Sure doesn't seem like it...

What would you expect :rolleyes:

Why say "I hate to" then?

Figure of speech maybe? Cause I don't want to sound like I'm an arrogant prick?

I enjoy contributing (and reading) to the thread and talk with likeminded people who enjoy the NFL, but still have a decent level of discussion without going over the top?

And wow, I'm sorry, but my team I've been following since 1995 has just won the Super Bowl :hi:

You're not sorry at all...

:confused: :confused:

Wow I have to apologise to you cause I'm excited? In that case I don't give a ****

Actually you're probably a Ratbird fan, so I really couldn't give a shit :hi:

Where did I say to apologise...
I'm just on the wind up, but it was a bit too easy.

Enjoy your win.

How bad was the coverage on that last touchdown? Terrible.

No "ratbird" here.

Have followed the Packers since '80.

I'm a bit emotional at the moment, so I apologise if I missed it, but thanks :)

Haha, no worries.

I'm just bored at work.

Ah drag, now I've given you bad rep because of that, sorry :angel:

Woken bleary eyed but what a game!!! Congrats to the Steelers and unlucky Cards. Closer game than anyone imagined I think in all honesty. Now it's the trudge to work, shame I'm in walking distance .... :sob:

That's ok, I'm on some clown from Arizona's ignore list so that sort of evens it up for today's Super Bowl. :p

Fell asleep at 20-7... :o Ooops!

Oooo-kay, I missed ten pages last night. :)

Have my best mate visiting last night. He stayed up due to being stuffed full of food and drinks. He's always been cynical about the game, but admitted to being excited at some points last night. If that game didn't convert him to the game then he's a completely lost cause.

Absolutely fantastic game, Holmes rescued the Steelers when it looked as if they had blown it.

P.S. (For now.) Did anyone else hear Bill Simmons' podcast where he and Cousin Sal said that it was a really good bet for Garry Russell not to score a TD. "Bet $300 to win $100." Purewinners-tastic. :clown:

You slept.

Disgraceful :veryangry ;)

I feel for you. I'm going to build a snowman with my daughter :love::p:lux::bash::):D

GO COWBOYS!

Larry Fitzgerald would have tackled James Harrison if Steve Breaston hadn't shoved him into the end zone.

Discuss.




Probably not. But maybe. Actually having seen him again, Fitzgerald got hold of him on the 3, so very unlikely.

What a great game that turned into.

Shame the Squealers one but at least it was a good game.

Good end to a good season in my book.

I'm doing that here at work ;)

:sob: The pleasure of working in the same I live in sadly ...

I couldn't agree with you more. So much to talk about from the game last night. I'm on a high today after watching that and how weird is that seeing as I don't support either team. I really feel for the Cards though ... Never been such an important time to run down the clock just that little bit more ...

I was thinking that exactly this morning, great TD and all that however in hindsight, they would have been better off running that clock down a bit more.

Still should expect to win, what was the 1:40 or something on the clock. Big Ben did good.

Hey Paul, no update comment on this?

Seems, yet again, you have taken over the tool crown.

Notice the wink.

I've also called him Ruthlessberger, Worthlessweiner and Ruthlessburglar in the past.

Since the other day you moaned about me not talking about the SB, maybe you should give your accurate report of the game.

From PFT:
I tend to agree, at first I thought it was incomplete.

As a keen American football fan during my teens, I now always make an effort to watch the final. This year three friends of mine decided to come round and fight shut eye with me. We were all rooting for the cardinals as they were the underdogs and everyone likes an upset. It seemed like the steelers had it in the bag after that 100 yard run just before half-time. Couldn't for the life of me figure out why the cardinals threw the ball when they were so close to the endzone.

It really looked like it wasn't going to be the cardinals day as they gave penalties away left, right and centre. Then the fourth quarter brought a little hope with that superb catch from Ronaldinho's better looking brother. It was so exciting one of my friends who had fallen asleep found himself sitting on the edge of his seat again.

When the cardinals got the football again we were praying that either Ronaldinho's better looking brother or Robocop (the guy with the black visor who seemed the only one to have done any good in the first half) comes into play again. It was the former who saved the day and we were off our seats cheering the sprint straight down the middle of the park.

We thought it was written that the cardinals would be crowned champions. But some great play saw the steelers creep ever closer to the endzone and then that catch! Our only hope was that our own interpretation of the feet having to be grounded would mean the touchdown wouldn't be given but it sadly was.

