colonel Wrote:
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> Guys--it sure is easy to point fingers at
> officiating, and I've seen some missed and bad
> calls; not just this season.
>
> When a game is very close, in this case, 1 point,
> and it is clear that Ben gives up the ball without
> crossing the plane and it's definitely a fumble
> and free ball, you just have to wonder why the
> whole play did not go in the Fins favor. Is it
> possible for Ben to have fumbled and just one of
> the alert Steelers lineman recovers it and hands
> it to the Ref? Yes. But that didn't happen. Is
> it possible that a an alert sole Dolphin could
> have recovered the ball and handed to the Ref?
> Yes. But that didn't happen either, at least in
> part. However, what we have is a free for all for
> the ball, it sure looked to me that at least two
> Fin players had dibs on it. What seems odd is
> that after the free for all, a Fin player emerges
> from the pack with the ball and gives it to the
> Ref. Now, if that don't beat all. Dolphins
> around the ball first and a Dolphin handing it to
> the ref. Maybe Dolphin players are just very
> courteous? That didn't mean that Fin actually had
> control of the ball, does it? Naw. Just a
> courteous player everyone. Gimme a break.
>
> I think it was difficult for the Ref to decide in
> favor of the Steelers given the logical evidence
> on the replay. It is more likely than not that
> the Dolphins gained possession of the ball after
> Big Ben coughed it up.
>
> Is there an officiating conspiracy going on?
> Probably not, but incompetency at the officiating
> level seems to be contagious and seemingly favors
> a few "special" teams.
>
> Score TDs instead of FGs and this play wouldn't of
> happened.
I don't know what was shown on the TV. But at the game the pile un folded and a phins player stood up holding the ball in the air while all the other players on the phins where pointing they had possession. The phins even had there offense ready to come on the field during the replay//... It was that clear at the stadium...