Was this a fair game

In case it is unclear, a yes for a fair game, and a no for a rigged game 

If I was aconspiracy nut I would defintly think the NFL was behind the pwer outage in order to get the word to guys hey make this game close.  I however am not a conspiracy nut but there is no doubt in my mind the only reason this game was close was the power outage.  So I voted yes in the fairness that I dont think the league was behind it but it was also an unfortunate unfair advnatge gained by the 49ers off of the accident.  the Ravens endured it though and won so that is all that really matters would have been a shame had they lost.

but it was also an unfortunate unfair advnatge gained by the 49ers off of the accident.

I realize I'm just a dumb ass Browns fan . . . but, can someone please explain to me how only one team gains an unfair advantage when both teams were sitting around idle during the blackout?

Didn't the Ravens have the same amount of time to get their heads around the situation and plan acordingly? 

Didn't the 49ers have to spend the same amount of time wondering what hit 'em?

I'm with you Lym. I don't get that at all. It's not like the 49ers drew up some magical play on 3rd and 13. They failed and punted it away. Flacco went three and out and then the 49ers made their run. They did the same thing vs. Atlanta.

Let's face it. Teams with 22 point leads let down. It happens all the time in the NFL. You can scream and yell at a team to keep the momentum but you can't make them play as hard as they were before. Once Jones ran that TD back just look at the sidelines, there was a lot of smiling going on.

Didn't the Ravens have the same amount of time to get their heads around the situation and plan acordingly?
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Lym,

Obviously you missed Manomatics 101....  You sleeping during Algebra Freshmen year in High School?  The 36 or so minutes that the 49ners had was a longer 36 minutes than the Ravens had...     just ask John Harbaugh..

enjoy,

bb

Actually guys, while it's impossible to determine the full extent of how much the blackout altered the game, it was definitely more beneficial to the 49ers.  When Jacoby Jones returned the opening kickoff of the second half for a touchdown, the 49ers were done.  28-6 is a deflating blowout and the Ravens had all of the momentum in their favor.  A 34 minute delay gave the Ravens time to cool off and lose some of that adrenaline rush while the 49ers had the opportunity to regroup and regain some composure.

Look at the JJ return highlights, 2 Ravens holding one of the 49ers players and there was still no call. If it had been Pittsburgh the ref would of found a way to penalize both of them.

A 34 minute delay gave the Ravens time to cool off and lose some of that adrenaline rush while the 49ers had the opportunity to regroup and regain some composure.

King, 

One could argue that the 34 minute delay gave the 49ers the same opportunity go all "woe is me" and cash it in while the Ravens spent that time talking amongst themselves to keep the focus. 

We could play "what ifs" until next season on how each team COULD have spent the time but, I just don't see either team gaining an advantage.

What the blackout did was allow the 49ers to clear their heads, regroup after being smacked down in the first 35 minutes of that game.

The Ravens had them on their heels and were about to drive the killer blow to them once they forced that punt when the lights went out.

The 49ers were a 2nd half team and i fully expected them to make a run but there is no doubt that the lengthy delay helped them get their mind set back into the game when the Ravens had them hanging their heads very badly after the kick off return and such.

One could argue that the 34 minute delay gave the 49ers the same opportunity go all "woe is me" and cash it in while the Ravens spent that time talking amongst themselves to keep the focus. 

We could play "what ifs" until next season on how each team COULD have spent the time but, I just don't see either team gaining an advantage.

The only way, in my mind, that a team could have gained an advantage from that situation is if one team utilized that time better than the other.  Certainly, from the rest of the game, you would have to say that the 49ers made better use of the extra half hour than the Ravens did, but its only an advantage if you make it one and only a disadvantage for the same reason.

I understand King's point...I think...in that the Ravens probably lost momentum, but momentum is a difficult thing to quantify.  Who is to say that the 49ers wouldn't have gained that same momentum back (or more) had the blackout not happened?

If your leading 28-6 and are standing around for half an hour, theres not much to talk about except thinking you have a big lead and are going to win the game. Obviously the Ravens game plan had been working with the big lead, so what was there to talk about? Meantime, the 49er's had lots to talk about being outscored so bad. So you could say the Niner's had alot to talk about when they shouldn't of had that extra time and the Ravens really didn't. It can be debated that the Niner's are without question a 2nd half team. And of course, the extra time could be debated till hell freezes over. But in actuality, the Niner's had alot more to talk about than the Ravens did. There's no question about that....

CUP4PENS  

There were good no calls that wash near the end (Flacco late hit, hold on Crabtree).  As Cris Carter said afterwards.........if you want that penalty, you have make it obvious and break free of the defender and dart to the corner pylon, forcing him to hold you from the side or from behind, you can't sit chest to chest, even if its a hold, even if its beyond the 5-yard contact zone.

