# Fishy things about the Pittsburgh Steelers **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 12, 2016, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishy-things-about-the-pittsburgh-steelers/742945 "2016-01-12T18:39:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishy-things-about-the-pittsburgh-steelers/742945/1 "2016-01-12T18:39:09Z")
The Steelers seemingly get involved in more officiating controversy than most teams - - Jerome Bettis’ coin call on Thanksgiving 1998 (incorrectly called to Pittsburgh’s disadvantage), Mike Renfro’s TD catch in the 1979 AFC Championship that wasn’t awarded, 18 seconds being incorrectly drained from the clock in a Steelers-Chargers game (to Pittsburgh’s disadvantage), an umpire blocking a Cowboys safety from making a tackle in Super Bowl XIII, the non-flagged head to head hit by Shazier on Bernard, the lateral incorrectly determined to be a forward pass in Denver vs. Pittsburgh (2011 AFC playoffs), the officiating in Super Bowl XL, the Roethlisberger goal-line fumble against the Dolphins in 2010, etc. Also, this may be a matter of organizational culture, but what’s with Steelers players trying to shove Tramon Williams into a punted live ball during Super Bowl XLV, Steelers celebrating Giovanni Bernard’s injury, James Harrison’s head to head hit on Colt McCoy, Steelers celebrating Marvin Jones’ injury, Joey Porter provoking Bengals players during the game, Emmanuel Sanders faking an injury against Cincinnati (he was later fined,) James Harrison repeatedly striking a Cardinals player who was on his hands and knees in Super Bowl XLIII, Mike Tomlin standing too near the field on sidelines in Ravens game during Jacoby Jones’ return (Tomlin got fined $100k,) and Roethlisberger’s off-the-field shenanigans? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishy-things-about-the-pittsburgh-steelers/742945/2 "2016-01-12T18:49:44Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > The Steelers seemingly get involved in more officiating controversy than most teams How many officiating controversies do most teams get involved with? ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishy-things-about-the-pittsburgh-steelers/742945/3 "2016-01-12T18:58:50Z")
It’s quite simple; the Rooney family \*\*\*are \*\*\*The Illuminati. Either that, or confirmation bias might somehow be involved. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishy-things-about-the-pittsburgh-steelers/742945/4 "2016-01-12T19:03:29Z")
I think I could come up with a dozen controversies in the last 35 years for pretty much every team out there. I could also come up with examples of poor sportsmanship from every team. Roethlisberger’s off-field activities, however, IMO put him into more rarefied company with stars like Kobe Bryant. ---
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishy-things-about-the-pittsburgh-steelers/742945/5 "2016-01-12T19:07:59Z")
Emphasis on the _seemingly_? How long are we going to have everybody harping on the Bengals and Steelers like this? Maybe just for a week, and we can all go back to the Pats instead. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishy-things-about-the-pittsburgh-steelers/742945/6 "2016-01-12T19:16:55Z")
> [@borschevsky](#): > > How long are we going to have everybody harping on the Bengals and Steelers like this? Maybe just for a week, and we can all go back to the Pats instead. Way to deflate his argument. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishy-things-about-the-pittsburgh-steelers/742945/7 "2016-01-12T19:21:50Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > I think I could come up with a dozen controversies in the last 35 years for pretty much every team out there. I could also come up with examples of poor sportsmanship from every team. Sure, let’s hear it. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishy-things-about-the-pittsburgh-steelers/742945/8 "2016-01-12T19:28:18Z")
The coin toss was actually called correctly. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishy-things-about-the-pittsburgh-steelers/742945/9 "2016-01-12T19:31:28Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Sure, let’s hear it. I should have appended “…if I cared enough” to my statement. But I don’t so I won’t. If you want to take that as proof of an officiating conspiracy involving the Steelers, go for it. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishy-things-about-the-pittsburgh-steelers/742945/10 "2016-01-12T19:42:51Z")
I’ll throw this into the fire and then run away: Superbowl XL stolen from Seattle, handed to Pittsburgh by officiating crew. Or so I’ve heard. ---
