"Turkey day" was a very appropriate nickname for yesterday, because there were plenty of turkeys to choose from yesterday in the sports world. Of course, when I say "the sports world", I largely mean the NFL, which let's face it, IS the center of the sports world.
Turkey #1: Jim Schwartz
The Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz made a game changing boner when he tossed a challenge flag on Justin Forsett's 81 yard touchdown run in the second half of the Lions eventual overtime loss.
Everyone in america watching that game, or at least those who hadn't had the tryptophan kick in from the turkey yet, could see with their naked eyes that Forsett's knee and right elbow had touched the turf of Ford Field after a 7 yard gain. Everyone saw it, except for the officials on the field, who never blew a whistle and let Forsett scamper the rest of the way to paydirt.
In a moment of anger, Jim Schwartz reached into his pocket and threw his challenge flag onto the field. Oops! BIG mistake! Doing so resulted in a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, which nullified the review of the scoring play, which would have resulted in the call being overturned and brought back to the point where Forsett was down. The result? The play had to stand up and the touchdown could not be overturned. The game eventually went into overtime, where the Texans won. Without that touchdown, that doubtfully would have happened.
Schwartz said he knew the rule, but in a moment of anger, couldn't help his reaction. Because of that momentary meltdown, the Lions lost a game they should have won, and cost themselves whatever slim chance they might have had to get back in the playoff hunt.
Turkey #2: The NFL rule book
Schwartz deserves some of the blame, but not all of it. The rule itself is an absolute joke. You can't fault the officials either for upholding the letter of the rule book law. The rule is completely at fault. The ultimate objective of replay is to get calls right that might have been missed on the field. This asinine rule of an inadvertant challenge flag being thrown wiping out that replay is a total joke and needs to be abolished immediately if not sooner.
You have to feel sorry for Lions fans everywhere. They played their hearts out, only to see a win stolen from them by a stupid rule.
Turkey #3: NFL replay officials
I never thought I would be missing the replacement officials, but after some of the calls made by the replay officials, I am starting to. There have been numerous calls recently, including a couple yesterday, that should have obviously overturned by replay, but weren't.
One of them that I can remember was in that same Lions game. In the first half, the Lions punted to the Texans and the ball obviously bounced off a Texan blockers foot. The player even turned to look as if to say, "what was that that just hit my lower leg?" There were a couple others that were obvious calls as well. It's almost comical. The announcers all agree, along with their official in the TV broadcast booth...Mitch Perreira I think is his name, and they all say "Oh, this call is obviously going to be overturned". Yet somehow, the referee comes out from under his little hood and says, "after review, the call on the field is confirmed", and you the fan watching on TV, the announcers and all the fans watching on the jimbotron all exclaim, "What? Oh come on, no way!!!!"
Again I say, the point of replay is getting calls right. If the officials on the field are not going to use it to get them right, then why bother? You know, I seem to remember less controversies BEFORE they had instant replay than the do now with it!
Turkey #4: Rob Ryan and his Dallas Cowboys defense
The Cowboys came into their Thanksgiving game knowing that if they won, and the Giants lose to the Packers this week, that they would be tied for the lead in the NFC East. Washington knew the same thing, yet the Cowboys had the home field advantage and Tony Romo was unbeaten in home Thanksgiving day games. Dallas' defense played like they thought all they had to do was take the field and they would win. They found out it doesn't work that way.
Robert Griffin the third torched the vaunted Dallas pass defense for three first half touchdown passes and four total. They compounded that by allowing rookie 6th rounder Alfred Morris to run through them like they were swiss cheese. Morris had 113 yards and averaged 4.7 yards per carry. He kept the 'Boys off balance all day and controlled drives, despite not having a single run longer than 16 yards.
Sure Tony Romo threw two more picks, but you can't blame him. Not after Romo passed for 441 yards and three TD's in a furious comeback effort that nearly paid off. Without Romo showing up like he did, the Cowboys get blown out at home, instead of losing 38-31
Turkey #5: Rex Ryan
Sexy Rexy has just about reached the bottom of the grave he has dug for himself as head coach of the Jets. He used to be an interesting character, but it has all gotten real old. He has turned a team that was a perennial contender into a bad football team with a horrendous offense. The Jets can't pass the ball, as Mark Sanchez has just about finished proving that he will never be an effective NFL quarterback, and they can't really 'ground and pound' it either.
Sanchez had one of his better statistical games of the year (26-35 for 301 yards, 2 TD's-1 int) , but it was misleading. In the first quarter when the game was still in doubt, Sanchez failed to read the defense properly and threw a bad interception that killed the Jets momentum. Early in the second quarter, Sanchez turned the wrong way on a dive play handoff, then improving, ran into the line of scrimmage and fumbled after running into his own lineman. The ball was scooped up and returned for a touchdown and the onslaught was on.
After the game, Ryan reiterated to everyone who would listen that Mark Sanchez still gives the Jets their best chance to win, and not Tim Tebow. Where have we heard that one before? Oh yeah, just last year after week four when John Fox said the same thing about Kyle Orton when the Broncos were 1-3. After another loss dropped them to 1-4, he decided Tebow gave the Broncos a better chance to win and you know the rest.
Ryan's steadfast refusal to make the same decision shows his stubborness and also puts into question his real reason for signing Tebow in the first place. I mean, if he isn't going to give Tebow a shot now for a team that has been so pitiful and out of sync under Sanchez for much of the season, when is he going to use him? Depriving the fans, media and the entire NFL world of getting a chance to see Tebow even try, is a complete injustice and it should ultimately cost Ryan his job. Fox was on his way to being fired last year, but saved his job BY turning to Tebow. Now he is still coaching in a great NFL city that is headed to the playoffs. Ryan is going to lose his job in a great NFL city by NOT making the same decision this year.
And finally, Turkey #6: The NHL players union.
Just because the lockout is still going on, and it is all their fault.
Hope everyone had a wonderful Turkey day, and only had to deal with the kind of turkey that you eat.
