I hate talking about the refs, but . . .

[Peter]

. . . does anyone remember the last time the Bills or Sabres were the beneficiaries of truly bad calls in their favor?

 

The most outrageous were the no goal followed by the Flyers' "goal" through the net and the home run throw up.

 

I doubt that refs go into games thinking how they can screw over Buffalo teams. Yet, it does seem like we have gotten well more than our fair share of blown calls.

 

To paraphase Cream's song Born Under a Bad Sign:

 

"If Buffalo did not have bad luck, we would not have any luck at all."

 

Unfortunately, that applies to WNY as well.

[drg2021]

. . . does anyone remember the last time the Bills or Sabres were the beneficiaries of truly bad calls in their favor?

 

The most outrageous were the no goal followed by the Flyers' "goal" through the net and the home run throw up.

 

I doubt that refs go into games thinking how they can screw over Buffalo teams.  Yet, it does seem like we have gotten well more than our fair share of blown calls.

 

To paraphase Cream's song Born Under a Bad Sign:

 

"If Buffalo did not have bad luck, we would not have any luck at all."

 

Unfortunately, that applies to WNY as well.

769726[/snapback]

Having just watched the Bills Shortcut on Directtv Redzone,The Officating in this game IS what cost the Bills the game.The block in the back on Nate Clements on the Whitner pic was a phantom call,lame at best.On the play before the Safety,Dick Seymor was offside.On the play where Denny stopped Maroney in the backfield,he was being tackled and still managed to make the tackle.No penalty called.Absolutly ridicilous the biased officating in the NFL.Hopefully Goodell will fix this problem.The Bills played well enough to win,the OFFICALS TOOK THIS GAME FROM US.

[BillnutinHouston]

I wonder if the Bills are going to send any tape to the league offices. Not that that ever does anything, but just on the principle of it.

[Cripes]

So how exactly were you able to ascertain this rip job without benefit of slo-mo replays, and alternate angles that are absent from the short-cuts broadcasts? The most crucial call to me was the fourth-quarter Robert Royal illegal block on the third-down toss to Peerless Price that would have set up a potential go-ahead field goal. It took an endzone view to clearly see that Royal made a dumb, but obvious, play that deserved a flag.

 

If the Bills want to make sure they don't get gypped by refs, then quit breaking the rules.

[RuntheDamnBall]

So how exactly were you able to ascertain this rip job without benefit of slo-mo replays, and alternate angles that are absent from the short-cuts broadcasts? The most crucial call to me was the fourth-quarter Robert Royal illegal block on the third-down toss to Peerless Price that would have set up a potential go-ahead field goal. It took an endzone view to clearly see that Royal made a dumb, but obvious, play that deserved a flag.

 

If the Bills want to make sure they don't get gypped by refs, then quit breaking the rules.

769821[/snapback]

Cool. Can the Patriots play by the same rules, then? Because without benefit of replay and with a worse angle than any line judge I can count two blatant instances of holding and two blatant offsides/encroachments by New England. I am not sure about the roughing the punter miss, I'm inclined to believe Darin that Moorman flopped on that one; even so, in the NFL if the punter goes down you throw the flag and then make the assessment on tape or by conference.

 

I'll take the calls against us if the calls are consistent. Yesterday, they weren't. I'm not saying the Bills played good enough to win, but we'll never know because the non-calls allowed the Pats momentum that the Bills were not allowed to enjoy in the second half.

[Tod Flanders]

Having just watched the Bills Shortcut on Directtv Redzone,The Officating in this game IS what cost the Bills the game.The block in the back on Nate Clements on the Whitner pic was a phantom call,lame at best.On the play before the Safety,Dick Seymor was offside.On the play where Denny stopped Maroney in the backfield,he was being tackled and still managed to make the tackle.No penalty called.Absolutly ridicilous the biased officating in the NFL.Hopefully Goodell will fix this problem.The Bills played well enough to win,the OFFICALS TOOK THIS GAME FROM US.

769756[/snapback]

 

That's right no one can beat the Bills, they would go 16-0 and win the superbowl this year but the league officials working with Al Queda have decided to fix the games so that the Bills always lose. So Clements and Royal blocked people in the back and the rules clearly state you can't do this, the refs still shouldn't call it. I don't know why they shouldn't but since the Bills lost they shouldn't have. And to think they might have missed some holding calls on the Pats I'm sure they didn't miss any holding calls on the Bills as offensive linemen never get away with holding unless of course the refs are deliberately making the Bills lose.

