Bill Leavy admits he made "mistakes" in Super Bowl XL

[TFoA]

"Bill Leavy admits to making mistakes."

I knew it, that game was terribly officiated, it's about damn time that he comes out and admits it.

"Super Bowl XL was fixed and the Steelers should be stripped of that year's championship and/or there should be a rematch."

No. Stop it. That's dumb. This isn't Madden, you can't just turn the game off before it begins to save your progress so you can do a re-do because you think that the computer cheated you. This is real life, there are no do-overs (most of the time.) The Steelers won, the Seahawks lost, there was terrible officiating, end of story. BiB hit the nail on the head, if the Seahawks even barely resembled the team that ran roughshod in that year's NFC Title Game, they probably would've won the Super Bowl, even with the shoddy officiating. Hell, both teams weren't all that great in that game. The Steelers just sucked less and ended up taking home the crown. The officiating was bad, but not enough to warrant a rematch or a jobbing.

[BlueSky]

All this made me think of the Packers-49ers "T.O. game" back in '98 or so. T.O. never gets his catch if Jerry Rice's ridiculously obvious fumble is called correctly. Or the Steve Mariucci "Bummer!" non-call for pass interference on the Giants' FG attempt, also near the end of another 49er playoff victory in San Francisco. I also remember a Saints-Niners game where Rice got loose but clearly lost the ball at about the 2-yard-line. Can't recall if the Saints recovered or the ball rolled out of the end zone, it was one or the other but the play was somehow ruled a touchdown.

The Cowboys used to get a lot of calls in the "America's Team" era and as a Saints fan, I'd call it true that the Saints get more calls in their favor than they used to.

Is it possible that more successful/popular teams get the calls? Just things that make you go "Hmmm...".

[Punch]

All this made me think of the Packers-49ers "T.O. game" back in '98 or so. T.O. never gets his catch if Jerry Rice's ridiculously obvious fumble is called correctly. Or the Steve Mariucci "Bummer!" non-call for pass interference on the Giants' FG attempt, also near the end of another 49er playoff victory in San Francisco. I also remember a Saints-Niners game where Rice got loose but clearly lost the ball at about the 2-yard-line. Can't recall if the Saints recovered or the ball rolled out of the end zone, it was one or the other but the play was somehow ruled a touchdown.

The Cowboys used to get a lot of calls in the "America's Team" era and as a Saints fan, I'd call it true that the Saints get more calls in their favor than they used to.

Is it possible that more successful/popular teams get the calls? Just things that make you go "Hmmm...".

Making up for Hurricane Katrina......

[Lights Out]

I'm now quickly getting tired of the constant references to when I said the Steelers should have their title taken away. I apologized for being so rash. Let it go.

[Cujo]

Glanced at the topic and thought this may have been about Marv Levy's Super Bowl mistakes. My bad. (Not that Marv didn't make one or two mistakes of his own. )

[IceCap]

I'm now quickly getting tired of the constant references to when I said the Steelers should have their title taken away. I apologized for being so rash. Let it go.

Ok then. What do you want?

[Lights Out]

A public apology from the league to the Seahawks would be nice. I understand bad calls happen in almost every game, but the level of poor officiating in Super Bowl XL was on a par with the 2002 Lakers/Kings WCF.

[infrared41]

I'm now quickly getting tired of the constant references to when I said the Steelers should have their title taken away. I apologized for being so rash. Let it go.

Yeah, telling everyone you're "tired of it" and to "let it go" ought to do the trick. It's worked so well before with others.

There's an old saying around here that goes something like this... "Think before you post."

[IceCap]

A public apology from the league to the Seahawks would be nice. I understand bad calls happen in almost every game, but the level of poor officiating in Super Bowl XL was on a par with the 2002 Lakers/Kings WCF.

What makes this case so out of the ordinary that the league should apologize for it? It wasn't the first poorly officiated game. It wasn't even the first poorly officiated Super Bowl. The head official admitted to making mistakes. That's more closure then most other teams that are "victims" of bad officiating get.

Besides, by making a public apology the league would be, in a backhanded way, admitting that the Seahawks deserved to win the game. They simply didn't. Even with the calls going against them like they did the Seahawks still had opportunities to take control of the game and they blew them. Mike Holmgren's coaching, in particular, was abysmal.

So all in all, with Mr. Leavy admitting to mistakes being made, the Seahawks and their fans got their pound of flesh. I know being a Chargers fan means you hate the Steelers. I'm a Chargers fan and I do as well. This is taking it to extremes though.

I'm now quickly getting tired of the constant references to when I said the Steelers should have their title taken away. I apologized for being so rash. Let it go.

