Seahawks have some fun with “Fail Mary” replacement ref

AP

In an event that Seahawks fans will find a lot more amusing than Packers fans, the replacement official who awarded Seattle a game-winning touchdown with no time left in a Week Three game against Green Bay spent some time with the Seahawks today.

Wearing a football referee’s uniform, Easley worked as an umpire at Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman’s charity softball game. PFT’s Curtis Crabtree was on the scene and passes along word that Easley made some questionable calls that caused Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson to run out and argue with him at first base.

That was all in good fun, but it was no laughing matter to the NFL when Easley’s call shined a bright light on the league’s use of replacement officials while the regular officials were locked out. The outcry over the Seahawks’ “Fail Mary” touchdown may have been what ended the officials’ lockout.

Easley took a moment to pose with Seahawks receiver Golden Tate, who scored the Fail Mary touchdown. Tate always seems to do well with Easley around: He was named MVP of the softball game.

87 responses to “Seahawks have some fun with “Fail Mary” replacement ref

  1. “Tate always seems to do well with Easley around: He was named MVP of the softball game.”

    WR Golden Tate won’t need Easley this year. He’s going to put up All Pro numbers.

    GO HAWKS!!

  2. I’ve watched video of that catch from every available angle. I know more and more of my fellow Packer fans agree with me: it was a touchdown. Period. That’s all. Let’s get over it and start cheering the Pack toward the playoffs (fingers crossed!) in 2013.

  3. Not 1, not 2, but 3 highly questionable calls on Seattle’s last drive in that game.

    1- Russell Wilson throws an INT and they call a late hit on a Packers defender, which it definitely was not.

    2- Incomplete pass on a 4th down. But they call PI on Sam Shields even though Sidney Rice is literally sitting on his shoulder pads, if anything it was offensive PI.

    3- The last play of the game.

    First game where I seriously questioned whether was Vegas had the refs in their pocket.

  4. Not really funny.

    I suppose it’d be different if it were the team who got screwed making the jokes, instead of the team that greatly benefited.

    And I’m mostly indifferent to both teams.

  5. Honestly, I don’t care. The Packers were out coached in the playoffs for the 49ers, homefield advantage wouldn’t have meant much.

    What I find amusing is that the only people that think it was a catch are people from Seattle and Minnesota. Even the NFL and the ref said it wasn’t.

    It’s amazing how jealousy rules so many people.

  6. Even the Seahawks players know they got 1 from the refs in this game. Thats why he is at this softball game and why people like Golden Tate were smirking after the game.

    Its weird how the Seahawks players know it but their fans and fans of the Vikings don’t.

  7. well if the Seahawks would share their PED’s, the ref may have been able to “focus” more on the correct call!

  8. Last name Easley … Hmm , possibly Kenny’s long lost cousin ?

    Good call on the TD ; Tate came down with it , touchdown Seahawks : ) Get over it Packers – cry me a frickin’ river about missed calls by ref’s , like your team is the only one it’s happened to !

  9. This is just the beginning. The Seattle Seahawks will dominate the NFC this year. We have to watch for the Saint Louis Rams. San Francisco will have a down season and finish 7-9. We are going to the Super Bowl and the Seattle Seahawks will win the game against the Tennessee Titans and Russell Wilson will be named the MVP passing for 25-31 for 279 yards and 3 TD’s and 1 INT. What else would you all like to know, I am open until 8’clock tonight before Dexter and Trueblood starts.
    Get you mofo popcorn ready, you huckleberries.

  10. Of course the replacement ref had fun with the pedhawks. He’s on their payroll until he retires or 2040, whichever comes first.

  11. And they made a BS pass interference call the previous drive that allowed the packers to score to take the lead.
    But everyone always focuses on the last mistake.

  12. Well Seahawks we’ll gladly take him off your hands then. Signed New Olreans

  13. Worst call in the history of the NFL, and Easley is taking advantage of it. He should hide from publicity, unless he enjoys being the center of attention, in which case you could make a case for him blowing the call on purpose.

  14. Dozens of games have been decided by a bad call its not a big deal. The Packers would not have been in the playoffs in 2010 if the refs didn’t screw Kellen Winslow out of a touchdown against the Lions. Bucs would have had 11 wins and the Steelers would probably have 7 rings.

  15. There have been more controversial plays in the NFL than this one. This just drew attention to the replacement refs, so it goes on and on. I am a Packer fan and although I watched it in slow motion over and over, and I believe it was an interception, the defender should have batted it down. I’m sure he is trained to bat it down….and he didn’t. Live and learn. Life goes on. No big deal.

  16. Jokes made in poor taste….

    And you’ll wish you had these ref’s come week 2 and week 14 kids.

