Refs cheat for Patriots! Caught!

[RamzFanz]

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ref-helped-patriots-avoid-penalty-133404249.html

Edit: I didn't see the second part before I posted. Cheated was too strong of a word. I didn't mean to mislead. Sorry!



A Ref Helped The Patriots Avoid A Penalty On The Jets' Game-Ending Blocked Field Goal — Here's Why

By Tony Manfred1 hour ago
Dom Cosentino of NJ.com discovered something strange about the final play — a ref moved a Patriots player out of the way so he wouldn't get a penalty.

Right before the snap, the official ran up to Patriots linebacker Dont'a Hightower, who was lined up over the long snapper, and nudged him in the arm. Under NFL rules, defenders have to line up outside the shoulders of the long snapper on a field goal attempt. It's a penalty to stand directly above the long snapper:

Hightower was over the long snapper, in an illegal position, before the ref intervened:



Blandino said on Twitter, "No different than pointing out the line of scrimmage to a wideout."

An NFL spokesman told BI:

"It is a standard officiating procedure that occurs regularly. In fact, it is on Dean Blandino’s video that went to the teams yesterday and will be on the version of it that goes to the media today.

"That rule was adopted for player safety purposes, another good reason to help avoid violations in advance."

The NFL doesn't want long snappers (who have their heads down) taking hits to the top of the head that they don't see coming. That's why officials push defenders out of the way before the snap.

The consensus among NFL junkies is that this is normal:

Still, a referee literally giving the Patriots a helping hand won't go down easy.

 

[NJRamsFan]

If its done regularly we cant complain

 

[Thordaddy]

If its done regularly we cant complain

Unless they don't do it for everyone,and I saw a penalty called this year for that, don't know if it was against us, hard to keep track

 

[Selassie I]

"No different than pointing out the line of scrimmage to a wide out"... When does that happen? I know for us it happens after one of those yellow rags is thrown.

They can ATTEMPT to brush this under the carpet all they want, but it's total bullshit. If that penalty ever gets called... and I'm sure it will... my guess is that it will be called only on one of the less popular teams.

Bunk

 

[Dodgersrf]

They should just stop throwing flags all together. Don't even carry them.
If a player commits a penalty, kindly pull him aside and explain to him, in a polite manner, what the player did wrong. That way, the player knows not to make the same mistake.

 

[bluecoconuts]

I have a hard time getting upset that a ref told a player to move so the opposing team wouldn't risk their long snapper get injured. Sounds smart to me, and I'd hope one would do the same if an opposing player lined up like that on our long snapper.

 

[DaveFan'51]

Unless they don't do it for everyone,and I saw a penalty called this year for that, don't know if it was against us, hard to keep track

I remember seeing the same play you speak of, but I'll be damned if I can remember the game either!

 

[Thordaddy]

I remember seeing the same play you speak of, but I'll be damned if I can remember the game either!

Yeah and bc is right if it keeps a guy like Massey from getting hurt the worlds a better place , but like Selassie pointed out the darlings of the league seem to get some special treatment,I mean at cocktail parties this week how do ya think our refs for Sunday are going to answer this question:

"hey , Flag-ston, which game you got this Sunday?"

A. Seahawks
B. Rams
My money is on A

 

[DaveFan'51]

Yeah and bc is right if it keeps a guy like Massey from getting hurt the worlds a better place , but like Selassie pointed out the darlings of the league seem to get some special treatment,I mean at cocktail parties this week how do ya think our refs for Sunday are going to answer this question:

"hey , Flag-ston, which game you got this Sunday?"

A. Seahawks
B. Rams
My money is on A

Being the Ram Fan I am I'd pick 'B' and Loss another 6 Mil! (Oops! I don't have that much ROD cash anymore!)

 

[rams2050]

I thought that penalty earlier in one of the games was against us, but I could be mistaken. I'm thinking no one told our guy to move. . .

 

[Jumava1968]

I can't remember which team got called for that penalty either I remember thinking there's something you don't see a lot of.But considering the situation it definitely helped the Cheats.Why would the ref not throw a flag right before or during the snap just like a false start call.The play is blown dead very minimal contact if any so the center would not be at any risk from a shot to the back of the head.And 53 yard FG compared to a 58 does make a difference in this League.

 

[rams2050]

If the Cheats can't win on their own accord, then they will get help from the refs. I don't know why that rule didn't apply during the last 2 SBs that they lost, but for some reason (I praise God) they lost those games -- and I couldn't have been happier.

