So the falcons get 4 timeouts in the second half and pull out the win. I don't want to take anything away from the falcons because both teams played an absolute outstanding football game, but what I saw from the refs tonight was an absolute disgrace to football! I am sure there were bad calls on both sides of the ball, but I am biased, and I will throw the two worst ones out to you all who were unable to attend or listen.
Bad call #1: Cookeville intercepts the ball late in the 4th quarter at the end of a big drive by Lincoln County. Flag is thrown for unsportsmanlike conduct on the Cavs. It's not that the flag was thrown that ticked me off, it's WHEN the flag was thrown. The play had been dead for, oh I don't know, 3 seconds, and the flag was thrown because Cookeville was giving high fives and stuff coming off of the field. The refs were too trigger happy and really tried to take the emotion out of this game. You can't take emotion out of a game of this caliber, and that was a crappy call.
Bad call #2: This one is the KING of bad calls. Scenerio: Cookeville has a 4 and 9 from the LC 36 with about 40 seconds to go in the game, down 10-7. LC has used all three time outs already and has none left. Cookeville lines up for the kick and LC signals for a 4th timeout. The refs, being the geniuses that they are, LET THEM HAVE IT!!! That should have been a 15 yard (correct me if I am wrong there) penalty, and Cookeville should have had a first down at the 21 yard line.
Like I said, both teams played their hearts out, and there were a lot of emotions in this game. I do not want to take a thing away from the falcons, because they played great, and I hope to see them again in a few weeks for a rematch, but these refs have to go. Anyone else see this?
Congrats to the falcons, and good luck in the playoffs. Cavs, beat WC next week!