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Yes. Hold on a second. Before you leave, let me explain. In light of the Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl XLVIII victory, a 15 minute YouTube video has been circulating and gaining traction around the web. The video investigates the calls by the officials in the NFC Championship game between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks and has been a hit among conspiracy theorists. Were there bad calls in the game? Absolutely. That's often the case in any NFL game and the video does correctly point out some of these instances. Was it a huge conspiracy? You have got to be joking.
Regardless of the absurdity of the video, CSN Bay Area's Matt Maiocco examined the video and wrote up this excellent break-down of it. Maiocco is not only one of the most well respected beat writers in the Bay Area, but he is probably one of the best in the nation. He is not a 49ers fan, which he feels is essential to his duty to deliver unbiased opinions about the team. So reading his break-down of the video is about as level-headed a view as you are going to get.
While he agreed that some of the calls were bad, in the end, he had this to say:
"Ultimately, the video in question had too many baseless claims, inaccuracies and hyperbole to be taken too seriously. But if the intent was to get people talking again about the game that Sherman said featured the two best teams in the NFL, it was successful."
Before I go on, let me state that I am a 49ers fan. A proud member of the Niner Faithful. So I am somewhat biased and that probably will not change anytime soon. I grew up learning to hate teams like the Cowboys, Rams, and Packers. Today, I must admit that those teams might as well be on the same level as my allies when you compare them to how much I despise the Seahawks. I'll look for any new reason to dislike the Seahawks and latch onto that reason for dear life. What I will not do is convince myself that some greater power, like the league or the officiating crew, is looking to rig NFL games. There are already enough valid reason to dislike the Seahawks.
One thing that I will never understand is why USC fans continue to support their former head coach and current Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll. I get that he brought multiple championships to the Trojans. However, what he also did was set the program back for years with his involvement in what was deemed a "lack of institutional control" that resulted in NCAA sanctions. Those sanctions included a two-year bowl ban, four years of probation, loss of scholarships and a forfeit of an entire year's games. How would Carroll be impacted by the sanctions? He wouldn't be. In previous years, Carroll had turned down multiple attempts by NFL teams to recruit him, but once the writing was on the wall that punishments may be looming for his program, he happily left the college ranks for the NFL. He essentially robbed a bank, left the country, and left his partners holding the evidence.
Then there is the "What's your deal" game between Carroll's USC Trojans and Jim Harbaugh's Stanford Cardinal. Carroll approached Harbaugh following Stanford's 55-21 victory — a victory where Harbaugh had blatantly ran up the score — and infamously asked the coach at midfield, "What's your deal?" The irony was that Carroll had been doing this to lesser teams during his whole career at USC. In fact, even late in Super Bowl XLVIII, with the game well in hand and the Denver Broncos very much defeated, the Seahawks were passing the ball like it was the first quarter.
Then you have Richard Sherman, the talented 3rd year cornerback for the Seahawks. His mouth tends to destroy his image, and since he is one of the more arrogant and vocal players on the team, it reflects badly on the Seahawks as a whole. His recent antics following the NFC Championship have already been discussed to death, so let's not beat the dead horse. How about Sherman mouthing off to New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who is one of the best of all time, following a Seahawks win in 2012? Was that really necessary? Say something had provoked that. There are many equally as talented role models in the NFL that would have just let it be or addressed the situation in a classier manner.
And then there was his March 2013 interview where he unexpectedly attacks ESPN personality Skip Bayless, saying that he is "better at life" than him. Even if you dislike Bayless, which many do, the conversation is very uncomfortable and is yet another example of using the spotlight to showcase yourself in the worst possible way. There were classier ways to express to your dislike for the member of the media, like actually answering one of the questions being asked of you. While Sherman's opinion may have been valid, his tact is lacking and his actions are an embarrassment. And I don't even like Skip Bayless.
I won't even touch the Seahawks fans, who threw food at injured 49ers linebacker NaVorro Bowman as he was carted off the field late in the NFC Championship game, because there are always bad seeds in any fanbase. Even Richard Sherman took offense at that. And I definitely will not touch the excessive PED use among Seahawks players that 49ers fans continuously love to poke fun at.
Instead, I will go back to Maiocco's article. I thought that it would eliminate some of the conspiracy theorists, but it just seems to have further riled some of the more vocal, with one fan calling Maiocco an undercover Seahawks fan — in not so many nice words. I cannot even begin to describe the ridiculousness of such a statement. It does show how some fans refuse to listen to reason and instead choose to latch on to anything that looks bad on a hated divisional rival, no matter how absurd it may seem. And perhaps, to some extent, that is what I do in my hatred for the Seahawks. However, I refuse to take anything away from their accomplishments because of a conspiracy theory, because in the end, that would just be an excuse.
If the NFL were fixed, as the video in question tries to portray, then it would have been NFL golden boy Peyton Manning hoisting his second Lombardi trophy, and not the Seattle Seahawks. Or, at the very least, the game would have been much more competitive for ratings reasons.
