First Pick Blog

Comment on this post with your winners!

1. Jim Harbaugh (San Francisco)

vs.                                                                              

8. Norv Turner (San Diego)

4. Mike Munchak (Tennessee)

vs.                                                                             

5. Gary Kubiak (Houston)

2. Bill Belichick (New England)

vs.                                                                               

7. Mike McCarthy (Green Bay)

3. Tom Coughlin (New York Giants)

vs.                                                                                  

6. Pete Carroll (Seattle)

Up until now, the NFL replacement referees had yet to directly decide the outcome of a game. Well, on Monday night football, on the grandest of stages, live on ESPN, the days of the replacement referees hit an all-time low.

It was a closely contested, closely called game that was destined to be one for the ages. The Green Bay Packers were heavy favorites over the home team Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks used their twelfth man, the home town fans, as fuel to fire the upset.

Fast forward to the last play of the game. Russell Wilson stands at the Packers 24-yard line looking to accomplish something that many had never seen before: a game winning touchdown pass on the last play. The score was 12-7 in favor of Green Bay.

Wilson rolled to his left and fired into a swarm of Seahawks and Packers players in the endzone. The ball disappeared into the mass of men and, after 10 seconds of waiting, one referee signaled touchdown and the Seattle Seahawks were the victors…or were they.

I said that “ONE” referee signaled touchdown. Another referee, standing right next to the referee that signaled touchdown, signaled an interception (meaning that the Packers would be the winners). So, in other words, one referee gave the game to the Seahawks and another referee gave the game to the Packers.

At first glance, it appeared as though it was a simultaneous catch (in that case, the ball would be awarded to the offensive player), but then the officials reviewed the call on the field. When looking at the replays, it appeared as though Packers’ defensive back M.D. Jennings actually caught the ball, which would be an interception. Another interesting bit that the review displayed was that Seahawks receiver Golden Tate shoved a defensive player (which means offensive pass interference should have been called and the play should not have counted).

To put it in simpler terms, there were two key pieces of evidence that went AGAINST the Seahawks winning this game that were revealed in the official review that went ignored. The first was that the pass was actually intercepted by M.D. Jennings and the second was the pass interference against Brandon Tate. If you take both those pieces of information into account, the Packers should have come away with this win.

But, they didn’t. And this is just another instance in which the replacement referees completely messed up a call in a crucial moment of the game. Before now, the referees had yet to decide a game. But now, a decision that they made directly affected the outcome of a game.

The National Football League needs their regular referees back more than they think. Players’ safety and livelihood as well as coaches livelihoods are at stake. Coaches and players get paid and get jobs based on whether they win or lose.

In terms of player’s safety, the replacement referees are letting them get away with too much. Players are allowed to simply tee-off on defenseless players without penalty. Players will get hurt and that will affect the way they live and also how much they get paid.

Another way in which the NFL/replacement referees are screwing everything up is the landscape of the NFL. Once the real referees return, the landscape and the playoff picture will be all out of whack. The playoff picture will be ruined due to incidences like the one on Monday night.

In my eyes, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the rest of the front office are all criminals. If they aren’t willing to pay people to do a professional job and referee the right way, they are just as guilty for the poor quality of officiating as the officials themselves. If they truly love the game of football, they will do whatever it takes to get the real NFL referees back.

The NFL is fast becoming a joke. It’s losing its integrity every week that the replacement refs are active. Do something right for once, Roger Goodell; bring the original referees back so the quality of the NFL as a whole will improve.

I don’t blame the referees for the catastrophe that is this NFL season. I place 100 percent of the blame on Roger Goodell. He, and he alone, is single handedly ruining an American pastime and is disgracing the great game of football.

By Brian Skinnell

Here’s some other boneheaded decisions yesterday, taken from Theblaze.com

-At Nashville, with 16 seconds remaining in regulation, Detroit’s Shaun Hill threw to Nate Burleson on the sideline and he then lost the ball. It looked to be a completion then a fumble because the side judge threw his beanie, but another official ruled an incomplete pass. Titans CB Alterraun Verner had grabbed the ball and started to run and there were questions why the replay booth didn’t review it.

-Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo fumbled twice on plays in the third quarter that weren’t initially ruled turnovers until challenged by Tampa Bay coach Greg Schiano.

First, Romo was in the grasp of Gerald McCoy with his right arm extended, when he flicked the ball forward in what was initially ruled an incomplete pass. Officials watched the replay and determined the ball was loose when Romo tried to push it out, and called it a fumble recovered by Gary Gibson at the 19.

Later, Michael Bennett sacked Romo and knocked the ball loose, but officials quickly whistled the play dead and Romo down even as Eric Wright ran toward the end zone with the football.

After Schiano challenged, officials reversed it to a fumble recovered at the 31, and the Bucs failed to score.

“They blew it dead. But the refs are doing a great job,” McCoy said. “A lot of people are complaining. We’ve got what we got. Everyone needs to accept it. They’re trying their hardest. No ref wants to go out there and make a bad call.”

-Raiders receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey was taken to the hospital with a neck injury after a helmet-to-helmet hit from Steelers safety Ryan Mundy that was not penalized.

Heyward-Bey was running across the end zone early in the fourth quarter to catch a pass from Carson Palmer when Mundy launched his body and lowered his helmet into Heyward-Bey’s facemask. Heyward-Bey’s neck jerked violently and his head also crashed into the ground. The pass was incomplete.

“Once again, the refs missed it, like they always do,” Oakland defensive tackle Tommy Kelly said.

-Dolphins tight end Anthony Fasano was ruled to have made a catch near the Jets’ goal line and the call was held up after review, even though the ball touched the ground as he was tackled.

“Well, I think the fact that we have to talk about it after every game is something right there,” Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway said. “I don’t think in my seven-year career that I’ve had to do that ever. So that probably tells you the story right there.”

Not to say Bill Belichick didn’t have any reasons to be pissed after Sunday Night’s game, but clearly he tried to grab the ref as they leave the field. Most leagues frown upon any physical contact with officials, so expect a fine coming for Bill. By the way Pats fans, we should hear no griping about penalties from you, New England was called for 10 penalties for 83 yards while Baltimore had 14 for 135 yards. Plenty of other bad ref moves yesterday, including an unsportsmanlike conduct call on the Redskins while half of the Bengals squad was on the field thinking they had won the game already. Awful…..

As human beings, much of our lives is based on the successes and failures we experience. From that great grade in high school to losing a loved one, each event forms and molds us as people. Sports can be used as another outlet for finding that success we crave so deeply. I spent much of my childhood and young adult life playing sports, watching sports, and immersing myself into the culture that my dad passed along to me. My teams may have had sporadic success, but they were my teams now. My moods, my attitude, all relied on if they had won the night before. It may have been foolish, but is it any crazier than being a die hard fan of a band or loving math or science?

When the Nationals first came to Washington I was in a strange place as a sports fan. My beloved Detroit Tigers were in the process of a rebuild, a few years removed from the most losses in American League history. I had never really jumped onto the Orioles bandwagon, living in Northern Virginia it was always quite a hike to Camden Yards. Each trip to an O’s game was a big event, and we usually got out to one game a season. But now I had a professional baseball team relatively near me. Sure, it was the Montreal Expos castoffs but it was a team. It was now my team.

From the start I witnessed some of the most fun baseball moments I had ever seen. I was there at RFK on Father’s Day of 06 when Ryan Zimmerman hit a walk off homer to beat the hated Yankees. I was there also that year when Ramon Ortiz pitched a perfect game into the late innings against the Cardinals, only to have Albert “The Machine” Pujols spoil the party. I “Hailed to the Chief” Chad Cordero, I cheered for names like John Patterson, Christian Guzman, and Livan Hernandez who are all long gone now. I was living in two worlds, one where the Tigers made a World Series in 06, the other where the Nationals were losing 100 games. But I didn’t care, I would wait.

Today I am reminded of old faces, like Livo

I wish I could tell the 2008 Ben, “Don’t worry, they get better.” I’ll admit, it was hard to stick with a team that loses. But again, they were my team, I had to. It did get better. I got to see the drafting of Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper. The acquisitions of Jayson Werth, Adam LaRoche, Gio Gonzalez, and Kurt Suzuki. The growing of Danny Espinosa, Ian Desmond, Tyler Clippard, and Stephen Lombardozzi. I guess sometimes you have to deal with watching guys like Nyjer Morgan to get to guys like Bryce Harper. I watched it all, and waited, just waited.

