to make Seattle feel as though it was playing on the road, the officials called it as though the Seahawks actually were.
Pittsburgh capitalized on its opportunities. And guys like Bill Cowher, Ward, Dan Rooney and The Bus are all very deserving of a championship -- and it's nice to see them win one -- but it would have been better had it not happened like this. It's like the Seahawks said: Not taking anything away from the Steelers, but keep it real.
"We had a touchdown taken away from us, the first one we scored," said Hasselbeck, who was measured in his words but clear in his frustration, "and then we had the ball at the 1-yard line, they called a penalty on us. That was unfortunate."
"I thought they were offside [on the play Locklear was called for holding]," center Robbie Tobeck (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=2696) said. "I thought we had a free play on because they had two guys come across. You know, that's the game. In a game, there's situations you have to overcome, and all night long we didn't do a good job of overcoming those things, and that's something we've done all year."
In the offseason, 31 teams will be back at the drawing board, evaluating what they need to do to knock off the Steelers in the fall. After the postseason they just had, Mike Pereira and the NFL's crew of officials would be wise to take a long, hard look at themselves. It's a real shame when, on the game's biggest stage, the major players aren't players at all. We saw too much of the third team in Super Bowl XL and not enough Seahawks and Steelers.


Michael Smith is a senior writer for ESPN.com.


http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs05/columns/story?columnist=smith_michael&id=2320683&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos2

[Beta]

...i mean, what the hell was up with those trophy commercials?


what irked me was that the photographer was reflected on almost every trophy picture, ha...

[csmooth24]

i'm not normally one to complain about referees, umpires or officials in sporting events. a team must put themselves in postion to win regardless of bad calls. but there is no doubt the refs affected the outcome of the game yesterday. seattle DID put themselves in position to win...and bad calls ripped those opportunities away...

another good article here...

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5310192

Dominic, what do you want? PM your address as well...

[mensane]

winners in our hearts....

[A*FallsInMay]

We lost because the sun was out yesterday.

[Not_Trapped]

articles aside...the offensive pass interferance call was legit. i watched it again tonight with my friend who said, undoubtedly, that it was a bad call...and he conceded that it was the right call. the holding call...bad call...my opinion on that one is that the refs called the wrong number. the touchdown...it was a touchdown...i don't know how else to slice that one.

[RogueTrader]

I watched the game with a bunch of Microsoft employees who were obviously Seahawks fans. I've continually heard the refrain that the refs were bought (of course they forget that Paul Allen is the second or third richest man on the planet); that the game was Pitttsburgs before the start because everyone hates Microsoft...blah blah blah. Let me just re-itterate a few things:

The Seahawks defensive team almost beat the offensive team in rushing yards. They had three or four pass interceptions which lead to decent offensive positions for Seattle each time.

Hasselbeck just couldn't seem to complete a pass. At least a clutch pass (and yes, the offensive interference call was tough, but it was within the letter of the law)

What was up with Seattle's clock management? What the hell wwere they doing at the end of the 3rd quarter and indeed, at the end of the game?

Where was their MVP running back? I saw Shaun Alexander get involved in maybe 3 or 4 major plays and he had no impact on the game that I saw.

All of it makes me think that Seattle let those bad calls get to them. It got inside their heads and prevented them from pulling the trigger in the latter half of the game. The Stealers were clearly nervous in the first half and Roethlisberger's passing and play reading wasn't so great. He got a talking to at half time and when he came out, he came to play, the whole team seemed to step it up a notch. Seattle came back out after half time and choked. Holmgren has to should a great deal of the blame for this.

Seattle will make the SuperBowl again in the next 3 years and they will win it. This loss is the result of them just being ready to play at the sttandard you need to in a SuperBowl. There were some bad calls on the part of the referees, but ultimately, Seattle did not deserve to win SuperBowl 40.

~M

[Immortal]

just one last thing...

you acknowledge that the holding call was a big deal, not realizing just how big of a deal it was. without the hold, it's 14-10 and seattle has the ball on the 2 yard line, ready to take the lead in the fourth quarter. just a couple of plays after the holding call, hasselbeck tried to save the day and threw the interception to taylor, effectively ending the game.

so sure, a perfect team would have gotten the touchdown despite the bad call, but by the fourth quarter came around, i think the seahawks were already worn out by everything going against them. football, more than any other sport, is all about momentum... and that was stolen from them by the referees

[Not_Trapped]

fair enough. i think i'm regionally polar. in the end...i wish the game would have been better. with two stellar teams with the potential to make big plays and smash the football down the field, i was hoping for something better...even with the respective defenses. look out for seattle next year.

caveat: i sure hope that brett favre sticks around. why? he's the biggest reason i still watch football on sundays.

[yer ardy]

she was probably joking cause she's in detroit:P


well, yeah, it was a dig cuz of the hoopla detroit went thru... i mean.. it's ALL that was talked about for so long, everyday, all the news broadcasts, it got a bit annoying...but...i know it was a good thing for the city and except for one murder, it sort of went off without a hitch ;) lots of positive comments, except for the public transportation and shuttle service which turned out to be quite a cluster. it seems the parties got more attention than the game...the "celebrity watch" in effect. afterwards, a lot of people weren't happy about the parties - they paid a lot of money to stand outside in the cold for hours, only to see the celeb du jour for 30 seconds. can't please everyone, eh?

i didn't watch all of the game, not interested in it. the only commercial i caught was the "magic fridge" one...which was genius. i just don't get into football...everyone else was downstairs watching the game - i had ironing to do :) ironing rules!