Posted: Tuesday, February 3, 2009, 10:28 PM | 15 comments |
 

Arizona's final complaint
options
 
Truth is, I might very well have thrown something at the television if one of the officials had thrown a penalty flag on this one, but the rulebook says that the Steelers got away with one at the end of the Super Bowl.

No, I'm not talking about the fumble at the very end. I think they got that one right -- the ball was coming out of quarterback Kurt Warner's hand before his arm moved forward, and if you don't have total control at that point, it is a fumble. They could have replayed it and had the ref go under the hood one more time, just for laughs, but it really wasn't necessary. The guys in the booth had a good look at it and agreed with the call on the field and saw no need. Again, they were right.

No, this was before that. It was after Santonio Holmes' outrageous, game-winning catch. It was on the celebration, when Holmes made like Lebron James, pantomiming with the football, pretending it was a shaker full of powder and then tossing a handful of the imaginary powder into the air.

That is technically against the rules. You can't use a prop in your celebration, and Holmes used the football as a prop. It is no more of a technicality than the penalty the officials called about a minute later when one of the Steelers took of his helmet in celebration after Warner's fumble.

So, if rules are rules, the Steelers are kicking off from their 20-yard line after the touchdown, and the Cardinals would have been 15 yards closer at the end.  Which would have affected play-calling and all kinds of decisions, in all likelihood. Just saying.

Anyway, here's the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ3n6vR2KuE
Posted by Rich Hofmann @ 10:28 PM  Permalink | 15 comments
15
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:18 AM, 02/04/2009
    what about warner removing his helmet on the field of play to argue a call - thats 15 too - get over it; the celebration rule is outrageous anyway.
    — despy22nd
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:25 AM, 02/04/2009
    Yo Rich, Good point... and Pittsburgh would actually be kicking off from their own 15, not the 20. NFL kicks off from the 30-yard line.
    — NJguy
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:15 AM, 02/04/2009
    You're the man Rich....but....'using the football as a prop'...ehhhh, I dunno...still, you're always a pleasure to read...thanks
    — roke
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:35 AM, 02/04/2009
    Its Karma, remember the no-call interference call at the end of the Eagles game, there should be no complaining about anything that happen to Arizonia in the Super Bowl.
    — dbernhauser
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:29 AM, 02/04/2009
    The celebration penalty is one of the dumbest rules in all sports. The NFL should do away with it. Unless a player goes way overboard, then let them have some fun. In the regular season Wes Welker was penalized for making a snow angel in a game against the Cardinals. It was great to watch and he didn't get carried away. I think the NFl has a group of non-fun loving, fuddy duddies who make these stupid rules.
    — The_Unknown-Poster
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:46 AM, 02/04/2009
    The really important one I think they missed was a block in the back, at around the Arizona 15 yard line, on that interception return at the end of the half. You have to look carefully to see it. I think it was on the last guy who had a shot at making the tackle. Obviously, if Pittsburgh doesn't score there, and Arizona is going in at the half only down 10-7, Arizona wins the game in the second half. But everything always seems to go right for the Steelers and Roethlisberger in these games doesn't it?
    — nellar
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:46 AM, 02/04/2009
    The really important one I think they missed was a block in the back, at around the Arizona 15 yard line, on that interception return at the end of the half. You have to look carefully to see it. I think it was on the last guy who had a shot at making the tackle. Obviously, if Pittsburgh doesn't score there, and Arizona is going in at the half only down 10-7, Arizona wins the game in the second half. But everything always seems to go right for the Steelers and Roethlisberger in these games doesn't it?
    — nellar
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:46 AM, 02/04/2009
    The really important one I think they missed was a block in the back, at around the Arizona 15 yard line, on that interception return at the end of the half. You have to look carefully to see it. I think it was on the last guy who had a shot at making the tackle. Obviously, if Pittsburgh doesn't score there, and Arizona is going in at the half only down 10-7, Arizona wins the game in the second half. But everything always seems to go right for the Steelers and Roethlisberger in these games doesn't it?
    — nellar
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:38 AM, 02/04/2009
    The really important one I think they missed was a block in the back, at around the Arizona 15 yard line, on that interception return at the end of the half. You have to look carefully to see it. I think it was on the last guy who had a shot at making the tackle. Obviously, if Pittsburgh doesn't score there, and Arizona is going in at the half only down 10-7, Arizona wins the game in the second half. But everything always seems to go right for the Steelers and Roethlisberger in these games doesn't it? Sorry, had to do it.
    — B in DC
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:48 AM, 02/04/2009
    PUH-LEASE ! You did leave out a few things... Warner removing his helmet in disgust, the 3rd and like 20 play that BigBen connected on -only to have it reversed and called a safety (B.S.). Why haven't you talked about the BLATANT pass interference play against the Eagles to win the game! Honestly- you need to write about politics or something else.
    — ReidSux
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:52 AM, 02/04/2009
    If the ref had called the Warner "fumble" an incomplete pass, replay would have upheld that, too. It's all Ed Hoeckule's fault, now no one wants to call an incomplete pass. Same with Santonio Holmes catch in the end zone, had it been called incomplete, replay would have been inconclusive, because throughout the catch his right foot is up on his left sole. Check it out. Home field advantage for Pittsburgh. There's more than one Rooney rule.
    — tom c.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:12 AM, 02/05/2009
    I saw that block in the back, too. I wonder what the rule is because I saw it also in the Championship game during the screen pass that won it for the Cards. And wasn't that alleged Asante pass interference called on a throw that was un-catchable? Then they go "I see nothing" on Hood and Curtis at the end.
    — ItalianSausage
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:51 PM, 02/05/2009
    I think the celebration rule is dumb. I am glad they didn't call it. Heck they didn't call the obvious Pass interference for us which could have changed the game dramatically. I would take Santonio "jump on it jump on it" Holmes any day
    — lennyk
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:34 AM, 02/06/2009
    Officiating in all sports right now leaves a lot to be desired. All season I have been seeing guys taking their helmets of in the field of play without a flag. At the Super Bowl a flag is thrown??? The list goes on and on, and definately keep an eye on the NBA.
    — Gee Money
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:15 AM, 02/06/2009
    Arizona can whine all they want about THAT non-call. They shouldn't even have been in the Super Bowl after the way we got jobbed at the end of our Eagles game - no interference call when Curtis was taken down. They can bite me!!! Even Eagles hater Aikman couldn't believe they didn't make the call. It wasn't even close!! I'm still fuming over that and in fact I rooted for the Steelers because of it.
    — Phillyexp


15 comments
About Rich Hofmann
Rich Hofmann arrived at the Daily News in 1980 for a job whose status was officially designated as "full-time, temporary." A senior at Penn at the time, he was hired to fill in on the copy desk during a staff illness. The notion of him covering the Eagles or being a columnist did not exist in anyone's imagination. It was supposed to be six weeks and out, but he never left. It is only one of the reasons why so many people have concerns about him as a potential house guest. Rich has blogged the postseasons of the Flyers and Eagles. E-mail Rich at hofmanr@phillynews.com

Join on Facebook    Follow on Twitter

Advertise Here