Correct a sports related officiating error [Archive]

Saint Cad

02-09-2012, 10:26 AM

Sorry if the title didn't do a good job explaining what this thread is about.

You are given 3 wishes by the sports genie to correct any error that was made in the history of sports. Judgement calls are tricky. IIRC there was an "obvious" batter's interference on a bunt in a World Series that is probably not correctable because "what is interference" is nebulous. However Jeter getting a home-run in the 1996 ALCS is correctable as it is clear the wrong call was made.

It should be an officiating error and not a bad rule so the "Tuck Rule" wouldn't count. You may hate the rule but the call was technically correct according to the rules.

My three:

1) 1972 Olympic Basketball finals.
Take your pick.
Basically giving the Soviets an official's timeout
Not assessing a technical on the coach for interfering with live play
Telling McMillan to step away from the inbounder
The illegal interference of FIBA's Jones regarding a referee's decision

2) The "Fifth-Down" Game. Colorado vs. Missouri (1990)
Although a relatively minor game between two ranked teams at the time, Colorado would later win the National Championship with one loss and a tie over and undefeated (but one tie) Georgia Tech. With 2 losses, it is highly probably Colorado would not have gotten the NC. As I hijack I'll note that Colorado won the National Championship based on a phantom clipping call on Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl which under the genie's rules is not correctable as it is a judgement call. This was a year that the pollster could have made things right by voting on Colorado as a 2 or even 3 loss team yet they failed to do so.

3) Armando Gallaraga's (im)perfect game.
One reason is that it would have been the last out.
Two is that perfect games are so rare
Three is that the umpire admitted it was a blown call and begged for it to be corrected
Four is that the Commissioner of baseball has wide latitude in the "best interests of the game" and could have reversed it.
Five is that given the unique circumstances of the situation i.e. that the correct call would have ended the game and that it would not have change who won or lost, I don't know if anyone would have objected to the Commissioner correcting the error nor would it have set a precedent.

Honorable mentions: Judgement calls or minor games or other.

1) 1925 NFL Championship: Rightfully belongs to the Pottsville Maroons and not the Cardinals despite what Bidwell says.
2) 1990 Orange Bowl - discussed above
3) Super Bowl XL
4) Game 6 Lakers vs. Kings
5) Thanksgiving 1999 Lions vs. Steelers - you heard "heads"? When an error means rule changes on how to flip a coin, it deserves an honorable mention.

Sparky812

02-09-2012, 12:40 PM

I'm sure some Buffalo Sabres fans will chime in with Brett Hull's "No Goal" from the 1999 Stanley Cup Playoffs but it was the right call with or without the ridiculous "in the crease" rule.

Maradonna's Hand of God goal in the 1986 World Cup Quarter Final has to be on the list, I suppose. Argentina beat England 2-1 (after he punched the ball into the net) and went on to win the trophy.

Paintcharge

02-09-2012, 01:18 PM

Derek Jeter's "home run." (http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=3345251)

Drain Bead

02-09-2012, 01:53 PM

No goal was going to be one of my two.

The other one would be overturning the Music City Miracle. You'll never convince me that it wasn't a forward lateral.

That Don Guy

02-09-2012, 02:51 PM

1) 1972 Olympic Basketball finals.
Take your pick.
Basically giving the Soviets an official's timeout
Not assessing a technical on the coach for interfering with live play
Telling McMillan to step away from the inbounder
The illegal interference of FIBA's Jones regarding a referee's decision
The Soviet coach called a time-out, before the second free throw, which the officials forgot to give.

2) The "Fifth-Down" Game. Colorado vs. Missouri (1990)
Although a relatively minor game between two ranked teams at the time, Colorado would later win the National Championship with one loss and a tie over and undefeated (but one tie) Georgia Tech. With 2 losses, it is highly probably Colorado would not have gotten the NC. As I hijack I'll note that Colorado won the National Championship based on a phantom clipping call on Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl which under the genie's rules is not correctable as it is a judgement call.
IIRC, there was a split NC that year; Georgia Tech jumped over Colorado (and I believe that the phantom clip had something to do with that) to win the coaches' championship.

I'm a little surprised nobody has included the 1982 Cal-Stanford game yet (which, if you go by the score as currently displayed on "The Axe", ended Stanford 20, Cal 19; pretty much the first thing Stanford does when they win it from Cal is to change the score to 20-19, and likewise when Cal wins it, they change it back to 25-20). In no small part because of that game, John Elway ended up going to no bowl games in his four years at Stanford. Not that I would put it as one of my three, mind you...