All in all a thoroughly enjoyable affair that met and exceeded last year's nail-biting final. Hope that camera man is okay after Bruce Springsteen's knee power-slide :p

He's got two rings. How many do you have? Maybe you should show a little respect rather than stupid name making up, wink or no wink.

I will when I have time to post in more detail. I'd rather post something which means something and makes sense than a couple of lines of bias tripe :p

Sheffield 14-21 Hallam.

:-(

They were v good.


Superbowl was v good though.

It was the curse of the t-shirt typo :D

Nice to see the bias I showed above :rolleyes:

As for the comment about rings, that makes sense.

I have 7 years to get 2 rings. I can do it :S:

And as for players not being given nicknames, I take it Big Ben is an awful nickname since he doesn't look like a clock and isn't in the UK.

And the Greatest Show on Turf was never proven either, it could have been someone else or a completely different sport

:rolleyes:

You are showing obvious conference bias by calling Roethlisberger such petty names as Ruthlessberger, Worthlessweiner and Ruthlessburglar. He's a great QB, one of the top 5 in the league and all you did was make a crass comment about him pre-game which you have yet to rectify and admit you were wrong...

But then coming from a kid who knocks one out over Matt Cassel, I won't hold my breath waiting ;)

I've just noticed something about the Steelers, similar to our own football team.

Palace had this knack of promotions in years that ended in 9 (1969, 1979 and 1989) only broken so far by 1999 (wait for 2009!).

Three of the Steelers Superbowl appearances have been in years ending in 6 - 1976, 1996 and 2006.

Not really sure what I'm trying to show there, just, er, you know, bored... :D

On the contrary, it's infinitely more exciting to be at a game than to watch it on telly. And you always know what's going on because refs are mic'd up and the PA announcers describe every play and penalty after it has happened. I've never had to rely on the jumbotrons, though they're handy for replays.

I took some flack for having Big Ben so high up when I originally posted these in the first week of November. Anyone still wanna dispute his position? ;) :D :lux:

I didn't really follow it this year but I was pleased to see the Steelers won the big one. Its not a fashionable place, built around an unfashionable industry but they have a great football team.

a) I'm not apologising over a jokey comment between myself and jj.

Ben, you were right on the Berger.

Hill, Thigpen, Wallace, Schaub and Cassel. Up arrows.

Romo, Favre and Delhomme. Down arrows.

I'll find mine and see what a tit I made of myself.

why would you? It's just a joke comment. I mean come on a slight overeaction.

He was good last night but not amazing. Made a couple great throws and benefits from his size in that (as seen in the first drive) he can run the ball himself well. But he got patted out of the air twice once was an interception and nearly got sacked in the last drive due to indecision. Saying that he gets the ball away well under pressure and is hard to sack due to his size. Overall I'm not disputing that he is a good player, but lets keep some perspective.

You'd think I called him the worst ever.

I mean, the whole point of being a sports fan is that you hate players.

Patriots fans hate Peyton Manning. The funniest think I heard was the Manning face during interviews. As well as when someone said that his head actually looks like a penis.

Tony Homo etc etc.

What is the point in a sport if you cant laugh at it :rolleyes:

Cracking Superbowl!

Not quite as good as last year's, but not far off. Well worth staying up for.

Don't get me started on Manning. Great QB but really allways hated him :(

I like Peyton, big respect for him and Dungy. Don't like Eli though.

I like Rivers and Cutler. Stars of the future.

Woo-hoo :lux:

When's the handing over ceromony? :p

My god, Paul when will you give it a rest? I read so many of your posts and very nearly go to comment to each but I've refrained myself this time ...

I've even called Big Ben, Big Ben. Mainly part to his name being Ben and that he is, errrr ... big .....

But congrats on inheriting the tool tag, I'll be sorry to see it go in a way but I'm happy with my progress this season and feel that it's a just reward ... I'd like to thank my wife, my kids .... ;) :D

But I thought we weren't allowed nicknames.

At least I can have a partner in crime in my arguments as peagle seems to have a S.O.H.

Set a thread up for the both of you then ;)

Nah.

Am I the only person that thinks Joe Flacco resembles Michael Phelps.

Paul - I didn't ask you to apologise, I asked if you were going to admit you were wrong which you haven't.