 

So the season is hopeless once again we have an unbeatable team but the league has it in for us and therefore the refs will cost us every game.

[East Brady]

Having just watched the Bills Shortcut on Directtv Redzone,The Officating in this game IS what cost the Bills the game.The block in the back on Nate Clements on the Whitner pic was a phantom call,lame at best.On the play before the Safety,Dick Seymor was offside.On the play where Denny stopped Maroney in the backfield,he was being tackled and still managed to make the tackle.No penalty called.Absolutly ridicilous the biased officating in the NFL.Hopefully Goodell will fix this problem.The Bills played well enough to win,the OFFICALS TOOK THIS GAME FROM US.

769756[/snapback]

Don't count on the commish fixing the officating........After ralph called the cops(politicians)on the highway robbery job that is the new CBA I fully expect to be getting the shaft for the next few years !!!!!!!!

Calling the cops on the rest of your family never goes over well, regardless if your right!!!

[Mike formerly from Florida]

That's right no one can beat the Bills, they would go 16-0 and win the superbowl this year but the league officials working with Al Queda have decided to fix the games so that the Bills always lose.  So Clements and Royal blocked people in the back and the rules clearly state you can't do this, the refs still shouldn't call it.  I don't know why they shouldn't but since the Bills lost they shouldn't have.  And to think they might have missed some holding calls on the Pats I'm sure they didn't miss any holding calls on the Bills as offensive linemen never get away with holding unless of course the refs are deliberately making the Bills lose.

 

So the season is hopeless once again we have an unbeatable team but the league has it in for us and therefore the refs will cost us every game.

769840[/snapback]

 

If you think that the referees didn't favor the Pats in this game, then you my friend, are somewhat of an imbecile.

 

And foes for the other poster as well.

[MadBuffaloDisease]

It's amazing how few people know the rules or how they are applied.

[EndZoneCrew]

There were Refs for the game? Hmmmmm.....I could not tell

[Tod Flanders]

If you think that the referees didn't favor the Pats in this game, then you my friend, are somewhat of an imbecile.

 

And foes for the other poster as well.

769857[/snapback]

 

Yeah, whatever you say.

 

Clements and Royal pushed their guys in the back sorry if they refs called it correctly and the Bills lost and I am the enemy of all poster on this board if you say so.

 

Obviously disagreeing with you makes anyone an imbecile. So tell me who's behind the conspiracy? Why are they fixing games against us.

 

The Bills lost try acting like an adult.

[EndZoneCrew]

So tell me who's behind the conspiracy? 

769906[/snapback]

 

Tom Donahoe

[MadBuffaloDisease]

Try learning the game, Tod. Then maybe we'll take you seriously.

[PTS]

I think's its definitely fair to say that all the tick tack calls went against Buffalo and only Buffalo. New England also got away with some blatant penalties (holding, offsides, lining up in or past the neutral zone, etc).

 

However I hate to blame the refs for this game. Simply put, we could have won despite the poor calls if we did our job.

 

That's why I loved the Sabres this past season. It seemed like every time they were getting jobbed by the refs, they just played harder and harder to win.

 

Any time you don't close the door on NE in NE, you're asking for some officiating bull to happen late in the game. It ALWAYS does in Foxboro.

[drg2021]

I think's its definitely fair to say that all the tick tack calls went against Buffalo and only Buffalo. New England also got away with some blatant penalties (holding, offsides, lining up in or past the neutral zone, etc).

 

However I hate to blame the refs for this game. Simply put, we could have won despite the poor calls if we did our job.

 

That's why I loved the Sabres this past season. It seemed like every time they were getting jobbed by the refs, they just played harder and harder to win.

 

Any time you don't close the door on NE in NE, you're asking for some officiating bull to happen late in the game. It ALWAYS does in Foxboro.

769919[/snapback]

Does Phil Luckett ring a bell?

[Tod Flanders]

Try learning the game, Tod.  Then maybe we'll take you seriously.

769913[/snapback]

 

 

Ok so please tell me where pushing someone in the back is legal? Really I need to know becuase if you don't take me seriously I don't know what I will do with myself.

 

Whiners blame the refs. The Sabres never blamed anyone or anything (Carolina had an excuse after every loss) which was refreshing. So far I haven't heard the Bills players blaming the refs which is also refreshing. Just learn to accept this loss without complaining on how the refs cost us the game.

