In the Bleachers by Ben Zaehringer for September 16, 2010

  1. Stewiebrian
    pouncingtiger  about 14 years ago

    Like Calvin Johnson to the Chicago Bears last weekend.

    Pigs playing football! That’s just wrong. (Since the football is made of pigskin.)

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  2. Missing large
    Edcole1961  about 14 years ago

    The exact same rule was enforced, in 2004, in favor of the Lions against the Bears, when Bernard Berrian had possession of the ball in the end zone with the Bears down 19-13, but he was ruled not to have had possession throughout the process. The call was also reviewed and the incompletion was upheld. Lions players at the time said they thought it was a touchdown. The competition committee decided to leave the rule alone this year. Both today and in 2004, the officials enforced the same rule the same way.

    In case anyone’s memory of the 2004 game needs refreshing, the play can be viewed at:

    http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2004122601/2004/REG16/bears@lions/recap#recap:recap/tab:watch

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  3. Photo on 2010 11 08 at 15.31
    peachyanddanny  about 14 years ago

    Calvin Johnson did not lose control of the football. He relinquished control, with English. The continuity rule should not have applied. Blown call.

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  4. What has been seen t1
    lewisbower  about 14 years ago

    This year’s MLB had a couple of bad calls, but no matter how stupid and blind the umpire, he made the call and that’s that. Save us from instant replay. PS We’re lynching a certain stripped shirt at the end of the season.

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  5. Mer rover small 02
    treBsdrawkcaB  about 14 years ago

    The Repast is incomplete…

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  6. V  9
    freeholder1  about 14 years ago

    Ah, so the same mistake repeated twice makes it right, Ed, RR. Not like either one is going to the playoff now that Peppers injured Stafford. Likely Suh will take a couple extra effort points on whoever Mike Martz has left by the time they play again. Both are strictly next year teams.

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  7. Tarot
    Nighthawks Premium Member about 14 years ago

    definitely home cookin’

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  8. Cicada avatar
    Dirty Dragon  about 14 years ago

    Remember the George Brett ‘pine tar’ game? Billy Martin had the page bookmarked in his rulebook, and held onto it for years waiting for the right time to appeal. A two-out, 9th inning, three-run homer brought Martin out of the dugout to point out that Brett had pine tar too far up his bat.

    The ump used home plate to measure that in fact the illegal (by rule book) substance had worked its way up above the allowed length where a hitter grips the bat. He properly applied the rule, and called Brett out for using an illegal bat. Yankees win.. thaaaaaaa.. Yankees win!

    The AL president overturned the ruling on appeal, saying that while the umps were correct in interpreting and applying the rule as stated in the rulebook, Brett had not violated the spirit of the rules nor deliberately altered the bat to improve the distance factor, so the ruling on the field was disproportionate to the offense.

    The game was resumed months later before 1200 fans. The Royals won, 5-4. The bat went to the Hall of Fame.

    Common sense, who’d have thunk it?

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