Mark Madden and the Immaculate Reception

I was watching the NFL Network this morning and they had a special on called NFL Top 10 Controversial Calls. Of course a Steelers play had to be #1.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJEp2imUlJE

I don't see a lot of controversy myself in that play. Tatum hit the ball, Franco caught it and scored a TD. Steelers win
What really got me was Mark Madden's stupid comments about it (around the 2:44 mark). He says clearly Frenchy touched the ball and clearly Franco trapped it against the ground. I watched the slow motion clip and I just don't see anything "clearly" like that. Is he a complete moron or what??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8IS7G7sT6w

 

Anything that comes out of that fat asses mouth is a great big pile of crap. The end.

 

Eh, we're talking about him, aren't we? No one can see what happens with the ball on tape, although if I'm making an educated guess I'd say he caught it, since I don't think the ball could have reached the ground judging by how high it is, and it doesn't make any jerk movements that it would from being trapped. I can't be 100%, but to say he definitely trapped it is just stupid.

As for the other thing, the ball absolutely hit Tatum. That's how it bounced so far, and it's clear from the tape. Now, did it graze Frenchy before it hit Tatum? It's possible, but I can't see it, and no one can say it clearly did.

I'm all for honesty and realism, but to sell out your team by lying to make them look worse to get attention for yourself or try to make yourself appear unbiased is pretty low, and should disqualify you from being considered a fan. And definitely disqualify you from being on TV shows to give a "professional" opinion.

 

doesn't matter. We Win , they lose. (or loose) if your pimply dan or pimp dylan.
for all us old timers, it was so sweet. the raiders were the true rivals of the day. i've never liked them and never will.

 

The ball was clearly a foot off the ground from the reverse angle shot. I think the problem is the ball touching a Steeler player and not a Raider player if anything.

 

i thought they recently used todays technology to slow the tape down and that it hit a raider first i could be wrong though

 

Yep. I don't see how anyone could think that ball hit the gound. As for who it touched, Chuck Noll said it best, in taking a swipe at Jack Tatum: "the ball traveled so far backwards because the defender came running in attempting to put a big hit on Fuqua rather than just play the ball and knock it to the ground."

 

That would make the most sense, considering the forward momentum by Tatum

 

This is the shot they never show, though (for some reason). In fact, I only got to see it because somebody posted it on this board a few months back. And it's a shame, because the shot from behind shows not only that the ball didn't touch the ground, but also how well Franco develops the play from his initial blocking duty.

 

This play has been debated for 40 years, which makes it the most controversial call. I don't really think that trapping the ball is really an issue at this point. It is whether the ball bounced off of a Raider or a Steeler into Franco's path. One way makes it legal and the other illegal. For those who thought it was a legal play, nothing can convince them otherwise. For those who thought it was illegal - again, nothing will convince them. AND - there really is no conclusive video proof of what exactly happened. What adds to the mystique is that none of the old time Steelers will talk about the play and what really happened. That makes a lot of people say that just MAYBE it bounced off of Frenchy. In the end - it wouldn't change the final anyway. So, it's just nice to know that one of the greatest plays in Steelers history is STILL debated as the most controversial of all time.

 

Mark Madden is a ratings whore.

He will say anything to get you to listen. And the easiest way to get you to listen is to say controversial stuff.

The sooner you realize this, the sooner you will take what he says with a grain of salt and enjoy listening to him.

 

BTW, Super Bowl XL (the whole game) and the 1979 AFC Champ game ALSO made this list.

 

Does anyone really care what this guy thinks? Is anyone surprised that old, former raiders who were nothing more than street thugs are still bitter after 40 years? I was at that game and know the officials got it right. Case closed.

 

Mark Madden is a big fat ass bottle of Summers Eve.

That's all one needs to know about him

 

Mark madden said it so it must be true.....LOL

 

I saw the show awhile back and recorded it. Went back and looked at it frame by frame from two different views, one from the side and one from the QB and that is the shot you can clearly see that the ball hit right above Tatums right pec. Never touched FRENCHY.

 

NASA scientist have examined it and could not come up with anything more than what we all already know.

We won and that's it!

 

The only thing "clearly" seen here is Madden's unabashed bias toward the Steelers!