Holmgren Lashes Out

[tubbysmith]

SEATTLE -- Despite the Seahawks' disappointing Super Bowl loss, thousands of Seattle fans showed up Monday at Qwest Field to welcome the players home and congratulate them on their season.

Coach Mike Holmgren told the homecoming crowd that some of the officials' calls from Sunday's 21-10 loss still rankled.

"We knew it was going to be tough going up against the Pittsburgh Steelers," Holmgren said. "I didn't know we were going to have to play the guys in the striped shirts as well."

The fans roared their agreement.

"Refs suck!" they shouted in unison.

The focus of the fans' rage, a day after their team lost in Seattle's first trip to the Super Bowl, included a Darrell Jackson touchdown catch that was taken away by a penalty and a disputed TD run by Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger.

One call robbed the Seahawks of a touchdown; the other gave the Steelers a touchdown.

"The officiating left a lot to be desired," said Dale Baxman, a fan who took a half-day off work to attend the rally.

Vicky Phillips, another fan, was more direct.

"I think we need new refs," she said.

But more than griping about the officials, the fans, collectively referred to as the team's "12th Man," turned out to thank their team.

"I'm here to support them, let them know it's all right," said Tracy Rogers of Seattle, who called in sick -- brokenhearted, really -- to join the crowd. The Seahawks estimated attendance at about 15,000 although other observers thought the crowd was smaller.

Teenagers Malissa Dunn, Nickey Horgan and Gena Copley took a parents-sanctioned day off from school to paint their faces blue and green and score a front-row seat.

"We won in our hearts," said Horgan, 15. "We're still No. 1."

Gov. Chris Gregoire, who traveled to Detroit to watch the game, told fans to be proud of the team that won the NFC Championship, has the league MVP in Shaun Alexander and boasts seven Pro Bowlers.

Holmgren and other team officials praised the raucous legion of fans who are known for raising the decibel level in Qwest Field to among the loudest in the NFL.

"We just want to thank you for sticking with us all season," he said.

The entire Seahawks squad took the stage under an unusually sunny Seattle sky.

"I just want to thank you for your unwavering support," linebacker Lofa Tatupu said.

Alexander drew cheers -- and perhaps raised hopes -- with his comments about next year's Super Bowl XLI in sunny Florida. The star running back's contract is expiring and, if the team doesn't re-sign him before March 3, he will become one of the league's most coveted free agents.

"Next year, our last game of the season will be a win in Miami," he told the crowd.

:iagree:

 

[yyz]

Hopefully he will work on some clock management over the next 11 months...........

 

[JCam]

:fingerc:

Hello tubbysmith..

First of all I want to say that I feel your pain with regard to your team of choice losing the Super Bowl, goodness knows that I love my Steelers and have been a long time fan, but first and foremost I consider myself a gambler first and a fan second, with that being said I personally think that Seattle cost THEMSELVES the game with poor play and a few bad coaching decisions by Holmgren, yes there were a few questionable calls and no calls but they went against BOTH teams.

John Madden and Al Michaels are two complete idiots that as usual have a habit of stirring up controversy with their statements which of course is then picked up by other media types who then influence the fans, both Madden and Michaels belly ached about the pass interference call on Jackson in the endzone but failed to point out that Jackson CLEARLY extended his arm with a locked elbow in order to gain separation from the Steeler defender...that's pass interference anyway you want to slice it.

Then Madden and Michaels both complain about the TD by Roethlisberger which went to review and was upheld, the replay showed CLEARLY that the point of the football had broken the plane of the goal line, by definition that's a TD.

Then of course there is the supposed "phantom holding call" which negated Hasselbeck's completion to the 2 yard line, both Madden and Michaels also complained about that call, if you would watch the play with unbiased eyes you would have to agree that the Steeler defender (Smith I think) was being held back as he was straining and struggleing to get to Hasselbeck.

The calls that I thought were questionable occurred after Hasselbeck tossed the interception to Steeler CB Taylor and then was called for a low block while trying to tackle Taylor, then there was Hasselbeck's fumble which was reviewed and overturned, I thought it was a fumble but replay showed that Farrior grabbed Hasselbeck's jersey prior to Hasselbeck hitting the ground, by rule in that instance its not considered a fumble, then there was also the fumble by Stevens which was ruled an incomplete pass.

