I realize that there is nothing that can be done about anything, but they should make the ref's keep the stripes on and just take them to the nearest Federal Penitentary and charge them with Grand Larceny. This is rediculous! However, we should have never been in the position where the ref's could take the game from us. We physically beat the "Stealers" butts up and down the field. That's ok....next year, we don't let up. We will be relentless in our pursuit of the title. Shaun is coming back, and we're going to Miami. The 12th man will lead the way! GO HAWKS!!!

This wasn't a Superbowl, this wasn't a game, and this was a gift, a gift to "the bus” that didn’t even play. First they give him the key to the city, then they say how great the Steelers are, and once the game started the gifts kept coming. Blown calls right and left. The Steelers didn’t score until 20min in to the game. Even the commercials were for the Steelers. They kept showing the bus, Ben Reohgdjflasburg (however its spelled), Hines Ketchup, and Potty Porter with the trophy. What’s that they didn’t even win yet but they show them with the Trophy. Give us a chance, give us respect, and give us the win. We will be back, Miami here we come, and this time we’ll pay the ref's. Paul get your check book.

Really, what's the use of instant replay and 1,000 cameras surrounding the field if the refs are blind? The NFL needs an independent observer who can overrule bad calls - or some other system to prevent this from happening again.

shame on the media for dissing the seahawks. what about that late interception hasselbeck threw? shouldnt even of happened but the refs called a just because holding call that didnt occur and seattle had executed the ball to the 1 yard line. so seattle was backed up again , then the mistake for hasselbeck. why should seattle play against those odds. what about jackson's touchdown in the 1st quarter that was called back? sure he put out his arm, but if you watch the replay the deffensive back"s hands were all over jackson during his route, hawks were backed up no offsetting penelty was called.even though the hawks made mistakes they were still good enough to win but the refs killed the opportunities at their most crusial points. yes alexander didnt get a td, but i bet if it werent for refs calling penaltie that didnt happened alexander would had a rushing td.bottom line the refs stopped seattle several times and why does the media say the hawks couldnt execute? when they did it was taken a way. the media should point that out because seattle would have blown out the steelers bad. think about it, if the calls were fair and just there would have been a different out come. the hawks play selections would have been different and alexander would have had well over 100 yards. so the media should'nt weigh heavy on the hawks the media should let everyone know how it really was ,,,,, thankyou

People Please. If you need to complain about the refs about not winning then your team is not good enough to be called the champion. I keep reading about bad calls, what about the call where the seachicken quarterback fummbled the ball, but because he was barely touched the ball was returned to them? Does that not seem just like when the chicken in the end zone pushed off? Both were barely there, yet they were there. Call went both ways. The chickens should of won it out right without nedeing calls to go their way. They were the beter team, yet they LOST! No respect, expecially if you keep bitching about the refs. And about the whole Miami next year thing, nope, will never happen.

I knew the game was fixed when we got our first touchdown and they took it away from us. It looked like a normal touchdown to me. They had one bogus touchdown. That was the most corrupt officiating I've ever witnessed. The superbowl officials should be ashamed and investigated! Our Seahawks really are the best. And anyone who had normal eyeballs watching the replays know it!

The game was a complete set up. Seahawks were going to win and you know it. Anyone and everyone knew that the Seahaeks were the better team out there and next year we will go to the super bowl and we will win. LET'S GO KICK SOME BUTT! GO HAWKS!

The Steelers won this game by their 12th Man...the Refs. If anyone deserves the MVP for the Steelers that person is wearing stripes.

What about the 6 commericals showing the STEELERS WITH the trophy compared to the SEAHAWKS 2 commericals??? Should have been even! Look at the statistics, Seattle won the game according to yards etc, but because of the calls we lost the game..... #7 of the Steelers touchdown..the ball did not cross the plain..... until he was down then he moved the ball across the line...... NO FAIR NFL

The Seahawks have showed what true sportsmanship is.I'm a wife whos just now learning about football.Tell me, this can't be right.How can a ref get by with thoughs calls ??? It's beyond me.

Not since Tyson's three second, single punch, boxing matches have I seen such blatant game fixing!

Look when or loose I'm not here to whine over the loss of a game.Lets be honest.Thoughs calls were wrong.

Anyone with eyes could see that the Hawks were the better team.
This is what happens when you pay off the refs first....Bahh!!

Even with all the bad officiating throughout the game, the truth is as follows.
If the Seahawks took back the touchdown they earned, and the Steelers gave back the touchdown they didn't earn, the final score would be: Seahawks - 17 Stealers - 14

Pittsburg may have won the Superbowl but, the Seattle Sehawks are the TRUE CHAMPIONS! And that's a fact JACK!!!!

I thought Ref's in the Super Bowl had to work up to certain standards, not throw the game for the opposing team to pick up.............sorry, Seahawks did not lose, they were thrown away by the officials.

There was also the NFL commercial thanking the fans - showing 1 Seahawks fan, and a whole busload of Steal-ers fans.

