Avid football fanatics across the nation have been swarming to a recent earth-shattering headline that came about last weekend when NFL referee Bill Leavy took a trip to the Seattle Seahawks' camp to get something off his chest.

"It was a tough thing for me," Leavy said in reference to his infamous performance in Pittsburgh's win over Seattle in Super Bowl XL.  "I kicked two calls in the fourth quarter and I impacted the game[,] and as an official[,] you never want to do that.  It left me with a lot of sleepless nights and I think about it constantly.  I'll go to my grave wishing that I'd been better," Gregg Rosenthal of ProFootballTalk.com reports.

"I know I did my best at that time, but it wasn't good enough," Leavy continued.  "When we make mistakes, you got to step up and own them.  It's something that all officials have to deal with, but unfortunately when you have to deal with them in the Super Bowl it's difficult."

For many fans, myself included, the outrage dealing with this story isn't directed towards stripping the Steelers' trophy and handing it to the Seahawks.  Obviously, that would cause too much unnecessary controversy.  Moreover, it shouldn't and won't happen.  I'm not sure how the majority of fans feel, but I'm proud of Bill Leavy's mea culpa.

I thought the game was one of the worst officiated games in NFL history; albeit it was just a few calls that should have been overturned, they had momentous implications and changed the overall outcome of the game. 

 

However, the thing that's got me riled up the most is the recent innovation in both college football and the NFL of allowing coaches to challenge calls on the field. You would think teams would also be able to review blatantly obvious calls that should be overturned.

I said this in my list of The Top 10 Worst Calls in Football: New Year's Edition, "why can't penalties that were made but didn't actually exist be challenged or reviewed?  And why is there no way to review or challenge a penalty that should have been thrown?

"While no game has never or ever will be perfectly officiated, having an option for teams to review blatantly obvious misplaced flags will benefit the teams, officials, and all fans alike."

If nothing else, how about allowing the head referee in the booth to review or challenge a call? 

To avoid extended time for challenges, I think three reviews for each team per game suits. That's enough to review the huge miss calls with major implications, or semi-important in the redzone, but to avoid coaches from throwing challenge flags on every drive.

The issues started spreading like wildfire last winter during the college bowl games and NFL playoffs, and Super Bowl XL was just a pinnacle of the issue. 

Enough about "what if" for a game that happened years ago.  Let's see if we can avoid repeating the same problems. 

 

 

Verse of This Piece

"Always remember what you have been taught, and don't let go of it.  Keep all that you have learned; it is the most important thing in life.  Don't follow the ways of the wicked; don't do what evil people do."—Proverbs 4:13-15

Proverbs 4:1-12 were provided in recent work.  Verses 16-27 are expected to be the next to follow in stanzas of three.  I have written a verse with nearly every article I've conducted since I began after my 50th piece.  This is something small to glorify my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, without "laying it on too thick."  I hope this will inspire someone to speak out, without fear, and perhaps one day start somewhat of a trend.  If you would like to request a verse, send me a message.  Carpe Diem and God Bless!

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Michael Gartman (My Dad's Son) is a Houston Texans Featured Columist for Bleacher Report, Sportshaze, Fan Voice for NFLTouchdown, Gacksports, and the AFC South Admin for Fan Huddle.