  17. Frankly, I never understood the hysteria and controversy about that call. Tate was on offense and clearly caught the ball, no such rule as to having more or less possesion, either you do or don’t, he did, hence the correct call, also later confirmed by the league.

  18. There are very few hawk fans that would say its the correct call. And there are very few nfl fans that wouldn’t take the call if their team benefited, so quit being so sanctimonious!

  19. Seahawks fan here. I still feel dirty about that win. Definitely not a touchdown. BUT, I think this is kind of funny. Gotta get someone to ref the game, why not the ref that will be forever connected with the Hawks. It’s just a joke, guys. He’s a ref at a celebrity charity softball game. Everything will be ok.

  20. Of course it was a terrible call but water under the bridge. I am ok with this, hell I would have been ok if they had put his name in their ring of honor for the preseason.

  21. It’s pathetic how the Pacific Northwest lamers have no problem with the Fail Mary call, yet they still cry and moan about the “bad calls” in the Seahawks’ loss to the Steelers in the Superbowl.

  22. Well I for one think it’s great that this incompetent clueless moron (who honestly still believe that he did a good job despite the entire world telling him otherwise) who had no business ever refereeing a professional football game finally used his status as a complete and total failure to do something beneficial for mankind.

    Good for him and kudos.

    Of course the world is a better place every second of every day that he and his scab dumbass friends are as far away as possible from ever refereeing another professional football game. Thanks for that too.

  23. Confirmed by the league that was so sure it was the right call that the lockout of the refs ended a few hours after they confirmed it as the right call.

    Gimme a break.

  24. That was a catch, the tv didn’t show all the angles then compare them to the rules. The only issue is that my and your eyes tell you interception. But in slow motion and many angles you can see Tates left hand is the first to touch the ball and maintain control throughout. And Jennings was never supposedly able to grab the ball with two hands away from Tate who had an mere after the fact paw on it. That alone should raise ur suspicion, not to mention after all this Tate came away with the ball, meaning even at that terrible angle and scrum, and no apparent leverage by mosts definition he was still able to gain complete control.

    The real issue with manys argument is that Tate had less control or possession of the ball , but according to the rules their isn’t a clear definition to distinguish between who has so called ” more ” possession.

    Add that with Tate completing the act of catch, ie hands on ball touching two feet down in bounds and having ” some possession ”.

    This was easily the worst blown out of proportion call ever. The ref accidentally called it correct even tho my eyes tell me otherwise, and it benefited the seahawks.

    As sport science showed the players can not catch a ball simultaneously, but a split second difference and two hands compared to one does again according to the rule book doesn’t change the outcome of the call, the guy blew the call but wasn’t overturned because of a technicality.

    The seahawks would have still made the playoffs without that call, and would gave still been the 5th seed.

  25. I here Brazil is looking for a new ref for its soccer games. The last one got stoned to death,decapitated and had his head on display at the center of the field for his wrong call.

  26. I am a Seahawks fan and thought it was a bad call. However, both teams made the playoffs and how did that work out for Green Bay?

    This year’s Packers will be much improved, but last year’s team had weaknesses that caught up with it. Poor offensive line play, a mediocre secondary, and injuries took their toll. Green Bay should be one of the two or three favorites in the NFC with Seattle and San Francisco and it should be fun.

  27. This is the only way this Pathetic team can win anything. Empty Trophy Case Losers.!!!!! At least my team has 3 SB Trophy in their case.!!!!!!!

  28. Also let’s not forget the Phantom PI on Kam Chancler on 3rd down that allowed the only scoring drive to continue, and let’s not forget the replacement refs spotted Rodgers short on an diving attempt for an first down, the pack challenged the play and the referee rewarded a first down, without video evidence and WITH OUT respotting the football, he just went with what he thought.

    Please stop with all the questionable calls going against the pack, that is weak, literally the ONLY td drive the pack had was solely aided by the refs. They hadn’t had a lead other than those bad calls that gave them the lead.

    This was a terribly officiated game towards both teams, the Packers just got the last call and was super questionable. Get over it, especially those worst call ever experts, you have to take into account the game and the implications and things like playoffs and ending seasons, this was week 3.

  29. I am surprised that 49er fan isn’t whining about the non-interference call on Crabtree at the end of the Super Bowl.

  30. That Tate touchdown was a thing of beauty. Can’t believe Packer fans are still crying about it as we get ready for next season. That still makes me laugh just as much as Easley being a charity event referee. Just be hopeful your soft defense is ready for Adrian Peterson or the read option teams because you got embarrassed in the playoffs letting a QB set records rushing.

  31. Yeah, we all know that these Seahawk fans have somehow talked themselves into thinking that the ref made a good call. Bless their little hearts.

