Shoshone Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 I wanted to share this story now that the Draft is finally over. My buddy and his wife recently welcomed a baby girl into their lives. He's had a steady flow of family visit over the last few months to help him out and spend time with their daughter. One family member in particular is his uncle, a retired NFL referee. His uncle started off in high school, stepped up to the Big Ten and then made it to the NFL. He has had a quite the career. He stills has a full time job and is a consultant to a Big Ten Program. I made it a point to stop by his place when said uncle was in town. Selfish? Yea, but how often do you get to talk to a retired NFL referee. My buddy always brags about how many Super Bowls he has attended in his lifetime thanks to his uncle. Anyway, I get there and realize it wasn't the forum to talk about his job but someone else decided it was. I can tell his uncle was not interested in talking about the NFL so I sat there and enjoyed a few beverages. One question I did hear was "what college and NFL coach did you strongly dislike?" His college coach was Bo Schembechler from U of M and his NFL coach was Marty Shottenheimer. Reason being is that both of them would constantly yell, but would make it personal. Fast forward to a few weeks ago. My buddy and few of our friends were hanging out and we are talking about his trips to the Super Bowl. He then told us all this story about one particular Super Bowl he attended. It was Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans. Pats vs. St. Louis. Adam Vinatieri kicks the winning field goal on the last play of the game with only :07 seconds left (more on this later). After the game my buddy joins his uncle and the rest of the officating crew for drinks. They are sitting there talking about the game when Paul Tagliabue stops by to commend the crew on a great game and makes a comment about how they got the right call on a key first down or a key turnover or return or whatever. The commissioner leaves and then this comment is made or something eerily similar: "Man, we did get that right but I'll tell you something. There was a blatant holding on that field goal (that won the game) and I wasn't going to call it because I wasn't going to be known as the guy that called a holding call on the last play of the game." My buddy is dying laughing as he says this to us as we all look on in disbelief. The other comemnt made was in regards to the :07 seconds. Before the kick was made, it was decided that no matter what the clock would run out. No matter what! Instructions were given to slow down the good or no good call to let the clock expire. They didn't want the shenanigans of laterals and such at the end of the game. My buddy went on to say that the NFL became aware of this and instituted a rule for the maximum time allowed for a field goal. I believe the time is now :05 seconds. Take this story for what it is worth. I believe my buddy and I've actually met his uncle. Go Bills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrags Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 There is not a single doubt in my mind that the "Patriots" from the north east would win that SuperBowl after 9/11. It was definately fixed 100%. Thanks for the story though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangarang Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 (edited) I didn't interpret that story as favoritism for the Pats at all. I think the specific scenarios in that story influenced the officials regardless of the team. Edited May 20, 2014 by Bangarang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NDBUFFCUSEFAN Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 I didn't interpret that story as favoritism for the Pats at all. I think the specific scenarios in that story influenced the officials regardless of the team. Put your foil back on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaaadThingsMan Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 No way the NFL could have a team called the Raiders winning the superbowl post 9/11. Patriots had to win, period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NDBUFFCUSEFAN Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 No way the NFL could have a team called the Raiders winning the superbowl post 9/11. Patriots had to win, period. I know people kid about this stuff but do you really believe this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Vader Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 I know people kid about this stuff but do you really believe this? I don't believe that at all. All I remember from that Super Bowl was how idiotic Mike Martz was for not feeding the ball to Marshall Faulk on a continuous basis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattM Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 I didn't interpret that story as favoritism for the Pats at all. I think the specific scenarios in that story influenced the officials regardless of the team. While I personally do believe that for whatever reason, fair or foul, the Pats* have gotten far more than their fair share of calls over the last decade plus or so, I agree with Bangarang on this. The story here is not Pats*' specific, but more situation specific, which, to me at least, is a big difference, even if it still does not paint a great picture of the officials involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPS Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 Good teams get good calls. I seem to remember a WR getting mauled in the Houston comeback to Bflo's