What a crock!!!! Let's review all the calls made by the officials and have them all in attendance watching their mistakes. The Seahawks deserved so many more professional black and whites on the field. WE WILL BE BACK...........WE ARE SO PROUD OF OUR TEAM. Matt, you were amazing the whole year.

The Biggest Game of the year should be a memorable event for the game and the players and not for the way the ref's played the game win or lose this game was decided by the ref's and that is not the way this sport was to be I am sorry for the seahawk fans and sorry for the stealer fans who get to have a game like this to talk about or brag about.

"Officials win the Super Bowl for the Struggling Steelers, and Seahawks lose"!
The statistics clearly shows the Seahawks had dominated the game but, due to the penalties; the outcome of the game is 17 points in favor of Seattle.
It's hard to have this game taken away and, the rest country also know's this but, next year we'll bring our own game & win in Miami.
Keo in Kirkland

STEELERS WON THE SUPERBOWL!!!!!!!!

Look, this is it in a nutshell, the Steeler made some big plays, the Seahawks did not make as many but played WAY better over all. The clear better team was the Seahawks but we made enough mistakes mentally that we lost thanks to the poor officiating in the game, lots of blown calls. Most national media is saying that both teams were upstaged by the ref and that the Hawks were robbed. Sorry Pittsburgh, you can call us names for being mad at the officials of the game and I congratulate you on the win, but SHUT UP! You made plays when it counted, enough to win the game and we did too, just to have them called back by second rate officials. This year as a whole, the officials have had too much say in the outcome of games, taking what should have been good games and turned them into horrible travesties and the SUPER FRAUD was just the last of many this season.

We can't blame the refs for everything, we beat ourselves. Too many dropped passes, Defense giving up 3 big plays, and offense wasn't able too get it done in the red zone. But still a great season and I will buy my 7th consecutive season ticket too watch it all again.

To the person/people who was the Seahawks should have been able to win even through the bad calls -- one problem with your statement: You can't win if the refs take away your chances.

It would be like saying Starbucks should still be able to make good coffee even though their coffee beans are being ruined. The military should still be able to fight well even though they're using whiffle bats.

If every time the Seahawks got a chance to score, the refs negated it somehow, then how are they expected to ever win?

It's SOME consolation that even the major news outlets are having the guts to say what we all believe. The officiating was ATROCIOUS! and it went against Seattle every time. The Seahawks cannot, under threat of fines or suspension, say it themselves.. and they are too classy to outwardly blame the poor officiating, but they know in their hearts that it made a difference. The fact that the supposed "NEUTRAL" field for a Super Bowl, was actually a Steelers game X 10, was also disheartening. I thought Super Bowl tix were hard to get... how did one city get all of them?? I love the Seahawks, and am so proud of their incredibly well played, intelligent, precision game. There is no shame in Mudville today... only praise for our returning heroes!!

To the person saying we're classless:

In his postgame interview, Jerome Bettis was waxing poetically about how the win was a team effort. He then stated "Now I have a championship."

Class? I think not

I'm just glad this is getting some national media coverage. It is not just Seattle being "sore-losers". The ESPN poll shows that 3/4 of the country will remember this SB most for "poor officiating". If you Pittsburgh fans are so confident in your win, why are you even reading about this, and posting blogs? Perhaps because you know deep-down that your win was HANDED to you.

The Bus does have his Championship.
The steelers now have 5.
Seattle. maybe next year.
This time, do not ask for affciaitng help.
Stop dropping pases with your "best' offense.
Stop holding on the offensive line.
Stop pushing off in the end zone.
The maybe, ok will never happen, you can have your trophy as well.
I am not a Steelers fan, nor a Seahawk fan.
Teams should never leave it up to the refs.
Do it on the field, CLEANLY!

To seacrocks: "Such cry babies", "you stink you lost get over it" is very classless and quite hypocritical for someone who brought class into the issue.

I'm a college FB fan. But watched SB alone and, as a Seattle res., pulled for Hawks. In other words, NOT a rabid fan.

TURNED THE GAME OFF MIDDLE OF 4th QTR. in disgust and disbelief with officiating.

INVESTIGATION NEEDED!

Oh.. and to those that accuse us of "whining" and being "cry babies", then will you be calling ESPB, Washington Post, Kansas City Star, and other major news outlets to tell them that they, too, are whiney cry babies? Truth is, the refs are human, and they have favorites. Not one of them wanted to ruin Bettis' party. Sad, but true.

By my count:

Seahawks:
+ 4 (Seahawks TD called back on Off PI)
+ 7 (1st down pass called back on holding, later interception)
+ 3 (late 4th quarter FG on 4th down instead of attempted conversion)

Steelers:
- 4 (TD that did not break the plane)
- 7 (TD from drive that resulted from interception that resutled from holding call)

Final score: Seahawks 24, Steelers 10

What can I say in addition? The Seahawks played a better game but were mistake prone and it cost them the game. The officiating was criminal to put it mildly. If the Seahawks didn't make the mistakes they had they would have lost anyway. The officials would have found a way. The Stealers can change their names and thank the officials and the officials, and the officials, etc. What a shame to be known as the team who won the game which was fixed.

