Last Sunday, my AFC pick from the previous week the Pittsburgh Steelers laid waste to the Broncos 34-17 to represent the AFC in a game that I hope head coach Mike Shanahan gave his team holy hell giving up 2 fumbles and 2 interceptions after seeing how self inflicted turnovers knocked the better team out the previous week. The Steelers came to play, and what they did offensively surprised me, the Steelers came into this came a changed team. They were no longer the blue collar; pound it down your throat, double running back attack threat. The Steelers gave their QB Ben Roethlisberger the ball and he proved in my opinion why he is the second best quarterback in this league below Tom Brady. Ben went 21 of 29 passes completed, threw over 275 yards and nailed two touchdowns, and just when I thought only Tom Brady looked cool in the pocket... Ben looked just as cool this past weekend.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah all of you Peyton Manning fans can hate on me all you want, but last weekend Peyton Manning proved it once again, he can't win the BIG games! Face it Colts fans, and I get tired of saying this... Peyton Manning is this generation's Dan Marino."

The NFC representative had been my pick for the last few weeks; the Seattle Seahawks were the only consistent team in the NFC this year leading the pack 13-3 for the season with the strength of their running game. RB Shawn Alexander was solid, finishing out the year with 1880 yards, and tallied up 132 yards against the Carolina Panthers in their victory last Sunday.

As for my Super Bowl pick... I feel it will be the Pittsburgh Steelers despite my feelings on the Bengals game. The AFC once again has just so much more dominant this year when it came to the big games. If the Pittsburgh defense can shut down Alexander and pressure Seahawks QB Matt Hasslebeck they should come out of Detroit with a win for their RB Jerome Bettis. If the Seahawks want to win this game their WR corps will have to step up and make the plays they didn't get to make all season. If the receivers can make the Steelers secondary feel threatened then that will complicate their blitz packages, and open up yardage for Alexander. I don't foresee that happening though, and expect the Steelers to win by 10.

Now I must get into a matter of great importance... AOL is running a poll for the Best Super Bowl Commercials of All Time so here are their choices with my thoughts:

1) Coke "Mean Joe Greene" (1980): This ad featured Mean Joe Greene with an obvious leg injury heading back to the locker room when confronted by a young boy with a Coke. After a short discussion, and pleading Mean Joe Greene accepts the Coke that is offered to him and drinks it down in one felled swoop. As the boy walks away dejected Mean Joe Greene calls the boy out and throws him his jersey.

"Okay, this was a touchy commercial that almost brought me to man tears years ago, but today we're quick to wonder how much this jersey would fetch on eBay."

2) Apple "1984" (1984): We all remember this one time ad themed after George Orwell's' famous book "1984". It featured a woman throwing a hammer through a large monitor to signify Apple's newest division Macintosh. The Apple ad was introducing Macintosh.

"A great artsy ad, but it just doesn't come off to me as one of the best."

3) Pepsi "Inner tube" (1992): A young boy on the beach sucks his Pepsi through a straw so hard he ends up in the bottle with his sister at the end claiming, "Mom he's done it again!"

"A cute, kid friendly ad, but it just doesn't have the impact over time."

4) Pepsi "Two Boys" (1992): Two young boys outside a caf

A great example of poor officiating happened during the Patriots game when CB Asante Samuel clearly picked off QB Jake Plummer's pass and made a great effort keeping his feet in. The sideline judge made the correct call signaling the pass caught and the turnover when the back judge who didn't have a clear view came in, overruled and called Asante out of bounds; no catch. Belichick immediately threw the red flag and won the review. Today, some of the Steelers despite winning the game are crying foul over S Troy Polamalu interception being ruled an incomplete pass. To be honest, in my opinion I feel this was the worst officiated season ever and it's time these officiating crews be held responsible in the public's eyes and not behind closed doors.

Back in 2001 Tim Polzer for NFL Insider reported that the NFL Referee Association employed about 151 members broken down into about 119 for field duty during games and the other 32 are replay assistants who can be offered field duty during their tenure. During the year these members go to classes, camps, meetings and physicals just as the players do. As for their pay it's a scale depending on the amount of tenure. In Polzer's report he wrote that first year refs collected a from $1431 to $4330 for those who have over 20 years of service. He also reported that each member of the crew chosen to ref the Super Bowl collected $11,900 for the single game.

Now keep in mind, these refs usually have career jobs outside the NFL or collecting pensions from previous jobs. Today with the recent union contracts and money from advertising I'm sure the amounts the referees are getting has grown. With growing salaries there also comes growing responsibility, and at times the refs didn't seem to have that which was one of the reasons why instant replay was voted on by the coaches to be brought into the game, but after this weekend it seems teams can't always count on the replay because the official still has the final say. This is why I drew up a petition, a petition that will ask the NFL to release the stats they keep on the refs public on a weekly basis.