benefit and I'm sure Bills fans weren't bitching. Seattle was allowed to man handle WRs last year. When the Bills are good, the calls will even out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 (edited) I didn't interpret that story as favoritism for the Pats at all. I think the specific scenarios in that story influenced the officials regardless of the team. This. No way the NFL could have a team called the Raiders winning the superbowl post 9/11. Patriots had to win, period. So what was the backup plan if Vinatieri doesn't hit that near-impossible FG in a driving snowstorm after the Tuck Rule call? I can believe that certain players and teams get more calls, but no way they could plan and orchestrate a specific team going through the playoffs and winning a title. Edited May 20, 2014 by KD in CT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FluffHead Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 I didn't interpret that story as favoritism for the Pats at all. I think the specific scenarios in that story influenced the officials regardless of the team. Agreed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 ill go with the crowd that says it had nothing to do with the helmet the team wore, and everything to do with the fact that no ref is going to call holding on the game winning kick in the super bowl short of a lineman pulling out rope and hog tying a guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloWings Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 ill go with the crowd that says it had nothing to do with the helmet the team wore, and everything to do with the fact that no ref is going to call holding on the game winning kick in the super bowl short of a lineman pulling out rope and hog tying a guy. This...I don't remember a game-winning kick of that magnitude being called back because of a penalty. In fact, I don't ever remember a flag thrown on any of those high-profile, potential game-winning plays. That guy's uncle is probably right - I don't think any ref would want to be the guy who called a penalty to nullify a game-winning FG in the Superbowl...no matter who the team is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy10 Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 "Proof"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ko12010 Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 (edited) This...I don't remember a game-winning kick of that magnitude being called back because of a penalty. In fact, I don't ever remember a flag thrown on any of those high-profile, potential game-winning plays. That guy's uncle is probably right - I don't think any ref would want to be the guy who called a penalty to nullify a game-winning FG in the Superbowl...no matter who the team is. It sucks though, because they're not doing their jobs then. I always think of the Music City Miracle--it was obviously one of the closest calls in a big time NFL game ever. There are still people on both sides of the fence on that one. I feel like where the game took place had a big impact on that outcome--in Buffalo it's probably called a forward pass on the field bc it sure looked like it as it happened--only on close review did it become clear that it was almost too close to call definitively. But since the game was in Tennessee, there was no way in hell the refs were going to go against them. Edited May 20, 2014 by ko12010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkAF43 Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 my Uncle's sisters great aunt's sons daughter told me this is true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bufcomments Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 Good teams get good calls. I seem to remember a WR getting mauled in the Houston comeback to Bflo's benefit and I'm sure Bills fans weren't bitching. Seattle was allowed to man handle WRs last year. When the Bills are good, the calls will even out. Don't forget that Don Beebe stepped out of bounds during that Houston comeback game and I remember one night on Monday night football during the Super bowl run vs the Dolphins the Bills got a call that favored them that could have changed the game. Good teams do get the benefit of doubt. Bad teams have to earn it so to speak. Been going on for years. Nothing new here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drinkTHEkoolaid Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 (edited) Robert kraft. He gets what he wants My memory is a little hazy..but is it just coincidence that the patriots didn't fare well under the non union "replacement refs" ? Seems like more than an anomaly Edited May 20, 2014 by drinkTHEkoolaid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaaadThingsMan Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 (edited) I know people kid about this stuff but do you really believe this? conspiracy theories abound but watching that fumble and how it was overturned was awfully suspicious is all I'm saying. Alot of things seemed to line up that year for the Patriots. I don't believe the NFL manipulates the game to decide outcomes but if they did that would certainly have been a good time with all that was going on. Edited May 20, 2014 by NorCalBillsSabres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not at the table Karlos Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 This. So what was the backup plan if Vinatieri doesn't hit that near-impossible FG in a driving snowstorm after the Tuck Rule call? The men in black memory eraser thingy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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