The Top 15 Controversial Calls of All Time

                 The Top 15 Controversial Calls of All Time

 As we know sometimes the officials in any sporting event do not get the call right. So much sometimes people protest until the sport call is overturned. Yes we also know their is some calls where you are like “How do you miss that?” Ones that make you think the sport is rigged. Sports has plenty of these calls let’s go through the 15 worst in all of sports. 

15 The “Holy Roller” in 1978 Raiders-Chargers Game: 

In 1978 in a divisional rivalry game the Raiders vs Chargers the Raiders do a new trick play. Well an illegal trick play. The Raiders intentionally fumble the football right before they get tackled knowing they have players to recover. The Raiders kick the ball forward into the end zone and the refs rule touchdown Raiders when they recovered it in the end zone. Yes you can’t do that, and everyone knew. Former Raiders players admitted later to doing it on purpose. Also admitting they knew the referees missed the call. 

14 Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Detroit Lions:

In the 1998 Thanksgiving game between the Steelers and Lions the teams played a very close game in which it was going to overtime. The Steelers Jerome Bettis called "tails,” on the overtime coin flip. Referee Phil Luckett didn’t hear “tails” he somehow heard “heads” and the coin landed tails. The Loins took the ball and would go on to win the game on the first drive. Many say on the audio Bettis said “he-tails” which of caused the confusion. Nonetheless the NFL changed the rule that you have to call the coin side before the flip because of this moment. 

13 GGG vs Canelo 1: 

It may shock you but it shouldn’t be boxing is on the list more than anybody next to the NFL. In the first GGG vs Canelo Alvarez fight many believed the fight was close but their was a clear winner in GGG. One judged it a tie, another judged it 115-113 in favor of GGG, the last judge said 118-110 Canelo which is insane. Alvarez in no way won that fight especially not by multiple rounds. The Nevada state commissioner said he was still confident in his judges. Even though we all know he shouldn’t be. GGG got hit by Canelo’s best shots and kept moving forwards. Alvarez didn’t look comfortable in their at all as GGG controlled the pace. GGG was robbed because Canelo wanted to protect their money maker.

12 Michael Jordan pushes off, gets away with it:

   Now one of the most conversational no calls ever. You can actually hear the Jordan lovers now already “He still buried the 15 footer.” Yeah so can the small town high school player if he was able to push off. Anyways in the 1998 NBA Finals between the Jazz vs Bulls on the famous game winning shot many would argue they missed a blatant push off by Jordan. Jordan doesn’t need to push off to create space for his shots but with 10 seconds to go down by 1 apparently he did. Jordan clearly puts his hand on defenders Bryon Russell’s hip and pushes him away. Literally the name of the foul a push off. Referees Dick Bavetta, Dan Crawford, Hue Hollins didn’t see it “wink” “wink” Jordan nails it and wins his 6th NBA Championship. 

11 Jim Joyce turns Armando Galarraga's perfect game imperfect: 

     Nothing in sports is worse than an official not letting players decided moments when it seems they want to be involved in the outcome. That’s exactly what happen on June 2, 2010 when umpire Jim Joyce took a perfect game from then-Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga. He called the runner safe in the 9th inning with 2 outs on a bang bang play where Miguel Cabrera flipped it Galarraga who was covering first, where the runner was out by a whole step. Joyce stuck by his decision in the moment because that pride thing is a real bastard sometimes. He later apologized after relooking at the play. Don’t feel bad for Joyce he took a game from that man because he wanted to involve himself. It was a terrible call. 

10 Packers Seahawks end zone “interception”

In the 2012 NFL season the officials and league couldn’t come to an agreement on contracts so they didn’t have NFL officials for the first three weeks. The fans and players all suffered. Somehow left us wanting these officials back. It all blew up on Monday Night Football contest between the Packers and Seahawks. When on the final play of the game Seahawks Russell Wilson threw a Hail Mary towards the end zone. Green Bay Packers safety M.D. Jennings clearly catches the football for an interception. Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate latches on to the ball where he clearly is just fighting for possession he doesn’t have. One official says interception the other somehow says touchdown. They discuss and rule it a touchdown. The Seahawks won the game what ultimately got the lockout with officials to end. The NFL was embarrassed on national television and had to do something. 