And no-one has said you shouldn't use nicknames but then "Ruthlessberger, Worthlessweiner and Ruthlessburglar" aren't nicknames - they are insults based on you trying to be funny and insult/question his ability.

Big Ben is a nickname - one which the player himself acknowledges.

Ruthlessberger is a good thing.

Someone in the Pittsburgh press used it in 06 I think. When he had a huge game.

The fact of the matter is that I'd rather have Warner than 'big ben'. So while everyone can say what they want about Roethlisberger thats my opinion and while he is good, everyone needs to calm down just a tad!

Anybody get a bit of Ronaldinho out of Larry Fitzgerald?

http://www.nrtoone.com/gallery2/v/sp...00_lr.jpg.html

http://www.nrtoone.com/gallery2/v/sp...99_lr.jpg.html

http://www.nrtoone.com/gallery2/v/sp...87_lr.jpg.html

http://www.nrtoone.com/gallery2/v/sp...38_lr.jpg.html

http://www.nrtoone.com/gallery2/v/sp...39_lr.jpg.html

http://www.nrtoone.com/gallery2/v/sp...57_lr.jpg.html


Hurray!

Where are the flock of NFL scouts you were trying to impress? :)

Man, I wish we'd played more when I was at college :(

Well played the Cardinals. But in the end, the best team won. Great game!

Heard some whining today from Cardinals management/Cardinals fans about that last play when Warner fumbled. They are saying it was a incomplete pass, i.e. his arm was going forward.

They just about got that call one time, the second time was even less likely.(Remember the Raiders v The Patriots in the snow a few years back.... the bastards.... )

The officials get it right, but can only do so with the help of 50 camera angles and 5 minutes of looking at them.

Still.... gives them more time for some commercials.

Remind me to check at some point if Paul has hacked Hedgehog's account. ;)
And they wore those, in England, in October. :eek:

:love: :love: :love:
:lux:
I thought it was going to be ruled an incompletion. Was a little bit surprised that a) It wasn't ruled that way to begin with, and b) That the review was so fast. Did they even officially go upstairs?
Four game ban coming his way if he does. :D

Hahahahahahahaha. HA!

"According to a gossip column in the NY Daily News, Matt Cassel was urinated on in the bathroom during the Super Bowl.

An intoxicated man allegedly tried to cut in front of Cassel at the Raymond James Stadium urinals. After Cassel told the drunk to wait his turn, the man "barged in and proceeded to purposefully pee directly" on Cassel's leg. Security tossed the liquored-up individual, but Cassel was forced to return to his seats with smelly wet pants. He'll surely be able to replace them with what's set up to be an exceptionally lucrative offseason."

No chance.

Warner has one season left, for starters. And he has a better receiving corps.

Roethlisberger isn't fashionable, but he's a tremendous leader, outstanding at keeping plays alive and arguably only bettered by Manning (P) when it comes to keeping his side going in clutch situations. Time and time again he led his team to victory this season on the last drive of the game. Stats are one thing; cojones are another, and Big Ben has some of the biggest in the NFL. The Steelers had the toughest NFL schedule in recent history and they won it all, with him skippering them. What more does he have to do to get some credit?

I think he is Top 5 in ability.

Probably better when looked at overall.

I have after this year:

1. Brady/Manning
3. Brees
4. Rivers
5. Cheeseberger ;) (I kid, I kid) Big Ben.

Then you have Cutler, Warner, Palmer (if his old form returns), Eli, Romo, Pennington and Cassel ;) :D

Schaub, Rodgers, Ryan and Cassel can all break in to this top 10 depending on their form next year.

I don't think you can say 'after this year...' and still rank Brady at number one. That type of knee injury is HUGE for a QB. He's an unknown quantity going into next year. You'd expect him to be good - he is Tom Brady, after all - but you can't expect him to instantly be the best guy in the NFL again.

I'd have Rivers lower.

And whatever team he plays for next year, Cassel has to have a storming season to be anywhere near my top ten. Seriously, you'd rank him higher than someone like McNabb? Or Matt freakin' Ryan, who could easily be the best QB in the league within two seasons? Come on now.

Illegal pass though...

Didn't he nail his lineman in the back?

They'd have still had more chances though, but loss of yards etc.

I was annoyed that Pitt got that penalty from their goalline. I was just waiting for the elective safety to clear their lines. That was frustrating!