With all of that being said, if you are ready to subscribe to a conspiracy theory because it is being passed around the social media world, please read Matt Maiocco's break-down first. Once again, the 49ers missed their chance and it is time to look toward the 2014 season for some redemption and not to dwell on what could have been.
If you are going to dislike the Seahawks, do it for the more rational reasons. There may be some easily dislikable aspects to the squad, but they are a fantastic NFL team and a hurdle that the 49ers must overcome in order to return to the biggest stage in sports.
What are your thoughts on this? Do you believe the conspiracy or just feel that this, like any NFL game, had flaws in the officiating? What are your reasons for disliking the Seahawks? Leave a comment below.
The opinions within this article are those of the writer and, while just as important, are not necessarily those of the site as a whole.
9ers have been good the last three years and they have choked three times. The chance to win was there 3 times & it got away. Everyone gets bad calls, so what, it happens in every game. Three times at the top. The cap rules is about to hit the 9ers to keep the current roster.Staying on top may have passed if history with cap roster money is any indication of our future. You get to keep the best players for about four years then the cap takes over and you begin to lose good players to free agency as is happening now. The 2011 team was the best of the three teams and that team is gone, by personnel changes and injuries. Free angency is beginning to fill the position of lost players and not the draft. Our drafts haven' been as good we hoped. A lot will happen in 2015 with large pay days coming due. Teams are waiting to raid our roster in free agency and players who are being paid at the rookie pay scale are waiting to get paid and there will be no hesistation to leave for more money. Unless the draft produces starting players our standng could change.
I would just like to say that I am and have been a Seahawks fan since 1976. I reside in New Jersey across the river from Philadelphia. I have been to Eagle games and Seahawks games. I will testify that the behavior shown at Eagles games is almost criminal and scary to be around. I will say that at Seahawks games my wife and I have been treated extremely well and the crowd, while loud, has been well behaved. I am sorry I did not know that while Navarro Bowman was being carted off the field, that fans were throwing things at him. I for one think Bowman is one of the best, and never should have been disrespected like that. There is a ton of fan sites promoting the "feud" between Seahawks and 49ers. I enjoy it for what it is, amusement, nothing more. I know that both organizations are the cream of the crop in the NFL. In closing I would like to wish Navarro Bowman a speedy and healthy recovery and hope that he can regain the ability he had in the past. Just my spin on this issue.
I've often said that the Refs are just as much a part of the game as the Quarterback is, and they are. But the blown calls were SO blatant, that for an NFL official it was just STUPID and it DID in fact determine the outcome. I'm not trying to substantiate the conspiracy, but there WERE calls that effected the outcome of the game. As much as I HATE the Seahawks, it was a SHOCK to see a beat writer attempt to come to any other conclusion other than what 99.9% of Niner Nation saw. I still will not admit that the Seahawks are the better team! Glad I could provide you with a chuckle though! :-) Niner fan for life~
Remember this Niner Nation, we basically have the following key FA to sign over the next two years: Dawson, Boldin, Whitner (?), Smith, Iupati (?), Crabtree, Kaepernick. Not even sure I would sign Whitner or Iupati to long-term contracts. Now, look at the holy *&%$ number of key contributors the Seahawks have to sign. Add only 6 picks in this years draft and the Seahawks have cause for concern going forward. They have done a great job acquiring talent, but a horrendous job keeping it ahead of big pay days. The Niners have been excellent in this area.The Harvin trade will look much worse after they extend Wilson and Harvin gets hurt every year (see history).
>Comment: Why did this video gain any more traction >than the one the same guy made last year after the >Superbowl loss?
Because this game was SO much worse, and the steerage was so obvious. I didn't feel the SB was being steered, but this game was. I've said it before but you have to re-watch the no-call on roughing the punter. Seahawk barrels into Andy Lees plant leg. No other moving parts, and the rules are 100% clear and incontravertable - that's a roughing call - 15 yards and a niner 1st down. Plenty of time to make the right call and you are telling me that entire "all pro" set of officials couldn't get that call right? They got greedy with that blown call and tried to steer too hard, but it doesn't matter because won't be able see what is right in front of their eyes anyway - it takes too much of a re-adjustment of their faith in Americas Sport. Sorry, time for a wake up - some of these games, if not fixed, are certainly steered. Wake UP.
You really called this absurd? Were you NOT watching the game? Did you NOT see everything that was detailed in this video? You didn't have the feeling that the refs were determining the outcome? I like your material, but I stopped reading when you called this video absurd. I will not admit that seattle is the better team, because the better team lost, the better team played two opponents, the better team was cheated. I will never read your columns again. You are blind and stupid to think this video is absurd. I really think your a closet Seahawks fan
As a life long Niner fan (40 years) here is my take. As of right now 49er fans should just acknowledge that the Seahawks are the best team in the league. They just proved that by winning the Super Bowl. All of these "49er" fans that keep talking all of this crap need to pipe down. We haven't won a Super Bowl for 20 years! 20! I say Congratulations to the Seahawks. We will get our shot again and will be playing the hawks at least twice next season. No quit! See you guys next opening day! Go Niners!
