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Shutdown Corner

Sun Sep 14, 2008 4:53 pm EDT

'The replay equipment is not working'

By MJD

In what may be a first in NFL history, instant replay failed not because of human error, but because of technological error. 

The headline was the first thing Ed Hochuli said after a challenge early in the Chargers/Broncos game. There was a challenge, there was a lengthy pause, and what we got when it was done was Hochuli coming out and saying the equivalent of, "Hey, this damn thing's broken."

Philip Rivers completed a short slant to Chris Chambers, and Champ Bailey stripped the ball out. Replay showed that Chambers had an elbow down on the turf before Bailey yanked the ball away, but the call on the field was that Bailey had taken it away legally. The Broncos converted the phantom turnover into a score.

I don't understand. I assume they check these things before the game, and I assume that once they have things in working order, they take measures to make sure that Mike Shanahan can't kick a cord out of a socket at his convenience. And beyond that, even if the little overly-intricate system isn't working, couldn't you just substitute, a television and a pair of rabbit ears? Is there a Best Buy in Denver? A Wal-Mart, perhaps?

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27 Comments

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  1. Trever oh yeah!
    1. Posted by Trever oh yeah! Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:19 pm EDT

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    A win is a win, I will take any way it comes.
  2. Nover
    2. Posted by Nover Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:12 pm EDT

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    A win is a win, yes. But I still feel bad the Chargers, there were a lot of bad calls in that game.
  3. TBone
    3. Posted by TBone Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:28 pm EDT

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    A win is a win...and the entire NFL knows the refs gave the Broncos the game. Be real proud of that one, gloat over going for two...now practice those cut blocks some.
  4. Ryan F
    4. Posted by Ryan F Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:25 pm EDT

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    You'd think that in the even the re-play machinery wasn't functioning they could just go up to the broadcast booth and have a look see up there, as far as I know its the same shot so why not just do that.
  5. Yes,a ripped off Bolt fan
    5. Posted by Yes,a ripped off Bolt fan Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:52 pm EDT

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    By rule they only have 2 minutes, unless they have a committee already up there to view it there isn't time. The game is much faster than the officials on the field. James Blake would be really steamed at this game.
  6. Anthonym L
    6. Posted by Anthonym L Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:56 pm EDT

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    I'm guessing this wasn't your only problem with that game, MJD.
    Hochuli should be suspended.
  7. z-man
    7. Posted by z-man Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:13 pm EDT

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    Lets just say I'm not a big fan of San Diego, but when you see such one sided calls through out the game. it makes you wonder. That whole crew should be suspended or the NFL should change their name to WWF
  8. eight inches
    8. Posted by eight inches Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:37 pm EDT

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    For the Chargers to come back like that and take the lead, only to lose it by a sham call by an idiot Ref. is unbielieveable. The commisioner should at least comment on that one. Sad day for NFL refs.
  9. FairlyHonestBob
    9. Posted by FairlyHonestBob Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:28 pm EDT

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    How much money do these refs make? Season after season we have to live with bad, game changing calls. It's a crying shame.
  10. mick w
    10. Posted by mick w Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:20 pm EDT

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    referees have been deciding a lot of games for years. its like the nfl has its own personal agenda and the refs are told to make judgement calls go in one direction. look hard enough and u will see it. its why I dont any longer watch judged sports like football. its just a production, not an actual contest. I hope all the nfl sponsors see this so they will know that their billions of marketing dollars are having no effect on me. lol
  11. Turtle
    11. Posted by Turtle Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:25 pm EDT

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    I thought the NFL was a PROfessional sport...not amateurs.
    I'm not a Bronco or SD fan, but that was disgusting. First, the replay booth doesn'/t work? My TV worked perfectly fine. How bout looking up at the Massive jumbo screen? morons.
    Then, blowing the whistle 1 second before it was recovered by a Charger...nobody quit on that play. It had nothing to do with the outcome. It also was a backwards pass even if it was incomplete. (which it wasn't)
    Memo to Roger Evildell:
    You're league is looking more and more crooked everyday. Warning, you are going to lose die-hard fans.
  12. Bucs Fan
    12. Posted by Bucs Fan Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:03 pm EDT

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    A win when it doesn't represent the truth is a farce. The best team on this day went home with a Loss. Denver ended the day with that unsatisfying void in the pit of their stomachs that says "we didn't earn the win"(only felt by Men with a sense of the honorable) and a normally lauded officiating staff has casted doubt on their own competence! Nobody won in Denver on this Sunday. This blown call was bad enough… don’t get me started on the fumble and premature whistle. I mean... why even keep score if at the end of the day you can not say that the score, at least arguably, represents the quality of play posted by both teams on that day. Oh, and tell Ed to get a looser fitting Ref jersey... evidently he think he's a chip & dale dancer or something. Get over it Dude!
  13. Turtle
    13. Posted by Turtle Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:25 pm EDT

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    Is Goodell going to destroy the tapes now?
  14. Kevin
    14. Posted by Kevin Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:48 pm EDT