It's like the 1919 Cincinatti Reds saying "We won the World Series"

People that don't know how to write make me sick

To seacrocks:

Actually, i still think the national media are biased. I'm saying that if the biased national media say that the refs blew the game, it's a much bigger thing than if it were just Seattle people.

Seacrock can you backup your, "you didn't even belong in the game" comment? You are clearly not educated.

From Skip Bayless on ESPN : Steeling one: “Hawks Get Robbed” Read it on ESPN.com
Although these Steelers were favored by 4 -- and although I picked them 24-14 -- I'm not sure they deserved to win this game.
Trash talking Joey Porter, the loudest Steeler, was having the quietest game. But on this night, the Steelers had their own version of your 12th Man. He wore a striped shirt and a whistle. He threw several flags. Hasselbeck was wrongly flagged for a below-the-waist block when he was trying to make the tackle. Walter Jones and Co. giving Hasslebeck time to throw. Blitzburg, schmitzburg. Your guys had continually knocked the bullies back on their heels and turned down the volume of a Ford Field crowd that looked and sounded more like a Heinz Field crowd.

I live in Cincy and in this Super Bowl I was rooting for the Steelers because they are from our division. But I've got to tell you, as I saw it, the officials took the game out of the players hands. The holding pentalty (which was bogus) prior to the Seahawks throwing the interteption, definitely changed the play calling by Seattle (probably wouldn't have called that play). The Stelers should have had to make a decision to either "go for it" on fourth down or kick a field goal in the first half because Ben R did NOT break the plane of the goal line. What a shame the game couldn't have been decided by the players.

Hey! I take offence to the latte comment, I drink mochas :-)

Whatever, this is like debating a six year old. Congratulations on your "win". Seattle, and the majority of the country know what really happened. The bottom line is that the NFL needs to be held accountable, and make CHANGES so this doesn't continue to happen.

Seacrocks troll.... go and spread your nastiness somewhere else. I don't think anyone here said we "love" the national media. We're just surprised to see for once, we're not alone in our reaction to a game. I believe that all you Steelers fans felt the same way after the game with the Colts. I'm sorry that you are so insecure about your "win" that you have to come here bashing us and calling us names.

To Seacrocks:

You keep creating this straw man that the Seahawks didn't deserve to be in the Super Bowl, but you refuse to return to the topic: the officiating of the Super Bowl.

I have been a hawks fan since Holmgren took the reigns. All I have to say is:

1) The league needs to look and investigate these referee's. These guys couldn't call a middle school football game let alone the biggest game in sports.

2) I hope the the refs get fitted for a ring too. The Hawks were playing against fifteen people all night. That's tough.

3) Hines Ward gets the MVP on one play. That tells you how worthless the Steelers played. Seattle beat them on every turn and because the refs wanted to give "The Bus" his ring, Seattle didn't even get to play. The Bus didn't even play, and when he did, was shut down like the broke down Bus that he is.

4) I would like an email address for the referees to call for an investigation into this game. It won't change the outcome of the game, but hopefully it will save it from happening again. This was a gift from the ref gods for the Steelers. Had it not been for the refs the Steelers would be ringless.

We'll be back in Miami 2007. We weren't the #1 seed for nothing.

I don't remember the day I found out Santa-Claus was a hoax....but I will never forget the day I found out the NFL was. The first blatant intervention I witnessed, was the attempt to change the outcome of the AFC Championship....Oh but no…. that wasn't good enough. Once it became clear that the Sweetheart team of America Colts, would not emerge the day, Steeler Nation was hatched as the NFL's backup plan/gift to the country. It was gift wrapped in dark horse lore and tied with a "Never Been Done Before" bow. (GAG)... Spare me the insult to intelligence......Congratulations to the Seahawks for doing what few gave them a chance to do and the display of class the entire team and staff showed after a RIGGED SUPER HOAX GAME SHOW. That alone shows they have the character and poise of a Super Bowl team and should be able to do it again. However I won't be watching, I wasted a lot of my time this year watching the NFL when I should have been doing other things. So long NFL!

Although these Steelers were favored by 4 -- and although I picked them 24-14 -- I'm not sure they deserved to win this game.
Trash talking Joey Porter, the loudest Steeler, was having the quietest game. But on this night, the Steelers had their own version of your 12th Man. He wore a striped shirt and a whistle. He threw several flags. Hasselbeck was wrongly flagged for a below-the-waist block when he was trying to make the tackle. Walter Jones and Co. giving Hasslebeck time to throw. Blitzburg, schmitzburg. Your guys had continually knocked the bullies back on their heels and turned down the volume of a Ford Field crowd that looked and sounded more like a Heinz Field crowd.

Good Lord, pick me up off of the floor...Skippy Bayless actually wrote that???? That just shows me how bad the officiating actually was, we all know how he usually feels about us!