Of course Maiocco disputed the video. If the NFL is exposed there goes his cushy job. Watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utO9jtDpsmQ
At that time, 26 of the 32 owners had gambling ties, and this investigator PROVES that over 70 games were rigged and names names and games...Read "INTERFERENCE" before you jump to conclusions without all of the evidence...
Sorry, I dont buy any of this. Seattle is a great rival, and a team's greatness is defined by it's rivals. Their superbowl performance was phenomenal. Yes, I believe the 49ers would have beat Denver, but not like that. I think the NFC West has become hands-down the best division in the NFL, and that's good. I hate the Seahawks because they are rivals, and because of the envy that they went to the show instead of my 49ers. Let's do better next year!
If I went thru all the person did to make this video, I'd feel like an idiot. And if I was a miner fan, I'd be disgraced by all the whining about losing. Need some cheese with that "wine" hahahaha? It is what it is. I ain't a fan of either so I don't care. The better team won. Accept it. Life goes on and football will be here forever.
I dislike Pete Carroll for some of the same obvious reason. I am a diehard USC Trojans Fan but not on the same level as my love and devotion for my San Francisco 49ers. I have been a 49ers Faithful since 1978. What Pete Carroll did and or allowed to happen at USC was very devastating to me as a fan and basically destroyed a storied University's past, present and future accomplishments. Pete Carroll to me was and is a complete coward when it comes down to it. If Carroll was any kind of man who cared about the kids at USC, he would have owned up to the mistakes he made (lack of institutional control) and saw the program through these sanctions! The fact that he tucked tail and ran like a coward bothers the heck out of me! The fact that he is now enjoying success in the NFL bothers me even more! Never mind the fact that he's coaching my now so called rival, but that his team and their fans have taken on his personality. Carroll is loud, arrogant, disrespectful, cheating coward! And no the Seahawks fan base, that you barely heard a peep from pre-2010, acts like they're the very best and most dominate franchise in the history of the NFL! You have 1 now. So do the Bucs! Not a conspiracy!
My dislike for Seattle is more aimed at the fans who think the team is a world beater, or have done great things in the NFL(afc or nfc). They did a great job in winning the title(we got 5) Let them go on a run like the Niners did the last three years or the glory years in the 80's and early 90's, they want to be the Niners and it seems with enough PED's they may get there, but i dont consider them a rival....yet. Was that just one long sentence there?
Seahawks fan here saying don't talk to us about bad calls! Super Bowl 40 v Pitt comes to mind! We hate 49rs fans as much as you hate us, but it is a great rivalry! One NFC finals note: on the pass to Crabtree he clearly pushed off Sherman. Should have been offensive PI! :) SB48 baby !
What's really sad is you KNOW the sportswriters would be the last to go out on a limb and talk about possible fixes or "steering" by the NFL Refs - and Matt Maiocco is probably the most nutless, milquetoast reporter of the lot. Nonetheless, you cannot look at the aggregate of the bad calls in that game - especially the no-call on roughing the punter, which was a simple call that was not open to interpretation and had almost no moving parts -- and not come away very suspicious. It pisses me off when Ray Ratto says stuff like "only lunatics think the NFL would fix games" -- Wrong Ray, only people like you who are so embedded in the system and in denial could not acknowledge that there is at least something that looks funny. But these reporters won't do it - they have too much invested in the status quo. It's up to us, the fans, and it's hard to be non-biased because we already have a slant. Still, this stuff is crying out to be brought up - there were a few calls in that game that just shout game-steerage by the refs. I think the video was too biased and one sided, but I am still glad it was made and is starting a little dialog - we just cannot count on the media to help at all
All I know if the Seahawks happen to just choke next year then all I can say it was a given game by the officials. And I'm not even a miners or Seahawks fan
Wow 49erfaithful, don't rip the man a new one. My take on the game is this. We had opportunities to capitalize and we didn't, it's as simple as that. Throughout the entire year almost every team has had something to say about the officiating. So if that's the case, then I see no reason to entertain the conspiracy theory. Games should not come down to the officials first off. I mean I used to laugh when i hear had that call been right. Well actually if "the team" that complains, played better, than it would matter about the officiating. I actually have more of a problem with our star QB saying before the ball was snapped he knew he was gonna go to the same WR, and almost the same route that was overshot in the last SB. When i watched the game again, im like damn it was almost like the same play. Didn't he know better?????? So I just say it hurt we lost when we did and it still stings. Lets just take time to get over it, not analyze every moment over and over because as i said in the beginning... no conspiracy if almost every team at some point in the year questioned officiating.