My three:

1. Maradona's "hand of god" goal.

2. Roy Jones Jr.'s loss in the 1988 Olympic boxing tournament - it probably spearheaded the way towards enforcing punch-count scoring (which has been the rule since at least 1972, BTW; back then, whoever threw the higher number of "effective" punches in a round got 20, and the other boxer got (the difference divided by 3 and rounded) fewer points. Of course, nobody ever actually did it that way.

3. The 1972 Olympic basketball final, if they do what they should have done under the rules - go back to the point where the time out should have been granted (game tied - 49-49, I think - and USA has one free throw remaining with 3 seconds on the clock) and give the Soviets their time-out.

HM: Evander Holyfield's disqualification in 1984 - I might have put it higher, but technically it was correct under the rules (the referee did say "Stop" and then Holyfield threw his knockout punch), even though the fight should have been stopped much earlier and the other boxer did have one of his gloves over Holyfield's ear at the time so it's possible he didn't hear it. (If nobody had a problem with it, then why did AIBA go against its own rules and give the disqualified Holyfield a bronze medal?)

etv78

02-09-2012, 03:20 PM

My picks:

Galaragga's perfecto
'72 Olympics
Jones Jr. in '88

RickJay

02-09-2012, 03:56 PM

Sean O'Sullivan's Olympic boxing loss to Frank Tate in 1984. Everyone complains about Roy Jones and nobody remembers the U.S. was handed a similarly ridiculous free gold medal four years earlier. The judges actually gave Tate a round in which he took two standing eights and was outpunched about five to one.

Roy Jones, too.

And Galaragga's perfecto.

Jas09

02-09-2012, 04:06 PM

1985 World Series Game 6. Denkinger's blown call at first base.

Other two... Gallaraga's perfecto and Roy Jones getting jobbed.

garygnu

02-09-2012, 04:39 PM

...5) Thanksgiving 1999 Lions vs. Steelers - you heard "heads"? When an error means rule changes on how to flip a coin, it deserves an honorable mention.
Phil Luckett got that one right. Here's an article from Referee Magazine (http://www.referee.com/sampleArticles/2001/SampleArticle0101/headsortails/headstailstext.html) that explains what actually happened.

Ají de Gallina

02-09-2012, 04:44 PM

Maradona's cheating goal.

zamboniracer

02-09-2012, 04:53 PM

In no particular order:

The Patriots/Raiders "Tuck Rule" playoff game of 2002. It was a cold/snowy day and Brady fumbled the ball because it was wet, slippery and cold. Don't give me any of this "tuck rule" nonsense.

The Chargers/Raiders "Holy Roller" game of 1978. Raiders QB Stabler threw the ball forward as he was being tackled, and it should have been ruled an incomplete pass when it hit the ground, as well as intentional grounding. Then another Raider pitched it forward, which should've been an illegal forward pass for having been thrown in front of the line of scrimmage.

The above-mentioned "Phantom Clip" in the January 1, 1991 Orange Bowl between Colorado and Notre Dame.

The "Bush Push" Notre Dame/USC game of 2005. USC's winning TD should've been disallowed for an illegal push.

HubZilla

02-09-2012, 05:35 PM

You might be able to tell I'm a longtime Nebraska Cornhusker fan:

1994 Orange Bowl: Nebraska vs Florida State. Floyd did not cross the TD plane before he fumbled and there was no clip on a punt return TD. Reverse one of those and NU wins the game and 1993 national title.

1982 Nebraska vs Penn State. Receiver catches the ball 20 yards out of bounds. Correct the call: Penn State doesn't convert and NU wins. NU went 12-1 that year. NU wins the 1982 national title.

1984 Orange Bowl: Nebraska vs Miami. NU goes for two, but is batted down, giving Miami the victory. The ref calls pass interference* and Nebraska gets a do-over at the 1. Probably converts and NU wins the 1983 national title.

*Relax Cane fans. I know there wasn't any pass interference, but I still want the call reversed, okay? :p

duality72

02-09-2012, 08:01 PM

* Diego Maradona
* Torsten Frings (GER) handball against USA in 2002 World Cup
* In a USA World Cup qualifier in 2000 against Jamaica, a phantom handball was called against Gregg Berhalter in extra time that gifted the game to Jamaica. Not the most important call ever, but one of the worst examples of CONCACAF refereeing I've ever seen. Wiping it from history would give me much pleasure.