To Jake:
The offciciating was bad, horrible.
There were calls that went both ways.
Your quarterback funbled the ball, yet it was returned to you beacuse he was touched by a steeler.
Did that touch cause the funble, No, yet he was touched and that constitutes contact according to the league rules.
Just as the straight arm in the end zone by your reciever.
The rules is clear and both were called fairly.
The touchdown could not be 100% conclusive so it was not overturned.
The seahawks were the better team in most aspects of the game.
They were not the beter team where it matters, THE SCORE.
Not much else to be said.
They should of not left it up to the officials.
They should of won it desicively.
Better luck next year.

The Hawks have been treated like dirt by the referees!Its very disappointing to me.I am not even a Hawks fan but voted for them.Just based on the fact that they FINALLY made it so far,they should have won.They played extremely good and still got kicked in the head by the prejudice judges.Not fair!

Cory, please make sure you add this article from Fox Sports to your list!! Great job of reporting the travesty!!

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5310192

Did anyone find it astonishing that the officials for the game were announced two weeks before the game? That used to be sacred territory, they were flown in the night before the game and no one knew until that time who the refs were. Something fishy.

If you want to complain about the NFL referees see information on this link on how to do so:

http://www.provencehome.org/refsuck/pages/fightback.html

We each have a voice and can make a difference

Perhaps the Pittsburg Steelers should make sure the officials at the game get Superbowl rings too. They certainly deserve them! I do hope that in future Superbowls there will be a non-biased way of calling penalties. This was truly a bad day for all fans of football.

waaaaahhhhhhh!waaaahhhhh! you guys played like poop. and got outcoached. waaaahhhhhhhhhh. go pats!

Yes, the refs effected the outcome of the game. This is not the first time and probably not the last. Also this 5 NFL championship business is not close to the record with 12 NFL championships for the Packers, 9 for the Bears and 6 for the Giants. Frisco, Dallas, and Redskins all have 5.

"XL LETDOWN"?

A more appropriate Post Intelligencer headline today would be "SEATTLE SCREWED."

Given the officiating, or lack thereof, I can't think of a better one, can you?

Have any of you people who are complaing about the refs watched any of the last 10 "superbowls"?

Go back and watch Dallas got favorable calls and non-calls vs. Pittsburgh in SB30.

Watch how Baltimore was handled a their win over the Giants.

The most blatant one though was the Patriots win after 9/11 because we were all supposed to be "patriotic". The NFL handed them wins over Oakland (remeber the "tuck rule"), Pittsburgh and then St. Louis.

Please, be realistic about things, if your receiver pushes off thats a penalty, if the ball crosses the goalline its a touchdown.

The "holding" call I think was wrong but it didn't make Willie Parker run 75 yards either.

Reply needs to go, it has made the refs weaker and more reluctant to make calls as they happen.

Another GREAT article Jim. Thanks!

Hey Seacrocks,

The way it looked to me, the Stealers (mis-spelling on purpose)didn't deserve to be in that game. They were outplayed on every level, by the way Shaun had a 4.75 yard per carry average, I thought the stealers had a good run defense. The stealers starters played about as well as the Seahawks second and third stringers, I was more impressed with the Texans in the pre-season than I was with the way the stealers played yesterday.

And "ME" if you are going to come on a blog and talk crap make sure you are educated enough to make your thoughts coherent enough to understand and you can type well enough to be understood. My two year old daughter can spell better than you. A word of advice, go get a dictionary and read it.

The Referee's of Superbowl 40 should be investigated by the F.B.I. for game rigging..it's happened before and this game with all of the blatant bad calls after the review in which everyone saw should be investigated and the Ref's should never be allowed again to throw such an important game with such bad calls...whether the game was rigged or not.

Hawkfan37:

Talk about incoherent!

If you think that the Texans were more impressive then you just destroyed your credibility forever. They are the worst team in the last 10 years, at lease SF had some offense.

I guess the NFL purposely put the game as close to Pittsburgh as possible too.

The Seahawks are a great team, I like everything about them, except those colors, please have some class!

You Idiots (Seacrocks, Me, Hasselback Mountain) obviously are some little computer geeks that have nothing better to do then try to get some people worked up and start something. You probably have never played the game. Stevie Wonder performed before the game, and that was ironic because after the game he said that he even said the ref's were horrible. Even he saw it! You dummies obviously have no allegence to any team in particular. The fact of the matter is that we were robbed, we lost 168 yards and 2 most likely 3 touchdowns as a result. Not to mention the call on Matthew on the interception return that resulted in ideal field position for a bush league trick play. If we were to play that game 10 times, we win at least 7. You want to talk about not deserving to be there? if Nick Harper hadn't been stabbed in the leg a few hours before that game, you guys wouldn't even be there. But, you were a good story, you made money for the NFL because you're so close to Detroit (Nice city for a Super Bowl by the way) and that was in the NFL's best interest to let you win. And, don't give me that garbage that we didn't belong there...blah blah blah. First we had an easy schedule, then Wash played too many road games, then we won't be able to stop Steve Smith....what's next? You idiots need to learn a thing or two about football, and politics. We are so proud of our Hawks, We will be back next year, you can almost make the plans for Miami, because we're gonna do it. This time, hopefully we can get some NFL ref's. This Pop Warner crew will be busy.