    But that’s all over; it’s time now to start speculating about how many games they’ll win in 2013 after most of their team is suspended for using PEDs. I’d put the over/under at 6, and that’s being generous.

  32. Packer fans like myself will tell you that there are plenty of games where the ref blows a call and the game at the same time. While this game was bad, it might not even be in the top 5 of blown calls. My #1 is Cowboy’s Drew Peason’s push off of the Viking defender, that was so obvious that no one could even begin to argue.

    But what I see is a total lack of sportsmanship is Pete Carroll’s post game reaction and comments. If you win the Lotto, don’t try to make it seem like you the smartest guy in the world for owning the winning ticket. Just take your money and go home.

  33. It’s understandable why Hawk fans will agree with “Fail Mary” call but the only explanation that makes sense for the vike toads denying the truth is endemic delusional disorder resulting from a generational affliction of a contemptible emotion called jealousy.

  34. This really needs to go AWAY!! So many Packer fans carry on about this call on the last play of the game and cry foul!! What they do not want to remember is that the Packers took their (slim) lead on an earlier drive that was kept alive by (TWO) equally dubious calls. If you take the Seahawks score away then you must take the Packers score away also. And guess what? The Packers still lose!!!! It is a fact of life in the NFL that officiating has a big impact on a game. Why isn’t it recognized that poor calls early in a game can have just as big an impact as calls later in the same game. This is especially true in close games. If you are going to criticize the Refs, do so for ALL the bad calls, not just the ones that are in the other teams favor!!!

  35. I don’t care either way, I’m not a Seahawks or Packer fan, but because this happened on Monday Night to the league baby, the Green Bay Packers, it’s a huge deal, if this happened between Cleveland and Jacksonville the same week it would of been a joke and then 3 weeks later no one would even talk about it. But it’s funny how a year later there are no articles about the phantom pass interference call on 3rd and 3 from mid field that lead to the Packers only TD and was the go ahead score. But, I love how people pick and choose what to complain about! Packer fans should be mad at their coach for allowing EIGHT sacks in the first half while making no adjustments.

  36. Bad calls happen in every game and it sucks for everybody involved, the only that pissed me off was coach Carroll acting like he just won the Superbowl, have some class, and Golden Tate being asked the question about the most obvious opi call in history and saying I don’t know what your talking about, what a joke he is!

  37. First off I’m a Browns fan but stationed here in Washington with the Army… that said, like him or hate him, Richard Sherman is a class act. I know he talks about himself in the 3rd person but today changed my mind completely. I was at this celebrity softball game and Richard Sherman’s charity is responsible to putting homes over the heads of our Wounded Warriors. He had three of those Warriors on the field for the game and recognized each of them.

  38. It’s time to get over it already. Yes, it was a very questionable call and it finally got the NFL to admit that replacement refs may not be their best bargaining chip. But I don’t recall Packers fans ever complaining about the benefits of questionable (and even worse) calls when the regular refs were in charge.

  39. Unbiased opinion–It was a borderline catch. Much more borderline than the calls that went the other the way in the second half. Packers should hire a Harbaugh as much as they complain. Man up. It’s football.

  40. Yeah… Queens fans trying to say the Packers got embarrassed in the Playoffs obviously don’t remember the divisional round.

    How terrible it must be to try and be a fan of such pathetic franchises like Minnesota and Seattle.

  41. Strange how the refs from Super Bowl XL weren’t at the softball game to join in on the fun? Perhaps Bill Leavy’s invitation got lost in the mail?

  42. Stop it! It was not a TD! Even if it was they didn’t beat us, we beat ourselves. We (yes I can say we because known 23 shares of packer stock) start every season 16-0 but end up chipping away at that perfect record by beating ourselves. It’s always us against ourselves out there!

  43. i love how we are still talking about the replacement refs, when it was the real refs that changed the outcome of the super bowl.

    oh and that one flag they threw on the ravens…you know the one, the offsetting one when jimmy smith threw the ref to the ground? well, i guess somehow in peoples minds since they happened to throw one moot flag, they must have called it both ways.

  44. It’s amazing how pathetic people’s lives are. People write things with which I don’t agree, that is. Pathetic. Jealous. A tragedy. Losers.

    Do you know how much my loft cost??

    Checkmate (I love ending with that).

  45. Bad calls happen in every season. Everyone of our teams have benefited and been screwed by a bad call at one time or another. It certainly isn’t like the union refs have never blown any calls.

  46. Lifelong packer fan here, the dude blew the call. Time to get over it and stop arguing. It wasnt the first blown call, wasnt the last. Worst time for a blown call? Yes, thats it. My reaction now is the same two seconds after i saw it happen.

    At least it wasnt the playoffs.