I seem to be obsessed with bad handball calls. :)

amarone

02-09-2012, 10:06 PM

1. Maradona
2. Frank Lampard's disallowed goal against Germany (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHZneGGGEr4).
3. And just to offer a contrast with Lampard, this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLEw6lFp-ys&feature=related).

jjimm

02-09-2012, 10:18 PM

1. Maradona
2. Frank Lampard's disallowed goal against Germany (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHZneGGGEr4).These two. And 3. Beckham getting a red card v Argentina in 1998.3. And just to offer a contrast with Lampard, this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLEw6lFp-ys&feature=related).What. The. Fuck? Did the ref live?

Frank

02-09-2012, 10:45 PM

I suppose that Jeffrey Maier's fan interference in the Orioles-Yankees playoff game was a judgement call.

But MLB made an error by putting a blind umpire on the field.

These days, that would have been overturned on replay.

Robot Arm

02-09-2012, 11:52 PM

Derek Jeter's "home run." (http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=3345251)Bunch of rationalizing motherfuckers in that video, aren't they?

And why are they only interviewing Yankees about what happened? I don't see why they have to give more publicity to the people who should have lost the game. I'd like to hear and see the people who should have won.

TheBoltEater

02-10-2012, 12:10 AM

You might be able to tell I'm a longtime Nebraska Cornhusker fan:

1994 Orange Bowl: Nebraska vs Florida State. Floyd did not cross the TD plane before he fumbled and there was no clip on a punt return TD. Reverse one of those and NU wins the game and 1993 national title.

1982 Nebraska vs Penn State. Receiver catches the ball 20 yards out of bounds. Correct the call: Penn State doesn't convert and NU wins. NU went 12-1 that year. NU wins the 1982 national title.

1984 Orange Bowl: Nebraska vs Miami. NU goes for two, but is batted down, giving Miami the victory. The ref calls pass interference* and Nebraska gets a do-over at the 1. Probably converts and NU wins the 1983 national title.

Nope, you don't get any of those until you give up "The Flea-Kicker" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flea_Kicker). ;)

As for me, The Holy Roller, Roy Jones, Jr. and Torsten Mother-Bleeping Frings stick out in my mind.

Anamorphic

02-10-2012, 12:17 AM

Derek Jeter's "home run." (http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=3345251)Yup, this is the one and only that came to mind for me immediately. Simply an awful, inexcusably bad call.

AppallingGael

02-10-2012, 02:55 AM

I did not personally have a rooting interest, but one that sticks out for me is the Bert Emanuel catch-to-noncatch ruling late in the 1999 (season) NFC title game, which cost the Bucs a real chance to beat the Warner-Faulk Rams and to create a very un-Hollywood, un-Madison Avenue (do you sense my cynicism) Superbowl matchup against the Tennessee Titans. I can forgive almost any on-field call, but that this was overturned on review, where the evidence supposedly needs to be extra-conclusive, put it up there with the worst of NBA oddhandedness.

Laggard

02-10-2012, 08:02 AM

Keeper Briana Scurry coming off her line in the 1999 world cup final against China. Officals missed that one.

BobLibDem

02-10-2012, 09:22 AM

Even though I'm a Michigan State fan, the phantom touchdown in the 1979 Rose Bowl was a stinker. Even though it was the hated Wolverines who got the shaft, the call sucked balls.

The Denkinger call at first base stands out as one of the worst baseball calls, as well as the blown perfect game call for Gallaraga.

TheBoltEater

02-10-2012, 03:00 PM

Keeper Briana Scurry coming off her line in the 1999 world cup final against China. Officals missed that one.

Totally true. I was AT that game, and I just assumed that the announcers were ripping the ref for missing it.... or at least mumbling some sort of embarrassing non-explanation for why it was missed. Turns out, 13 years later, every time that's shown on TV it's STILL not talked about. She's five feet off the line and no one ever seems to think that's worth mentioning.

Doesn't fit the narrative, I suppose.

Ellis Dee

02-10-2012, 05:10 PM

2002 NFC Wildcard game, Giants @ 49ers

On what amounts to the last play of the game, the refs failed to call a comically obvious pass interference call where the defender literally reached up and dragged the receiver to the ground by his collar well before the ball got to him.

They called illegal man downfield on that receiver despite the fact that he'd properly notified the official and his eligibility had been announced over the stadium loudspeakers. This isn't a big deal, though, since there were other lineman who actually were illegally downfield.