In an era where players and coaches are scrutinized by the media and fans I thinks it's time the NFL Referees Association should fall under the same scrutiny week after week and then maybe we can have more consistency without controversy.

Here is my petition, and a link to sign it below.

To:  NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue & NFL Referees Association

Petition to Make NFL Referee Association's Statistics Public
Addressed to NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue & NFL Referees Association

We the fans of the NFL have great respect for the sport, players and the league as a whole, but over the last couple of years there seems to be this growing trend of NFL field officials making bad calls. For example, this was the second week of the NFL playoffs and at times there were some crucial calls made/and not made that could have been considered as momentum swings.

On behalf of the NFL fans I am submitting this official online petition to request that the statistics for the crews who officiate games during the season be made public on a weekly basis. I feel if the NFL officials' statistics are out there for each crew on a weekly basis to the press and public there is a chance that these crews will better officiate the games.

As for my definition of referee "statistics" the league could possibly use a slide bar method to show:

1)Which crews call certain penalties more or less than others.
2)Which crews have been challenged more or less by the coaches.
3)Which crews have reviewed, and their finding percentage.
4)An overall tally of penalties with yardage total called during a game.

As a true fan of the NFL I hope that this petition will at least inspire some thought, and hopefully be decided upon before the 2006 or 2007 season.
 

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

Make NFL Referees Association's Statistics Public Petition

Original Date: October 8, 2003

"Here we go again..."

Just as I wrote my heart out a few months back. I just have to let you know we have some issues to clear up before you go to New York once again.

You scared me back there and, I didn't know if we were going to make it this far, but here we are, and you now have my full support.

Just remember... Don't think about our past. Relationships that dwell on the past never last long and are always headed for disaster.

We have to put the bad times behind us like; that Bill Buckner incident.

I know, I know... You get tired of hearing about that, but it hurt me. It was probably the worst hurt you ever laid on me.

And then there was last year when it seemed like you just lied down. It was almost as if you didn't care about us anymore.

So what happened? Why the sudden change of heart? What is the big urgency to make it happen now?

Maybe it's because we have the best offense in the league and a somewhat solid starting pitching rotation? It must be, because there is now way you are going to put up numbers like that next year.

As for our thorn I had talked about in my last letter. I'm sure you remember the bullpen.

Even though they decided to show up last night they still need something to inspire them and I don't think a "Cowboy up!" or "Rally Karaoke Guy" is going to do it. These guys need a song and if I had to choose a song to describe my relationship with our bullpen at this time it would have to be Van Halen's "Right Now.".

I don't know, I'm so confused because I want to look forward, and see where we are headed, and  honestly it could be Chicago, Florida, or stay home, but to be perfectly honest...

I've always wanted to visit the Windy City

Truly Yours,

A Red Sox Fan

Original Date: July 1, 2003

"I'm probably going to catch a lot of smack over this article, but you know something... It's all in good fun and if you can't laugh then screw ya."

Baseball season is in mid-swing and headed for the all-star break, but at this time I feel like I need to step back and take a good look at this relationship that I'm having. It's a relationship that I've been in for many years, and no matter what happens between us I've always come back. It's funny because I've had friends who felt the same way, but after putting up with the abuse they packed their bags and headed off to places like Atlanta, New York, or in some cases Tampa Bay.

Nope not me. I'm still here holding to hopes... Broad hopes that maybe someday we can make that journey together. You see, I'm a Red Sox fan, and lately my emotions have just been mangled this season. From Pedro missing some time to Manny hitting below .350 in May. But what else am I supposed to expect, my heart has been broken so many times and I just keep coming back. You want some heartache? I can give you heartache.

In 1986 I watched Roger Clemens dismantle the Seattle Mariners with 20 strikeouts and break a major league record, later that year our relationship grew as they captured the ALCS by eliminating the Angels. I was on cloud nine, and stood by my team as they went into NY to take on the Mets in the World Series, but the relationship turned abusive with one wild pitch by Calvin Schiraldi, and then the historical error by Bill Buckner. At that time you would think someone with smarts would walk away, but instead I chose to stay.

These things continued, In 1988 a guy named Joe Morgan took over the team and led them on one hell of a winning streak, but my hopes were smashed again as they were swept under rug by Oakland A's in the ALCS.

Did I leave then? No, I remained because I had hope that things would change, and here we are today with nothing but hopes, but how can you stay when you have one week where someone can just take your emotions and show no mercy, no compassion and no heart.

It got bad about a weekend ago, when they went to Philly. The rain was falling here as usual and the mood was already gloomy. So I sat down and decided to watch the game at a friend's house. When it was over I was hurt and wondering how you can have the lead three times and lose in 13 innings. I want to blame the bullpen but I just can't even though that this bullpen has been the very thorn in our side for our whole relationship this season.

