Roger Goodie Goodell is treading into really stupid territory with this ref situation. Maybe the refs don’t deserve more for their pension fund, but really, the game last night was a debacle by any take on it. Last night was hideous. John Fox apparently got an unsportsmanlike call for screaming at a ref, yet the ref picked up the flag, no explanation was given either way, and the game went on. Later in the game, Matt Ryan was hit late by the Broncos, but the penalty didn’t come until 15 seconds after the play ended and the Atl sidelines were yelling at the refs. At some point in the near future a game will be blown because of a bad call. Someone will get seriously hurt and/or crippled, and we may see a full-scale riot between two teams out there on the field because these guys offer little to no decisiveness in their calls, and they often are swayed by the crowds they play in front of. Case in point was the Niner Packer game. There were 2 illegal blocks in the back on Cobb’s punt return yet the refs picked up the flag and offered no explanation.
The biggest problem, however, is what Goodie Goodell himself has been preaching about for lo these 10 years. Player safety. Integrity of the game. Goodell can no longer even pay lip service to player safety after seeing what these players are getting away with. One of the more blantant plays was the 20 yard run that Alex Smith ran the other night. After gaining 20 yards and angling for the sidelines, safety John Wendling hit Smith directly in the facemask as Smith started his slide. Regardless of the fact that QBs are supposed to be protected when they slide, as Smith was attempting, Wendling hit Smith with his forearm directly at Smith’s head. The announcers barely made note of it, Smith was cut over his nose, and a penalty was called. Unfortunately it was for holding on Delanie Walker. I was a little surprised at the non-reaction by the 49ers, but it wasn’t on their sideline, so maybe they didn’t see it. The point being, if this had happened to Peyton Manning, and it resulted in a possibly serious or career ending injury, the repercussions would huge, and the impact to the impasse would be immediate. As it was, it was Alex Smith and it didn’t warrant even a mention. Total hypocracy in my book.
Integrity of the game? Please. The 1st quarter fumble which took 6 minutes to figure out was a complete joke. Players were grabbing refs and dragging them off the piles. Players were screaming at refs and barely acknowledging their presence. The refs had no control of the situation, and no one is really sure if they even got the call right. In the end ’93 red’ was penalized for something, and the game went on. No ejections and no repercussions for the melee.
I’m not to sure on what the refs even want. All I can tell is they want more pension money ($16 mill?), but Goodell is very blase to the matter. Why? Because for the most part, people don’t give a shit. They’ll watch either way. Until a big-name player gets carted off the field on a stretcher, or, say, the Cowboys have a call go against them that costs them a game, Goodell has no reason to resolve this. Until players start dropping like flies due to late hits or out of control situations, the sponsors won’t care because the fans will still come. But until someone like Tom Brady or Drew Brees gets knocked unconscious on a late hit that isn’t penalized, these hacks will be the ones deciding games and making calls.
So much for safety and integrity.
San Francisco 49ers Forever 
Until I saw this clip, i didn’t realize how bad this non-call was.
Makes 2 of us, that’s ejection material, deliberate forearm to his face when defenseless and in full slide. A fine isn’t enough for that kind of assault.
Yes Goody will do little or nothing as there are no consequences- yet. God forbid it should be one of our guys. Alex he’s one tough SOB…The game is being compromised much like politics and media in general these days. I guess we should get used to it huh?
I second the call of Bullshit. Let’s get the WWF ‘refs’ in there pronto. At least they are better actors.
Missed this one too:
http://blogs.sacbee.com/49ers/archives/2012/09/aldon-smith-involved-in-serious-weekend-car-crash.html
If he didn’t have bad luck he wouldn’t have any at all this kid.
He IS the lucky one. His buddy broke his back in the crash. Point being, hit the goddamn thing. You do more damage trying to avoid the deer/dog/possum/whatever than by running the thing over. Unless it’s an elephant.
I assume it was a deer. Some DUI drivers lose control of their vehicle due to said “deers”. My first reactions was, riiiight.
I learned to gas it when a deer jumps in front.