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    But what none of these stories will tell you is if they play was reviewed, it would have been ruled a simultaneous catch, which is not reviewable. NON STORY
  15. Bucs Fan
    15. Posted by Bucs Fan Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:03 pm EDT

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    Kevin C obviously watched the "Review" in fantasy land (located in Denver I believe). I have eyes, no agenda, and common sense. The call was WRONG. The "our equipment is broken" answer was ridiculous and unacceptable. That said, what is done is done, but nobody can polish (spin) this turd enough to make it pass for gold. Denver fans should be happy they don't have a loss. Just acknowledge what everyone else already knows to be true and realize the price paid we all pay for such BS calls. Denver aren't the bad guy's... the Refs are. I'd be writing these same words even if a similar call worked in favor of my BUCS. I'd rather get the win on merit.
  16. James G
    16. Posted by James G Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:10 pm EDT

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    If the Ref was anyone but Ed I would have said they were paid off. There won't be any reversing the game, but Broncos fans should feel worse about this win than Chargers did with their win over the colts in the regular season last year. Viniateri missing a 30 yard field goal is unheard of and we all felt that we lost that game but got the W, At least that was a players mistake. The Broncos got the victory over a Ref's mistake. 99% of Refs bad calls can be reversed by instant replay. Someone made sure that couldn't happen in the first quarter and the Ref made sure by blowing the whistle right before the chargers picked the ball up that it couldn't be overturned in the 4th. Is anyone mentioning the mysterious holding call on Chambers during Sproles big run?
    I can let one blown call go, normally ref's make up for it later in the game, 2 blown calls raises eyebrows, but 3 hugely game breaking blown calls deserves an investigation worse than spygate.
  17. arrogant bastard
    17. Posted by arrogant bastard Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:51 pm EDT

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    What the Chargers really need is for Hochuli to play defense for them. They've had no pass rush this season. Blown calls or not this team is going nowhere w/out a good defense. Same goes for Denver.
  18. JALLEN08
    18. Posted by JALLEN08 Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:12 pm EDT

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    #16, thank you for bringing up the Chambers non-hold. This game was an outrage. I'd be less upset if this wasn't a DIVISION GAME with playoff implications! Thank you Hochuli you thief. Chargers won fair and square and it was stolen from us. Can't wait to see the Broncos here in SD...
  19. redsux-swept
    19. Posted by redsux-swept Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:28 pm EDT

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    that ref needs to be hit in the face via shortbus.
  20. arrogant bastard
    20. Posted by arrogant bastard Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:51 pm EDT

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    guera - I agree the officiating sucked. I'm not a Denver or SD fan, just a neutral observer. I had nothing to add about the officiating because it's been said by everybody already. Just pointing out that these teams are going nowhere in the playoffs without a championship caliber defense. So let it go and look forward to the 4 wins against KC and Oak.
  21. GMA
    21. Posted by GMA Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:40 pm EDT

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    why not make the network commentators the official replay crew? They seem to be able to go over each play from every different angle, and to replay them 5 times each for the world to see long before the field zebras even get to the booth. they made the right call from high up in the network box while the NFL officials botched the calls. and okay, the whistle blew on that second bad call, but maybe they should have their whistles taken away for a week.
  22. enr p
    22. Posted by enr p Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:55 pm EDT

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    Refs need to borrow New Englands video taping equipment. THAT ONE WORKS PERFECTLY....
  23. *CHARGER GIRL 4 LIFE*
    23. Posted by *CHARGER GIRL 4 LIFE* Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:01 pm EDT

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    yea a win is a win when you deserve it!!! that was our game and EVERYONE!! knows it!! GO CHARGERS!!!! how could anyone of you sleep at night knowing it wasn't supposed to be the broncos win.if i were a bronco team member or the coach i wouldn't be proud at all!! in my book we're still winners and we played a good game!!!
    SAN DIEGO CHARGERS!!!!! #1
  24. *CHARGER GIRL 4 LIFE*
    24. Posted by *CHARGER GIRL 4 LIFE* Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:01 pm EDT

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    yea a win is a win when you deserve it!!! that was our game and EVERYONE!! knows it!! GO CHARGERS!!!! how could anyone of you sleep at night knowing it wasn't supposed to be the broncos win.if i were a bronco team member or the coach i wouldn't be proud at all!! in my book we're still winners and we played a good game!!!
    SAN DIEGO CHARGERS!!!!! #1
  25. JimmyG
    25. Posted by JimmyG Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:03 pm EDT

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    Chargers are the best in the AFC West!!!!!!!! The only way Denver can win is with the gifts of replay equipment failures and inadvertant whistles! Your welcome for those gifts!
    Bronco fans better be ready for our next match up because come December there's gonna be no Christmas presents. Our replay equipment works in SD!!! GO BOLTS!!!!!

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Shutdown Corner is an NFL blog edited by Matthew J. Darnell. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

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