On the Steelers: Call 'em both ways

[stillers4me]

Sunday, December 05, 2010
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/images/201011/dianasteelers112810_10_330.jpg
Peter Diana/Post-Gazette
Ben Roethlisberger is sacked by the Bills' Arthur Moats during last Sunday's game at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y.



The NFL may not be targeting the Steelers, but the Steelers certainly think they are, so in that sense the league has failed.

Forget the $125,000 in fines on linebacker James Harrison or the flurry of holding penalties on guard Chris Kemoeatu, the true evidence is what the on-field officials and Ray Anderson are not doing. Ben Roethlisberger continues to get beat up on the field and not only is no one paying the price with penalties, the league looks the other way when it comes to doling out fines.

Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, who has been on the coaching staff since Roethlisberger's rookie season, said he can remember only three or four roughing the passer penalties called against defensive players for hits on Roethlisberger. There has been none this season. And he said one of them was not the time he was hit late in San Diego in 2005, causing him to miss the next game against Jacksonville with a sprained knee.

Neither was one called last Sunday in Buffalo when Bills Arthur Moats and Marcus Stroud sacked Roethlisberger and, after putting him on the ground and the play over, twisted his legs and shoved his face...................

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10339/1108070-66.stm

[Count Steeler]

I think a case of intent to injure can be clearly made on this play. How can the same ref, in the same game, pull out his flag so quickly on Harrison and then watch this play and not even blink an eye. This was clearly an attempt to get Ben out of the game. Love to see the Steelers try this and get away with it.

[zulater]

Nonetheless, the NFL's crusade against violent hits and the manner in which punishment is being administered has left many in the league wondering where it will all end. Among those is Steelers president Art Rooney II, who is worried about what happens if Harrison keeps accumulating a tab as though he is buying condominiums on New York's Park Avenue.

"The concern I have is the word 'suspended' is being used in a very broad context," Rooney said. "I was fine with the idea that, OK, helmet-to-helmet hits are a point of emphasis and the suspended word was used in connection with that. We can live with that. Now it applies to everything, and that's a concern



Anderson said officials have been specifically instructed to "err on the side of safety" and throw a flag when there is doubt about an illegal hit.

"We have to make sure players and coaches know they can't play on the edge," Anderson said. "We're not going to be apologetic and we're not going to be defensive. They need to comply with the rules because they will be enforced. We are going to protect our players with this committee and this office. Players and coaches need to understand that."
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10339/1108122-66.stm#ixzz17FZ8GqRz

From a seperate, but similiar article on today's PPG.

What I have bolded bothers me more than anything and explains why it appears as if Harrison is being targeted. Basically this flag first, ask questions later approach hurts Harrison because of the violence and explosion he has when he delivers a hit.

Anyway to me that's a bad way to tell your refs to officiate a game. To me a phantom call is ten times worse than a missed call. A games entire outcome can be affected by any given call, to me the standards should always be don't call it unless you're sure it happened. And if you're not sure, confere with your fellow officials, and don't be reluctant to pick up your flag if others who had a better view say it wasn't an infraction. As far as unpunished personal fouls, the league office can always take care of those afterwards.

I really hope the Rooney's can generate support this offseason to bring some sanity back to the game. And I wouldn't mind if that arrogant douche Anderson finds himself unemployed in the not too distant future.

[fansince'76]

Anderson said officials have been specifically instructed to "err on the side of safety" and throw a flag when there is doubt about an illegal hit.Certainly explains no flag on either of the helmet-to-helmet hits on Hines in the Saints and Patriots games. :coffee:

[Wallace108]

"We have to make sure players and coaches know they can't play on the edge," Anderson said. "We're not going to be apologetic and we're not going to be defensive. They need to comply with the rules because they will be enforced.
If you're "playing on the edge," and don't step OVER the edge, aren't you still playing within the rules? :huh:

This is absurd.