My personal view is that a QB is only as good as the defence in front of him. The biggest questions about Warner is that he has not been a consistent QB througout his career and thats not taking away his two SB appearances ... I rate Ben higher than Warner simply based on his pro career to date .. but I really do think that the amount of hits he takes will catch up with him eventually ...

What no Romo? ;)

Damn, I can't remember, but hasn't that got it's own name which is quite a greay arrear in the game ... when the QB starts to pull his arm back? Maybe I've got confused here ... but haven't heard it mentioned in this case ...

Spot on.

Spot on. Even though Manning didn't win it, he is the only person I'd pick about Ben right now.

Manning
Big Ben
Brees
McNabb
Rivers

I like Warner but what would he have been like behind the Steelers OL this season? Dead, that's what.

The Tuck Rule reads..."NFL Rule 3, Section 21, Article 2, Note 2: When a Team A player is holding the ball to pass it forward, any intentional forward movement of his arm starts a forward pass, even if the player loses possession of the ball as he is attempting to tuck it back toward his body. Also, if the player has tucked the ball into his body and then loses possession, it is a fumble."

Found here ... http://www.provencehome.org/refsuck/...history02.html

the tuck rule, one of the least enforced rules in NFL.

I had him 9th Jaz ;) TOOL.

It might be hope rather than ability on the Brady part.

I dont think you are being fair to Rivers.

Top 3 passer this year and if they had a D they would have been in the Superbowl.

I can't believe Manning blew it in a year without Brady.

Just think, it took the joint-best QB of this generation of QBs to get the league and Goodell the parity that he wanted (Bar Detroit obviously)

Paul, I thought you didn't post on other forums?

http://www.operationsports.com/mm/sh...d.php?t=195668

;) :o

Listened to ESPN Football today podcast earlier.

Someone emailed in and said did no-one see Pittsburgh #56 on Harrisons return TD. They said it should have been called clipping. I havent looked yet, but did anyone notice anything? They also said "Illegal block in the back"

Was #56 Farrior?

I'm checking on YT now.

He might well be the worst out of those 9 although I cant speak for most of them as I haven't seen them play but obviously know their reputations and saw bits on America's Game.

I just had a fun game of NFL out on a snow field. Almost lost the game on a sack from my only friend that follows NFL. I called Tuck Rule, he got angry and went home.

Why?

He's a Raiders fan :D Love it.

At the 30 yard line of the Cards, I actually think there may well be some clipping on the RB (I think its Edge)

Close Call though and in that situation what chance does the ref have of seeing it.

Top of the screen, 22 seconds in

Oh, so many innuendos, so little time.

Suprised the NY Post haven't lead with the headline "Cassel enjoys Golden Showers"

Looked like a blatant block in the back! Two hands, full shove... no flag.

Is it me or have the officials been awful this year.

From the overruled Steelers TD against Baltimore to some of the awful PI calls in games.

The rules are so much more open to interpretation than in other sports - I was pleased they changed the force out one as that now has no element of doubt about it.

The bad calls this season started way before the Steelers/Ravens game but you're new to this Paul so I expect you only started taking notice of the laws mid-season... ;)

It got really bad as early as week 2...

I'd make a comeback, but I choose not to ;)

That was the one I was trying to remember as well. Damn my selective memory.

What about the 11-10 game for the Steelers-Chargers with the TD at the end which apparently wasn't.

Hochuli sucks.

There were more mistakes this year, but that might have been due to more media coverage of the refs. Bit like football (soccer);) this year, respect the refs and they suck more than they used to :D

Dunno, but my officials were dreadful.

I had my first holding call since 2005 (dubious too) and on the very next play I got called for "illegal shift", from offensive tackle.

I went ape.

I was in a 2 point stance, checking the OLB who was showing a blitz (this team runs 9 men in the box btw). On "Down", I casually set myself into a 3 point stance, only to hear this dickwad whistling behind me.

I'm in a 2 point stance, I can run around and pull my trousers down, or motion into QB if I want to! I'm not set! I wasn't trying to get them to jump or anything like that.

There are still some college teams, and high school teams who set their line (move them from a 2pt to 3pt stance on a call), so I wonder how he would ref them. And heaven forbid Dallas Cowboys with their hitch-step.


Tom Landry would be turning in his grave.

