If you disagree with me, you're a fucking idiot.

At least ol' Paul Tabliabue got what he wanted...a nice camera shot of Bettis hoisting the trophy as the broadcast came to an end.

Would you mind presenting your evidence that this game was fixed, rather than simply horribly officiated?

dude, seattle lost. there's no use coming here calling it a fixed league.

You missed out on all the action in the Super Bowl thread.

Here's the synopsis, IMO:

*is a fucking idiot*

I think blaming the officiating instead of the piss poor game management all night by Holmgren is just silly. They missed a couple calls, but how can you blame the way an entire game went on a few holding calls? The Seahawks got 7 penalties called on them all game… surely that isn’t the game being “legeslated away?”

That said, I HATE the Steelers with all that I am, so it’s not like I’m a homer trying to defend the Thumb here. If the Seahawks hadn’t played from their heels for the entire 2nd half, the outcome would probably have been different. Holmgren just coached a bad game.

refs definitely made some unbelievably horrible calls, but the Seahawks and the way they played didnt exactly help.

should the game tape be studied by the league?? Absolutely

could Seattle have overcome those blown calls and still won?? Absolutely

when it mattered, Seattle blew their chance.

I completely agree with most of that. Holmgren did coach a terrible game, and hasslebeck didnt play that well. But saying that a holding penalty, that wasnt holding at all, that took the ball from first and goal from the 1, to first and 20 at the 35, didnt effect the game in a major way is kind of silly.

Agreed.

*eats lime sherbet*

Holmgren's fault. He'll be fired next week.

No I'm not saying that at all, but that was one of only two missed calls all night, if you ask me. That and the chop block were both BS, but I don't think they blew the others, and even if you spot them those 7 points its still not victory. If Seattle had actually executed we wouldn't be sitting here having this conversation.

you're crazy, no chance he gets fired

Hmm, maybe it WAS fixed after all....

i agree. Seattle blew their chance, but i also can't deny that they got screwed....alot.

#1....Darrell Jackson's offensive pass interference didnt appear to be "true" offensive pass interference. to quote Irvin or Steve Young, it was a "ticky tack call and shouldve never been called".

#2....Ben's TD. i personally didnt think he got in. i think the ref signaled the touchdown AFTER Ben moved forward after he was already down. and sinc ethere was no good replay, you kinda knew that the refs were going to uphold it.

#3.....the holding penalty. that was ridiculous. that 99% wouldve been a Shaun ALexander 1 yrd TD on the next play...the score wouldve been 17-14 Seattle

#4....the tackling penalty against Hasselback after his interception. 15 yards is HUGE when your down 4 in the 4th quarter.

those 4 calls really bugged me. did the refs affect the game?? YES. but i still think Seattle couldve won tho. and thats their fault.

Sounds like there was more drama than an episode of the O.C.

That called pissed me off so much. The ref making the call for the td, didnt make the call until 5 seconds after the play was over. He started to run in as if the he was stopped short, and then all of a sudden he raised his hands. I want to know what he saw in those 5 seconds after the play was over that made him change his mind. That call was absolute bullshit for that reason alone.