 

[CoachO]

this a really a stretch to further this "conspiracy theory" about the officiating. This particular practice is in fact done all the time to every team. The officials will move the players lined up in the wrong position. They do it ALL THE TIME. The penalties that get called for this sort of thing, usually are for trying to hurdle or, being assisted by a teammate to get better height. Its not for where players are lined up. Its called "preventative officiating" and there's nothing wrong with it.

I guess it's now in vogue to blame everything on the officiating, but guys, come on. This is a reach by any standards.

 

[Selassie I]

this a really a stretch to further this "conspiracy theory" about the officiating. This particular practice is in fact done all the time to every team. The officials will move the players lined up in the wrong position. They do it ALL THE TIME. The penalties that get called for this sort of thing, usually are for trying to hurdle or, being assisted by a teammate to get better height. Its not for where players are lined up. Its called "preventative officiating" and there's nothing wrong with it.

I guess it's now in vogue to blame everything on the officiating, but guys, come on. This is a reach by any standards.

This particular rule was implemented for safety. It's not the same as a player using leverage to get a block.

To say that refs correct players who are lined up wrong all the time is just not true. If that was the case we'd never see a flag thrown for it.

I called HS and college basketball games for years. I enjoyed discussing my calls with players and coaches after I made them to help with the learning process. Players and coaches really appreciate that. However, as an example... If I noticed a players foot over the line as he was waiting for a rebound from a free throw... it's not my job to correct him before I call the penalty. It's the player's job to know the rules and play within them. Correcting a player prior to the foul being called is not something that I have ever been instructed to do.

The safety issue in this particular penalty can kind of lead to a reasonable excuse.... but if they're going to do it for this one, they must do it for every single one they see going forward. It can't be a penalty,,, they need to blow the whistle and correct the player's position before allowing the play to happen.... they had better not ever call a penalty for this when they didn't call it in this case.

B.S.

 

[kurtfaulk]

I remember seeing the same play you speak of, but I'll be damned if I can remember the game either!

Could it have been the packers-Bears game?

.

 

[badnews]

This particular rule was implemented for safety. It's not the same as a player using leverage to get a block.

To say that refs correct players who are lined up wrong all the time is just not true. If that was the case we'd never see a flag thrown for it.

I called HS and college basketball games for years. I enjoyed discussing my calls with players and coaches after I made them to help with the learning process. Players and coaches really appreciate that. However, as an example... If I noticed a players foot over the line as he was waiting for a rebound from a free throw... it's not my job to correct him before I call the penalty. It's the player's job to know the rules and play within them. Correcting a player prior to the foul being called is not something that I have ever been instructed to do.

The safety issue in this particular penalty can kind of lead to a reasonable excuse.... but if they're going to do it for this one, they must do it for every single one they see going forward. It can't be a penalty,,, they need to blow the whistle and correct the player's position before allowing the play to happen.... they had better not ever call a penalty for this when they didn't call it in this case.

B.S.

100% spot on.

There is no need for "judgement calls". It's a penalty or its something that the refs should have to do for every player. Can't be either or, some of the time...

 

[CoachO]

This particular rule was implemented for safety. It's not the same as a player using leverage to get a block.

To say that refs correct players who are lined up wrong all the time is just not true. If that was the case we'd never see a flag thrown for it.

I called HS and college basketball games for years. I enjoyed discussing my calls with players and coaches after I made them to help with the learning process. Players and coaches really appreciate that. However, as an example... If I noticed a players foot over the line as he was waiting for a rebound from a free throw... it's not my job to correct him before I call the penalty. It's the player's job to know the rules and play within them. Correcting a player prior to the foul being called is not something that I have ever been instructed to do.

The safety issue in this particular penalty can kind of lead to a reasonable excuse.... but if they're going to do it for this one, they must do it for every single one they see going forward. It can't be a penalty,,, they need to blow the whistle and correct the player's position before allowing the play to happen.... they had better not ever call a penalty for this when they didn't call it in this case.

B.S.

sticking with your basketball theme, you never "warned" a player about getting out of the lane before calling 3 seconds on him. Or advised a player to keep his hands off a guy in the post. If you didn't, then you may the the only official I have heard of who didn't do that at some point.

I have been a NCAA Division I and minor league Baseball umpire for more than 25 years, and its common practice to do "preventative" officiating so "we" don't have to make a call that can be avoided by a simple reminder of a player who may not comply with a rule. By simply letting a pitcher know he needs to "give me a better stop" when coming set to avoid having to call a balk in a future game situation. To get players back in the dugout before they can impact a live ball,, that's all falls into this preventative officiating.