The pass interference should have made it offsetting penalties, replay the down, Giants get another chance to line up and kick the game-winning field goal. But no pass interference was called, game over, thanks for playing.

A few days later the NFL issued the Giants an official apology for not calling that pass interference, but of course by then it was too late and of little comfort.

sitchensis

02-10-2012, 05:30 PM

Stink Fish Pot

02-10-2012, 06:44 PM

Gallaraga's perfect game.

What bothers me the most about this one in particular is that Selig could have reversed this the next day and chose not to.

Why?

A perfect game is literally once in a lifetime if you are lucky. No one would have been upset about it, as it wasn't even a close call. The only person who would have been impacted was the guy given the hit. And he would have been fine with it, judging from his comments after the game.

I hope baseball fixes this soon. If baseball has no problem with stat guys going back and digging out another RBI for Hack Wilson (now the record is 191 RBI, not 190), they should go back and fix this too.

Selig is truly an idiot. He wouldn't know what the right thing to do would be if it was gift wrapped and set on his lap.

Harvey Ferguson

02-10-2012, 06:58 PM

Wayne Gretzky's high stick on Doug Gilmour, 1993 Stanley Cup conference final game 6.

Jman

02-10-2012, 11:52 PM

Seahawks v. Steelers - Superbowl XL , 2005

1st Quarter - Phantom offensive pass interference call on Darrel Jackson negating a TD.

4th Quarter – Phantom holding call on Sean Locklear negating a pass completed to the one.

Low block call on Hasselbeck on his tackle after the interception (I wouldn’t change this if I could only change one call, but boy was it bad).

Boy am I sick of this whining. The offensive PI call was ticky tack, but he did push off. Would it get called most of the time, perhaps not, but it certainly wasn't phantom...he DID push off. The holding call I have NEVER understood why people are upset...he clearly pulled his shoulder back after the pass rusher was past him, and likely prevented a sack by doing so.

The Hasselbeck call was absolutely awful, though.

Doctor Who

02-11-2012, 12:02 AM

1999 - Jasper Sanks "fumble". Any Georgia or North Avenue Trade School fans should remember this one.

It was a pretty fitting lowlight for Sanks' career.

Freddy the Pig

02-11-2012, 01:20 AM

Many Cub fans hearken back to an earlier perfect game that wasn't--Milt Pappas on September 2, 1972. With two outs in the ninth inning, umpire Bruce Froemming called a close three-and-two pitch outside to San Diego's Larry Stahl, giving San Diego its only base-runner.

The pitch is shown often on Chicago TV, and Pappas still turns up from time to time to complain about it. The game unfortunately wasn't broadcast using the center-field camera. From the behind-the-plate camera the pitch appears to be "painting the black"--by the rules of the game a ball, but very often called a strike.

Were the pitch to take place today, nobody would care about the location, because Stahl dragged his bat across the plate and would be called out on a checked swing. Standards were much looser, however, in 1972.

Robot Arm

02-11-2012, 10:56 AM

Boy am I sick of this whining.It's hardly whining to bring it up in a thread specifically about which calls people would change. Is everybody else in this thread whining too, or just sitchensis?

And he didn't even mention the late call on Roethlisberger's touchdown.

Many Cub fans hearken back to an earlier perfect game that wasn't--Milt Pappas on September 2, 1972. With two outs in the ninth inning, umpire Bruce Froemming called a close three-and-two pitch outside to San Diego's Larry Stahl, giving San Diego its only base-runner.That's the thing that no one seems to mention about Galarraga being robbed of a perfect game. Baseball has a very long institutional memory. If the ump had got the call right, it would have been just another perfect game. (A tremendous sporting feat, no doubt, but hardly unique.) As it is, everyone knows, and will continue to know, that he pitched well enough to earn it. He'll be remembered longer for being robbed of the perfect game than if he'd gotten it.

I don't know whether Galarraga would find any consolation in that or not. I hope so.

Jackknifed Juggernaut

02-11-2012, 11:59 AM

The phantom pass interference called about 5 seconds after Miami won the National Championship game against Ohio State, robbing the U of another championship. Outright theft.

DCnDC

02-11-2012, 12:16 PM

I don't see why they have to give more publicity to the people who should have lost the game. I'd like to hear and see the people who should have won.

But-- that would make the Yankees look bad! Duh! ;)

recovering O's fan here. that was the day I stopped watching baseball. we just can't get a fair shake in this league!