****in boooooooo

Greetins everyone, from snowy Avoriaz. My effort to go a whole week not knowing the Superbowl score (ala The Likely Lads) only lasted one day when I accidentally noticed it while looking up transfer deadline day moves on the BBC

What a game, heartbreaking for the Cards, but if you're going to lose a Superbowl, at least lose it to one of the greatest catches ever in a final

Awesome stuff

When does next season start? :) ;)

Yes, which is probably why I couldn't remember it. I only learnt about this while watching a Cowboys game earlier in the season. It was a call made twice I think which saved Romo and they went into detail about the rule and why it's not called so often.

Ah, the Tuck Rule. Possibly the greatest rule in Football.

Thats the saddening part about the Superbowl. We now know we wont have any games for seven months (Well, we have the Pro Bowl, but I certainly wont be going out of my way to watch it).

Hopefully they do make the regular season slightly longer (I think they are looking at 18; that was one of the talking points last week in Tampa).

Being in America this is extra depressing as it means Baseball is on the way...

Woo Pro Bowl ;)

NFL as it is:

22 weeks in the season from Week 1 to Pro Bowl.
4 weeks of pre-season.
Before that, 3 weeks of training camp.

So between Pro-Bowl and Training Camp there are 23 weeks (if I've added it right) to go before the sort of interesting stuff starts again.

But, you have the Combine and Draft until the end of April, meaning in reality there is 10 weeks of no football related stuff apart from mini camps and rookie camps.

Now, I know you are a little bit slow on stuff, but you do know the Tuck Rule isn't what Justin uses to measure stuff, right?

(Good one) ;)

Really?

Check the avatar from it :D

Anyway,

This was a letter to Reiss's Pieces. Something I didn't notice at the time, but its another point about the refereeing Sunday.

Before I quote the letter, two other instances are referred to elsewhere in the mailbag.
1. The Roughing the Passer call - harsh call.

2. James Harrison punching the crap out of the Arizona guy on a KR/PR. Possible ejection if seen.

As well as what has already been discussed:

He has a point.

A lot of decisions went against the Cards who along with the 14 point swing on H/T, can count themselves very unlucky IMHO.

It's true that a lot of decisions went for Steelers. It reminded me of the many occasions during New England's 16-0 season where officials seemed so afraid of upsetting the Pats' apple cart they kept appearing to favour them, perhaps subconsciously. Pittsburgh seemed to get the same treatment at times. But then, Big Clubs get Big Decisions all over the world - Yankees in baseball, Chelsea/Manure over here - it happens in all sports.

Having said all that, I thought Big Ben's Little Run was a TD and was amazed they overturned it. And they did call the safety in the end zone, too, which would have been an easy one on which to turn a blind eye. So maybe those calls even things out.

I was almost beating kids about the assisting the runner call though.

Another never called penalty.

Only problem is that had assisting the runner been called it would’ve still been third down for the Steelers, albeit from further out - so in a sense that non-call did the Cards a favour.

Why? A rule that is so hard and questionable to call correctly with the naked eye cannot be the greatest rule.

The greatest rule is penalising a player for celebrating a touch down ... :rolleyes: ;)

Yes, spot on. A great example of that is the Lampard and Bosingwa decisions by the FA in th epast couple of days ... :rolleyes:

As you were ...

Don't agree with all that - to overturn Lampard's was correct. It was never a red. However, Bosingwa should've got a 2 match ban for what he did (it's not as bad as everyone making out but it was deliberate).

So, 1 right and 1 wrong, IMO. :D

Not wanting to hijack this thread, but I meant the fact that the FA announced earlier in the week they would not take any action over Bosingwa. And then yesterday they overturn the Lampard red. It amazes me how they reach decisions at times .... I agree completely that the Lampard challenge was not a straight red card, but other players have been sent of for showing their studs in a challenge that clearly Lampard was, whether it was accidental or not ...

Anyway, when is the Pro Bowl? Is it this weekend or next?

After this season I'm starting to take an interest in other US sports but find that there is very little coverage of Baseball or Basketball in the UK sadly ...

Don't watch baseball. You'd be better off heading up to Regent's Park and watching the corporate rounders league :D

:D Girls league I assume? ;)

Christ I forgot about the early No-TD rule.

I wasn't sure that it was a TD but could see nothing that said it wasn't.

It should be another of those that shouldn't be overturned without 100% proof, a bit like the 2nd challenge Whisenhunt made.

I was being sarcastic ;)

This week. I personally like watching it, but as saxon and Ben can testify. I am a loser ;)

I too can vouch for this if anyone needs me to.