Bottom Line is You guys mentioned above....you're idiots. I've been arguing with you Seacrocks for the last 4 weeks. You're obviously a loser with nothing better to do. Maybe you should walk your ass down to the unemployment office and find something to keep you busy.

That game was BS, but we made mistakes too but I think that was 'cause we were getting bad calls and that messed with our spirits. We have got to come back next year and prove that we are that Champions we are!! ALL that was politics, the game was already decided before hand, and fans from both sides saw that. And to the people who tell us to quite crying, pray for them. We are always gonna have haters, why do they hate us so much? Cause we are truly the "Best"? To my Seahawks, YOU guys are the best to me and always will be!! May the 12th Man live on !! KEEP YOUR HEADS UP!! SEAHAWKS, We will be back next!! Let the haters hate, Haters !!!

Seacrocks and ME,

What is the highest level of your education? You two are probably the most uninformed uneducated people I have had the displeasure of meeting. After reading your posts I want to pull my skull open and scrub my brain with comet and a scouring pad. Get off this post you are not educated enough to even be in this debate. Facts are the Seahawks outplayed the Steelers and beat there 11 players but could not play well enough to beat the officiating crew. When you have John Madden and Al Michaels scratching there heads at the calls that should be a sign.

WE HAD THE 12TH MAN. THEY HAD THE 12TH, 13TH, 14TH, 15TH, 16TH, AND 17TH MAN. CAN'T WIN WHEN THEY OUT NUMBER YOU BY THAT MUCH AND THERE EXTRA PLAYERS MAKE THE RULES.... HAWKS SHOULD BE THE CHAMPS YOU ALL KNOW THIS..

Exactly....and out coached? Are you serious?

Nobody is whining about anything. The Seahawks were not given a fair shake. The officiating at the game is a reproach to the NFL. The Steelers did not prove they were the better team because they won a game that was obivously fixed. This should be investigated by the authorities as certainly someone made a lot of money from this sham. We deserve better from the NFL.

Clinton:

If the game was fixed, why didn't the refs call the 'blatant' illegal block on the interception that setup the Seahawks only TD?

1. The offensive interference call was the correct call.
2. Roethlesburger scored the TD.

The only "bad" call I saw was the holding call.

If 1 bad call causes you to lose, there more wrong than that, like clock management.

At the end of the day, it is a shame that the calls these refs made COULD have changed the game outcome. I feel that the fact this discussion is even happening takes away from the joy of the sport, to have to sit there and watch benr CLEARLY not make it into the endzone and get a touchdown was horrific to see at this level of football. It should be about the game, there should not be a discussion about the refs at all. The people to look at is the NFL – fix this, as you can’t be blind. And btw --- fix it before next year as we will be back.

bottom line: it is really too bad we lost, but we did. The bad calls did not help our boys get the momentum going, and in the end they could not deliver. I feel proud of our team for keeping it clean, losing with dignity and remembering a great season -- that is good sportsmanship. I am proud to tell my son, who is five, that we still support our team in victory and defeat and feel good about players who act like winners no matter what the outcome of the game.

dodonfred,

I am glad to see that you have a sense of humor. Your personality is about as dry as a bucket of sand. My point was that the Steelers did not play well enough to be champions. The Seahawks won the defensive battle, the offensive battle, and the turn-over battle but since everyone wanted the Stealers to win they could not beat the guys who are supposedly "the best officiating crew" in the league.

HA HA HA HA HA! It's soooo funny how the seafrauds fans say the refs cheated them. They were simply calling the penalties that should have been called in the NFC Championship game. You guys didn't think you could get away with holding and pass interference in the Superbowl did you. So the nation was right... the frauds are SOFT!!!! Don't worry seafrauds... look at the bright side, you only have 22 years until you get to another one. GO PANTHERS!!!!

I've played both team and individual sports my entire life.
There have been many times over the years
that I felt like my team dominated a game (i.e. out shot the opponent, had more chances, etc.) however came up short when the scoreboard read 00:00.
When the Refs make a few bad calls it just adds fuel to the "Frustration Fire" after a game like that where you feel you were the better team 55 out of the 60 minutes. I'm sure some of the players are saying today "If I only held on to those passes" or "If I only recognized the reverse sooner" or whatever, then the bad calls don't play such a huge part in the outcome. Let's face it, blown calls and dropped passes will never equate into anything good.
Hard luck......Brilliant season.......Well done.

hey did you hear who was the Steeler's new MVP was? The Refs!!!
They suck so bad. The Seahawks dominated the whole game with a few mistakes. The Steelers suck! Screw the cinderella story, they got there on ref's luck all along I bet you. It is just not fair. the refs took at least 3 scoring drives away from the Seahawks. they should be fired, and exploited for being paid to tip the game.

The Seachickens managed the clock poorly at the end of both halves. FACT.

Their was a clear push off on the touchdown that was called back. If you don't want to admit that, then I suggest you set an appointment with the nearest optometrist. FACT.

The "bogus" Big Ben touchdown was too close to overturn. FACT.

The Steelers overcame questionable calls in key games on their road to the SB XL victory. The Seahawks didn't. FACT.

Good Luck next year. You guys still have a great team and should be proud of them.

