9.25.2012

Monday night fiasco

I’m not sure where to start with this one.

By now, unless you’re living on the moon – and if you’re living on the moon, I doubt you’d be reading this – you know last night’s Monday Night Football game, featuring my beloved Green Bay Packers, featured a wild ending. And by now, the replay of that finished has been, well, replayed a quarter of a million times.

Twenty-four hours later, I still can’t believe it happened.

I was rendered speechless after it happened last night. I was working on graduate homework for most of the night, with the game playing softly on the TV in the background. It was only during the later part of the fourth quarter that I began playing close attention in hopes of watching the Packers squeak out of the game with a win.

Then, it happened. And for minutes after that play I sat on the couch. Mouth open. Stunned at the train wreck of it all.

I mean, c’mon. Two referees ran toward the play from either side. Looked at each other. And lifted their arms to give contradicting signals.

Unbelievable. … Laughable.



I mean, what more evidence do you need? It seems pretty clear to me who had possession of the ball.




Typically, during the football season I can barely stand to watch Sportscenter. Last night and this morning, I couldn’t get enough of it. This morning, I flipped it on almost as soon as I was out of bed, and then the anger and frustration arose all over again as I explained the travesty to Kates.

Mike Tirico’s call – “This is the most bizarre finish you'll ever see!” – will live in broadcasting infamy.

Stuart Scott and the guys on Sportscenter were on fire. They weren’t talking about anything but the final play of the game. Nothing else that happened yesterday in sports mattered. And they pointed that out several times.

Trent Dilfer looked like he was ready to break into tears while he ranted about his shame for the NFL and the havoc replacement referees are causing.

As bad as I wanted to turn off the TV, I just couldn’t stop watching last night. I actually did turn it off for a few minutes after the game. I had graduate homework, after all. But I turned the TV back on a few minutes later, looking for any new angles or developments to the story.

(Updated 9.26.2012) Good reads ...
a Bears fans actually feel kind of bad
a The Biggest Controversy, but Far From the First
a In N.F.L., the Show Goes On and On
a Comedians ridicule NFL over botched call
a 'Call It Maybe' mocks replacement refs
a N.F.L. Reaches Labor Deal With Referees

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