04/23/24
September 11, 2015
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
Any witnessing of or participating in Pats games that involves electronic equipment is done strictly at your own peril.
I was amused when the NYT referred to last night's headset problem as "skullduggery".
posted by beaverboard at 10:34 AM on September 11, 2015
I don't understand how the Steelers racked up so many yards while never seeming like a win was a real possibility.
They definitely made a mess of things, but winning was possible. My wife came home during the 3rd when the Pats were up by 14 and said, "Oh this is over" which got her a stern look. Basically the Steelers backed themselves out of that first drive with penalties and missed two field goals. Plus the Steelers lost a TD when the receiver's toes slid out of bounds in the end zone just before making the catch.
posted by yerfatma at 10:39 AM on September 11, 2015
"Plus the Steelers lost a TD when the receiver's toes slid out of bounds in the end zone just before making the catch."
A Recevier who's fast with poor awareness. And you say the Raiders drafted him?
posted by Mr Bismarck at 11:27 AM on September 11, 2015
So I guess we can look forward to stories like this each week the Patriots win.
"I thought that there was a rule against that," Roethlisberger told reporters. "Maybe there's not. Maybe it's just an unwritten rule. We saw it on film, that the Patriots do that. They shift and slide and do stuff on the goal line, knowing that it's an itchy trigger finger-type down there.So: unclear rule that you want to go your way because your team was unable to handle something you had seen on film. Got it.
Also loving the idea on an Opening Night everyone is watching after the off-season they've had, the logical answer to the Steelers' headset problems is the Patriots thought, "Ah, why not? Who's gonna notice?"
posted by yerfatma at 11:41 AM on September 11, 2015
I was hoping it was a sign that the Patriots were doubling down on everything, and we'd see deliberately broken comms, Roethlisberger's footballs replaced with frisbees and Patriot staffers in the crowd shooting Steeler defensive backs with sedatives, via those Rhinoceros dart guns you see on National Geographic.
Actually, I'm pretty sure that last one happened.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 11:47 AM on September 11, 2015
"Maybe there's not. Maybe it's just an unwritten rule. We saw it on film, that the Patriots do that. They shift and slide and do stuff on the goal line, knowing that it's an itchy trigger finger-type down there.
Because any Steelers fan knows that on the goal line, only one of two plays is permitted: Line up with 3 tight ends and run straight at the defense, or line up with 3 tight ends, fake the run straight at the defense and throw to the tight end. Anything else is cheating.
I hate the Pats as much as the next guy (but not as much as the Steelers!), but Jebus, Ben. A guy who made his living playing in a Todd Haley offense complaining about any sort of trickery is just silly.
posted by tahoemoj at 12:09 PM on September 11, 2015
If Belichick had really wanted to mess with the Steelers, he would have gone into the archives and had a recording of a latter stage Santos and Cappelletti radio broadcast pumped into the headsets. The Pittsburgh coaches wouldn't have known what time zone they were in.
posted by beaverboard at 12:32 PM on September 11, 2015
Oh man, bb, too soon. And too awesome.
posted by yerfatma at 02:02 PM on September 11, 2015
Man, the ratings for the US Open women's final are going to be just BRUTAL.
posted by grum@work at 03:10 PM on September 11, 2015
Prendere che indietro, farabutto!
posted by rcade at 05:23 PM on September 11, 2015
I reckon they might be watching in Milan.
posted by owlhouse at 10:14 PM on September 11, 2015
My DVR flaked out and I only saw the first half and final 5 minutes of Pats/Steelers. I don't understand how the Steelers racked up so many yards while never seeming like a win was a real possibility.