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishy-things-about-the-pittsburgh-steelers/742945/11 "2016-01-12T19:49:08Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > I’ll throw this into the fire and then run away: > > Superbowl XL stolen from Seattle, handed to Pittsburgh by officiating crew. Or so I’ve heard. That’s just the Steelers getting trapped by all the fishiness involving the Seahawks! The replacement refs game, SB XL, Testaverde’s helmet, the list goes on. Plus, what do sea hawks eat??? FISH ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishy-things-about-the-pittsburgh-steelers/742945/12 "2016-01-12T20:55:30Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > I think I could come up with a dozen controversies in the last 35 years for pretty much every team out there. I could also come up with examples of poor sportsmanship from every team. [http://YourTeamCheats.com](http://YourTeamCheats.com) is a fun summary of accusations made against every team in the league, although their pro-Patriots bias is glaringly obvious. FWIW, although I wouldn’t put too much credence in the site’s subjective rankings of cheatiness, they do have the Steelers as one of the dirtier teams. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishy-things-about-the-pittsburgh-steelers/742945/13 "2016-01-12T21:04:41Z")
Confirmation bias. That’s all it is. Having watched every game for the last 15 years I can tell you that the Steelers don’t get all the calls and they don’t have all the luck. As much as we like to harp on things like this when it’s not our favorite teams, no team gets all the calls. In any event, it should be easy to determine. Someone, somewhere, has to have compiled the number of calls teams get every year. But, but, I meant big, game-changing calls, you’re saying to yourself. [Even then Pittsburgh doesn’t get all the calls](http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/12/sports/pro-football-third-kick-is-the-charm-as-the-titans-move-on.html). Nobody would be happier than me if Pittsburgh got all the calls, they’d almost never lose and they’d have a dozen championships. But they don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishy-things-about-the-pittsburgh-steelers/742945/14 "2016-01-12T21:06:59Z")
> [@borschevsky](#): > > That’s just the Steelers getting trapped by all the fishiness involving the Seahawks! The replacement refs game, SB XL, Testaverde’s helmet, the list goes on. Plus, what do sea hawks eat??? > > FISH Velocity’s list was either things that benefited the Steelers or reflect poor sportsmanship on their part. Your much shorter list is things that occurred while the Seahawks were in the general vicinity. Regards, Do Not Taunt, eater of fish ---
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishy-things-about-the-pittsburgh-steelers/742945/15 "2016-01-12T21:22:57Z")
Sure. I certainly didn’t mean to give the impression that I was trying to make a serious rebuttal of Velocity’s point. I was trying to make fun of it. Unsuccessfully, I’m sure. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishy-things-about-the-pittsburgh-steelers/742945/16 "2016-01-12T21:35:37Z")
Fair enough. Can we agree that fish are tasty? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishy-things-about-the-pittsburgh-steelers/742945/17 "2016-01-12T22:21:34Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **garygnu** : > > The coin toss was actually called correctly. [How do you figure?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zki61ZmKf4U) Bettis said “Tails”, to which the ref said “The call is Heads”. And the OP’s examples are a mixture of things that benefited the Steelers and things that hurt them. And the coin toss, while boneheaded, can’t have been a deliberate attempt to hurt the Steelers (unless it was a biased coin or something), because the ref’s boneheadedness came before the coin landed. ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2016, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishy-things-about-the-pittsburgh-steelers/742945/18 "2016-01-13T07:17:38Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Sure, let’s hear it. There’s an agenda here. What NFL team do you root for? Don’t bullshit me. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2016, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishy-things-about-the-pittsburgh-steelers/742945/19 "2016-01-13T07:37:58Z")
Well, the Steelers had that recent Will Smith movie go against them pretty severely, so there is that. Other teams, and the league itself, took some good hits, but it made the Steelers seem especially bad. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2016, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishy-things-about-the-pittsburgh-steelers/742945/20 "2016-01-13T13:56:55Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > [How do you figure?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zki61ZmKf4U) Bettis said “Tails”, to which the ref said “The call is Heads”. > > … Bettis didn’t say “tails,” he said “Hea…tails.” The live broadcast didn’t pick that up well, but later enhancement showed it to be the case, and there’s even footage of Bettis on the sideline admitting to Cower that’s what he said. [Read here](http://www.footballzebras.com/2012/11/21/phil-luckett-was-right/). Luckett want the greatest referee, but the coin toss isn’t why. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishy-things-about-the-pittsburgh-steelers/742945.md?page=2)