[legend]

Curious what everyone recalls as the worst referee's call ever in relation to the team you root for. My personal "favorite" was the no-call on offensive pass interference against Cowboy's drew pearson on the Roger Staubach hail Mary pass in 1975 playoffs. A fan threw a bottle, hit the referee in the head- Tarkenton's father, watching the game at his home, had a heart attack and dropped dead! Imagine Fran Tarkenton's emotions on that horrible day.I didn't have to imagine my own emotions. I have never ever approached that level of anger over a sporting event.
Honorable mention to the George Brett Pine Tar ruling , ignoring a rule that was in the books and changing it. Sure it was a dumb rule, but if all dumb rules in sports were simply ignored when they were brought into play in a key situation, where would we be? The rule should have just been changed after the season.

[wedge]

This is an interesting question.

I'm sure I could think of some from being a FSU, Philies, or Magic fan, but for me what pops out is in the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup, USA vs Germany. The ref missed an OBVIOUS hand ball, from a shot by Gregg Berhalter, that prevented the ball from going into the net to tie the game 1-1. It should've been a penalty kick and an instant red card. Instead, USA goes on to lose 1-0.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Look I saw the Dallas game in 1975 it was a fantastic call!...clear TD all the way!...SO...I am going with Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed in Rocky I...Rocky was robbed man!...he had Apollo in that one...and the man comes away with a draw...geez...oh...you mean real call?...The "Holy Roller" by the Oakland Raiders vs The Chargers...though it was creative of those darn Raiders...

[DrCool]

Worst call ever? I would say the piece of crap call Phil Loukett made against the Seahawks when Vinny Testaverde, then playing for the Jets, got his helmet across the goal line and the idiot ref called it a TD. The top of his helmet went across the goal line but the ball was down by his waist. There was no replay at the time and the call stood giving the Jets the win and costing the Seahawks a spot in the playoffs. Terrible call. Worst ever.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by DrCool

There was no replay at the time and the call stood giving the Jets the win and costing the Seahawks a spot in the playoffs. Terrible call. Worst ever.

Hmmm...The Seahawks and Jets...playoff spot on the line...maybe top 25...maybe...unless you had like $100 riding on the game...then yes, it can be considered the worse call ever...if not...nope...not really...

[Lefty Noob]

1972 Munich Olympics. USA vs. USSR. Men's basketball. Need I say more?

[wedge]

Somewhere in Geneva, Switzerland there is a bank that has a bunch of silver medals. That wasn't one bad call, but two terrible ones. Cheating bastards!

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

1972 Munich Olympics. USA vs. USSR. Men's basketball. Need I say more?

No...you win... I was logging on to post just that...it was actually a bad call twice over as they reset the clock more than once...

[pete_b]

Does anybody remember the call that the ump made against George Brett of the Kansas City Royals in a very important game vs. the Yankees? The infamous Billy Martin protest known as the pine tar incident took away a home run from George Brett. Does that count as a bad call?

[Wizard of Os]

Outstanding question!

As for bad calls, o so many...

Just recently, the Patriots were dissed twice: on the phantom pass interference call on my least favorite Patriot Samuel, and on the touchback after the 100-yard-or-so interception return. The latter really hurt because a) the out-of-nowhere never-say-die hit delivered by Ben Watson at the freaking one was bone-crushingly amazing and deserved to be recognized;

b) the play would have been most compelling, with a brilliant Pats drive followed by the long long long return by Champ followed by New England getting the ball back at the 20 (and you just know they would have scored); and

c) Bellichick and everyone else saw the ball go out of the end zone but due to lack of "visual evidence" (apparently a few tens of thousands of pairs of human eyes don't count), video decides another game.

Of course, as a Patriots guy and a big fan of the tuck, i can't complain...(whistles)...

As in the above example, which side of the ball you're on matters much as well. You remember the Music City Miracle? Yeah? In Buffalo, they call it The Forward Pass. Derek Fisher's shot known most places as simply 0.03? Yeah? In San Antonio, they call that The Late Shot.

Very astute was Lefty for pointing out the first loss the US Olympic team had ever suffered (but, hey, it is an American game), back in 1972. What an insane series of events and bald-faced commie head game. How much do you want to bet that both USA and USSR players in bodies and souls were just each other one more time, street rules, no refs, to see who really wins? Great game (by all accounts; before my time), horrific ending.

Fascinating question. I'm going to think this one over for a bit.

[legend]

The Olympic fiasco was an absolute disgrace. I remember Doug Collins getting up and hitting foul shots after a Russian had literally sent him into the padding around the basket support. His head was almost stuck in there. I think the Tarkenton call just sits with me all these years because I just thought he was the greatest. Still do.
The Pine Tar incident wasn't a bad call. It was the rule at the time. It would be like the Patriots taking advantage of the Tuck Rule and the commissioner then saying the play should be a fumble because its a silly rule. Change the rule the next year if need be, don't make em up as you go along.

[Lefty Noob]

How about the Giants playoff game from a few years ago, where the refs missed a blatant pass interference call on a fake (or was it botched) field goal. Wound up costing the Gints the game!

[Mid-depth_Reporter]

Well, I'm a Seahawks fan and I do believe that the Vinny touchdown was a bad one. Of course, with the Seahawks you could use a lot of games in franchise history to answer this post.

But, for worst call ever, I'd have to give to the call on Matt Hasselbeck's "Illegal block" in Super Bowl XL. After throwing an interception, Matt Hasselbeck went to tackle Ike Taylor - the guy who picked it off. He went low, because, well, he's a quarterback.

Now, there's nothing wrong with that. Yet, the refs decide to penalize him for an illegal block. Now, firstly, Hasselbeck was tackling the guy. Secondly, HOW DO YOU BLOCK SOMEONE WHEN YOU'RE ON DEFENSE!?
Hasselbeck would have to be playing for the Steelers to have an illegal block.

If you ask me, that's a horrible call.

[mhmjwm]

Has to be the "interference" call on Benny Barnes of the Cowboys on Lynn Swann of Steelers in Super Bowl XIII. That set up Franco Harris TD run (assisted by a great block fron one of the officials on Cowboy safety Charlie Waters) that gave them an 11 point lead. If a flag had to be thrown at all, it should have been against Swann. A close 2nd is the interference call against Patriots' Ashanti Samuel against Denver in this years AFC Divisional Playoff. I've seen several replays and he still hasn't touched him.

[Lefty Noob]

Welcome to GoTeamsGo, mhmjwm, and thanks for joining us here to talk some football!

It amazes me how many of the bad football calls we remember are pass-interference ones. I know there have been a few mentioned that weren't by Mid-Depth Reporter and others, but anyone remember any really bad holding or offsides calls that cost a team a game, or something else along those lines? Wasn't there an offsides penalty recently in the playoffs that gave a kicker a second chance at a field goal? I sort of remember it, but not quite.