  47. The replacement refs lacked experience under the pressure of NFL scrutiny but the calls were fine for the most part. Where they were lacking was confidence. They questioned themselves and as time ticked by they sometimes looked foolish while figuring it out. That said, they were in many ways better than the unionized refs. Those guys routinely guessed or assumed something happened even though they didn’t see it. They also got blatant calls wrong AFTER replay reviews. The replacements had controversial judgment calls like the “fail mary” but a reasonable case could be made for the end result. That was often not the case with the “real” refs who seemed more concerned with the speed of a call than with its accuracy. The replacements also rarely called those infuriating ticky-tack calls that decided games. I would rather have them back. The drama was created by the media who conveniently stopped scrutinizing calls once the union guys were back.

  48. Lifelong hawkaholic. I’ve seen every game since 83. That was the first time we got a bad call that went our way. So I don’t feel too bad about it.

  49. I’m not a fan of your team so i will call you and your team “pathetic” and say how “typical” it is for your fans to be “delusional” seriously people, your allegiance is geographically predetermined and every fan base has intelligent fans as well as dummies and losers… so please, lets try and bring the confrontational banter up from a 4th grade level.

  50. I was at this charity event, and Easley was a class act. It almost seemed like he was happy to be somewhere where not everyone hated him. He’s a good man. Go Hawks!

  51. These seabag kiddy fans kill me. “One” good season and they are going to dominate for years to come. It kinda reminds me of the Lions fans last year. Those two organizations are very similar and now the fans are too. Congrats.

  52. Okay, so here is the cold hard truth if the matter. Try to keep up, I will be careful to not rush thru it, but you gotta stay with me. Golden-Tate-Caught-the-Pass-cuz-his-feet-hit- the-ground-first. You still with me? There were a load of crap calls in the game, which benefited both sides rather equally, but this call was properly made. If you don’t like it, crawl away somewhere and write a book about it, and quit watching football

  53. Why shouldnt he try to extend his 15 minutes. He got an opportunity to be on national TV trying to function as an NFL ref when he clearly was not qualified and his ineptitude made him famous. He won a reality show and this is what you get when you win those kinds of shows – an undefined period of mock celebrity. Ive already forgotten his name. You will too.

  54. OMG, seriously people, still whining about and rehashing that game? Move on. Hiring Easley was a hilarious and cheeky move by Richard Sherman and this all-star softball game was a great success raising money for charity. Loved watching the highlights with Shawn Kemp, T.O., Larry Fitzgerald, and was that Russell Wilson in a mock argument with Easley and throwing a base? haha Well done raising money for a great cause, Sherm!

  55. Didn’t notice much difference when the NFL refs came back they were almost as bad as the replacement refs they were just faster (because of experience)at making their bad calls!

  56. I still don’t get what was supposed to be so bad about the call. It looked like a simultaneous reception, in which case the offense is awarded the catch.

  57. It was a bad call but now is a good time to finally forget about it and start making bets on which team,the lofty Seahawks or the Packers are going to be the first to go into the dumper the quickest and go from penthouse to the outhouse.

  58. I think it’s great that the Seahawks have embraced their cheating and PED use. Might as well just admit it and have a parade.

  59. First Comment… somebody earlier said the Seahawks were going to the SB where they’d play…… hold on…. wait for it…… The Tennessee Titans…. Good luck with that one….

    Second comment, refs make bad calls, replacement refs or not. Same year Detroit basically lost a game to Houston on a bad call. Wasn’t the last play of the game but we were awarded a free touchdown which turned out to be the difference. Fail Mary was obviously a bad call, there were obviously bad calls all the way through that drive, but it happens, sometimes to your benefit, sometimes not….

    Last statement, the Hawks are good… really good, but they have to prove they can win away from Seattle. Seattle players are talking about how good they are…. a lot right now…. just shut up and show people on the field…

  60. As a cardinals fan who hates the other 3 NFC West teams, I have to say the call was good. However, even if it wasn’t, the DB was really negligent for not batting the ball down and going for the pick. DB’s are taught to bat it down in that situation and it wouldn’t have been an argument. Oh well, its done and lets move on.

  61. Not that the call matters anymore, but I see there are still a few who think the call was correct.

    The play should have been ruled an interception, period. Anyone who thinks the play was called correctly does not know enough about football to even formulate an opinion on whether the call was correct or not. That is the bottom line.

    If you think it was a touchdown, you don’t know football. If you think the call was made in error, and the correct call was an interception and a touchback, you would be correct.

  62. Can we just get a shot at these 1 year wonders in the playoffs this year, put an end to their hype and show ’em how true contenders have this thing called “Class” (and a superbowl ring or two…or 4).

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