Sorry, you shouldn't have said it. It really was, honestly, a pretty stupid thing to say.

[tBBP]

From all of what I've seen Lights Out say, it's plainly apparent to me the cat just plain out doesn't like the Steelers. And then I try to think of a reason why that might be other than their recent championship success and the notion that they're one of the most bandwagon'd teams in the league, as well as one of the most hated-on teams in the league...

...and then I look at his avatar and I am reminded that he is a Chargers fan. The same Chargers who haven't had very much success against those same Steelers of late. Particularly in prime time. Particularly in San Diego.

And then the whole picture becomes that much clearer to me.

[IceCap]

From all of what I've seen Lights Out say, it's plainly apparent to me the cat just plain out doesn't like the Steelers. And then I try to think of a reason why that might be other than their recent championship success and the notion that they're one of the most bandwagon'd teams in the league, as well as one of the most hated-on teams in the league...

...and then I look at his avatar and I am reminded that he is a Chargers fan. The same Chargers who haven't had very much success against those same Steelers of late. Particularly in prime time. Particularly in San Diego.

And then the whole picture becomes that much clearer to me.

Chargers fan here. I have to ask Lights Out to stop before we're all lumped together.

(Now knows how infrared feels)

[ninersdd]

From all of what I've seen Lights Out say, it's plainly apparent to me the cat just plain out doesn't like the Steelers. And then I try to think of a reason why that might be other than their recent championship success and the notion that they're one of the most bandwagon'd teams in the league, as well as one of the most hated-on teams in the league...

...and then I look at his avatar and I am reminded that he is a Chargers fan. The same Chargers who haven't had very much success against those same Steelers of late. Particularly in prime time. Particularly in San Diego.

And then the whole picture becomes that much clearer to me.

The same Charger team that chokes against rookie QBs, with a kicker that suddenly puts up bricks in the playoffs, and also choked to a Patriot team in 06 with no Moss, Welker, or reliable running game. (To be fair, the 07 Pats and 08 Steelers were great teams)

As a Sacramento King fan also, I mean there were SO many bad calls in that game(Remember Bibby getting elbowed in the nose?). David Stern is a huge joke, and has done NOTHING to fix poor officiating in his league.(And if you have the audacity to question it, you get fined 30K). If it weren't for Bettman cancelling an entire season, I would say he's the worst commish in sports.

[Lights Out]

As a Sacramento King fan also, I mean there were SO many bad calls in that game(Remember Bibby getting elbowed in the nose?).

I just remember Shaq being allowed to step way over the line while shooting his free throws every time in Game 6, which explains his ridiculous (for him) made free throw percentage. Game 6 especially was the worst-officiated game I have ever seen in all my years of watching sports. I'm not even a Kings fan but I'm still in disbelief that a game and a series could be so blatantly rigged by the officials and the league without any consequences later.

[infrared41]

As a Sacramento King fan also, I mean there were SO many bad calls in that game(Remember Bibby getting elbowed in the nose?).

I just remember Shaq being allowed to step way over the line while shooting his free throws every time in Game 6, which explains his ridiculous (for him) made free throw percentage. Game 6 especially was the worst-officiated game I have ever seen in all my years of watching sports. I'm not even a Kings fan but I'm still in disbelief that a game and a series could be so blatantly rigged by the officials and the league without any consequences later.

That kind of thinking goes away as you get older. You'll get used to it.

Seriously folks, with literally billions of dollars tied up in TV contracts, ratings, merchandising, etc., isn't it a bit naive of us to think that the sports we all love so much are "pure?" In my humble opinion the NFL has been "influencing" results for as long as I can remember. I'm not saying that they "fix" games but you'll never convince me that the popular teams don't get more breaks than the Texans, Seahawks, and Cardinals of the world do. Let's say Dallas and Seattle are playing for the NFC title. Will the NFL "fix" the game to make sure Dallas wins? No, but does the idea of the officials maybe watching the Seattle offensive line or D-backs for holding or interference more closely than the Cowboys sound all that crazy? Sure, the Seahawks can still win the game but they're going to have to beat the Cowboys and officials who are just a bit tougher on them than they are on the Cowboys to do it. As we saw in Super Bowl XL, a couple of penalty calls at the wrong time can make a huge difference in a football game.

I'd imagine it's the same way in the NBA. Besides, it's not like the idea of crooked NBA officials is some sort of tin-foil hat conspiracy theory. We've already seen it.

[Lights Out]

I'd imagine it's the same way in the NBA. Besides, it's not like the idea of crooked NBA officials is some sort of tin-foil hat conspiracy theory. We've already seen it.

Hell, it's been proven that pretty much every prominent NBA referee is a cheater and a crook.