What a freaking joke. The whole game was a waist of the Seahawks time. We won the game regardless of what the score ended up at. We outplayed the steelers the whole game. We will be back!!

I don't know alot about football, but what I do know is that game was rigged. The 12th man wore black and white stripes. He also got a beautiful superbowl ring. Very disappointing and frustrating for me to see the Seahawks come home without the Championship they won and deserve.

dodonfred,

Do you even know anything about football and NFL rules. If you do not have the intelligence to back up what you say you shouldn't be on this blog. There were six bad calls:

1.) a holding call on Chris Gray that took away a 16 yard pass completion.

2.) an offensive pass interference call on Darrel Jackson that took away a touchdown.

3.) the supposed touchdown by Ben Worthlessburger.

4.) the supposed holding call on Sean Locklear that took away the reception on the 1 yard line.

5.) they missed a call on Larry Foote being off-sides on the above mentioned same play.

6.) The personal foul on Matt Hasselbeck for chop blocking when he tackled the intercepting defender.

Than you can even say the chop block by Ben Worthlessburger on the WR option pass to Hines Ward was illegal, since he went below the knees and used his arms to grab Michael Boulware's legs.

I am finished arguing with people that obviously have no desire to put forth a logical debate. "Wahhh wahhh cry baby" does not even approach the realm of logic. I refuse to waste my time on you.

I will end with this:
1) The officials made many bad calls, most of which were against the Seahawks
2) The bad calls either directly or indirectly resulted in approximately 160 yards and 14 points lost by the Seahawks, and 7 or so points gained by the Steelers
3) The bad calls had a major psychological impact on the Seahawks.
4) Without the bad calls, and going from the most likely outcome of the plays, the Seahawks would have won: a) 24-10 (on my count), or b) 24-17 (including the debatable broke-the-plane call)
5) The strategies of both teams would have been different (the Seahawks would have gone for a FG at the end of the game instead of a TD/4th down conversion)
6) The Steelers had 2 plays in which they completely had the Seahawks: the 75-yard run and the reverse "gadget" play.

If you look at the face of the Steelers Quarterback as he moving the football out from under his belly to over the goal line you can tell that even he knew that he didnt score a touchdown! We need some refs that arnt 60 years old and that can actually see what the 1,000 different camera angles are actually displaying. The holding calls in this game were rediculous. The Seahawks go all season with the least amount of penalties and come the Superbowl we just get shafted. I wonder how it feels to know that the only reason that your team won the biggest game in the NFL was to cheat. If it werent for the bogus calls the Seahawks would have the trophy and all east coast people would be eating their words!

hawkfan37:

See, you're going into the "now I'll insult him" thing because deep down you know that you're wrong.

Come on, admit it to yourself, you'll feel better.

Bad calls and non-calls happen, they happened in SB40, both ways and on important plays for both teams.

I'd like to be able to blame the Packer's whole season on bad calls, but that would sound just as bad as this whining.

Panthers1,

Are you kidding me? Of all the people who should be on this blog it isn't you. Shut your mouth. Facts are your team sucked in the NFC championship game. The Seahawks dominated your team all four quarters.

Wow Jake that was so impressive, incorrect but impressive.

Hawkfan.....
good season.....
they tried but did not come through....
do not blame it on me....
as far as the education thing goes...read what you typed....and beat there 11 players but could....what is up with the there and not their.....YOU IDIOT....
Spell check or at least preview what you write before you try to sound of as edumacated....misspelled on purpose....
The seahawks had a great season....not to be blamed on the refs...they had THEIR chance...
Always next year.....

Hey Panthers Geek. How did it feel to watch the game yesterday? Kinda sad your team wasn't getting screwed over? Maybe if your Pussycats would have come to play, instead of allowing themselves to be dominated like they did...you'd have something to talk about...instead shut up and wait for next year. LOSER!

To Natalie Young:

I thought I told you to stay in the truck?

hawkfan37 sez it all. We got robbed!

dodonfred,

If you are insulted than it just proves that I hit a nerve with you. You know as well as everyone else on this blog that you know nothing about NFL rules or football.

Lofa Tatupu said, "They won this game. Make no mistake about it." A class comment by a class guy.

In virtually every NFL game there are calls that can go both ways. It's what you do to overcome if they go against you. The Seahawks made MANY mistakes that cost them the game.

Please have class, insults weaken your arguments and complaining about spelling and english misuse is so wussy.

The refs screwed up....but if the Seahawks were anything more than a mediocre team they would have won. They got to the Super Bowl due to the weakness of the NFC, and some awfully good fortune (benefitted from some very one-sided officiating in the previous two playoff games). This Super Bowl featured two of the worst Super Bowl squads ever and the Seahawks came up short. They won't be back. I can only hope that next year's matchup will be between two championship caliber teams.

Me,

I see you had your mom type your response, funny how that post was a total 180 degree turn from what we have seen from your other posts. And I think everyone on this blog knows who the idiot is. Anyone else in the Hawknation think that Me is the idiot?

hawkfan37:

I never said that I was insulted, that attempt was to weak.

