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All of the discussion on the Bengals / Steelers game.
Lewis should have controlled his players better - his fault.
The players should know how to act on the field - their fault.
Referees should have controlled the overall game better - their fault.
In my opinion, I think most people are missing the true issue with "when football goes wrong". It's the NFL and the NFL Rule Book, and all of the ambiguities that lie within.
Burficts hit on Brown - spearing by rule. Defenseless or not, he led with the crown of his helmet. But with other rules, like once a runner not defenseless, the rules are wide open to interpretation. Which comes first? I think spearing and it's over, whether a runner or not.
But, there's more. The NFL is trying to control the time of the game. Too many penalties and the time of game will go too long. Can't loose viewership, because demographic studies point towards people losing interest with long games or those broken apart by stoppages.
I'm a CPA. The NFL isn't much different than me. I have tax laws to follow, but they are open to interpretation. Thus there is tax court, to argue against tax laws. The NFL has the rule book. Players, coaches, owners, referees - all sign on and make the NFL their profession knowing a rule book exists. But the NFL is the bigger bubble with money controlling the entire business. Yes, the NFL is trying to protect players better. But not to the point of a black and white rule book. Instead, it's rules with certain freedoms to make judgment calls that don't quite adhere to the rules.
Burfict - spearing. But Shazier not called for spearing with his hit on Bernard because of a defenseless player overlay? He was a runner? Spearing came first - should have been called. But refs have been guided to loosen the rule with defenseless player, yet the spearing rule is still in the books.
The NFL and the rule book is really the root cause of these sort of issues. Sure player, coaches, refs - all need to do their jobs and sometimes they fail. But envelopes are pushed because the NFL allows it, and then cries fowl when some gray line is crossed.
Brill post metalmancpa, you nailed it and then some.
I grew up in ABQ playing football (which I sucked at as a free safety but still loved the sport) and hockey. I'm also a Controller on his way to a CPA and hopefully following the Rams out of St. Louis :-)
You absolutely nailed it - it's a combination of what actions over the edge will the league justify and consider when looking at its bottom line.
(Disclaimer - NFL and Denver Broncos fan since 1976) Burfict's behavior was without a doubt unacceptable and given his history and mouthing off about how he hates the Steelers should come as no surprise. Football is an emotional and powerful sport but there must be some latitude of equally distributed discipline. If the NFL weighted penalties/disciplinary action like the NHL and took into consideration prior history (Burfict, Suh, et al), it would be a much more balanced and logical approach. Having said that, ultimately the NFL's top concern is a healthy profit margin and I look forward to a great game next Sunday between the Steelers and my Broncos, two classy and legendary teams.
Brill post metalmancpa, you nailed it and then some.
I grew up in ABQ playing football (which I sucked at as a free safety but still loved the sport) and hockey. I'm also a Controller on his way to a CPA and hopefully following the Rams out of St. Louis :-)
You absolutely nailed it - it's a combination of what actions over the edge will the league justify and consider when looking at its bottom line.
(Disclaimer - NFL and Denver Broncos fan since 1976) Burfict's behavior was without a doubt unacceptable and given his history and mouthing off about how he hates the Steelers should come as no surprise. Football is an emotional and powerful sport but there must be some latitude of equally distributed discipline. If the NFL weighted penalties/disciplinary action like the NHL and took into consideration prior history (Burfict, Suh, et al), it would be a much more balanced and logical approach. Having said that, ultimately the NFL's top concern is a healthy profit margin and I look forward to a great game next Sunday between the Steelers and my Broncos, two classy and legendary teams.
As long as they don't make those stupid presentation videos justifying the suspension and air them on NFLN like the NHL does.
They have been so inconsistent and flat out awful that they are losing control of games. In the Cincy game, they missed an obvious spearing call on the Steelers earlier in the game that I believe escalated the already boiling over bad blood.
Roger Goodell needs to stop being a penny pinching cheapskate and hire these refs full-time so they can attend referee training camps all season long.
Yeah my first thought were the refs too, it is amazing how the quality of referees has dropped off in recent years. Along with the refs the expert ex-officials on tv are worthless as well. The clown on CBS somehow told us that helmet to helmet shot somehow was not a penalty. Mike Carey sounds like they just woke him up whenever they turn to him and he's wrong constantly.
Mike Carey sounds like they just woke him up whenever they turn to him and he's wrong constantly.
Dave,
..they honestly may be waking him up. Sometimes the network replay experts aren't called on for hours at a time. Seems like a cool gig. You get paid to watch an NFL game, then offer up 2 minutes of pretty subjective commentary.. and who knows maybe they do get to catch a couple zzzs on the clock also
Personally I don't think the officiating is any worse than previous generations.. I believe that all the added cameras & replays has served to further highlight their mistakes (?) The 'problem' in the Cincy game (my opinion) was the Bengals losing control of their emotions & professionalism.. It was amateur hour.
There are only a handful of refs in the NFL that I believe actually have good control, and knowledge of the game. There's always going to be sketchy calls because people do make mistakes, however with the rule book the way it is, you HAVE to be consistent in order to avoid the bull crap. The refs on Saturday( Steelers vs Bengals) were clearly overwhelmed by the amount of chaos and had NO control over anything, They were also in-consistent which added to it.
The rule book needs to changed to be 100% clear and the refs need to be clearly informed and aware of everything
There are only a handful of refs in the NFL that I believe actually have good control, and knowledge of the game. There's always going to be sketchy calls because people do make mistakes, however with the rule book the way it is, you HAVE to be consistent in order to avoid the bull crap. The refs on Saturday( Steelers vs Bengals) were clearly overwhelmed by the amount of chaos and had NO control over anything, They were also in-consistent which added to it.
The rule book needs to changed to be 100% clear and the refs need to be clearly informed and aware of everything
This is why I believe it's the NFL & the rule books and not the refs fault, at the base of the entire problem.
Since the Steelers / Bengals game is freshest in the mind, some perspective.
Should Burfict acted as he did, hell bent on revenge for the earlier hit on Bernard and/or something more? No way. I understand the team mentality of standing up for your teammates, but in fact in this team sport he let his entire team down with his actions. Most players act like professionals. But as a fan, I am not a fan of players who overact. I am not a fan of excessive celebration, like someone puts a big hit on and makes these big Hollywood look at what I did moments, even when they are behind by a lot. Make you hit, high five a teammate, go back to the huddle. Same with a TD. And if the refs had called spearing on the Bernard hit as in the rulebook they should have, maybe the game wouldn't have turned out like it did. But with the defenseless player rule somehow taking precedent over spearing, it wasn't called, and probably because Goodell/NFL has allowed the being a runner rule in the interest of the game more important than spearing. Whose interpretation is correct?
Should Lewis have benched Burfict knowing he was out of control? Yes and no. It was blatantly obvious he was on fire and could cost the team with a penalty, which he did. But what's the object of the game? To win. Really tough to sit your best player not based on injury or a scheme of play when all the owners care about are winning which makes $$. And Lewis is not coaching grade school kids. He should not have to be a babysitter to adults.
Should the refs have thrown more flags for control? Yes and no. Like the tax code, I could read the rule book ad nauseum. But if my employer is above it's own law, actually telling me where to be lenient on their own rules, how should a ref act? Not only are refs only part time, but they are interpreting a rule book at high speeds with the knowledge that Goodell and the NFL have added unwritten rules to bend their own rules in the interest of money and ratings. One could say it's working due to the NFL's success. But then you have situations where a mans livelihood could be on the line.
Last edited by metalmancpa; 01-12-2016 at 06:08 AM..
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