This 2012 season turned out better than I could have ever imagined. I knew this team was good, I believed in this team, but I had no idea they were this good. Playoffs? We’re talking playoffs? No matter how this postseason ends up, even if the Nats get knocked out in the first round, this season has shown me if you wait good things will happen (now try telling that to Cubs fans). Its time, its our time, let’s win this thing….

By Ben Simpson

Natitude. If you don’t know what it is, don’t even bother calling yourself a Nationals fan. Last night, the Washington Nationals clinched a berth to the postseason for the first time in franchise history as the Nationals. This will be the first time our the District will see playoff baseball since 1933. A warning for those who use the metro regularly, get ready, cause you will be seeing lots of red within the next few months, or so you would hope. I personally went to around 15 Nationals games when I was home this summer from Nebraska.

Now that I am currently back in school, I envy those (Ben) who will get to go to postseason games. I know that he will be there to support the team as will other “die-hard” fans. But here is a statistic that may surprise some of you. The Nationals currently rank 14th in attendance this year. Yes this is not a bad spot to be in, but the Nationals deserve better. You are looking at one of the best teams in baseball. This is a team that goes out every night and gives it all they got. Harper never takes a play off. Zimmerman, the hometown kid from UVA, has been through the ups and downs, but wanted to stay in DC his whole career, and recently signed an extension. Werth is on the road to redemption after struggling in his first year as a Nat, but is currently the spark they need in the top spot of the order. Desmond is one the top shortstops in baseball and like all the other players, is young.

And then there is the pitching, the best in baseball. This will be a first time for many fans and players in the sense that other than Werth, there is not that much playoff experience on this baseball team. They need your support. This team deserves to sell out EVERY game this postseason. In my opinion we should be selling out all games for the rest of the season. We need to have a home field advantage. I am tired of seeing the Yankees and Phillies come into Nats Park and take over. Sorry if this sounded like a rant, but as a “die-hard” fan, over a thousand miles a way from the District, I challenge you Nats fans. Make it so loud and packed, the whole city can here ya. This is the start of something special. Yes we will see postseason baseball for many years to come, but you never know. This team is something special, and they need you, I need you too. Go out there and “Get Your Red On,” and show all of baseball that the Nats both on the field and in the stands are the best in baseball. Bring home a World Series. #Natitude

By Ian Holleran

Comment on this post with your winners!

1. Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh)

vs.                            ___________________

8. Chan Gailey (Buffalo)

4. Ron Rivera (Carolina)

vs.                         _____________________

5. Lovie Smith (Chicago)

2. Jeff Fisher (St. Louis)

vs.                       _______________________

7. Marvin Lewis (Cincinnati)

3. Sean Payton (New Orleans)

vs.                    _________________________

6. Andy Reid (Philadelphia)

It is time to introduce the segment that may rule the headlines and blogospheres for days and days to come! The launch of our 2012 Cage Match Madness Bracket. We have been racking our brains for days, studied all the statistics, and are ready to pin coach vs. coach in a fantasy cage match brawl scenario. 32 coaches, 1 winner, it’s on like Donkey Kong. First, the guidelines to the tournament:

1. The bracket will be divided into 4 regions of 8 coaches. The regions are named: Lombardi, Ditka, Shula, and Parcells.

2. Each day we will release the different regions, today we will post the Lombardi Region

3. Starting Monday each pair of coaches will have their battle. The winner will be decided, with long deliberations and debating, by the First Pick Blog Staff. You the fan can vote for your winner as well! Shoot us an email at firstpickblog@gmail.com

4. The coaches will fight in a regulation cage match ring, to First Blood or KO with 2 minute rounds.

5. The fighting attire will be team polos and khakis (Bill Belichick in his hoodie with cutoff sleeves) as well as headsets (which can be used for fighting props)

6. We will release each new round’s winners and soon have our champion!

The Lombardi region is coming at you later today, but first….areeee youuu readyyyy to rumbleeeee?!!!!!!??!!