RaftPeople

02-11-2012, 10:50 PM

Boy am I sick of this whining. The offensive PI call was ticky tack, but he did push off. Would it get called most of the time, perhaps not, but it certainly wasn't phantom...he DID push off. The holding call I have NEVER understood why people are upset...he clearly pulled his shoulder back after the pass rusher was past him, and likely prevented a sack by doing so.

The Hasselbeck call was absolutely awful, though.

This is what Bill Leavy thinks about it:
"It was a tough thing for me," Leavy said Friday. "I kicked two calls in the fourth quarter, and I impacted the game, and as an official you never want to do that."

"When we make mistakes, you got to step up and own them. It's something that all officials have to deal with, but unfortunately when you have to deal with it in the Super Bowl, it's difficult."

notfrommensa

02-11-2012, 11:48 PM

2) The "Fifth-Down" Game. Colorado vs. Missouri (1990)
Although a relatively minor game between two ranked teams at the time, Colorado would later win the National Championship with one loss and a tie over and undefeated (but one tie) Georgia Tech. With 2 losses, it is highly probably Colorado would not have gotten the NC. As I hijack I'll note that Colorado won the National Championship based on a phantom clipping call on Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl which under the genie's rules is not correctable as it is a judgement call. This was a year that the pollster could have made things right by voting on Colorado as a 2 or even 3 loss team yet they failed to do so.

As a Ga Tech alumnus, THIS

One of the referees of that game happens to live in my hometown and I met him a few years back at social function. Unfortunately this night was not one of my finer moments and after a couple of drinks too many I really embarrassed him (and me). :smack:

I wrote him an apology a few days later.

Crawlspace

02-12-2012, 12:09 AM

The first call that came to mind was the Jeter home run, but for a different reason. I'm tired of O's fans whingeing like big gay babies, talking as if this were the game winning, bottom of the 9th, 2 out, game 7, series ending home run.

For those who fail to, or refuse to remember history, it was the 8th inning of game 1, it tied the game, the Yankees went on to win in 11. Then they won the series 4-1. The game they lost, game 2, they lost mostly because they didn't have Rivera available since he'd pitched the 10th and 11th the night before.

The O's would have still lost the series, but I would have been able to watch Yankee-Oriole games while in college without the local color showing the HR damn near every time Jeter batted and talking as if the umps single handedly denied the O's a World Series title.

Robot Arm

02-12-2012, 01:57 AM

I'm tired of O's fans whingeing like big gay babies,...Again, this is a thread specifically asking for these sorts of examples. Doesn't really seem fair to insult someone, even by implication, for answering a question that was asked.

Crawlspace

02-12-2012, 03:03 AM

I agreed with said example. To be more blunt, it was a terrible call. However, as opposed to most of the calls listed in this thread, this one didn't directly lead to a championship or victory. More to the point reversing the call wouldn't have indirectly led to a championship. The Yankees handed the O's their ass in that series, but the way you hear O's fans talk you'd think they'd have won the pennant, if not the World Series if not for that call. I'm sick of hearing about it. Everyone else got to say why they wanted the call reversed, why shouldn't I?

Furthermore, if you'd bothered to read the rest of my post, my animus is directed mostly towards the local Baltimore commentators and former college classmates (in B-more if that needed to be explained). It was 8 years later and every single Jeter at bat just attempted to add Jeffery Maier to the Bill Buckner lore.

mkecane

02-12-2012, 11:53 AM

1984 Orange Bowl: Nebraska vs Miami. NU goes for two, but is batted down, giving Miami the victory. The ref calls pass interference* and Nebraska gets a do-over at the 1. Probably converts and NU wins the 1983 national title.

*Relax Cane fans. I know there wasn't any pass interference, but I still want the call reversed, okay? :p

That's ok. The fumblerooski is immoral, and the game shouldn't have been as close sa it was! :D

My picks (all from a selfish position):

1) 2003 Fiesta Bowl, Miami vs Ohio State: Terry Porter doesn't throw a flag for pass interference, and Miami wins its 2nd title in a row, and its 35th game in a row. Highly doubtful, but a perfect 2003 season would have meant Miami would have won 3 MNCs in a row and 48 games in a row to beat OU's record. C'est la vie.

2) April 2010, Manchester United vs Chelsea (Premier League): Didier Drogba scored a goal where he was clearly offside to make the game 2-0 Chelsea in the 78th minute, but the goal stood. United got a goal a few minutes later, but lost 2-1. There was still a lot of football to be played, and United had a pathetic draw with Blackburn later, but if the right call was made and everything else was equal, it would have been 1-1, and United would have won the league by two points instead of losing by one. It would have meant United were the first club to win 4 English league titles in a row, along with becoming the most successful English club (did that the next year, though).