My only complaint, and its been talked about VERY LITTLE, either during the game or afterwards, and if someone could shed some light I'd be curious to know what it was all about.......................after the Reed int, pushing and shoving ensued and Cary Williams actually HIT A REFEREE.  Not a threat, not yelling...........HIT THE GUY in the head.  Then, after being dragged away, proceeds to fight his way back to the ref and point/yell in his face once again.  I couldn't believe it, and when I saw the refs huddled, I thought for sure he was getting tossed.  The rules clearly state that ANY HOSTILE CONTACT with a referee, intentional or not, results in an automatic ejection and personal foul call.  Yet no call on the play, let alone any ejection.  Offsetting fouls, neither of which were on Williams.  Ridiculous.

One could argue that the 34 minute delay gave the 49ers the same opportunity go all "woe is me" and cash it in while the Ravens spent that time talking amongst themselves to keep the focus.  

I'm going to respectfully disagree with that, Lyman.  These guys are professional athletes, in the Super Bowl, with a solid coach and good team leadership.  The 49ers wouldn't have been sitting around having a pity party and retreating into a shell of submission.  Momentum, on the other hand, is a pendulum.     

Halftime and time outs give the losing team an opportunity to regroup, refocus, change the game plan, and make adjustments.  Jacoby Jones returns the opening kickoff of the half for a touchdown and shortly thereafter was the blackout.  Think of it as an extra halftime or a really ridiculously long time out.  It should be pretty obvious that a team who's getting blown out is going to benefit from that while the "hot" team won't.  You've watched and/or played enough sports to know this.  

You've watched and/or played enough sports to know this.

Yes, I have (both played and watched).   My experience is that good athletes and good teams make their own opportunities.  I still contend that BOTH teams had the same condition presented to them with which to make an opportunity.  The part I asked about was why did some consider this an "unfair advantage".  What was unfair?  One team made an opportunity . . . one didn't.  That's all.

there was no unfair advantage, but the blackout did help the niners more, its like a heavy weight bout, one guy is reeling and about to be tko'd- he then ends up getting a 15 min break instead of 90 seconds. i doubt many gameplan elements were changed. it was more beneficial for the niners, i dont see how that is even up for dispute. it is what it is though, excrement happens and i firmly belive either team could have walked away with a win and felt like they deserved it- and that would be warranted. im happy we came out on top.

i lost a good few years watching that game though.

2k

how is it that only one of those two teams gained an unfair advantage?

I'm going to compare this to boxing, the first half the Ravens had them up against the ropes beating them up, then the kickoff return boom knocks em down. Then the bell rings and the niners get to regroup both teams had the same break but the niners needed that time to collectively regroup and come back out swinging and the Ravens cooled down in the 30 minutes

My question had nothing to do with momentum

You may not question the momentum but momentum matters in every professional sporting event and when you deal a crushing blow like that kick return was to start the second half and then boom out of nowhere an unexpected 35 minute delay even the mentally toughest players will get thrown off mentally

Honestly i think a lot of these responses would be different if the 49ers pulled off the comeback...and as i stated earlier I think it was a good, fair gam. ..malfunctions happen, although you could make a case that it happens to the niners more often, but that's not a debate I want to start...the Ravens won that game and it was one heck of a game...the delay helped the niners more, but i think they would've made a comeback regardles...they were moving the ball, and a few mistakes away from making it a game, ie the fumble, the really bad int, Crabtree doing his Jeremy Stevens impersonation dropping passes in the big game...

On a side note, Jerry Rice never played in a super bowl and was mostly a non factor...way to back up that greatest of all time claim Randy Moss 

 realize I'm just a dumb ass Browns fan . . . but, can someone please explain to me how only one team gains an unfair advantage when both teams were sitting around idle during the blackout?

Didn't the Ravens have the same amount of time to get their heads around the situation and plan acordingly?  

Didn't the 49ers have to spend the same amount of time wondering what hit 'em?

You cannot maintain a little thing called momentum by planning.  The Ravens where abotu to force a quick 3 and out after a huge return TD on the kickoff.  Everything is going their way and adrenaline would have been pumping.  Regardless of who you are you cant sit there for 34 minutes and keep that intensity up and running.  So while the 334 minutes of blackout cooled the hto ravens down the 49ers are sitting on the other side getting a chance to take a deep breath realize there is still time in the game and that they do not need to panic yet.  It is just my opinoin (and actually its not as many people have said no blackout no close game) but I can get that a browns fan wouldnt understand momentum.

The 49ers was the younger team is the reason why the Ravens won it

but I can get that a Browns fan wouldnt understand momentum.

My question had nothing to do with momentum.  My question was if both teams had the same conditions preented to them (be it a blackout, a snowstorm or a hurricane) how is it that only one of those two teams gained an unfair advantage?

