Steelers practicing with officials this week.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2216935-steelers-notebook-tomlin-bringing-officials-to-practice

 

Topic #1 - When Bell signals first down (like many others throughout the league) it is not taunting.
Topic #2 - AB is is awesome at TD catches. Give him a break for the celebrations. Relax, would ya. It's all fun.
Topic #3 - Mike promised to stay off the field.
Topic #4 - Hands to the face is getting ridiculout.
Topic #5 - Penalties are up 16% in 2014. Let them play the game.

 

Agree on #2. Devin Hester got a penalty for his approach to the end zone when Deion Sanders did it for years.

 

The fact of the matter is these guys know that the NFL is cracking down. While I find it to be complete BS, that's the case. This is how they need to celebrate TD's and keep their nose clean!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQMVtlCU3Xc

 

I seem to think the first big clamp down on TD celebrations was in '88 - it was an NFC match up (think the Cowboys were involved) and there were like 20 players doing a set routine after a score, which ended with a huge fight.

The subsequent rule changes forced Ickey Woods to run over to his own sideline after scoring just to do the "Ickey shuffle." Ah, those were the days.

Anyway, my point is that this is not something new. And while TD celebrations had a few more rise and falls after then, I just don't see how these guys aren't learning from the very start of their playing lives that some things are just really, really silly, and there's no point in them.

 

I don't think it was the signal that got him the penalty, it was the backchat. Which was clearly going both ways. There needs to be some kind of explanation of that call, because it just didn't seem right.

 

Yes, or, virtually every Heath Miller TD!

 

So it has come to this? siiiiiiigh..............

 

That's how we do

 

Yes I believe your right. That was my understanding as well. In another play where Bell had completed a first down catch and run one of the DBs from Tampa slapped his arm down .. No penalty .. Was ignored completely

 

This. I have no problem with a crack-down by the NFL and the officials, whether I agree with it, or not. But they should be consistent. On the play you mentioned that was a TB player making contact with a Steelers player, after the play. Flag that.

 

I was just saying that because we have gotten so many penalties. I honestly wonder what they need help on when you think about it. I mean it's pretty obvious you can't go to the ground, you can't argue with the refs, you can't taunt, you can't push guys down after a play because you're mad, you have to wait for the ball to be snapped before you cross the line or come out of your stance, and you can't kick the punter in the face. LOL. I will say though that I was actually thinking about something like this yesterday. I was thinking about Bruschi saying he used to go to the official's school every year to sorta learn how they call stuff to try and see what he could get away with. LOL. I've heard Jerry Rice did that during his career too. So maybe Tomlin is trying to figure out what IS legal. LOL.

 

This is not the first time Tomlin has brought Refs in, he did it lst year or the year b4, and i thought i heard somthing abt the refs being here during training camp this year, so i guess history is repeating it's self

 

I guess i was mistaken then,

 

Good move by Tomlin, he needs all the help he can get on the penalties side with this team. This could also be looked at as a cover your A** side as the coach for the end of year meeting with management to resolve an issue with the team..

If I was management I would have to way the added expense for the referees at practice versus my expectation of the head coach to need outside assistance to resolve the issue.

 

I would do even better, I would have MT pay for them out of his own pocket. Apparently he can't get it thru their heads, needs to have zebras do it for him. Oh well maybe we will unleash hell
the rest of the year.LOL

 

this is fine and all but if this same group of officials don't call the game, then what have they accomplished? the officiating is different from crew to crew, week to week and call to call.

 

Probably didn't get much work in because of having to stop every other play for the refs to pick up the flags they just threw. I heard that the crew that worked practice had to visit the training room after practice to ice down their shoulders.

 

Phew!! Since it could be later this year, I might be safe. I thought I missed the unleashing...

 

There are so many tomlinisims lol

I wish they would unleash hell but if its anything like camp cupcake we don't stand a chance. Need to get back to football and right quickly. No more selfies with players. That would be a start and a step in the right direction lol