In my humble opinion Stevens and Jackson cost Seattle the game, Stevens ran his mouth all week and then dropped four passes, Jackson cost Seattle by pushing off in the endzone which negated the TD and also cost Seattle with his lack of focus with regard to where he was on the field, how could he not know TWICE where the sideline was in relation to where he was which negated a long pass completion on one play and then a possible TD on another play?

It certainly helped Seattle that Steeler QB Roethlisberger played a terrible game but some of the credit for Roethlisbergers bad play must go to the Seattle defense which played a good game by keeping Pittsburgh's offense off balance, Seattle RB Alexander had a good game with regard to rushing for 95 yards and I think Hasselbeck also had a great game, in the end Seattle was re-visited by the same problems that killed them last year as well as in years past...dropped balls and penalties.

We all witnessed many bad calls during the playoffs leading up to the Super Bowl so its no small wonder that John Madden, who has been a long time Steeler hater dating back to when Pittsburgh used to beat up on his Raider teams, would make the remarks he did as a means of somehow tarnishing Pittsburghs win.

With regard to Al Michaels, I can't believe they let that yo-yo stay in the broadcast booth as long as they have, Michaels is CONSTANTLY getting calls wrong and/or making stupid statements on air, for example, there was less than two minutes to go in the first half when Michaels chimed in "I think Seattle has to throw the challenge flag on that one".

...meanwhile, even the casual NFL fan knows that a coach can not challenge when within the final two minutes, only the replay officials can do that, there were also AT LEAST three or four instances in which Michaels called a player by the wrong name, its no wonder the MNF telecast is moving to ESPN and Al Michaels isn't invited along.

take care and be well

Jim

 

[ELVIS]

i guess franco caught the "icrapulate reception?" it never hit the ground or was advanced incorrectly?

madden,an idiot, far from it. he was a great coach and is certainly an icon for profootball - michaels is a great voice but certainly a douche bag at times. everyine knows he either bets the games or he makes outlandish claims to antagonize the bettors.

oh yeh, stevens is an idiot. the dj penalty was crap, but his being out of bounds twice is uncalled for.

 

[moe777]

dissing al michales?hes arguably the best at what he does.

 

[djv]

JCam believe I remember Pitt crying about the officials Week 0ne of playoffs. Some thing like they were trying to steel the game. You were hot. It didn't matter to me I like Pitt from AFC for many years. Being a Packer Fan that seems like 60 years. I always thought Pitt some how was like GB from 60's lots of hard work and class. I also would have liked to see our old coach Homgren do well. So this game was a fun one for me. But I must admit I did not want officials to play a big part in out come and they did. I was on the under so I did not get hurt as some feel they did. I'm sure many feel they should at worst got a push on the 4. I believe Pitt still wins by the 4. You have to make your scoring chance count. Pitt seem to pull it out. And Seattle even if they were 50 and 52 yards long. Should have made at least one of those FG being inside with perfect condition. We will never know how that would have affected game and clock management end of game.

 

[R-7]

Unfortunately for SEATTLE the Stevens fumble was not reviewable. Which is why it is not on an incomplete call where receiver is not touched down in field of play. If it was reviewable, it would have been a catch and Seattle's ball at the spot of the fumble as whistle blew play dead and was actually never recovered by Pitt. As a matter of fact, if the whistle had not blown, I think the ball was heading out of bounds and it would have been Seattle's ball then as well.

 

[jimmy the greek]

calling an ''illegal block'' on hasselbeck after his int was the clincher

 

[Penguinfan]

calling an ''illegal block'' on hasselbeck after his int was the clincher

Hardly a "Clincher" but easily the most qyestionable call of the game.

 

[Mjolnir]

anyone catch nfl in hbo? they disected the plays and i have to say i agree w/most of them. except the roth td. still think that was a mistake.

 

[edludes]

HBO is hardly objective.They will not get their contract renewed if they come down anywhere near not fully supporting the nfl.There was no advantage acheived by Jackson extending his arms on the phantom PI call.This game was decided by poor refereeing,pure and simple.