A football official moving a player into a legal position PRIOR to the FG attempt is simple making sure the play is LEGAL. No advantage is gained by having him get into a legal position. If he advises him to move into an illegal position then refuses to call the penalty, then , yes you may have an argument.

But to say officials don't "prevent" infractions before they occur doesn't happen, then IMO, you don't understand officiating.

 

[DaveFan'51]

Could it have been the packers-Bears game?

.

I just don't remember, just remember the call!

 

[Selassie I]

sticking with your basketball theme, you never "warned" a player about getting out of the lane before calling 3 seconds on him. Or advised a player to keep his hands off a guy in the post. If you didn't, then you may the the only official I have heard of who didn't do that at some point.

I have been a NCAA Division I and minor league Baseball umpire for more than 25 years, and its common practice to do "preventative" officiating so "we" don't have to make a call that can be avoided by a simple reminder of a player who may not comply with a rule. By simply letting a pitcher know he needs to "give me a better stop" when coming set to avoid having to call a balk in a future game situation. To get players back in the dugout before they can impact a live ball,, that's all falls into this preventative officiating.

A football official moving a player into a legal position PRIOR to the FG attempt is simple making sure the play is LEGAL. No advantage is gained by having him get into a legal position. If he advises him to move into an illegal position then refuses to call the penalty, then , yes you may have an argument.

But to say officials don't "prevent" infractions before they occur doesn't happen, then IMO, you don't understand officiating.

Hahaha

Whatever you say.

I have never told a player to get out of the lane because his 3 secs were about up. I've also never told a player who was gaining an advantage to stop before I called the foul that had already occurred. Negative.

I enforced the rules. As I said earlier, I was always happy to explain why I called something, but I never told a player who was violating a written rule to stop or else... He'd already violated a rule.

Maybe in a pee wee league or something along those lines... I could see being more of a coach on the floor if you will... but certainly not at the highest level of the sport would I expect a ref to tell a player that he was committing a penalty. It's the official's job to call the game by the rules.


I can assure you that I did an outstanding job as an official. I was always asked to call playoff and championship games. I even called NBA summer league games here in Orlando because of my reputation. I should call you out on your assumption,,, but I'll look the other way this time big guy.

 

[CoachO]

Hahaha

Whatever you say.

I have never told a player to get out of the lane because his 3 secs were about up. I've also never told a player who was gaining an advantage to stop before I called the foul that had already occurred. Negative.

I enforced the rules. As I said earlier, I was always happy to explain why I called something, but I never told a player who was violating a written rule to stop or else... He'd already violated a rule.

Maybe in a pee wee league or something along those lines... I could see being more of a coach on the floor if you will... but certainly not at the highest level of the sport would I expect a ref to tell a player that he was committing a penalty. It's the official's job to call the game by the rules.


I can assure you that I did an outstanding job as an official. I was always asked to call playoff and championship games. I even called NBA summer league games here in Orlando because of my reputation. I should call you out on your assumption,,, but I'll look the other way this time big guy.

you don't have to call me out, we all have our styles.. Congrats that you were able to advance to that level doing it your way. I am not doubting you in the least.

All I am saying, I know there is more than one way to get the same results. I umpired 10 NCAA Division I Baseball Regionals at places such as LSU, Florida State, Stanford, Texas, Rice and so on. I have been the Supervisor of Umpires for one of the more prominent Independent Professional Minor Leagues for 7 years. So it seems we both have had very successful officiating careers. Just demonstrates there are different ways to succeed.

I just don't think its as big of a deal as many seem to think, and IMO, its just another example of what seems to now be the thing to do. Scrutinize and blame the officiating. Because most of us have exhausted all the other things we can say as to why the Rams continue to struggle to win games.

 

[Selassie I]

you don't have to call me out, we all have our styles.. Congrats that you were able to advance to that level doing it your way. I am not doubting you in the least.

All I am saying, I know there is more than one way to get the same results. I umpired 10 NCAA Division I Baseball Regionals at places such as LSU, Florida State, Stanford, Texas, Rice and so on. I have been the Supervisor of Umpires for one of the more prominent Independent Professional Minor Leagues for 7 years. So it seems we both have had very successful officiating careers. Just demonstrates there are different ways to succeed.

I just don't think its as big of a deal as many seem to think, and IMO, its just another example of what seems to now be the thing to do. Scrutinize and blame the officiating. Because most of us have exhausted all the other things we can say as to why the Rams continue to struggle to win games.

My point in all this was simple.

If that penalty gets called against any team going forward...

Straight Up Hypocrisy. It can't be called now.

Enforce the rules and hope that nobody notices or remembers anything about the ref... just the players and the game. That was always my goal.