Couple things about this "new" rivalry. First, let's see the Seahawks finish ahead of us more than one year before panicking. I recently went back and watched the 49ers/Seahawks game and noticed a few things. First, the Seahawks seemed intimidated the entire first half. Second, we absolutely dominated for 3Q. Outside of the Lynch run to start the second half, they did nothing. I would also add that I took a unbiased approach to the officiating on second go 'round and the Seahawks had one bad call versus 5 against us...game changing calls. Regardless, we lost to a very good team (notice I did not say better).
Interestingly, in each of the last 3 years, I am not sure we lost to better teams, we lost to teams who played better in the 4Q (Kaep, coaching, and special teams seem to fail us in 4th). To me, they are all mental breakdowns, starting with our coaches horrid use of TO's (embarrassing).
The point of all this, I will put the Seahawks in the same category as GB, Cowboys, Giants, etc. when they win more than one championship, when they actually show they are consistently a better team. Truthfully, we play them better now, than we did a year ago, so explain that.
It is a fact and I have said it repeatedly on the forums and boards. The NFL does indeed fix games. This is not because I am a Niners fan. It is a fact and many other (non-49er) games are clearly pre-determined by the league. Welcome to the "new" NFL - full of expansion teams, lame rule changes, and a ridiculous commissioner. Not to mention the fact that the NFL is still a not-for-profit company... go figure?! The 99% will always be toys for the 1% and the fact that the NFL is on display for all to see and so many are too close-minded to even consider that a game here or there is rigged just proves that the 1% have "US" by the balls. It is like saying the IRS, organized crime, and the US government all have our best interests in mind. And lastly, did you hear that with all the rule changes the NFL has been renamed and is being rebranded to the NPL - National P&*^y League... Yep, the pussification of a nation.
Me again! It didn't just start in the Championship Game! I said WEEKS AGO that Harbaugh should go 2 York & say "hey, I gotta take a fine for the team. I gotta let the LEAGUE know I'm tired of my team GETTING ROBBED by POOR OFFICIATING! (You can go back to the Giants Champ. game or last yrs S.B.) but I'll start with the New Orleans game! THATS THE CALL THAT COSTS THE 49ERS THE #1 SEED! & guess what Brooks was never fined! why because it was a LEGAL hit! Let's not 4-get the wild-card gm in G.B. Remember on THE GREAT 4thDown play by A.Rodgers in which 91-McDonald has a sack but GETS CHOKED! How do the Refs not see that! . . All the TERRIBLE CALLS against the 49ers this yr with Mostly NO FINES! It's SAD to see the 49ers put in all the RIGOROUS, HARD WORK & have it taken from them TIME & TIME AGAIN! It's not fair to them or us as 49er-Fans!!!
Well, if we take it back to the Saints game, with 3 minutes left, Brook's sack and fumble and the recovery that turned into a 15 yd penalty, giving the Saints a fresh set of downs and the game! We win that game and we win the West and host the NFC Championship game! The only thing we can do now is to allow instant replay to review personal fouls, period!!!
How many personal fouls did we get for some ridiculous reason throughout the season? Enough is enough!
Whether everything in the video actually means what it suggests is not important. It is naive to think that officials who are only part time workers might not be tempted by offers of substantial amounts of money to skew their calls. The NFL owners are making billions of dollars annually; the betting houses (both legal and illegal) are turning over billions of dollars annually on the NFL. There is certainly enough money involved to lend credence to the possibility that bribery and graft are happening; to think otherwise is IMO foolish and naive.
All of the pro leagues favor certain teams and try to get their favored teams to win. They make more money when certain teams win, so they make it a little easier on those teams and a little harder on the other teams. Refs made bad calls, but 49ers also screwed up.
I think the officiating has gotten to the point where it is so consistently bad, that we as fans have accepted it as just another part of the game. Well that's bs, it shouldn't be a part of the game and if we don't step up and say something, it will not change. Get the all of the calls correct, period or go full instant replay. We should accept nothing less.
I think you are missing one of the key points of making such a video. It is common knowledge that Seattle and SF are extremely close in talent, coaching, and execution. That means that any calls that go in either direction can have a major impact on the game. In the NFC title game, at least 4-5 poor calls went against the Niners and changed the momentum of the game. None such calls went against the Seahawks. Therefore, because of the poor officiating and in particular, the imbalance of it, we as fans do not get a fair assessment of who actually was the better team that day. Do you honestly think that if the same 4-5 bad calls went against Seattle, that they still win that game. Get real!
Response: The fact that there were some bad calls was never in question. But the idea that there is a huge conspiracy with rigged games and has been for years, is.
Cecily
I can explain away most of the calls, but the, should have been roughing the kicker and the time clock MAKE NO SENSE. Everyone who has asked for an explanation on the time clock, has gotten no where. NFl has not given any reason for it from all the stories I have searched.
