"Those people in New Orleans are nuts" - Bill Vinovich's father (article from USA Today) (1 Viewer)

[boutrous]

I'm still not convinced that NFL games are scripted to having other favored teams beating us all the time. That just borders on paranoia.
The fact is that there are just a lot of bad calls that negatively affect a lot of teams. It wouldn't take long for any team in the league to put together a video listing incorrect calls made by officials that cost them some victories along the way. Don't fool yourself into thinking that this kind of stuff only happens to the Saints. It's just that the calls against us are the only ones we really care about.

I didn't post my thoughts on the subject, but since you are putting words into my mouth, I will. I agree with you that I don't think the NFL picks favorite teams. It is clear and obvious, however, that someone absolutely mandates less flags in the playoffs. It happens every year. This directive along with the majority of the crew being from the LA area definitely caused bias towards the Saints in that particular game. Do I think the NFL had it out for the Saints all season? No, but I do think the refs in this game, with the blessing of the NFL, let a lot of calls slide and no one probably would have noticed, until they let one that was too big to ignore slide.

 

[Bill]

I didn't post my thoughts on the subject, but since you are putting words into my mouth, I will. I agree with you that I don't think the NFL picks favorite teams. It is clear and obvious, however, that someone absolutely mandates less flags in the playoffs. It happens every year. This directive along with the majority of the crew being from the LA area definitely caused bias towards the Saints in that particular game. Do I think the NFL had it out for the Saints all season? No, but I do think the refs in this game, with the blessing of the NFL, let a lot of calls slide and no one probably would have noticed, until they let one that was too big to ignore slide.

After the strikeouts that I made above, I agree with the rest of your post 100%.

 

[Bourbon]

I hope someone does find him and literally crucifies him. I hope the rest of his life is hell, always wondering if someone will beat him to death. I will literally find his grave when he dies to spit on it.

 

[Bill]

I hope someone does find him and literally crucifies him. I hope the rest of his life is hell, always wondering if someone will beat him to death. I will literally find his grave when he dies to spit on it.

I see you've given this some serious thought.

 

[ynot]

Nuts, he is nuts if he thinks we should except his son for being paid off. And Roger has this California clown as a ref in the next Super Bowl when SF is playing. Sure hope he doesn’t screw KC. No ref from California or Missouri should be allowed to ref in SB.

#FireThatRefCrew #FireRoger
#ThrowFlagsNotGames

 

[boutrous]

After the strikeouts that I made above, I agree with the rest of your post 100%.

I just meant they throw less flags in the playoffs with the blessing of the NFL office. I didn't mean the NFL blessed their bias against us. Obviously the NFL likes less flags because they are allowing Vinovich to ref the SuperBowl this year as his crew threw the least amount of flags.

 

[Bill]

I just meant they throw less flags in the playoffs with the blessing of the NFL office. I didn't mean the NFL blessed their bias against us. Obviously the NFL likes less flags because they are allowing Vinovich to ref the SuperBowl this year as his crew threw the least amount of flags.

I do believe this^.

 

[dapperdan]

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:

Bill Vinovich back in Super Bowl after his crew's infamous blown call in NFC title game

Bill Vinovich, whose officiating crew was responsible for what may be worst blown call in NFL playoff history, will referee Super Bowl LIV on Sunday.

www.usatoday.com

He should of been fired. Quite frankly he should of been shot for lying so screw him and his dad.

 

[dapperdan]

I understand his dad's feelings and his reasons for feeling that way.
Vinovich was the head official, but was not the flakes who make the bad judgment on that call.

The blame was misdirected.

No it wasn't. He blatantly lied about the call. The second he did that he became dead to me.

 

[dapperdan]

both of the Vino***** should die in a fire

 

[jasonsw]

He did his son no favor. I don't understand what the purpose of his statement is other than gaining a few seconds of fame