"Those people in New Orleans are nuts" - Bill Vinovich's father (article from USA Today)

He can't publicly comment on the improbable turn of events since officials are off limits to the news media. But his father, Billy Vinovich Jr., and others chimed in with how the backlash has affected Vinovich.

"It was a scary situation," his dad said of the immediate backlash last year. "They had them sneak him out of the hotel and put him in another hotel and change their flights and get them out of town by 6 in the morning.

“The cops stayed with them all night. Those people in New Orleans are nuts."

To be clear, there was no admission of a mistake by Vinovich after the NFC championship game.

“He just kind of said, ‘It was a tough situation’ and he mentioned it to me just in chatting that it was a tough year for him,” Shovlin said. “Obviously he’s a human being and it affected him. But he was able to fight through it, and a lot of people came to his aid and to his support.’’

When asked why no penalty flag was thrown on the key play, he told a pool reporter that it “was a judgment call by the covering official. I personally have not seen the play.’’ He also explained that the play was not reviewable.

Sean Payton, head coach of the Saints, later said he got an apology from NFL senior vice president of officiating Al Riveron. Neither Vinovich nor any other member of the seven-man officiating crew was publicly singled out.

Billy Vinovich and others say his son was wrongly blamed for the non-call because the referee is positioned behind the line of scrimmage and tasked with focusing on the quarterback, not downfield. That fell on deaf ears in New Orleans.

“They crucified him,’’ Billy Vinovich said.

Read the full article here:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...ck-after-infamous-blown-call-2019/4609904002/