I hit one going up Edgewood Rd in RC. I was going about 40. Smashed up my Mustang pretty good. Smashed the radiator, broke the fan and damaged the waterpump. Not to mention the damage to the hood and front 1/4 panel.
Almost hit one on hwy 92 east going 90+. It was standing in the fast lane looking at me as I came over the hill leading down toward the Alameda. I swerved to the left and somehow squeezed between the concrete divider and the deer. Not sure what would have happened if I had nailed that one. Seeing as I was in the same Mustang, I mighta got crushed as it flew through the windshield.
I clipped one in a full size Bronco, just had time to floor it as it jumped out of the trees. Bent the Roo bars but that was it, I thought it was dead but it jumped up and ran into the trees.
Yeah, same thing happened to the one I hit. Didn’t have time to do anything but hit it. My friend said he saw it rolling next to the car. I got out expecting to see a deer head stuck into the grille, but there was nothing there but some fur stuck to the broken headlight, and when I went back to check the deer, it was gone.
Wendling and the Lions just further peg themselves as cheap-shotting bastards.
Here’s to hoping they miss the playoffs and regain their irrelevance in the NFL.
It will be interesting to see what the league does about the Wendling hit tomorrow.
Hey cool on the widget tracking Alex vs Manning Chuck. Like it. And on a related note the Niners are a solid 2-0 and da Bronks are 1-1.
Our guy and our team are gonna win both a deeze…all Del Mar-isms aside.
Plus we jest saved 16 Million NOT having El Snappo “”signed””.
Not that anyone gives a fuck but I’m calling fer 30-13 Niners vs Vikes. 3 TDs, 3 FGs.
Gonna stick w/ 30 points fer the Niners. 27 last week pretty close. 19 for Deetroit was in line with my call of them not getting “more than 20”.
Minnesota Vikings next victim and sweet revenge on SINGLETRON the poseur ‘coach’.
(steps aside to huck his lunch)
Yeah but Sing dropped his pants. Not many coaches are willing to do that.
LOL true Nip. Only one I can think of. Still don’t miss those days tho/
28-12 Niners just cruising along.
I ride around in a bicycle mostly, still I almost got a squirrel.
Is it a road racing bike? Cause a full grown squirrel can cost you a snapped carbon fiber rim and then they get up, show you their nuts and run into the tree’s in a flash.
The Widget is for a running bet between Dennis and Flav . . .
I think it’s total TDs, and TD/Int differential . . .
Not seeing the widget?
Huh. Alex Smith is now 34- 34 as a starter in the NFL.
Top right under the detroit pic, 12th.
Had to clear cache, got it.
I can’t believe he lets the ref debacle continue. It is an inferior product. True, fans will mostly watch regardless, but the media attention seems to be growing — coaches, players, grumbling. If games start lasting longer because of inexplicable 15 minute periods to make a decision, then some fans will tune out early. That effects advertising. That get’s TV attention. That’s $. That has to get Goodell’s attention. I hope. I have always hated talking about the refs. I REALLY hate talking about the replacement refs. FU, Goodell.
Yup. Goodell is undermining all his supposed work at making the game safer. Wendler isn’t even getting fined for the forearm he gave Alex after Smith slid on the run. If that was Tom Brady, the uproar would still be reverberating.
Can’t say I’m surprised exactly but it is hard to find a more textbook case of a blatant hit to the head of a QB than that one, too bad it was only to Alex Smith and not one of the leagues darlings.
It’s hitting main stream media after that mess on Monday night, that is a different kettle of fish altogether for the NFL to deal with. It’s one thing to count on the rabid fan base to keep watching but the casual/occasional fans are in play too now.
Hope they throw the book at the creep.
He got off free and clear Winder, the league never even mentioned it.
Replacement refs are affecting the Vegas betting lines I read. Don’t think this will affect the League office tho
Tarell Brown gets fined 5,250 for wearing the wrong color undershirt, Wendling didn’t even get a stern talking to for trying to break Alex Smiths nose, yeah I thinks that’s justice.
This too shall pass.
New thread is posted . . .