Bill Leavy apologizes to Seahawks for Super Bowl XL

[Hasselbeck]

Took you awhile Bill!

RENTON — Better late than never.

Haunted by blown calls in Super Bowl XL, referee Bill Leavy acknowledged officiating mistakes that may have contributed to the Seahawks' 21-10 defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers 4 ½ years ago.

"It was a tough thing for me," Leavy said Friday. "I kicked two calls in the fourth quarter, and I impacted the game, and as an official you never want to do that."

Although Leavy did not refer to any specific calls, two controversial plays in the fourth quarter hurt the Seahawks and incensed their fans.

While driving for a tying touchdown, tackle Sean Locklear was called for holding on a pass completion that would have put Seattle at Pittsburgh's 1-yard line.

After the penalty, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck threw an interception. On that play, he was penalized for an illegal low block and given a 15-yard penalty on what appeared to be textbook tackle.

Seahawks fans also haven't forgotten some other blunders by officials in the first half.

Receiver Darrell Jackson drew an offensive-pass-interference penalty on a touchdown catch that would have given Seattle a 7-0 lead, but the Hawks had to settle for a field goal.

The Seahawks also appeared to have stopped Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger at the goal line on a 1-yard run late in the first half. Officials signaled a Steelers' touchdown that gave them a 7-3 lead. Leavy upheld the call after a replay review.

"I knew it was going to be tough going up against the Pittsburgh Steelers," former Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren told Seattle fans at a Qwest Field rally days after the game. "I didn't know we were going to have to play the guys in the striped shirts as well."

The NFL has never apologized for those officiating mistakes. Speaking to Seattle-area reporters Friday about NFL rules changes this season, Leavy said he's still bothered by his gaffes.

"It left me with a lot of sleepless nights, and I think about it constantly," he said. "I'll go to my grave wishing that I'd been better. I know that I did my best at that time, but it wasn't good enough.

"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 it in the Super Bowl, it's difficult."

Leavy and an officiating crew have been at Seahawks camp the past two days refereeing practice.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/seahawks/2012557740_referee07.html

 

[davie]

Get over it?

 

[Hasselbeck]

Get over it?

No.

 

[Survivor]

Well it's better that he admitted it, but human error happens. It's part of football.

I'm sure if it was my team I'd be singing a different tune, but the past is the past!

 

[Rayman]

"It was a tough thing for me," Leavy said Friday. "I kicked two calls in the fourth quarter, and I impacted the game, and as an official you never want to do that."

 

[stevsta]

fuck the seahawks

 

[krulmichael]

He was making up for the infamous "Coin Toss incident" from over 10 years ago on Thanksgiving in which he screwed the Stillers and my Lions won. Good times.

 

[Tailback U]

This was a fumble god damnit!!

 

[G-men]

don't worry, the Seahawks will make it to another Super Bowl.....maybe

 

[Hasselbeck]

He was making up for the infamous "Coin Toss incident" from over 10 years ago on Thanksgiving in which he screwed the Stillers and my Lions won. Good times.

That was Phil Luckett.. who also screwed the Seahawks when he ruled Vinny Testaverde's WHITE helmet was a BROWN football breaking the goal-line.

 

[davie]

This was a fumble god damnit!!

Not the SB, your argument is invalid.

 

[Rayman]

That was Phil Luckett.. who also screwed the Seahawks when he ruled Vinny Testaverde's WHITE helmet was a BROWN football breaking the goal-line.

As I recall, that was the very next week, wasn't it?

 

[West]

About time this old bastard apologizes

Sorry still isn't good enough though, i'd love to punch him straight in the dick

 

[Prodigal Son]

lol, Seahawk fans are bitter fucks.

 

[Hasselbeck]

As I recall, that was the very next week, wasn't it?

It was shortly after, and basically the reason why instant replay came back.

 

[Hasselbeck]

lol, Seahawk fans are bitter fucks.

Imagine sucking for your entire franchises history, finally putting together the best team in the NFL.. outplaying your opponent in the Super Bowl.. and every time you're close to breaking through and taking control of the biggest game ever in that franchises history, the momentum is killed due to bullshit. Complete and utter bullshit. And now Seahawk fans are forever left to wonder just what could have happened had the game been called correctly. It wasn't a lock that we win, hell the Steelers could have come right back and put together a final drive similar to the one they pieced together against Arizona. But we will never know because of .. well.. complete and utter bullshit.

It just makes me laugh how people go "Let it go", "Move on" when if it happened to any other fan of the other 31 teams in the league - they'd be just as irate. Guaranteed. Doesn't matter if you have 5 championships or 0.

 

[West]

Yes we are bitter, but us devoted Seahawks fans waited our entire lives for that one game, and it was taken away from us due to undeniably bullshit calls over and over.

Can you really blame us for being upset?

 

[Senser81]

Imagine sucking for your entire franchises history, finally putting together the best team in the NFL.. outplaying your opponent in the Super Bowl.. and every time you're close to breaking through and taking control of the biggest game ever in that franchises history, the momentum is killed due to bullshit. Complete and utter bullshit. And now Seahawk fans are forever left to wonder just what could have happened had the game been called correctly. It wasn't a lock that we win, hell the Steelers could have come right back and put together a final drive similar to the one they pieced together against Arizona. But we will never know because of .. well.. complete and utter bullshit.

It just makes me laugh how people go "Let it go", "Move on" when if it happened to any other fan of the other 31 teams in the league - they'd be just as irate. Guaranteed. Doesn't matter if you have 5 championships or 0.

I've been down this road before, but I've actually forgotten a lot about that Super Bowl. It wasn't very memorable. I remember the Steelers putting together a drive that scored a TD, I remember Roethlisberger throwing away another TD on an awful INT, and I remember the Steelers doing nothing in the 2nd half except for their two big plays (Parker's run, Randle-El to Ward). As for the Seahawks, they seemed to be able to move the ball within the 20's, but they never made any big plays and had a hard time scoring. I remember Stevens dropping a ton of passes (one of which would have setup an easy TD), and I remember Jackson dropping passes, too. I don't think either team played very well, as they both self-destructed during the game.

As for the officiating, the "clipping" call on Hasselbeck was unexplainable, but I don't think it had a big effect on the game. The holding call on Locklear had more of an impact, but I can understand the call because it APPEARED that Locklear dragged down the defender. The other call I remember is the offensive PI on Jackson which negated a TD, but IMO it was the right call.

In sum, move on.

 

[Rayman]

Imagine sucking for your entire franchises history, finally putting together the best team in the NFL.. outplaying your opponent in the Super Bowl.. and every time you're close to breaking through and taking control of the biggest game ever in that franchises history, the momentum is killed due to bullshit. Complete and utter bullshit. And now Seahawk fans are forever left to wonder just what could have happened had the game been called correctly. It wasn't a lock that we win, hell the Steelers could have come right back and put together a final drive similar to the one they pieced together against Arizona. But we will never know because of .. well.. complete and utter bullshit.

It just makes me laugh how people go "Let it go", "Move on" when if it happened to any other fan of the other 31 teams in the league - they'd be just as irate. Guaranteed. Doesn't matter if you have 5 championships or 0.

Yeah, I felt that pain two years later.

Granted, it wasn't the Super Bowl, but it was the biggest game the team had had in nearly 10 years.

 

[biggamejrs]

Yes we are bitter, but us devoted Seahawks fans waited our entire lives for that one game, and it was taken away from us due to undeniably bullshit calls over and over.

Can you really blame us for being upset?

nope. I still hate Siragusa and the tuck rule.
Maybe if we ever get good again, it will fade away.