[MadBuffaloDisease]

Ok so please tell me where pushing someone in the back is legal?  Really I need to know becuase if you don't take me seriously I don't know what I will do with myself.

 

Whiners blame the refs.  The Sabres never blamed anyone or anything (Carolina had an excuse after every loss) which was refreshing.  So far I haven't heard the Bills players blaming the refs which is also refreshing.  Just learn to accept this loss without complaining on how the refs cost us the game.

Sorry, I never accept bull sh--, no matter HOW it's served. Bad officiating is bad officiating. Whether there's chicanery behind it is another matter. But the Pats have been allowed to get away with crap few other teams have been able to over the past 5 years. Hell it even goes back FURTHER than that (remember the "just give it to 'em game!" game in 1998?).

 

As for the blocks in the back, the Clements one was BS. And the topper was them blowing the play dead because one of the refs who DID see a push in the back, also saw Whitner step out of bounds, even though he was over a yard away from it the whole time. The Royal block I haven't watched again, mainly because I'm trying to avoid re-watching that sham of a game, but I remember in realtime it looked marginal at best and had no real bearing on the play.

 

And there were NUMEROUS missed calls that would have gone against the Pats. Schobel got mugged on almost every play. There was an offsides on the play before the safety that went uncalled. Koppen flinched with the ball in his hands numerous times, which is a false start. And Moorman got roughed TWICE.

 

It's not like this game was a blowout. It was close down to the end. Therefore the refs DID have a hand in the outcome. All I want is a FAIRLY OFFICIATED game, nothing more. It's not an unreasonable request.

[GhostsOfTheRockpile]

Whiners blame the refs.  The Sabres never blamed anyone or anything (Carolina had an excuse after every loss) which was refreshing.  So far I haven't heard the Bills players blaming the refs which is also refreshing.  Just learn to accept this loss without complaining on how the refs cost us the game.

769930[/snapback]

 

 

Amen. Quit whining, the Bills lost to a better team. Good teams overcome a few bad calls. I'm certain you people could have sat and watched the game with a Pats fan, and he would have had just as many calls to complain about.

 

Whitner never stepped out of bounds? Agreed... but the Bills still couldn't do anything with the extra possession and great field possession. And whether or not Nate blocked the guy in the back, it was stupid to even put himself in that position and place his hands on the guy's back.

 

Royal's penalty was a phantom call? I can see that... but the Bills still failed on 3rd and 2 after the call. A good team can get a couple yards when they need it.

 

For all the trash talking that goes on here directed at other teams' fans, as a group us Bills fans can sound pretty ridiculous a good deal of the time. To wit, this "shadow conspiracy." Take a lead from your beloved team: don't make excuses, take the loss, move on.

 

I agree there were some horrible calls, and the disparity in penalties is cause for concern (as if the NFL is going to actually look into it), but to blame a loss on the refs or suggest they have it in for Buffalo is something I'd expect from some 8 year-old crying after losing in gym class.

[Bflojohn]

The thing here is the officials in this league have better protection than the President gets from the "Secret Service"!!! They NEVER get interviewed, whereby their conduct COULD be discussed and questioned. They have an Ivory Tower approach to this that absolutely infuriates me!! Why does this "Industry" fight sooo hard to hide the FACT that the fabric of the game itself is brought into question? It baffles me to NO end! The mere appearance of fixing is problematic and needs a better sounding board, IMO.

[GhostsOfTheRockpile]

The thing here is the officials in this league have better protection than the President gets from the "Secret Service"!!! They NEVER get interviewed, whereby their conduct COULD be discussed and questioned. They have an Ivory Tower approach to this that absolutely infuriates me!! Why does this "Industry" fight sooo hard to hide the FACT that the fabric of the game itself is brought into question? It baffles me to NO end! The mere appearance of fixing is problematic and needs a better sounding board, IMO.

769947[/snapback]

 

 

Again, to suggest games are fixed without any evidence is preposterous and stupid.

 

However, I will agree that the shield protecting officials in ALL sports is a relic of a bygone era. With the stakes so much higher for ALL parties involved, refs need to be held accountable to ALL parties involved, not just closed meetings in league offices.

 

Sports are played faster and with more force than ever before. Technology has made it easier to second-guess every aspect of every game. Refs in all sports have been left in the dust to one extent or another, and it may be impossible to rectify.