Outline · [ Standard ] · Linear+ Good Job Steelers BUT, the Refs SUCKED!!!

Super Bowl 43 was a fantastic game from start to finish but this may have been the worst officiated game of those 43 years.

1. 18 penalties...EIGHTEEN???
2. Harrison's ELBOW was down before the ball crossed. That means he was down. The rule says any part of the body.
3. Holmes used the ball as a prop on the go-ahead score...supposed to be an automatic 15 yards.
4. Warner's arm was going forward on the last play. Whay did they not review it?
5. The Cards got away with a lot of downfield holding. Polamalu was right to be screaming about it.
6. Harrison should have been ejected. He threw a punch. End of discussion.
7. Same for Ike Taylor...apparently "Swaggin" means having Larry Fitzgerald kick your butt.


Bottom line...great game, but the refs should have done a better job. The league should call this out , especially after it threw the best referee in the game (Ed Hochuli) under the bus after a mistake that at least he had the guts to admit to.

It's football. You say there were too many penalties, and then you whine about penalties that should have been called.

A few quite bad calls during the game (no real review of the final Kurt Warner fumble, no penalty on Holmes for using the football as a prop, etc, etc). In the end, however, the Cardinal D lost the game....if they wouldn't have blitzed Roethlisberger on the big yardage pass to Holmes with 1:00 left....

IT WAS A OKAY GAME TILL THE LAST 8 MINS
THATS WHEN IT BECAME A REALLY GOOD GAME

Super Bowl 43 was a fantastic game from start to finish but this may have been the worst officiated game of those 43 years.

1. 18 penalties...EIGHTEEN???
2. Harrison's ELBOW was down before the ball crossed. That means he was down. The rule says any part of the body.
3. Holmes used the ball as a prop on the go-ahead score...supposed to be an automatic 15 yards.
4. Warner's arm was going forward on the last play. Whay did they not review it?
5. The Cards got away with a lot of downfield holding. Polamalu was right to be screaming about it.
6. Harrison should have been ejected. He threw a punch. End of discussion.
7. Same for Ike Taylor...apparently "Swaggin" means having Larry Fitzgerald kick your butt.
Bottom line...great game, but the refs should have done a better job. The league should call this out , especially after it threw the best referee in the game (Ed Hochuli) under the bus after a mistake that at least he had the guts to admit to.

1. All Eighteen Penalties were well deserved, and more could have been called with the chippy play.
2. Based on the replay, Harrison landed on Fitzgerald, and then was propelled towards the endzone by the hit. It appeared the ball crossed before his elbow hit.
3. I did not see that. All I saw was him lying in the endzone with his teammates on top of him.
4. While it was close, I believe that the ball was knocked free just as his arm was finished "cocking" back.
5. Was not paying much attentin to this so I won't comment.
6. Agreed, although I think Harrison should be MVP
7. Haha, just say where you are from and get over yourself already!

It's football. You say there were too many penalties, and then you whine about penalties that should have been called.

Fair enough, maybe I should modify the statement by saying that it was inconsistent.

A few quite bad calls during the game (no real review of the final Kurt Warner fumble, no penalty on Holmes for using the football as a prop, etc, etc).  In the end, however, the Cardinal D lost the game....if they wouldn't have blitzed Roethlisberger on the big yardage pass to Holmes with 1:00 left....

True. Just didn't want to see the refs take away from a great game the way they did though.

Super Bowl 43 was a fantastic game from start to finish but this may have been the worst officiated game of those 43 years.

4. Warner's arm was going forward on the last play. Whay did they not review it?

what is leagues explanation on that one? why did they not review it!!

1. All Eighteen Penalties were well deserved, and more could have been called with the chippy play.
2. Based on the replay, Harrison landed on Fitzgerald, and then was propelled towards the endzone by the hit. It appeared the ball crossed before his elbow hit.
3. I did not see that. All I saw was him lying in the endzone with his teammates on top of him.
4. While it was close, I believe that the ball was knocked free just as his arm was finished "cocking" back.
5. Was not paying much attentin to this so I won't comment.
6. Agreed, although I think Harrison should be MVP
7. Haha, just say where you are from and get over yourself already!

Harrison should have been MVP. He impacted all 4 quarters and completely turned the game around.

BTW...I am from the Pittsburgh area and was actually rooting for the Steelers but I am also a football purist who has been disgusted with the amazing level of officiating in the NFL. I just don't want to see the NFL end up like the NBA.

what is leagues explanation on that one? why did they not review it!!

