Shit! Even President Obama Commented on Controversial Play in Lions vs. Cowboys

[El Supremo]

Numerous Detroit Lions fans will argue that officials played a major role in the 24-20 Wild Card Game loss to the Dallas Cowboys. United States President Barack Obama is in their corner.

President Obama weighed in Tuesday on the reversed fourth-quarter pass-interference call in Sunday's playoff showdown at AT&T Stadium, per The Detroit News' David Shepardson:

Obama watched the Lions game and told The Detroit News in a Tuesday interview he "couldn't 'remember a circumstance in which a good call by one of the refs is argued about by an opposing player of the other team with his helmet off on the field, which in and of itself is supposed to be a penalty. The call is announced and then reversed without explanation. I haven't seen that before—so I will leave it up to the experts to make the judgment as to why that happened—but I can tell you if I was a Lions fan I'd be pretty aggravated."

(snip)

That President Obama, albeit a widely known sports fan, decided to offer his take on this particular play shows just how significant it was. It's bound to create even more polarization surrounding America's Team.

All at: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2321541-president-obama-comments-on-controversial-play-in-lions-vs-cowboys

[trotsky]

1. Shit! Even President Obama Commented on Ridiculous Blown Call in Lions vs. Cowboys

There. Fixed your subject line for ya.

[Auggie]

2. His approval rating just went up in Michigan

[ScreamingMeemie]

3. In the words of Freddie Coleman, if they're not going to replay the game,

stop talking about it because it just pisses off Lions fans and Cowboy haters.

[JonLP24]

5. I don't know about today

but it seems it was mainly Lion fans & Cowboy haters who were the ones talking about it. I'm sure unbiased fans felt it was bad call but I wouldn't go so far to say the Cowboys won because of it but my point is they're talking about it too.

[ScreamingMeemie]

6. He was addressing a vice president in the NFL...so, no.

[JonLP24]

8. I misunderstood

I thought it meant talking about the play in general. Sorry

[ScreamingMeemie]

9. No worries.

[El Supremo]

10. Who says that I'm a Cowboys hater or a Lions fan?

I'm against Jerry Jones. He ruined the Cowboys franchise.

[JonLP24]

11. I didn't mean you specifically

I assume pretty most people who aren't Cowboys fans are Cowboys haters, I meant Lions fans mostly. Most of the replies to posts I made this week came from Lions fans.

[caraher]

4. Well, it means a lot more people rooting for the Packers this weekend...

probably more that the number who may have pulled for Dallas because they're sick of Suh's antics.

[JonLP24]

7. I'm just hoping for a flawless game from the referrees

especially in the 4th quarter.

Gene Steratore is the referee, who is in his 12th year and 9th as referee. This is his 8th postseason assignment, including 2 Wild Card Playoffs, 4 Divisional Playoffs, and 2 Conference Championships
http://www.footballzebras.com/2015/01/06/12264/

This is from the 2013 regular season -- most penalty flags thrown

Jeff Triplette 244
Scott Green 241
Walt Coleman 238
Jerome Boger 238
Walt Anderson 233
John Parry 233
Carlton Cheffers 221
Ed Hochuli 213
Gene Steratore 210
Ron Winter 209
Bill Leavy 201
Clete Blakeman 197
Tony Corrente 196
Terry McAulay 191
Bill Vinovich 183
Mike Carey 181
Peter Morelli 154

So he is about the middle so I should expect a game that isn't called too tight nor loose. Interesting Morelli seems to call the loosest games so I'm not surprised that wasn't enough contact to be pass interference in their judgment.