Am I alone in saying that the refs have been AWFUL this year. They are so inconsistent. Dwight Anderson got tossed for throwing a guy down when the whistle was blown mid tackle. Then a cheap shot on Pascal, way after the whistle, and the guy only gets a 15. Will somone please explain this to me. Like the refs are so Anti-Hamilton it and it seems to me as though the head ref (Who I believe is jake :? ) isn't doing anything about it. Our game against BC, penalties lost us the game. And in my opinion in Winnipeg, the turning point of the game was one in which a Winnipeg reciver (I can't remember who) pushed off on a reciver. It seems as though the refs are doing everything they can to make Hamilton lose! :x
That was horrible. 4 bad calls in a row. That spot after the review that gave the Esks a 1st & goal ( 5 extra feet from where the knee touched down) made me spit up my beer. I was glad the Stamps pulled it out.
I may never say that again 8)
The only problem is that us fans will never know if the assorted zebras -- let's face it, it is not just Jake Ireland or the French Canadian guy whose name I cannot recall -- are being disciplined or not.
Quite rightly, the CFL do not and should not make any sort of discipline public, for exactly the same reason that any -- ANY -- of you would like to see your work mistakes trotted out to the public eye.
This also reminds me of an interview with Kerry Frasier a few years ago, where he was asked if there were any calls he wished he had done differently... after a bit of a blush, he recalled he wished he could have see the penalty against Wayne Gretzky in the 1993 Leafs - Kings Semi-Final series.
The "zebras" want to make the right calls, too. Hamilton's penalty record is not quite stellar... so the Hamilton players have to be twice as clean as everyone else to avoid the red hanky flood, and I think they are finally realizing that, too.
I dont mind bad judgement calls, i DO mind bad rule interpretation... i.e. What can and cannot be challenged.... or a penalty after the play costing us a down.
Over the years, the ONLY time I've ever been concerned about penalties is when the 'Cats aren't getting many.
That means they don't have a serious attitude problem and when they don't have a serious attitude problem, they tend to lose - a lot.
I know they hurt at the moment we're getting them but I think they tend to make a team angry and even more aggressive and that's a good definition of real Hamilton Tiger-Cat football.
I actually emailed George Black and told him how terrible the referees are this year. To my surprise he responed and said...."I thought it was the players that committed the fouls and the officials simply called them"
He obviously didn't share my sentiments. But good for him to respond to my inane remarks. A class act (him not me of course).
I think the refs have been awful too. They have to crack down on some of these horrible calls. Im sure we havent been the only team to get these. But we sure have had our share, this year. That penalty against winnipeg, when the receiver pushed off, really changed the momentum for that game. the ref was right there. It was like he was afraid to call it because Winnipeg was at home. all I ask is for fair refereeing( just like any other fan). But another post mentioned that it is like this old boys club for refereeing when you can`t mention the brutal calls or the call the refs out. The NFL refs are so much better and you rarely see a very bad call anymore. Something has got to be done.
They should review what can and cannot be challenged.
Its sure hard to watch some CFL games because of penalties being called on almost every play you end up watching the refs more than the players. The change of rules to make kickoff more exciting have bog them down in penalties with a call on almost every kickoff.
Until the CFL seriously coughs up and employs full time refs, we will always be experiencing part time amateur refereeing which is exactly what this league has forever provided!
Unless they make this key training change like the NFL, it will never change and you just have to get used to it but it sure is Mickey Mouse for such a great game like the CFL!
On a quick search to compare average calls from the CFL to NFL as of last year an average CFL game has 20.9 pentalties compared to an average NFL game of 12.8. That is an eight pentalty difference and clsoe to a touchdown....
It was commented last game by someone I sit with that the officials are really making the league look bush and are destroying the game. Now is it the poor officiating and over zealous calls or less talented players who commit more infractions. I would say a combination but if calls do not come down and the right calls made then it will definately turn many off our game.
I went to the B.C game and the officiating was so brutal. It was like watching a hockey game. the play was so slow. there were so many flags. It took the flow out of a pretty good game!! i think most of our fans could have a refereed a better game!!!
The refs in the CFL are no good.. It is a good ol boys club. We need new refs. Retire those old guys who can't see anything. That means all of them and get some new guys in.
On the td in 4th quarter last week, how was winnipeg able to challenge the td after the convert. I was at the game so I didn't get to hear TSN's anaylist explain which seemed to me be the biggest screwup a ref could make this year. A ref that is supposed to know all the rules!
Berry threw the challenge flag just before the convert was whistled in. An off-field official (wearing a yellow vest over his stripes) called attention to the referee. Of course, the play was at the east end zone, so unless the refs have radios, it’s kinda hard to get their attention.
Berry should have been penalized for walking out past mid-field yelling his fool head off, though…