[The_Admiral]

If it weren't for Bettman cancelling an entire season, I would say he's the worst commish in sports.

Actually, David Stern is the best commissioner in sports. He's the only commissioner that genuinely radiates something bigger than satisfying the owners. Selig loves the game of baseball but loves helping out his buddies even more. Goodell's only job is to drop his pants, whip out his dick, and scream "THERE'S A NEW SHURF IN TOWN!" while avoiding screwing up the surest thing in sports, which he still might do anyway. Bettman is a flat-out incompetent stooge. I don't give a jack who runs MLS and neither does anyone else. Stern is the best of the big four because despite the league's ills that seem out of control, you never believe that he's not in control. What's more, you feel relatively assured that he'll use his powers for good, not for evil, because he knows of what he speaks and he has everyone's interests in mind--owners, players, and various third parties--not just his bosses'. It's as if he's built up enough personal equity through his years of running the NBA through its zenith that you can really trust the guy and his intentions. E.g., when Stern tells players how to dress on charters, it's somehow coming from a more righteous place than Goodell's authoritarian posturing over "player conduct." He cares about the perception of his league and its players, and knows that everyone will benefit from highly-paid professionals dressing the part. It's little paternalistic, yes, but it's the good kind, not the "I make the rules because I make the rules" kind. The NHL needed someone to be its David Stern, but they went about it the wrong way. You couldn't just poach an NBA underling, you had to look from within for someone who loved the sport, and had both the passion and ability to be its best possible steward.

[Lights Out]

Stern is the best of the big four because despite the league's ills that seem out of control, you never believe that he's not in control. What's more, you feel relatively assured that he'll use his powers for good, not for evil, because he knows of what he speaks and he has everyone's interests in mind--owners, players, and various third parties--not just his bosses'. It's as if he's built up enough personal equity through his years of running the NBA through its zenith that you can really trust the guy and his intentions.

Really? Ever since the Tim Donaghy scandal broke, I haven't believed a word Stern says. And when the excerpts of Tim Donaghy's book came out with the various stories of how almost all of the league's officials bet on games - not just him - I just started tuning Stern out. He still has yet to own up to the sorry state of officiating in the NBA, but if anyone dares to criticize it, he'll happily take some of their money through a steep fine.

I actually like Goodell the best out of all the commissioners. His views on player discipline are confusing and often harsh, but you can't deny that he's done an excellent job marketing the league, and he's now beginning to focus on expanding the NFL brand worldwide.

[The_Admiral]

Goodell is a pudwhack. The NFL's long-established marketing power has nothing to do with him; its new penchant for draconian idiocy does.

[infrared41]

Goodell is a pudwhack. The NFL's long-established marketing power has nothing to do with him; its new penchant for draconian idiocy does.

How is cracking down on people who make his league look bad "draconian idiocy?"

[BBTV]

If it weren't for Bettman cancelling an entire season, I would say he's the worst commish in sports.

Actually, David Stern is the best commissioner in sports. He's the only commissioner that genuinely radiates something bigger than satisfying the owners. Selig loves the game of baseball but loves helping out his buddies even more. Goodell's only job is to drop his pants, whip out his dick, and scream "THERE'S A NEW SHURF IN TOWN!" while avoiding screwing up the surest thing in sports, which he still might do anyway. Bettman is a flat-out incompetent stooge. I don't give a jack who runs MLS and neither does anyone else. Stern is the best of the big four because despite the league's ills that seem out of control, you never believe that he's not in control. What's more, you feel relatively assured that he'll use his powers for good, not for evil, because he knows of what he speaks and he has everyone's interests in mind--owners, players, and various third parties--not just his bosses'. It's as if he's built up enough personal equity through his years of running the NBA through its zenith that you can really trust the guy and his intentions. E.g., when Stern tells players how to dress on charters, it's somehow coming from a more righteous place than Goodell's authoritarian posturing over "player conduct." He cares about the perception of his league and its players, and knows that everyone will benefit from highly-paid professionals dressing the part. It's little paternalistic, yes, but it's the good kind, not the "I make the rules because I make the rules" kind. The NHL needed someone to be its David Stern, but they went about it the wrong way. You couldn't just poach an NBA underling, you had to look from within for someone who loved the sport, and had both the passion and ability to be its best possible steward.

Your points on the other three commissioners are valid, however, I'm not sure how any commissioner who signed off on a CBA that has teams trading for retired players, seeking out expiring contracts, and has made popular such actions as the "sign and trade" can be considered great. I'd say that the CBA has made the league horrible, because it's just too hard for most teams to make moves to improve themselves, and it's nearly impossible to recover from mistakes.