Raiders Get Ripped Off

Do you ever think about events that could have happened a different way than how you thought? Take the Steelers vs. Raiders game AFC game in 1972. Although most of the fans from Pittsburgh were happy while also knowing the luck they had just gotten what did the referees feel? Were they confident in their choice? What about the Raiders fans? They probably felt extremely ripped off.  No one has really thought about what happened to the ref’s, fans or players on the Raiders that day.  There has been many missed calls in sports but not many as controversial as this.

                When people think of blown calls they never really think of the pressure upon the referee’s to make the call.  With thousands of people in the stands, it would be a little nerve-racking knowing that if you messed up thousands of people will hate you forever.  Review of the play has in fact shown that the call was wrong and that it should have been a Raider’s victory.  From the referee’s point of view he probably thought that he had the call right while the other two ref’s were wrong.  Maybe he wasn’t confident in his call at all but felt intimidated by the crowd?  No one but the ref will ever know what went on in his mind during that crazy day.

                If someone asked you what are the craziest fans out there most people would probably answer Raider’s fans. They are like monkeys trapped in a cage.  Now imagine yourself stuck in a stadium full with your favorite team while the Ref just blew a call to blow your team’s chances to win the game. Maybe even the Super Bowl. Now imagine that they are crazy and are all angry. The point of view from the fans are that they’re team just got ripped off and there goes all the time they spent cheering for them and trying for the win.
                All-in-all everyone would probably want to take that game back except the Steelers fans and players. What would have happened if the Raiders won that game? That might have been the best team they've ever had. Maybe they could have carried the confidence over to next years and won other super bowls?  From the Ref's point of view, to the Steelers point of view to the Raider's fans point of view, all of them know that the game could have easily been switched and that the play was extremely controversial. That's why the game had so many different sides of things.