3) April 2010, Manchester United vs Bayern Munich (Champions League): Rafael da Silva was given a 2nd yellow for a non-foul against Frank Ribery. United were up 3-1 at the time and ended up winning 3-2, but losing on away goals on the aggregate of 4-4. With 11 men, I think United would have continued to dominate the match, gone through to the semi-finals and beaten Olympique Lyon, and played Inter in the CL Final. Inter were great that year, but I'd have been confident in United winning it all.

Enuma Elish

02-12-2012, 12:10 PM

Every time Charles Barkley kneed Paul Mokeski in the groin and a foul was called on Mo's balls.

Saint Cad

02-13-2012, 08:11 AM

Every time Charles Barkley kneed Paul Mokeski in the groin and a foul was called on Mo's balls.

Is this similar to every one who while defending Shaquille O'Neill would have a foul called on them when Shaq pushed them out of their position with his fat ass?

duality72

02-13-2012, 11:24 AM

2) April 2010, Manchester United vs Chelsea (Premier League): Didier Drogba scored a goal where he was clearly offside to make the game 2-0 Chelsea in the 78th minute, but the goal stood. United got a goal a few minutes later, but lost 2-1. There was still a lot of football to be played, and United had a pathetic draw with Blackburn later, but if the right call was made and everything else was equal, it would have been 1-1, and United would have won the league by two points instead of losing by one. It would have meant United were the first club to win 4 English league titles in a row, along with becoming the most successful English club (did that the next year, though).

I don't mean to rain on your parade, but I found this humorous considering it seems getting goals from questionable calls is practically a weekly event for Man U.

They're a great team and I don't hate them or anything, but they seem to get the benefit of the official's doubt a lot.

Enuma Elish

02-14-2012, 10:11 AM

Is this similar to every one who while defending Shaquille O'Neill would have a foul called on them when Shaq pushed them out of their position with his fat ass?

Yes, I believe both scenarios contain the 'SuperStar Call'.

Gangster Octopus

02-14-2012, 10:35 AM

1999 Playoff game between the Packers and the 49ers: Packers leading 27-23 with about a minute left when Young passes to Rice in the flat and Rice fumbles the ball, Packers recover. Except the refs called Rice down, even though it wasn't even close (ABout the 7:00 minute mark (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1inguO24lwE)).

TheBoltEater

02-14-2012, 03:08 PM

mcgato

02-14-2012, 04:49 PM

As a Viking's fan, I nominate the original Hail Mary (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQfyJBJoLQs) pass where Pearson pushed the Viking's defender. Notice how Pearson goes into the end zone, looks back for a flag, notices there isn't one, then celebrates. Meanwhile the other Viking's defender is pointing to Pearson and looking at the ref with "how could you not call that" look.

sisu

02-14-2012, 04:57 PM

Australia in World Cup Game, needed to draw to progress and then controversial penalty was awarded to Italy when Fabio Grosso fell under a Lucas Neill challenge in the final seconds of the match. They scored and it was all over.....

Even the locals in Lygon St [little Italy] were embarrassed by the falling Grosso and it was discussed that he should have scored a 88 as his entry was flawed!

Robot Arm

02-14-2012, 05:05 PM

The Other Jeffrey Lebowski

02-14-2012, 05:45 PM

Without a doubt, the entire game 6 of the NBA Western Conference Finals, with the most egregious non-call being when Kobe elbowed Mike Bibby square in the face with about 15 seconds left in the game. That Kings team was an absolute joy to watch, and it still rankles me how that game went down.

mcgato

02-14-2012, 07:39 PM

Was that Ed Marinaro?Marinaro was on offense for the Vikings as a half back. The defender pushed down was Nate Wright, as far as I recall. The other defender pointing out the obviously missed penalty was probably Paul Krause. Wiki supports those assertions. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hail_Mary_pass)

Robot Arm

02-14-2012, 10:53 PM

Marinaro was on offense for the Vikings as a half back. The defender pushed down was Nate Wright, as far as I recall. The other defender pointing out the obviously missed penalty was probably Paul Krause. Wiki supports those assertions. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hail_Mary_pass)No, in the video, about 4 seconds in there's a shot of somebody on the sidelines looking nervous. Looks like he's wearing one of those big hooded cape things that players used to wear on the sidelines. It might be purple.

Doesn't that look like Joe Coffey from Hill Street Blues?