Someone Didn't Make Their Payment? Vet ref calls foul on Stefon Diggs no-call

Don't talk to me about incompetent referees. This was a keystone cops game so obvious that CBS blue screened the 2nd obvious OFFENSIVE pass interference call against the Bills when the Bucs receiver wrapped his arm around the Bills player and pulled him into him in overtime. The Bills also got jobbed by the referees against when they played the Titans. Phantom holding calls on critical plays. Right then I knew the Bills were toast as someone doesn't want them around.

the CBS broadcast temporarily broke itself because of how bad the pass interference call against Levi Wallace was in his coverage of Mike Evans

Terry McAulay @SNFRules · 15h This is not defensive pass interference. The receiver creates the contact. It is especially noteworthy given what was not called late in regulation on the Buffalo 3rd & 2 play.

Since the league is classified as entertainment so that means its just that?

Vet ref calls foul on Stefon Diggs no-call late in Bills and Buccaneers game

The Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers were in the midst of an instant classic when NFL officiating decided to take over the game with some questionable calls and no-calls late. Their willingness to throw flags on one play while keeping it tucked away on another ultimately decided the outcome of the contest with Tampa Bay prevailing in overtime 33-27. Late in regulation, the Bills found themselves trailing the Buccaneers by three. Josh Allen led the offense down to Tampa Bay’s seven yard line and faced a third-and-two. With an opportunity to put the game away in regulation, the quarterback decided to go to Stefon Diggs, his No. 1 receiver. Allen’s throw was on the mark, but fell to the ground with what looked like no shortage of contact from Carlton Davis.

Make America Great Again? When "they" mess with sports what else is there?

a reply to: Waterglass

the beauty of not worrying about politisports.

When sports became a political means of displaying your opinion, I stepped away. I watched sports for the entertainment. I came to ATS for my political discourse. I'm sure my presence isn't missed, and I'm good with that. But it does make concerns like what you posted here so much easier to ignore. blood pressure normal. Sh!ts given=0.

I'm sorry the fix was in, it happens.

Sir, this is a Wendy's!

I suggest looking up some interviews that were available on Youtube the last I looked. One was from an ex player who played in the Buccaneers and Raiders Superbowl. His take on the game is pretty convincing that is was fixed and gives some pretty good stories to back it up. At this point anything that has that much riding on them is not 100% on the up and up, especially when you consider how many people are involved with these games from each teams staff, officials, and stadium staff.

Everyone has a price and if enough money is thrown your way it is tough not to make the wrong call, give insider information etc. I think anyone that watches sports anymore would be lying if they didn't believe they are manipulated at least a few times a game. The NBA may be the worst and is one of the reasons I haven't watched it in close to 10 years and I rarely watch NFL anymore and I used to be one of the guys that watched as many games as I could.

originally posted by: Charliebrowndog
I suggest looking up some interviews that were available on Youtube the last I looked. One was from an ex player who played in the Buccaneers and Raiders Superbowl. His take on the game is pretty convincing that is was fixed and gives some pretty good stories to back it up. At this point anything that has that much riding on them is not 100% on the up and up, especially when you consider how many people are involved with these games from each teams staff, officials, and stadium staff.

Everyone has a price and if enough money is thrown your way it is tough not to make the wrong call, give insider information etc. I think anyone that watches sports anymore would be lying if they didn't believe they are manipulated at least a few times a game. The NBA may be the worst and is one of the reasons I haven't watched it in close to 10 years and I rarely watch NFL anymore and I used to be one of the guys that watched as many games as I could.

In the NBA, it's no secret at all that the refs favor the star players, and those guys can get away with fouls that other players get called for.

Back in the NFL, I have to wonder if the Detroit Lions are kept around basically to be the Washington Generals of the football world. They've sucked for as long as anybody alive can remember, and nobody in the football infrastructure seems interested in making them even halfway-decent -- not the league, not the owners, and not even the players. It's the only way I can explain why the franchise hasn't been moved to another city & renamed.

a reply to: Charliebrowndog

Back in the NFL, I have to wonder if the Detroit Lions are kept around basically to be the Washington Generals of the football world.

I agree with all you wrote. I had an uncle who was a NFL chains linesman for 20 years. He also played foot ball for Alabama.

The stuff he told us was nutz but yes the referees would cheat.

a reply to: network dude

As technology gains more and more traction they will have to clean up their act. This game has has so much cameras shots of all [3] non calls and video that this is fluffed up. The referees stole the game from the Bills as Diggs had his jersey pulled from his body by at least a foot. USA today, Sports Illustrated, Twitter and others are now piling on.

I posted the pic of the end zone pass interference holding. That was game over touchdown for Buffalo but NO call was made on the interference.

The thing that is infuriating though when you talk about the technology aspect of it is when you watch the replay and they call in the replay expert in NY and they walk through the rule terminology and how the play you are watching is a textbook definition of the rule but then it is ruled against what the expert says. The decision to overrule the experts on the field is hurting the game as well.

The other issue with social media is I think some of the refs while not intentionally trying to impact the game are afraid to make a big call in fear that they will be harrassed.