Ok, esplain to me why there was no interference on the first non-TD.

The game yesterday was so rigged!!!! Somebody payed off those refs!!! There is no way possible that Steelers first goal was a goal. I taped it and watched it again today and he landed before the line. Also them taking away our first goal, what a joke. The bad refs just took away my faith of the sport!!!!I think we should get one more game, thanks to bad refs, I know it wont happen but yesterday was awful!! Great job Seahawks thanks for a great year. In my eyes you are THE SUPER BOWL CHAMPS not the Pittsburg Cheaters!!!!!

dodonfred,

What makes you wussy is when you come on a blog about football and wax philosophical and transparently try to be the class person. If you were so classy you would not even be on this blog. LOSER!

I'm reading comments about how the Seahawks SHOULD have been able to win despite the horrific calls by the officials. EXCUSE ME... Imagine this.. You are moving down the field, you are executing your plays, you score touchdowns and have them taken away, you make yards and they are taken away for penalties that are NOT penalties. The other team is handed a TD without even crossing the goal line. If you even get near the goal line, you are penalized (oh, except we'll give you a little field goal here, aren't we generous). If they even get CLOSE they score (NO PENALTIES HERE). Your defense is playing their hearts out and Pittsburgh didn't even have a FIRST DOWN until the second quarter. You KNOW our defense was playing fabulously well. You are not going to get a bit frustrated? You are executing your plays and STILL cannot get anywhere NOT because of what you are or are not doing but because of the officials. You are not going to wonder, what in the world CAN I do? You are not going to get just a bit FLUSTERED? I was also ENRAGED at the site of all the Steelers commercials. I saw exactly ONE with Matt with the trophy. Forgive me, I had to change the channel for a few minutes a few times. It's just entirely too much. I do agree with those who say Pittsburgh can call themselves champions, but I would not have wanted Seattle to win under those circumstances, and I think if they are truly honest with themselves, the Pittsburgh Steelers cannot feel like champions and have to know in their hearts it's just not quite right.

Thanks.

didn't think you could do it.

To say the Seahawks are mediocre is foolish. The Steelers had a tougher time with them than they did with the Bungles, Colts, or Broncos. Very solid on both sides of the ball, and an outstanding quarterback. They were beat by a team that was on a fantastic roll and would have been a much higher seed had they not lost Big Ben for several games.

hawkfan....
I am not insulted...
I can imagine your frustration....
All these years and no ring......
I, fortunately, come from a city where we do have a lot of championships.....PLURAL
If you ever want to know how it feels to win....
Try the lottery, you have a better chance there than on the football field....
Beter luck next year....
And by the way....my daughter is going to Shawn Alexander's niece's B-Day party next week, so if you are nice and appologize, I might get ya a signed jersey....I will have one soon.....
Did that hit a sore spot...
On this note I am OUT.....

I guess that's right, anyone who dares to say the truth has no class. Sounds like something king bush's people would say!

Its ok at the end of the season its Pittsburg pounding on thier steel while Seattle enjoys the good life that education brings!

Regardless of what anyone sais in this blog...the fact is that the game was lost by the Hawk's due to bad officiating...period

and it's time to hold the officials accountable

how can the Steelers be proud of a win like this?

Hey Cathy,

You're absolutely right. And, also you can see by thier celebration that they didn't deserve it. They know the truth.

GO HAWKS!!

The fact is that Darrel Jackson burned the corner in the end-zone so the corner grabbed his arm, watch the replay moron, so in the attempt to get free he put his arm on the corners chest. Also, Matt threw the ball in a position were only Darrel could get to it. The corner could not have made a play on the ball even if Darrel did not put his hand on him. Even a gu of "class" such as yourself has to admit that that was a ticky tack foul, John Madded, Al Michaels, and a slew of other commentators thought so.

Stephanine:

Have you ever heard of CMU? Look it up, you may be surprised.

BTW there are no steel mills left in the city of Pittsburgh, there haven't been for years.

I saw the replay over and over and a stiff arm to the chest is what I see.

And no, insults still don't work.

ME,

I already have several Shaun Alexander autographed items and have met him personally on several occassions since he attends my church regularly, so I do not envy you a bit.

learn how to spell Simonson, People will listen if you sound like you know something too much hate for certain individuals means biased views
(biased means one sided) like the game yesterday
If anyone feels the game was fair they watched some other game not the Stuperbowl.
(to stuper is to fumble and stammer)Like the Refs
Better luck next year

Yes, I am a Steeler fan. Whenever they lose, I always over analyze the officiating. Hawks, the push-off in the end zone was a penalty, OK. The ball was given back to Hasselbeck after it was turned-over. We're even there. Hawks receivers caught two passes that were out of bounce; one near the one yard line and another in the end zone. My point is "those were missed opportunities". Remember that Pittsburgh overcame officiating at Indy that was so bad that the official's boss couldn't defend the interception that was taken away, which spotted Indy 8 points. Pittsburgh won for one reason only and that is: They Were The Better Team That Day!