The next night I tried to forgive, but they were shut out. Later that week our relationship bounced back as they stomped the Detroit Tigers for four days straight. I know it was only the Tigers, but it felt good... We felt good. Then, just when you thought it couldn't get any better almost an exact week's time from our Philly disaster they make me forget everything by breaking all types of major league records and ending a game with the Marlins with a 50 minute, 14 run first inning. But it didn't end there because when my team was done they had put 25 points on the board to Florida's 8.  You would have to think the Marlin's were done for the series after this whooping, but instead they came back the next night, and I watched that thorn give up a three run homer with two friggin' outs in the ninth and lose 10-9!

How am I supposed to live like this!!! Now they come back from that and win 11-7. Oh yeah I guess I should be happy now with Tampa Bay coming up and then the Yankees on Friday for a four game stint.

Did I say the Yankees? I can't leave them now. I have to stand by them, I've to be there for support. Okay, I'm sorry but we have to do something about this relationship. I can't keep doing this, but we'll talk... After the Yankees though.

Sincerely,

A Red Sox Fan

"You can't win them all..."

No team has been able to beat the Patriots in 10 consecutive playoff games, but tonight someone finally did...

Themselves.

Tonight the Patriots out played the Broncos drawing up 420 yards total to Denver's 286, but when the time and game mattered the most this team took the gun, and shot themselves in the foot with 5 turnovers. Turnovers that not only gave the Broncos possession, but great field position.

Turnover 1: RB Kevin Faulk fumbled on the Patriots 39 and two plays later the Broncos score after a VERY questionable pass interference against CB Asante Samuel. (Broncos 7 - Pats 3)

Controversy 1: The flag on Asante Samuel was 3-5 seconds late for it to be interference, and one of the few questionable calls by tonight's refs even in Bill Belichick's eyes and the game announcers. The call should have been offensive pass interference making it Denver's ball, 2 and 20 on the 50.

Turnover 2: On the kick after the previous TD, Denver kicker Todd Sauerbrun made the hit on CB Ellis Hobbs that jarred the ball loose. Denver took over on the Patriots 39 again. Three plays later K Jason Elam nailed a 50 yard field goal. (Broncos 10 - Pats 3)

Turnover 3: QB Tom Brady who had a few bad passes tonight finally threw an end zone pick after marching 78 yards down the field to CB Champ Bailey. Bailey returned it 99 yards, but was knocked out at the Pats 1 by TE Benjamin Watson who came from cross field stealing Bailey's thunder on the play. From 1 yard out RB Mike Anderson scrambled in after LB Larry Izzo missed the tackle leading to an altercation between him and LB Willie McGinest on the sideline. (Broncos 17 - Pats 6)

Controversy 2: Benjamin's hit on Bailey jarred the ball loose, but the question was if the ball went out of bounds or out of the end zone. The refs ruled it inconclusive, but Belichick felt differently after the game. If it was ruled out of the end zone it would have been Patriots ball on the 20.

Turnover 4: Adam Vinatieri missed from 43 yards out letting the Broncos take over on their 33. After a Seymour sack the Broncos are forced to punt. WR Troy Brown calls fair catch, but ended up muffing it away. The Broncos recovered on the Pats 15 and scored three plays later. (Broncos 24 - Pats 6)

Turnover 5: Backed up on the their own 11 Brady unleashed a bomb to WR Andre Davis who was triple covered. The pass was intercepted by FS John Lynch and brought the game to and end as the Broncos ran the clock out.

From my perspective this is a tough loss to swallow. This team was a good team, and they should have beaten the Broncos when they came out onto the field for the second half. Belichick had a great game plan in place. The offense was picking up the blitzes and converting short passes while the defense was keeping Denver's running game on the back burner. But because of the miscues it didn't happen and now we as fans have to wait for next year.

As for the Broncos, I'm not taking anything away from them because they capitalized when given the opportunity. Now they have to wait to take on the winner of tomorrow's Colts/Steelers playoff game. I'm sure their coach Mike Shanahan will use this game as a motivational tool. The Broncos had several things go in their favor tonight; crowd noise (several Patriots false starts), on field calls, and some great field position off of opponents mistakes. These things won't happen if the Steelers lose to the Colts tomorrow then they'll have to be ready to play in that dome.

Seattle won as I said (Told you so Mr. Creavin), and they now wait for the winner of the Bears/Panthers match up.

Well, before I go I have some news for those of you who live in the New England area. Beginning next Saturday you'll be able to hear me on WBET AM 1460. I'll be appearing on Mark Chauppette's Radio show "On the Mark" from 11AM to 1 PM, and Thursday between 3PM and 5PM.