For years now pro athletes have been saying, about referees, "just be consistent so we always know what is a foul, or what is a strike (in baseball). An infraction should always be called the same whether it's the first minute, or last minute, of the game. We can play by your rules as long as we always know they will be called the same for both teams."
And there come the "rub," because there is betting in every sport, especially football. Basketball has already gone through a scandal or two. Remember the ref who admitted to betting on basketball games and rigging the outcome? Oldtimers will remember the college basketball betting scandal in 1948-49 that almost killed the sport completely, even for the pros.
Back in the 80's pro boxing in Boston, which had, for years, suffered headlines saying "Boston decisions" were runnig rampant and hurting the sport. They were right but the Boxing Commisioners took steps to end that. Ben Doherty and Dr. Wilbert McLure, who was a stablemate of Cassius Clay in the Olympics and won the gold medal in the middleweight division, formed a committee of former boxers and ex officials to study results of Boston matches. Referees and judges were evaluated on a regular basis and those that were out of line with their scoring were ousted. IT WORKED!!
The New England Patriots, in the final play of their October 20th game against the New York Jets, were called for a penalty, brand new this season and the first time it had EVER been called (in the 7th game of the season??) that changed the outcome of the game. A defensive lineman pushing his teammate forward to try to block a field goal. Forget the fact that it's a stupid rule put there (so they say) to protect the center from injury yet offensively running backs are pushed forward by their own teammates to try to get an extra foot or two when rushing for a first down or TD and it's not illegal.
THE FACT IS.....Every team this year has been doing it. Even the Jets did it twice in THIS game and the Pats had already done it once with no call from the referees.
Here's where I have another problem with the mainstream media...They knew this yet none ever reported it. All they wanted was to get Bill Belichick to criticize the refereeing after the game. Of course he would have been fined over $100,000 and theyd have an ongoing story as well as "nailing" Belichick which seems to be good for a story any day of the week. (Reporters claim he won't answer a question when the truth is he won't answer a "leading " question or give away any team "secrets.") Belichick did the right thing for his team, and the sport, by just saying the fault was his alone. He, justifiably, didn't think the referees were calling that penalty, let alone in a game deciding situation, because they hadn't called it earlier in the game on the Jets (twice) and the Pats (once). Everyone knows referees constantly do this but nothing is ever done about it by the Commissioner.
For the league bosses I can only plead with them to take steps to ween out the bad refs, union be damned, and put integrity back into the game. It seems the Pats keep getting the short end on too many of these decisions. Need I remind you of the 1976 playoff game against the Raiders when Sugar Bear Hamilton was called for ruffing the quarterback, on a 4th down incompletion that would have given the Pats the game and a super bowl victory for sure. Pictures showed that the ball was still in Kenny Stabler's hand as Hamilton was flying through the air. (Ben Dreigth was the ref.)
ALSO, remeber the game in Denver when Champ Bailey intercepted a pass and ran it back 99 yards before he was caught from behind and fumbled the ball out of the end zone. That is supposed to result in a touchback and the Pats should have gotten the ball on the 20 yard line. Instead some knuckleheaded ref called it out of bounds on the one yard line. On appeal they claimed the films were inconclusive?? and the call on the field stood. Denver then scored the winning TD and the Pats were out of the playoffs. I won't even mention the "phantom" late pass interference call in the end zone against the Pats the following year against the Colts that cost the Pats the PLAYOFF game.
NOW, let's take a look at the worst call I have ever seen in professional sports: game one of the world series, October 23. A Sox runner was called out at second base and yet the second baseman had CLEARLY never had possession of the ball and VERY CLEARLY dropped it, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE UMPIRE! Thank God for instant reply which never should have been necessary in this case.
My grandmother could have made the correct call here. Needless to say that decision could have changed the outcome of the game.
PLEASE Mr. Commissioner...fix the umpiring problem, again, UNION BE DAMNED. There should never be a variation of the strike zone from one league to the other. Home plate umpires are known for their propensity to have a "high strike, or a low strike, zone. Some even have a WIDE strike zone. The fact that this is all acceptable, not only by the commisioner but the media and the fans alike is a disgrace to sports society and a very bad example to set for the youth of our country. The message is...stretch the rules as far as you can, and, it's okay to break them as long as nobody catches you.
Now for the NBA finals, game seven. I won't even go into the times the refs gave Michael Jordan a trip to the line on a phantom foul that gave the Bulls the title, or the time Jordan pushed off to take the winning shot from 15 feet out. I WILL complain about the fourth quarter of the last Celtics Lakers championship series when the refs clearly GAVE the Lakers six points and the championship in the last two minutes of the game. Kobey Bryant was fouled in three point land and should have resulted in the Lakers taking the ball out of bounds. Instead he got, and made, three foul shots. Earlier in the game a two point shot was taken away from Kevin Garnett on the same type of play. Finally, with about a minute to go, Pao Gasol, under the basket, went up for a shot and was clearly "stuffed" by Garnett. He came down and went up again, and got the foul call and a free throw (instead of being called for an "up and down" violation) to put the game on ice. The Celtics had been ROBBED by the refrees. Many people said this was done because the NBA wanted to get the two teams closer to even up on world championsship wins to make every matchup that much more meaningful. The truth is that FIVE of the Laker titles were not THEIRS but belonged to the MINNEAPOLIS Lakers. The NBA is just playing to the TV media. It means millions of dollars to them and ZIP for the fans.
I welcome ANY comments and stories, or subjects, you'd like to hear about. I promise I do not play the same game as sportsshows around the country and criticize or insult any callers/writers. I look forward to legitimate trivia questions as well. I'll start you off with this one.....What name did the old time Red Stockings (baseball) change their name to? You may be surprised.
ALSO:---Why did the New York Yankees not play the Red Sox in their final game at the old Yankee Stadium? They, instead, played the Baltimore Orioles.
Stay tuned to this space for the answer. This is a small part of trivia questions guaranteed to make you a winner. Some easier than others but all informative, entertaining and will jog your memory.
Finally, a fantasy story I wrote after the Pats got their first Super Bowl victory.....Picture it.....A slow day in heaven and God says to St. Peter, "Pete, do we have any unfinished business with regards to us evening up any miscarriages of justice because of that stupid deal I made with the devil eons ago? NOTE...In a "collective bargaining agreement" (damn those unions) God gave the Devil the right to make deals (but only with 10% of the people) that would get them to sell their soul to the devil in exchange for a favor.St. Peter replied. "Well, yes, Lord, there is that time Al Davis sold his soul to the devil to rig their playoff game against the Patriots back in '76." God replied, "But Pete, didn't I correct that when I let the Steelers beat the Raiders with that "Immaculate reception" pass?"
"Well yes, Lord, that did get back at Al Davis but we never made it up to the Patriots and, right now, they're going to play the Raiders, this time in Boston, in the playoffs. It might be a good opportunity....
"You're right," said God, with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "This time we'll rig it so the Raiders have the game seemingly won then, with only seconds left, the referees do something that robs the RAIDERS. Let's see now...oh yes, let's dust off "THE TUCK RULE, he said. " "The WHAT?" said St Pete. "Don't worry about it," said the Lord. This'll be great. We'll nail that pesky devil at his own game. And you say they're playing in Boston? "Yes, Lord, what do you have in mind?" said Pete. Hmmm, let me see... Boston. Ahah! I've got it...WE'LL LET IT SNOW." (And that begat the Icebowl)
And the rest, as they say, is history. Stay tuned, there's more good stuff next time.....
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