A thought...

[Parzival]

We all know about the team who loses the Superbowl being cursed in the following year.

But with the refs interfering in the game to such a great degree, it isn't really possible for us to definatively say who actually won the game.

Evidently Mme. Fate seems to feel the same, and has cursed both teams this year.
But it's worth noting that the "official" winners have felt her displeasure more acutely than the "official" losers.

[Wook]

You may think it's over active officiating but quite frankly I haven't seen what you've been complaining about. The call from the superbowl that most people seem stuck on is the TD that was called back. While it might be true that the call was ticky tack you'll note that the player pushed off directly in front of the ref and obviously did so. The call was not nearly so unreasonable as the protestations of the screaming hordes made it out to be.

[Parzival]

If that were the only instance in the game of officials taking a side, you would be correct.

<shrug> But that wasn't the case.
Judgment calls went in favor the Steelers, pretty much without fail.
It wasn't *quite* as blatant as the refs favoring Indy over Pittsburg in the AFC Championship, but it was close. (It is worth noting that Pittsburg won that game.)

[Wook]

If that were the only instance in the game of officials taking a side, you would be correct.

<shrug> But that wasn't the case.
Judgment calls went in favor the Steelers, pretty much without fail.
It wasn't *quite* as blatant as the refs favoring Indy over Pittsburg in the AFC Championship, but it was close. (It is worth noting that Pittsburg won that game.)

I have not seen any evidence of the refs favoring one team over another. I have seen the refs make some interesting calls that were technically correct. (That fumble/forward pass in the chargers/raiders game was particularly cute.) A conspiracy involving NFL refs deliberately skewing the game in favor of the favored team would be such a destrctive event for the NFL as to be like unto suicide. Tagliabue just isn't that stupid.

[Parzival]

<silently points at the NBA>

[Wook]

<silently points at the NBA>

Howard Stern is no Paul Tagliabue and football and basketball are so fudnamentally different as to boggle the mind. In basketball not only can one player win you the game, you're unlikely to win a championship without having an MVP caliber player on your team. You and I both know that in fooball you need a full 11 guys on the field on both sides of the ball doing their job to the hilt in order win. Star power ala Brett Farve, Tom Brady, Emmitt Smith, etc helps but it does not gaurantee you success. (Think of the Colts, Bills, Dan Marino, and Bengals for relevant exmples.)

[Parzival]

Owners like superstars. They bring in ridiculous amounts of money.
The owners run the league, the commish is thier bitch. (See alse: the league vs. Al Davis)
Owners of various sports teams in various leagues have shown themselves to short-sighted when determaining the good of the sport, and the future of the sport.
It's the competition committee, made up of owners, that makes the rules for the league.
Under profit-sharing, the league itself makes a lot more money if certain teams succeed. And the owners divide that profit. All owners benefit (short term) from favoritism, and only a few teams are directly injured by it.

Basketball used to be a team sport, too. <shrug> Then the NBA started applying different rules to different players. The owners were very enthusiastic about it, and the league office toed the line.

[Detritus]

Pittsburgh won last year. They scored more points; "would've, should've, could've" don't get very far in the sporting world. Seattle is going to make the playoffs in all likelihood, and Pittsburgh isn't. In fact, this'll be the second time in the past five years the defending champs miss the playoffs. Denver hasn't really been a championship threat since Elway retired and TD broke his leg. Bad stuff happens to the champs, too, but people just forget about it.

[Wook]

Football coaches aren't that dumb. And I doubt that any conspiracy of that scale would succeed. I see much ado about nothing.

[Detritus]

Seattle is going to make the playoffs in all likelihood...
Unless they play like they've played tonight, maybe...