14 replies to this topic

[( . ) ( . ) and (_!_)]

Referee Umpire Head Linesman Line Judge Field Judge Back Judge Side Judge
John Parry Carl Paganelli Tom Stabile Gary Arthur Gary Cavaletto Tony Steratore Laird Hayes

Found this on Wikipedia. I don't know much about officials, anyone have some insight? I found out that this is Parry's second Superbowl. And Tom Stabile was the ref during the "4th and 2" game in Indy (the Revenge Tour Continues!)

What I have seen during this postseason is that the Refs are really "letting them play". You literally needed to use a lasso and hog tie someone to get a holding call in either Conference Championship game. My subjective memory also recalls little to no Pass Interference Calls.

Considering the Giants have the down field passing game advantage here, a crew that allows a little more contact then the regular season falls as a plus for the Pats.

A little more info I found
http://itiswhatitis....s-veteran-crew/

Edited by ( . ) ( . ) and (_!_), 24 January 2012 - 01:33 PM.

[dynomite]

My subjective memory also recalls little to no Pass Interference Calls.

They were letting them play in the secondary, too, particularly on those last few drives. Here's our King of Kings, our Seer of Seer, Mr. Sterling Moore, covering Pitts on the failed 3rd and 1 play that led to the field goal. Fairly clear defensive holding.



As it should be in the final seconds of a playoff game: refs put away the whistles, and football players have to make football plays.

[ivanvamp]

As it should be in the final seconds of a playoff game: refs put away the whistles, and football players have to make football plays.

I disagree with this idea. The refs should call the game consistently from beginning to end. The whole idea of "letting the players decide the outcome" sounds great, until you realize something. Namely, that if the refs are calling it tight all game long, the players adjust to that; and then, suddenly, in the last minute, if they let everything go, things that were called penalties just a minute before are suddenly not. The refs, by not making calls they were making a minute before, *are*, in effect, deciding the outcome.

The #1 job of an official is, in my view, to call the game according to the rulebook as best he can, and to do that as consistently as possible. To willfully choose to swallow a whistle on a key play when you wouldn't have earlier in the game has just as big an impact on the game as making the call.

[dynomite]

The refs, by not making calls they were making a minute before, *are*, in effect, deciding the outcome.

It's a fair point, but I don't think you're fully understanding the concept. Everyone on the field -- from the refs to the players, the coaches and the cheerleaders -- understands that, during the final 2 minutes of a playoff game, short of war crimes the refs aren't going to intervene.

[Stitch01]

I dont think the Moore play was defensive holding. Its illegal contact if the QB was inside the pocket, but Flacco wasnt.

[ivanvamp]

It's a fair point, but I don't think you're fully understanding the concept. Everyone on the field -- from the refs to the players, the coaches and the cheerleaders -- understands that, during the final 2 minutes of a playoff game, short of war crimes the refs aren't going to intervene.

I know you specified "playoff game", but the last time the Giants and Pats played, they called Sergio Brown for a PI penalty with about 40 seconds left in the game that put the ball on NE's 1 yard line.

I won't at all be surprised if the Giants are driving late, and Eli chucks one deep, they flag a Patriot defender for PI.

[dynomite]

I dont think the Moore play was defensive holding. Its illegal contact if the QB was inside the pocket, but Flacco wasnt.

After the last few years I'm conditioned to expect a flag when a DB looks at a receiver the wrong way. (I can't tell where Flacco is as Moore's grabbing Pitts, but Moore is holding onto him for a while -- it could have been called, in my opinion)

I know you specified "playoff game", but the last time the Giants and Pats played, they called Sergio Brown for a PI penalty with about 40 seconds left in the game that put the ball on NE's 1 yard line.

There was also a qualification that they only flag "war crimes" at that point, and Sergio could have been sent to Brussels for his performance on that play. It's the smaller infractions and borderline calls that I haven't seen called in the playoffs this season.

Either way, I assume the Giants will be driving late and Eli will chuck one deep. What other choice will he have down 45 points?

Edited by dynomite, 24 January 2012 - 02:52 PM.

[Stitch01]

He's in contact with him for awhile, but Flacco is out of the pocket fairly early during the play. When I watch in in real time he's not impeding Pitta's progress and he's only clutching the jersey for a brief period. If Pitta broke back inside while Moore was grabbing his jersey, I would bet he gets a flag as he would have had his progress impeded. Im sure there are crews that would call that holding, but that wasn't a defensive hold all day nor by rule IMO.

[Super Nomario]

After the last few years I'm conditioned to expect a flag when a DB looks at a receiver the wrong way. (I can't tell where Flacco is as Moore's grabbing Pitts, but Moore is holding onto him for a while -- it could have been called, in my opinion)

DBs seem to get more latitude with TEs than with WRs, too. I've seen Gronk get mugged downfield without a call. Pitta has 6 inches and 55 pounds on Moore; Moore would have to tackle him for anything to be called.

[Shelterdog]

It's a fair point, but I don't think you're fully understanding the concept. Everyone on the field -- from the refs to the players, the coaches and the cheerleaders -- understands that, during the final 2 minutes of a playoff game, short of war crimes the refs aren't going to intervene.

This is true, but there is a big problem with how pass defense gets called in the first 58 minutes of playoff games. In the Pats' three playoff losses dating back to SB 42 the refs swallowed their whistles and allowed very physical coverage against NE (the opposing teams had 3 penalties for 35 yards, 3 for 15, and 4 for 36, and I'm pretty sure not a single PI call in any of the three games).

It's strange that the rules on defensive pass coverage (and holding on offense) can vary so dramatically from regular season to the post season.

[Dollar]

I'm pretty sure I read that Parry was the head referee of the Saints-49ers game a couple weeks back, which I thought was officiated pretty well.

Here's some info about how he might call the game: http://espn.go.com/b...aints-49ers-ref

[dynomite]

It's strange that the rules on defensive pass coverage (and holding on offense) can vary so dramatically from regular season to the post season.

You're right, and I was a bit glib in my initial description of "swallowing the whistles."

Without having seen statistical evidence to the contrary, it seems a trend across the NFL, NBA (to an extent), and NHL. Didn't Bruins/Lightning Game 7 last year go three full periods without a penalty?

[Bergs]

I'm just glad it's not Jeff Tripplette.

[Domer]

Remember the last time John Parry refereed an important Patriots game in Indianapolis? The officiating resulted in a long thread.

http://sonsofsamhorn...-vs-conspiracy/

[Toe Nash]

You're right, and I was a bit glib in my initial description of "swallowing the whistles."

Without having seen statistical evidence to the contrary, it seems a trend across the NFL, NBA (to an extent), and NHL. Didn't Bruins/Lightning Game 7 last year go three full periods without a penalty?

It did, but I don't think there were any egregious missed calls either. And the SCF had an inordinate amount of penalties, so...go figure.