I am not totally buying all the hype it's a total conspiracy blah blah yet. My problem lies in the fact, EVERY team got screwed this year at some point.(yes every game has bad calls, but look back at this year, it might as well have been the replacements) NOT just the Niners ( I love my Niners though). Someone commented about the Carolina game. I saw things that should have been called on us even in that game. Which could say yes, they rigged it. Because well, before the season look at all the Kap/Wilson hype etc. Then Bam it happens, the best situation on both sides.... Kap/Wilson and Brady/Manning. You can't get any better than that. I can make the argument it is rigged. But I wont yet. I just want to know why , the officials are getting worse and worse. Why they ARE constantly deciding games with bad calls, missed calls, ETC. I know darn well these guys are trained and it makes no sense, especially in a championship game with "the best refs" officiating that they did such a poor quality job. Someone needs to look into it. Is there some left over hate from the lock out, is it rigged,
I too am a die hard NINER fan and have been since 78. But I have never hated a team (except Dallas) as much as I do the Seahawks yes I'm beIng nice not my normal name for them...but i think yes there were bad calls in both the NFC and SB. But the reason I dislike Seattle is because of their coach, Lynch and his classless behavior and the extremely rude fans. It all started with Seattle not selling tickets to certain people and regions. The extremely rude fans that threw food at a very hurt player . Than the Bullshit Sherman talked about Frank Gore. I think they are CHEATERS HATERS AND HAVE NO CLASS PERIOD. WE Will fix our problems and be back with a fury and believe me Seattle will regret being nothing but toilet paper I wouldn't even use on my ASS!!!
Yes, congrats Seahawks, but a conspiracy video makes you think. Stuff happen. WHY? The video mentions #1 D vs #1 O as a marketing strategy. But also, did the NFL want Wilson or the magazine nude posing Kap in the SB? Did they want Mr. Clean or all the tats? Did they want Pete Carrol (see WATCH ESPN and his assist with the blind kid) or the upset, dramatic Jim Harbaugh? Then did the refs fix it as much as they could? No sour grapes-throw over the middle-not toward Sherman-use time outs-win.
I agree with the 49ers fans this game was a joke!!! And as far as the super bowl goes obviously that was a joke too, Denver never played that way before!!
I have been a 9er fan since the days they played at Kezar Stadium but, they lost to the Seahawks and that is that. All games have bad calls, but you can't say that the Seahawks didn't win. I hated to see the 9ers lose but it is time to stop making excuses, you sound like Obama putting the blame on someone else instead of accepting that the 9er's were outplayed, pure and simple.
Thanks David, the NFL picks refs for the Championships games from the top 3 at their positions. So in essence we have the best of the best calling the game. Using one play as an example, the roughing the kicker penalty, it was a no brainier call. The punter was hit on the plant foot, 15 yard penalty. I won't get into conspiracy theory but you can make a case for incompetency. The NFL seems more concerned with revenue than giving the best possible product on the field.
The same thing happened in last superbowl, bad calls, clock not stopping after stepping out of bounds, not reviewable calls within 5yrds of endzone wich cost super bowl and many more, this proves niners is been the best team in nfl regardless if didn't win superbowl or nfc championship, at the end of all we had a chance to win both games and lost it with the same play , when kap could of throw to two other receivers or ran the ball , he belived the media that crabtree is his best receiver when anquan and davis took care of business all season long. I rank the niners #1 after over coming all the injuries and all odds and manage to make it that far i thank all the players for leaving everything on the field
The reason some niner fans are blinded by that hatred is caused by Seahawks fans hating the 49ers since they came to this division. Now that's obvious, with all the countless trolling comments while niner fans bash their own qb. Me, I could care less and its about time Seattle won lol. Poor Browns :(
I don't know. I don't believe in conspiracy theories but also I don't believe in just "blown calls" in the NFC Championship. There were way too many blown calls in that game and guess what.......all the blown calls were against us. Normally in one game you have blown calls against both teams but when all the blown calls go against one team that turns to be the visiting team and when if the home team with the best defense of the year wins and goes to face the best offense of the year you have to wonder what happened there. Most of the doubts on that video can be explained with logic and a "cold head" but there were 4 or 5 calls where there isn't logic explanation because they were so blatant against the Niners that the doubts get bigger and bigger.
I was glad that someone pointed out that play where Lynch runs short of the first down. I remember watching it live and I couldn't believe where they marked it. The issue with the play clock is crazy too, I didn't even notice that. The video was a little over the top and as Maiocco pointed out not completely accurate. However there is enough there that it is pretty clear the odds were against the Niners in that game. The 49ers were the best team in the league for the last 2 maybe 3 years. Although it is difficult, us 49er fans must remember...a Jim Harbaugh coached Niner team has never been beaten in the playoffs without questionable officiating. Sometimes you just get beat by a better team but to Harbaugh and the Niners, it hasn't happened in the playoffs yet.