Nope...probably a reason for that. You obviously didnt attend any type of college...you cant even COPY the correct spelling of my name

Hey dodonfred,

What is CMU? is that a school? what does it stand for? Certainly Medeocre University? Get over it...Don't start in on her because she tells the truth. All the classy people live in Philadelphia, where the jobs are too. Unemployed losers!

dodonfred,

Yeah stiff arm to the chest becasue the corner grabbed his arm. Sorry Pal you've lost the argument.

So, not to reiterate my all the points made before me, and the points I made in the other Rigged Ref blog posted last night; this is as big or bigger than the Abramoff scandal. Once and for all it exposes the NFL to the world for what it really is.

You can complain all you want about how bad the Seahawks played and all the mistakes they made. But with the refs giving out penalties like they were free coupons what did you expect? Momemtum crashers like that caused needless mistakes to compounded on each other.

Sure the Seahawks weren't on their 'A' game, but they sure played better than the Stealers (I really like this new name). At least 60-70% of the mistakes the Seahawks made never would have happened if it weren't for the result of the criminal penalities.

The Seahawks can't say anything to the media, or complain about it because the NFL will lash out. They at least have some class to take it standing up, while the Stealers don't even recognize this one was served to them before kick off. Where's their class?

And Jerome Bettis? O-V-E-R R-A-T-E-D.

Instead of blaming the loss on the officials, Seahawk fans need to question the team on special team plays, clock management, and play calling.
Two missed field goals, three opportunities to pin Pittsburgh deep (behind 20 yd line)didn't help Seattle at all. Field goals from that distance a iffy, but in ideal conditions of a dome, they should be very makable. There is no excuse for the punt teams.
Hasselback's clock-management at the end of the game was patethic. There was no urgency with the Seattle offense; they gave up crucial seconds on their last failed drive.
The play calls on that last drive were simple "dink and dunk" plays getting a couple of yards, and the receivers did not get out of bounds. Mental mistakes, peiod.

Hey John,

You're trying to sound smart, but you sound stupid. If you looked at the game objectively (which you can't do. It's impossible to be unbias because of your allegence with Pitt) You would see that the officiating was horrible. You know in your heart that you're not the better team, Joey Porter got his mouth shut for him, and if Nick Harper hadn't been stabbed in the leg, you guys aren't even playing in that game yesterday. Get your mind right!

Wow that was so convincing.

BTW, thanks for the complement, I always try to show class.

OK, soince you're to blind to see that one clearly, what other bad calls were there?

Did you mean the illegal block on the interception return that set up Seattle's only TD that wasn't called?

We were robbed of the game. The officials knew exactly what they were doing, and made every attempt at not letting the seahawks win.
I can't believe nothing is being done about this.

If I were Paul Allen I would have marched into that locker room at 1/2 time & I would have looked at my team and said,

"I'm sorry boys that the refs have this game fixed, and there is absolutely no way to win. Lets show are sport spirit- if you can't beat them join them. So since we can't tackle the refs, thes help them. When we have the ball and Pittsburgh is headed for you, just hand them the ball, point to there end zone and says here you go 'run little fellow-run'"

And if I was Paul Allen I would have doubled their salaries just to see them do it!

There were bad calls both ways folks... goodness.

if the Sea Hawks were the better team, they would have played beyond the bad calls as the Steelers did in Indianapolis.. that's what Championship teams do.

You all had a great season and a great team, be proud of that instead of the whining routine that I'm reading on here.

Jerome "over rated" ? hmmm... #5 all time...

When espn can put a poll up regarding officiating mistakes affecting the outcome, and all but TWO states believe this is the truth, how can even a SteAlers fan believe that this was a clean game? 63% believe it to be a refs game.

SteAlers, be reminded of Porter's whine in a previous game. hmmmmmmm.

Ben:

If Bettis is overrated, I guess there are only 4 good backs in NFL history.

Clinton:

Please stop acting like a 4 year old. "You're stupid, no you are" debate the game.

The refs did not manage the clock at the end of both halves... The pick by Hasselback was what turned the game. I don't care if it was "set up" by calls made the refs, you cannot make a mistake like that. The officating was horrible all year... but I don't remember one Seahawk fan saying anything about it. Maybe that's because they were the beneficaries of bad calls all year long. Even with bad calls you need to do what it takes to win the game.... which the Seahawks didn't... Maybe if Jeremy Stephens could catch a pass...

Melissa:

The difference there is....

The NFL admitted that they were wrong!!!!!!

It's cool though anger is a part of the grieving process, so or later you’ll get to acceptance.

I'm stupid? I'm one of the only ones on here making sense. You saw the game, You know that the best team did not win. I'm not saying that there is some sort of conspiracy here, but there was definitely something going on. Otherwise, this is just one big coincidence. Hmmmm, what do you think?

And... regarding bad calls through the regular season this year, the refs APPOLOGIZED to the Seahawks regarding one game's poor officiating. I don't know how they can't repeat that appology.

Shannon

I complained about the refs all season...but until the Superbowl the calls hadnt actually swayed the outcome of a game

dodonfred,

The bad calls have already been highlighted for you, several times. It think it is time that you make your exit.