Short story here: I coach High School and Junior Varsity Football. We travelled to a JV game and just before halftime there was a skirmish in the endzone between my defensive back and the other teams Wide receiver. Blows were thrown by each kid and penalty flags were thrown. Here is where it gets interesting. The play happened along the other teams sideline and a father and several coaches were then yelling at the referee that made the call and at some point said that they would kill the referee and my player. The head referee stopped the game at that point and pulled his crew off the field ending the game. As I was walking over trying to get an idea of what was going on the sideline judge on their side comes running by and says he has never been in such a hostile environment. This is was just low level high school football and it gets that reaction. Once the insane amounts of money get involved it gets very interesting.

It is only a matter of time before NFL merges its talents with SmackDown for an entertainment extravaganza. |:-|
The two were very different when I was a kid, but now Touchdown and Smackdown will go together like Sodom and Gomorrah.

a reply to: Waterglass

"When they mess with sports, what else is there"???

Maybe real life?

All sports are scripted. If ya think otherwise, ya probably think wrestling is real!

This ain't no conspiracy. Have you ever thought about how Vegas wins on the spread damn near every time?

And if ya think "making America great again" has anything to do with sports, you're delusional.

When every pregame broadcast, halftime broadcast and post-game broadcast is sponsored by legalized sports-books (betting), what do you expect?

originally posted by: TXRabbit
When every pregame broadcast, halftime broadcast and post-game broadcast is sponsored by legalized sports-books (betting), what do you expect?

Good point. Talk about a conflict of interests. When one of the game's major sponsors literally has millions (billions?) of dollars riding on the outcome of that game, how can you be surprised if they start fixing the games?

My newest hobby that I started this year is officiating high school and middle school football games.

The greatest revelation I had is how it's a completely different game, standing on the field watching plays unfold at eye level, than it is watching it in slow motion from my couch at home.

I can only see/watch one small area of the field at a time. I can literally be looking at three engaged players but miss two more who are five feet away from them. If a fould happens and there is a player in my line of sight between me and the offender, I can't see it, thus I won't call it. The focus is intense but absolutely does not encompass everything.

And if I don't see the penalty, but only the aftermath and the screaming coaches, I can't call the penalty. I might see a kid's head jerk, but if I don't see the hand on the facemask, I don't call that penalty.

Last note, we are trained to *not* call every foul. Games would turn into basketball games if we blew a whistle on every play, which we easily could. In order, we flag plays involving player safety; advantage / disadvantage in the outcome of the play; personal fouls. We're told to "coach" players against fouling again if it's, say, a holding 50 yards away from the actual football.

Veteran officials who know coaches who became officials say that every single one has apologized to them for their behavior as coaches, after they officiated a game the first time.

That said, it's incredibly fun to officiate a game despite everyone on the sidelines and in the stands knowing that every call I made or missed was the wrong call.

originally posted by: Charliebrowndog
The play happened along the other teams sideline and a father and several coaches were then yelling at the referee that made the call and at some point said that they would kill the referee and my player. The head referee stopped the game at that point and pulled his crew off the field ending the game. As I was walking over trying to get an idea of what was going on the sideline judge on their side comes running by and says he has never been in such a hostile environment

Every school I officiate at is required to have actual police there to "escort" us officials on/off the field.

There's a lot of yelling at officials which frankly cracks me up, now that I'm one. Nothing major last season, but I've heard stories in the past which is why there's police there now.

But I'll tell you, a lot of these veteran officals, and some of the younger ones, are tough characters and have been officiating 45, 50 years (which tells you a lot about how much fun it is to do this). I would imagine some of them just throwing the offenders out of the game, including people in the stands. Seen it.

Not for death threats though, just for generally being obnoxious.

My guess is that there is more history than this one threat.

a reply to: Waterglass

Same for most, if not all big-league sports now.
It's is undeniably Sports™ now

Do you think all of the sports-betting, and online Casino™ commercials that you see while watching a game :
are coincidence ?

Bloomberg™ : The NFL™ Has Erased the Line Between Sports™ and Gambling™.

... What changed? An opportunity for the NFL to feast on fresh revenue streams emerged. The league said it expects to pull in $270 million this year from new gambling deals and as much as $1 billion by the end of this decade. ...

Business™ is Business™, eh ?

a reply to: Nothin

Eh!

a reply to: KawRider9

And if ya think "making America great again" has anything to do with sports, you're delusional.

You don't get satire?

I simply played the Trump card!

a reply to: Waterglass

Well, thanks for making me feel like an idiot!

a reply to: LanceCorvette

What's crazy is that in our state is all High Schools are required to play one game on Saturday and one game on Thursday. This is because there is a shortage of officials. I know when I coached youth football our league rule was that any "problem" parents were the responsibility of their team. If the team's coaches could not control their parents the game was called and the victory given to the other team.

The only time I get upset at an official is when there is a blatant missed call that is directly related to players safety. Other than that like another poster said you would need to stop the game all the time. Especially at the younger ages it is important that not every penalty is called just to keep the game moving but I also expect the referees to give warnings or a heads up that they will make the call the next time or relay what they are seeing on the field so the coaches can do the job of coaching. The yelling always gets me as well. If you think you can do better then volunteer your time and do the job.