I do not hate the Seahawks as I used to root for them when they were in the AFC and the gave the Raiders all they could handle. The 49ers were as good as the Seahawks but they lost home field advantage which was crucial and their fault in my mind. They played a tough end of the season game with Arizona then had to go to Green Bay in the cold then go to Carolina which is also a very good team. Then to play in Seattle and come that close , pretty tall order don't you think ? It would be interesting to see if Seattle would have traveled that route how they would have done. To get to the Seattle game and come close to winning was amazing in my mind. Seattle knows how good the 9ers are trust me. Seahawks won the Super Bowl ....Congrats !
I WONDER HOW MUCH MONEY THE SEAHAWKE PAID OUT TO THE REFS. ASSC. TO HAVE THEM MAKE ALL THE CALLS IN THERE FAVOR. ALL THE TEAMS THAT THE SEAHAWKS PLAIED WERE CALLED FOR PANATELAS THAT THE SEAHAWKS COMMITED ON THEM AND WASN'T CALLED FOR. I THANK THE SEAHAWKS AND THERE COACH SHOULD BE THROWN OUT OF THE LEAGUE, OR AT LEAST SUSPENDED FOR A YEAR LIKE SHAWN PATTON WAS. I ALSO THANK MIG MOUTH SHERMAN SHOULD BE THROWN OUT OF NTHE LEAGUE, HE IS NOT SETTING A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR THE YOUTH OF OUR GREAT NATION. THE SEAHAWKS DO NOT DESERVE TO BE WORLD CHAMPIONS.
Yes the game was fixed! There's no doubt about it! The refs dictated the game! Anybody that really knows football & watched the game saw that! THERE IS A CONSPIRACY AGAINST THE 49ERS!!! . . BELIEVE THAT!!!
Past is past...but the NFL refs need to make the right calls..they have all the tools they need. I attended that game, and seahawks fans next to me did notice all the ?weird? calls by the refs. there is no excuse for bad officiating!!
While there were some obvious bad calls, great teams win those games still! We had a chance to win and didn't capitalize, focus on someone who can help Kap get even better. Otherwise the next video might show another wide open receiver, while Kap throws into coverage. Again, I AM A FAN OF KAP, but, a kid that works as hard as he does should be progressing with a mentor. You can swing a golf club 1000 times, but, you won't get better unless its the correct swing...
Since your not a niner fan you dont realize the discreets in the game you can not say for a fact the nfl does not rig games if you knew that you would be dead just like bin laden who kneww the truth dont try n steer away from such disrespect from the seahawks they will soon realize there defeat at levi stadium.
The NFC Championship game was so poorly officiated it did look "rigged", but I doubt it was. That game film needs to be reviewed over and over again by those in charge of officiating and be used as a traing film for NFL officials. There is no way I could ever like the Seahawks. They are Seattle's team, and Seattle is the home of the Huskies and their rude, conceited fans. Hawks fan seem to be going down that same road. Also, any football fan who can support Pete Carroll is not worthy of respect. (Sorry, Paul Allen.) All that said, I want today's Niners and their fans to show the old-time Niner class. Stop talking and pound the shit out of the Hawks and every other opponent next season.
You've been one of the top teams on the league for 3 years straight coming into one bad play of either reaching the Superbowl or winning it all. You need to do what it takes to finish. It's not what others do that determine your destiny, but what you yourself do. The. 9ers really missed Delanie Walker in dealing with the Seahawks and stretching any defense. You're right there for years to come so draft or acquire via free agency what you need and go get it .
Dude stop it you and Matt it's completely ridiculous to believe that the outcome of this game was not determined by the refs. Conspiracy I could careless about that. This game is what mattered and on a national stage there were plays that caused us to be defeated and if you don't think so your kidding yourselves. So angry I can't begin to type fast enough. It matters that they were making the outcome on different plays put us in bad positions consistently. I mean these were obvious calls even hating a$$ Troy Aikman noticed a few. Even Matt agreed with some. Those change the game is the point Seattle green bay game a bad call changed a win into a loss it was the wrong call right? Yes it was. So the point is 1 play can change the course of a game. So don't discredit the fans who saw what we all seen, and just because you can let it go don't make it right sir. They made numerous calls that cause changes in the outcome sorry to tell you truth is truth.
I can care less either way, Im a Niner fan and have been one for 36 yrs. I beed red, I watched the game and enjoyed a hard-hitting, smash mouth game, as far as Refs go, we knew coming into the game the refs were lousy called the least amount of PI calls in the league for 2 teams who tend to base the whole secondary on PI. so that being said yes there was a bit of an agenda, Seattle had to win for many popularity reasons, 12's being one, all the HYPE for LOB, and the fact they were #1 in Defense, their Offense with some great play makers did not get them to the SB. You can not make up the missed calls that just seemed to happen out of the blue each time SF began to make a game winning drive or move, it is blatant on most of the calls. How did Seattle make the playoffs 2012 think back to the Green Bay game with replacement refs, that game lost no seattle play off. Hmmm.