Still haven't heard an explanation.

no. the past steelers championship was way worse. i actually thought this was one of the better oficiated superbowls in sometime. Sure there were many penalties but atleast they evened out and even reviewed the calls as such. The only one i really questioned was a roughing the passer call on roethlisberger

OK the last play was reviewed! BY THE BOOTH, maybe you just was not listening to the announcers when they said that tidbit! Call on field was upheld they just did not announce it like they should have .....BTW call on the field was correct it was a fumble.

As a Steeler fan I'm sick and tired of this hey wa have the lead forget about putting it out of reach lets run out the clock and what happens the other team always comes back againest them... Today the Steelers got very lucky the cards D was done after the safety call.

Last Play of the game - Forward pass, NOT fumble

I agree on everything skins

Last Play of the game - Forward pass, NOT fumble

Actually, Roethlisberger took a knee in victory formation on the last play

yeah i agree the holmes did use the ball as a prop cause he used it like a baby powder bottle and did a lebron.

As far as play being challenge i recorded the game and went back 3 times and never once seen them challenge or heard them challehge the warner fumble.

Harrision did get lucky for not being ejected for throwing a punch.

Cardinals did get away quite a few holds.

I really didnt care wo won was rooting for Arizonia cause they never won one.Either way a Ex-Bulldog was getting a Ring.

no. the past steelers championship was way worse. i actually thought this was one of the better oficiated superbowls in sometime. Sure there were many penalties but atleast they evened out and even reviewed the calls as such. The only one i really questioned was a roughing the passer call on roethlisberger

I would agree with that one (roughing the passer). That would have been the most questionable call. He did hit him late but that is one of those iffy calls they make in every game, like rushers are a porsche who can stop on a dime. That happens every game, you know what they should eliminate it. If a defensive player is running and the qb just released the ball he should be fair game as long as it is not a blow to the head. Same with the lame slide rule for qbs, once he passes the line he should be fair game for a hit just like a running back.

Overall I thought there were some questionable items, like how the review overturned the Ben TD. To me I could not tell from those angles if his knee was truly down. On the first Fitz TD I also thought they should challenge that as it appeared the ball touched the ground and he truly did not have control. Overall I thought the officials did a pretty good job, but there could have been more penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct as there were many plays were I could here whistles blowing well after the play stopped.

Anyway you shape it, the ending was great.

I have the flu and have been watching espn all day. They said that the last play was NOT reviewed. Also that roughing the passer was a bad call.

I've got to be honest. Watching that game, with no real rooting interest (maybe a passing interest in seeing the Steelers win, since my Mom was from PA) this game made me realize one thing:

I don't love the NFL anymore.

I grew up watching the NFL every Sunday. In my backyard I wanted to be Art Monk and Darrell Green. I went as Bernie Kosar one halloween. I watched the NFL films tape of Super Bowl XXII so many times that the VHS broke.

But I don't love the NFL anymore.

The game was an utter travesty. Players fighting each other after nearly every play. Referees constantly inserting themselves into the game. Questionable calls throughout. Close plays all reviewed by 18 lawyers from 27 video angles.

To my eye, the officiating was significantly tilted toward the Steelers. The FG drive on which repeated questionable 15 yard penalties were called comes to mind immediately, but all the close goal-line reviews were called the Steelers way initially too, putting the burden of review on reversing it.

I think the Steelers were the better team. I think they deserved their win. But I think the NFL is broken. I don't know how to fix it, and I wish I did because I feel like I've lost something precious. There is certainly no sense of joy in watching a game anymore.

I just don't love the NFL anymore.

Wow, lots to comment on the game. First of all, the Cards made a ton of mistakes on D with the penalties. It seems like theyd do great downs 1 and 2, then make a 3rd down stop but there would be a penalty. They did get away with a lot of down field holding as well.
James Harrison should have definitely been thrown out. I think if it was someone else on the team they wouldve but since he is the guy he shouldve.
James Harrison shoulve been MVP.
Kurt Warners last play was a pass(I have watched it several times as well b/c i recorded the game).
It shouldnt have been a roughing the passer. He was coming full speed and had no time to stop. Its not like he jumped on him and took him to the ground either, he just shoved him pretty hard. Also on that same play there shoudve been intentional grounding and the penalties would have off set.
When I saw Holmes score and do the touchdown dance I thought for sure they were going to call something.
Also, I liked a statement above and totally agree with it. Last time Pitt was in the Super bowl they played Seattle and there was way worse calls there. The refs wanted the Steelers to win. At least this game it was pretty much inconsistent both ways.

Well Im done talking, It was a great game to watch and a lot more fun then I thought it was going to be.