Football madness

Warning, super long post...

Ok, I swear I wrote this before The Sports Guy posted his column today. I actually wrote this yesterday, but felt bad about making my picks on a Tuesday so I was going to post it tomorrow instead. Anyway, I basically wrote the same thing that Bill Simmons did today, but I’m still posting it. So enjoy…

Seriously, with instant replay, how do refs still constantly get calls wrong. I loved it yesterday when the NFL admitted that the ref made the wrong call in the Pitt / Indy game this weekend. I didn’t see the game, but I’m just happy the NFL knows that their refs suck. However, I really wish they would have admitted to their mistake during the Pats game.

Ok, just to vent for a second. The Pats deserved to lose that game. They played terribly. It was painful to watch. But, the refs did screw them over. They messed up a pass interference call that led to a touchdown for Denver, which I’m fine with because mistakes happen, but when the whole “Champ Bailey interception and Ben Watson tackle” happened, I couldn’t believe it. Bailey obviously fumbled into the end zone. The replay clearly showed this. All you need is a middle school knowledge of geometry and you know that the ball went through the end zone.

Let me elaborate. Bailey was close to the 1 yard line and at least a yard from the sideline when he fumbled (clear in the replay). The Ball landed about 10 yards back and maybe 2 yards out on the sidelines. Draw a quick triangle and there is no possible way that it went out of bounds before it crossed the end-zone. No possible way!

That interception and undeserved touchdown buried the Pats. They probably wouldn’t have won, but you never know when the best playoff quarterback ever is on your team. If that call was rightfully reversed, I might be 7 – 1 with playoff picks right now. Since the refs suck (as the NFL has admitted), I’m only 6 – 2. Let’s see how I do this weekend.

Pittsburg (+3) over DENVER
Last week’s Denver/Pats game was decided by turnovers (and bad refereeing), and Denver has the edge again this week against the Steelers, which makes them a safe bet. But I hate the Broncos. I don’t want to root for them. Why don’t we look at the fact that the Steelers dominated the best team in the league last week, while the Broncos were handed a victory by the turnover happy Patriots. The Steelers have momentum. Then again, a sixth seed has never made the Superbowl before. I’m scared of this game.

SEATTLE (-4) over Carolina
Remember 2 years ago when the wildcard Panthers team went all the way to the Superbowl and barely lost to a far superior Pats team by 3 points? Well, this Panthers team is better than they were 2 years ago (at least on paper), and Seattle has a history of choking in big games. But I can’t pick two wildcard teams to make the Superbowl. What are the chances of that happening? Ok, how about we go with warm weather Carolina playing in cold weather Seattle. There’s my justification.

Last week: 2-2
Total Playoffs: 6-2

Side note: NFL MVP Shaun Alexander left in the beginning of last week’s Seattle/Washington game due to a concussion. So what happened? Seattle easily won the game. How is this guy the MVP? How valuable could he have been if they still easily win playoff games with out him? Sometimes I hate sports.