One last thing I can't stand about the Seahawks is their blatant disregard for defensive holding by their DB's. The have found a loophole in the system because referees aren't willing to call holding on every play. The NFL is a copycat league and every team will be exploiting this loophole until the refs put a stop to this. This will ruin the NFL if each team adopts this strategy.
I know this isn't a conspiracy but instead a horribly officiated game. Skeletore (I know that's not really his name but how often can you place a He Man Reference) should be punished for call such a piss poor game. To have an officiating crew call such a horrid game in the NFC Championship game is ridiculous. The NFL is supposed to have the best crew call the most crucial games. How this crew was even considered is beyond me. The replacement refs might have called a better game.
The game wasn't rigged, but that doesn't matter, what we know happened is bad enough. We pay billions of dollars because we love the sport of football. The NFL can pay to hire, train, and supervise a higher caliber of referees. Until then, the integrity of the "sport" which the NFL admits is not sport but entertainment, is in question.
I could have done a better job with the description of the calls in this video. But it was obvious the calls favored the Seahawks especially the punt penalty and the TD play that was whistled dead. All that being said, the 49ers had their chance to win and they didnt.
I watched the video, and I agree with many of the points made... most of the fraudulent calls made in the NFC Championship game was "rigged". It might be subjective to some people, but the video did a good job to expose the shadiness of those calls. The NFL needs to do a full investigation into this. Personally, I think the referees performed poorly all over... they're not any better than the replacement/temp referees that the NFL bought in before the labor contractor dispute at the beginning of the 2012 season. Today, I have serious reservation about the integrity of the game, especially these NFL referees. I will not bet on an NFL game, until there's an investigative result from the league.
1. Leading the league in PED violations
2. Leading the leage in penalties
3. Flying banners over Candlestick on its farewell tour
4. Buying bricks for Levi's stadium
5. Blocking Californians from purchasing tickets
6. Richard Sherman embarassing Crabtree nationally
7. Sherman making up stories about Crabtree and Harbaugh
What is there not to hate about that franchise?
Response: I had forgotten about number 3. Of course, we did not respond well with the anti-Seahawks billboard.
Jonathan Dixon
First off, let's get off Matt Maioccos jock -- the guy works for Comcast and has never been much of an independent thinker - and his breakdown was not exactly "excellent" -- come on! Read Matt Barrows if you want a free thinker without an agenda.
Second, the roughing the punter no-call was not just a bad call -- it was insane. The rules are not ambiguous - running into the plant leg is always a 15 yard foul! This was an easy, obvious call. You can explain away many of the others as bad calls - do not overlook this one. Refs WERE working with an agenda on this game to "steer" the game. I know it sucks, and believing this destroys ones faith in this great sport. I'd like to be wrong and look the other way but they just laid it out for us with that call - we are freaking nudging this game wherever we can. Sorry naysayers, the fix is in and I'd believe this even if it was the seahawks on the line.
Look, I'm not agreeing that the NFL is rigged. BUT the issues with the clock...taking time from our play clock causing a crucial delay of game which was followed by the Kap fumble, and giving them extra time by resetting their play clock giving them time to talk over the play before the crucial and game winning TD was INEXCUSABLE. And don't get me started on the blown roughing the punter play, which literally may have changed the outcome of the game by itself due to field position. Some of the calls in the video were rightly dismissed by Maiocco, but the play clock and the punt play call literally changed the game, not to mention the non-call for grounding giving Seattle a field goal to cut the score to 17-13. This was blatant incompetence on the officals and cost us a Super Bowl.
Don't write this trying to come of as a "reasonable" fan. While we still had a chance to win at the end IN SPITE of the blown calls and did not, it doesn't change the fact that we likely would not have needed a TD at the end if even just the roughing the punter penalty was called correctly. I'm an objective fan and can take losing, but not like that. Kap made more than enough plays to win.
Response: I am irrational when it comes to certain things. I stated reasons why I dislike certain personalities on the Seahawks. It would take a lot to change my mind about those. But to say that the game was rigged is even a little too crazy even for me. It may have been poor officiating, but to say that there was a hidden agenda would be ridiculous.
Matt
No conspiracy, but in a close game, the officiating flaws are magnified and have a bigger impact on the game. Refs generally do a good job, but they are human. The current replay system helps correct officiating mistakes, but the NFL has to go farther and allow more to be reviewed. In fact, I think game needs one or more replay officials who review every play and have the power to stop play if something obviously isn't right.
If the NFL were fixed, as the video in question tries to portray, then it would have been NFL golden boy Peyton Manning hoisting his second Lombardi trophy, and not the Seattle Seahawks. Or, at the very least, the game would have been much more competitive for ratings reasons.
This statement is funny to me. Perhaps it would make sense that the officials wanted to right the wrongs in the previous superbowl the seahawks were involved in.
My thoughts are we (49ers fans) need to shut up (you too Colin), get better, and kick their butt on a regular basis. We've been good and we've been real close for three years but when you have five Lombardi trophies, close ain't good enough.
