saintfan

I'm hearing all the talk about replaying the game. I'm hearing all the talk about replaying from the time of the blatant non-call. I'm hearing all the talk about changing the rule. I'm hearing all this. And it is needed. And it is good.

But it is what I not hearing much about that is bothering me. I'm hearing some, but not nearly enough, on the subject of how they missed the call, or maybe it is better to wonder why they missed the call.

Listen, these are the best football refs in the world. They are NFL refs. Not only are they the NFL refs, and thus the best in the world, they are the cream of the crop, even when measured by their peers. How is it even possible that they missed the call? All 7 of them. Unless we are to believe they are incompetent such that they could miss something so clearly obvious, then how?

Does anyone believe they're just incompetent? Seriously? These guys who graded out so well, even among the best of the best? Could they be incompetent? These guys are the "Top Gun" of the NFL. Was Maverick incompetent? Goose? Ice man? No way. Rule out incompetent.

Maybe they really did just miss it. I mean, that's the consensus. They just missed it. Look, one guy had the play coming directly at him. He was literally 2 yards away when he made the incomplete signal. He just missed it?

Another guy was directly behind the play. Standing directly on the sideline. He was 6 yards away and had the best angle of anyone. He's the guy who, it appears, might have wanted to flag the play and was instructed otherwise. Maybe. He just missed it?

What about the guy behind the play in, essentially, the middle of the field. The play was moving away from him. His view was not obstructed. It would be extremely easy for him to have seen the defender arrive 5 yards ahead of the ball, which is exactly what happened? He, too...just missed it?

Let us remember, these men are the best of the best. Call sign Viper. They don't 'just miss' obvious calls. They makes calls that, frankly, are amazing. That they catch and flag some of the things they catch and flag, in real time, is actually quite amazing and a testament to just how good, how well trained they are. The best of the best.

So, if we rule out incompetence, and if we rule out they just missed it, what are we left with? I've heard that perhaps they were afraid to throw the flag. Really? They were afraid. Of what? Of being the ref who threw the flag? We're talking Goose and Maverick here. They're not afraid. They do this every weekend for half the year. Where would there be any justification for the assumption that any of the Top Gun NFL refs would have any fear of throwing a flag. Nah. They weren't afraid. And even if one of these Top Gun refs had some fear in his heart, are we to believe that 3 of them had fear, or even all 7? Not buying it.

So, if not incompetence, if not a genuine human error ( committed by at least 3 top gun refs simultaneously ), if not fear, then what?

They aren't just bad refs. They all three of them didn't not see the most blatant foul I've ever seen on a football field. They weren't all three afraid to throw the flag, particularly when one considers how genuinely fearful the NFL is of head to head contact and all the ticky tack flags we've seen to that end this year?

So, what? If none of ignorance, poor eyesight, or fear can be the reason, then what COULD be the reason? The answer is I do not know the answer. I have some ideas, but I can not get into the mind of those 3 men to determine why they didn't throw the flag.

So I want to hear their explanation(s). I want to hear Goose and Maverick and call sign Viper elaborate for me, the paying customer, how it is they let the bogey buzz the tower without pulling the trigger. And I'd like to know why this isn't being pushed by those who are otherwise just as confused as I am and are in a position to ask.

Let's stop talking about replaying the game. Not going to happen. Let's stop talking about changing the rule. Leave that to the committee. Let's push the issue of WHY it is, or HOW it is, that these men failed, because without fear or vision problems or ignorance, neither of which holds any water, then there must be some other reason. And THAT is what Saintfan wants to hear.

The petition is 700k strong and growing. The billboards are up in Atlanta. We MUST NOT STOP until we get the answer to Why, or How, this happened, because if we ever do get that answer, the world, and professional football, will be a better place.

C'mon Man...

neugey

Earlier today on another social media post, I made the analogy that this is the football equivalent of seeing a friend gunned down in cold blood by a cop, then the PD refusing to let internal affairs investigate and pretending like the shooting never happened.

No we're not going to let it go, and pretty much everyone in the media who isn't pushing the "Saints fans are being irrational sore losers" narrative is also going to keep asking the questions. We're gonna be the giant elephant in the room in Atlanta's stadium next week, and that's the way it should be.

saintfan

We HAVE to be that elephant. We can NOT let this die. Not because we're going to change the outcome. We're not. It's over. But we HAVE to keep this going because there MUST be people held responsible for this BECAUSE there is no reasonable accidental or human explanation for it.

I'm hoping those who can make signs and protest during all the pre game festivities next week. We just can't let it die.

vpheughan

FROM THE NFL "OFFICIAL" RULES SITE:

RULE SUMMARY VIEW OFFICIAL RULE
USE OF THE HELMET

It is a foul if a player lowers his head to initiate and make contact with his helmet against an opponent.

Note: The tackle box no longer exists once the ball leaves the tackle box.

Penalty: Loss of 15 yards. If the foul is by the defense, it is also an automatic first down. The player may be disqualified.

Pete

Still Nothing from Gudell.. I'd bet with the ego that s.o.b got he hasn't missed an ounce of sleep.He's got what's coming to him..

K Major

Silence could mean guilt.

dam1953

Or as attributed to Mark Twain "better to remain silent and thought a fool that to speak and remove all doubt." In this case the word "thief" can replace "fool".

frydaddy

In this case I think the words "thief" and "fool" can both be used.

ChrisXVI

I’m not certain Goodell or anyone in the NFL office had anything to do with it. I think the refs were compromised and big money changed hands. The NFL office is probably freaking out over the potential match-fixing scandal on their hands.

Euphoria

I feel the same way... I don't think they want to address it or do much more than the norm until after the SB. Because once that game is played and out of the way, they can't go back and unring the bell. Investigation into the matter, penalties and such but rewarding us with anything is out of the question.

I don't think it would out of the possibility if we are rewarded draft picks if they did find anything wrong and our team was hurt because of it.