My question had nothing to do with momentum.  My question was if both teams had the same conditions preented to them (be it a blackout, a snowstorm or a hurricane) how is it that only one of those two teams gained an unfair advantage?

Your question asked how it was an unfair advantage momentum factors into that answer.  yes ity was 34 minutes for both teams but just because it was the same amount of time does not make it equal.  Thik of it as one man waiting 34 minutes to get out of a boring business metting and the other man is spending 34 minutes getting a back massage.  Both 34 minutes but do you think they had the same experiance? 

You guys really need to go to analogy school . . .

I'm going to compare this to boxing, the first half the Ravens had them up against the ropes beating them up, then the kickoff return boom knocks em down. Then the bell rings and the niners get to regroup both teams had the same break but the niners needed that time to collectively regroup and come back out swinging and the Ravens cooled down in the 30 minutes

You're comparing a boxer, who just received a blow to the head and is walking around on   q u e e r  street, to a group of world class athletes with no physical or mental impairments?  Really?  Had Joe Flacco been knocked silly on a play (a direct comparison to your boxer), play would have been stopped, Flacco removed from the game (by rule) and replaced with the backup QB.  Don't think I have ever seen a backup boxer inserted into a prize fight.

Think of it as one man waiting 34 minutes to get out of a boring business metting and the other man is spending 34 minutes getting a back massage.  Both 34 minutes but do you think they had the same experiance?

Okay.  Except one team wasn't in a boring business meeting while the other was getting back massages.  BOTH teams were on the same field, at the same time, in the exact same environment.

I 100% agree that momentum changed from before the blackout to after.  But, as I said before, teams make their own momentum. 

Had Ray Rice not fumbled (which led to a 49er score, I believe - may be wrong here but I think they scored right after that turnover), old Mo may have stayed with the Ravens.  But Rice did fumble and the 49ers took advantage of the turnover.

Had not one but two Ravens DB's whiffed on tackling Crabtree on his scoreing catch, the Ravens may have regained the momentum by denying the 49ers a score.  But they did whiff and now SF is firmly back in the game.

Executing a play (or failing to execute a play) and the blackout are, in fact, mutually exclusive. 

^^^^^

I like the way that old man thinks!


enjoy,

bb

ps - Did you ever send me my winnings from the Pick 'em?   I still haven't seen those car keys show up in my mail...

ps - Did you ever send me my winnings from the Pick 'em?

Sure did. 

Mrs. Burghball told me to just send her the keys.  She said something about keeping the car behind some cheap motel. 

Mrs. Burghball told me to just send her the keys.  She said something about keeping the car behind some cheap motel. 
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She likes to make love at that cheap motel...  She called me from there the other day and told me so..... 


enjoy,

bb

She likes to make love at that cheap motel...  She called me from there the other day and told me so..... 

I wasn't there!!  Really!!!

"My dog walked into my bedroom.  He told me he wanted to learn how to beg."

I'm with Lyman here.  If the losing team always gains an unfair advantage during a break in the action (i.e. momentum is suddenly halted), then we should just do away with halftime, right?

Good lord . Ok Halftime is a part of the game, it allows for adjustments and such and can halt the surge of a team, we see this in loads of sports. The losing team does not always gain an advantage, but there is definatley something to be said for going in to the half down a score, versus down two or three. the mental aspect of this game and many others is huge. Coming out of the half the niners would have had time to readjust and compose themselves, then bam, LEFT HOOK HAYMAKER, ( i cant help myself) and right after that they get another big reprieve to compose themselves once more...i mean how the hell is this flying over peoples heads.

Im not saying its an UNFAIR advantage or that there was any foul play, but i do think it helped them, now if the Ravens had lost- we could point to the outage as a turning point and it would be somewhat valid BUT it would not be what i would have been most annoyed by, it would not have been the nail in the coffin or the overarching reason for the loss. The ravens did play poorly after that and they seemed to lose their momentum.

allowing for a soft reset is not entirely bad, to stick with the boxing analogy, sometimes you need that bell, and when you get it, you get your break. the niners got a very long break, right after they had just been busted up after already being beaten for 6 rounds. perhaps im not doing a good job coneying my point- if thats the case ill just stop. it just seems silly to me to spring to the extreme of ' lets just get rid of all halftimes' they are in place to give teams a physical and mental reprieve, and they can work both ways. AGAIN, all i am saying is that it seemed to come at a time when the niners were looking down the barrel and it helped them, it can be argued the ravens didnt respond well either and thats valid. it just helped them more that it helped us, perhaps thats on coaching or the mentality of the players but either way it gave them a reprieve. coaches do the same stuff with time outs sometime, they let people take a beak, and compose themselves. i feel like i just repeated by self way too much there.

2k