Talking trash after losing is sour grapes, period. "A little more air under the ball and maybe . . ." Instead of waxing on about that, saying you would do it again (dumb), and saying Sherman is scared of our receivers (stupid) spend some time learning how to come off your pre-snap read if it isn't there.
Two championships lost in a row because of the need to throw to one receiver who isn't open is absurd.
From what I understand, that video was made by someone who is not a Niner fan. This doesn't help the image of Niner fans as Whiners, but would be an important fact if it is true.
Though I agree some calls went against the Niners that changed the dynamic of the game, but the Niners should have been up 14-0 after the first quarter. The defense dominated the game and the offense had its opportunities. They should have won without the calls, but they didn't so I am looking forward to free agency, the draft, and next season.
The point of influencing games in order to produce the best STORYLINE isn't about the outcome. That's where the logic of this article totally fails. The writer fails to understand that it's not about the end of the story, it's about the build up. The hype. The best STORY the NFL could produce this season after week 17 was "#1 Offense versus #1 Defense" and it was marketed EXACTLY AS SUCH. This was NOT a Peyton Manning Crowning game (that was 2006). This build-up was ALL about the best O against the best D. It was a historic storyline. Doesn't happen very often, if at all. So that was what the league pushed for. That plus the outdoor stadium hype. Once the tickets are sold and the viewers tune in, the NFL didn't care who won. And so it was revealed that the Broncos were simply much much worse of a team, talent-wise than the Seahawks. Goodell got paid. The NFL gets paid. It wouldn't have been more $ if Peyton won. Like I said, the idea is to create HYPE.
Not by hatred of the Seahawks, but in the science of having a fair game that never came to fruition. I don't hate the seahawks, just wanted a fair game that the officials, apparently had an issue with. That is why I feel slighted and believe the Super Bowl champion to be the 49ers.
Totally agree, but you could also add in couple more Seahawk gems... Golden Tate's ridiculous showboating vs. the Rams, Tate's statement that he would try to give Harbaugh the Sean Lee treatment, and Brandon Browner saying that he would like to "put his hands on Harbaugh's neck". And all the while, Saint Carroll says zip to encourage his players to be professionals, let alone decent human beings.
If we complain about this game, then are we not better than the Panthers fans that we ridiculed for a week about their whining after the Divisional Playoff game? As a 49er fan, for many years, I find this video embarrassing to our fanbase. I would condescend the person who made it, claiming he/she has only been a 49er fan since Harbaugh... but sadly I'm not sure that's the case. Your article is right on, there is no conspiracy. bad calls? Yes. But in the end we had a chance to win it and came within inches of it. Let us look forward to next year and not whine about the last.
No Huddle Podcast: Are the 49ers Showing Their Hand?
By Site Staff
6 hrs
(Episode 331) — Brian Renick is in solo to debunk the rumors surrounding Brandon Aiyuk being sent to Pittsburgh, why staying on the 49ers is in Aiyuk's best interest, what to make of the top 30 visits, which position group has gained the most traction as the most likely to be selected in the first round, why drafting best available isn't a bad choice and more.
The audio for the show is embedded above. Remember to subscribe!
You can listen to the latest "No Huddle Podcast" episode above, from our dedicated podcast page, on
No Huddle Podcast: The 49ers Identity With Mark Schlereth
By Site Staff
Apr 9
(Episode 328) — On today's episode, Brian Renick and Al Sacco are joined by Mark Schlereth, the Stinkin' Truth podcast host. The guys discuss the market reset on safeties, Kyle Shanahan's game management history, where analytics fit into football, and more!
The audio for the show is embedded above. Remember to subscribe!
You can listen to the latest "No Huddle Podcast" episode above, from our dedicated podcast page, on
Former San Francisco 49ers defensive back Logan Ryan announced his retirement on social media.
"Thank you to all my family, friends and teammates for the guidance and support!" Ryan wrote. "Thanks to the fans for watching! Won 2 Super Bowls and got out happy and healthy to be the best father for my children! Thanks again for 11 seasons! Cheers to what's next."
Thank you to all my family, friends and teammates for the guidance and support!Thanks to the fans for watching! Won 2 Super Bowls and got out happy and healthy to be the best father for my children! Thanks again for 11 seasons! Cheers
Donte Whitner believes 49ers were dealt a bad hand during Super Bowl
By David Bonilla
Apr 9
One former San Francisco 49ers player is making his opinion of Super Bowl 58 very clear. He believes his former team was dealt a bad hand in the matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs in Las Vegas two months ago.
Former 49ers safety Donte Whitner, appearing this week on the "Up & Adam" show with Kay Adams, was vocal regarding the matchup and how certain circumstances seemed to favor the Chiefs.
"And when we think about the Super Bowl as well, I think that the 49ers played against the refs as well, guys," Whitner told Adams. "I think that when we look at that film and you see bear hugs on those defensive ends, right? And you really see it in blatant moments in the game."
Adams couldn't help but laugh at Whitner's comments, and the former player