9 Tuck Rule 

Come on we all knew Tom Brady and the Patriots had to be on here somewhere. Let’s go with their famous one. In the 2001 NFL Divisional Playoff game the Raiders had the Patriots backed up. What would of ended the game Raiders Charles Woodson's sacks Tom Brady and Greg Biekert's gets the fumble recovery. That’s when the official comes out and says it was incomplete pass after getting word in from head officials in New York. Kind of weird right? The rule is “ The ball leaving the quarterback's hands is considered a forward pass even if the quarterback intends not to pass the ball, but instead continues the forward motion to tuck the ball back into his body.” Making what Brady did a forward pass and it was incomplete. Then that sets up the Adam Vinatieri’s famous 45 yard field goal in the snow to send the game into overtime. Patriots win in overtime and the rest is history. The rule as since been eliminated. 

8 The Stars win the Stanley Cup with an illegal goal:

  In 1999 Stanley Cup Final the Sabres and Stars played a great six game series. These two teams were looked as two of the best defensive teams in the league. In the final game in a three overtime game which is amazing in playoff hockey. Stars Brett Hull puts it into the net giving the Stars the Stanley Cup. However the Buffalo Sabres fans were not happy. They argue that Hull’s skate guided the puck into the net. The NHL said no Hull had full control of the puck. The NHL would change the rule "skate-in-the-crease" before the next season. A way admitting they were wrong but can’t. 

7 A no-call takes the Saints out of a Super Bowl appearance: 

  Most of the time when the game ends it’s never due to a call or if it doesn’t it’s reviewed. Most the time when people blame the officials for their loss it’s a call they called or didn’t earlier in the game so you really don’t know if it really affected the outcome. However the Saints Rams no call in the NFC Championship game on January 20th, 2019 did indeed affect the game outcome. With the Saints driving on the Rams at the end of the game, and are a first down away from going to the Super Bowl. It looked as if the Rams just gave it to them when Rams defensive back Nickell Robey-Coleman lays out Saints Tommylee Lewis before the ball arrives. Coleman wasn’t even looking at the ball which is also another reason for a pass interference. Their was no call on the play. When it’s clear when you watch over or in real time that’s a foul. The Saints kick a field goal there, Rams tie it, and go on to win it in overtime. The NFL later said they missed the call but doesn’t mean the Saints got to go to the Super Bowl so thanks I guess is the mentality by Saints fans on that. 

6 Colorado gets five downs against Missouri:

  Many don’t know about this game today because when’s the last time you were hyped up for Missouri vs Colorado football game? Probably been a while. In 1990 both teams were really good at football. However the officials were not really good at officiating football. On Colorado’s last drive of the game they throw a ball in the dirt however the refs forgot to count it, giving Colorado 5 downs. They scored on the final play to win the game. Colorado would go on to win the National Championship with a 11-1-1 record. Missouri fans were so upset they stormed the field and took down the goal posts. It’s one thing to miss a call but now we can’t count? 

5 GSP vs Johny Hendricks

  MMA for the beginning of its establishment and even up to today have a lot of boxing judges doing the scorecards for their fights, and it shows. On November 16th, 2013 the boxing judging showed it’s evil head once again but in a different sport. Welterweight champion George St. Pierre was coming into what would be his last fight at welterweight after a legendary career, some would say the best. Judges Tony Weeks and Sal D’Amato ruled the fight for GSP by winning round 1,3,5. Which is the craziest thing in my personal experience I’ve seen in MMA. The only argument they have in the first round is that GSP landed 19 significant strikes compared to Hendrix 18. However Hendrix still out strikes GSP, took GSP down, and beat him up there for most of the round. GSP tried a nonsense guillotine choke that wasn’t close to finishing. Majority of GSP’s strikes were to the leg or body, and Hendrix was to the head or body. The only round GSP won was the third. UFC President Dana White would come out at the press conference and say “This is what killed boxing.” As he went on to rant how GSP wasn’t the champion and Hendrix was robbed. GSP would retire and never give Hendrix his rematch. 

4 Timothy Bradley gets a “W” against Manny Pacquiao despite losing bad. 

     Of course boxing has to be on this list not just once but multiple times. Let’s be real who gets it wrong more than boxing? I don’t know really maybe the NFL and Boxing should get into an MMA fight to figure that out. Anyways one of the worst calls ever was when judges Duane Ford and C.J. Ross said that Manny Pacquiao  lost to Timothy Bradley. When it was clear to everyone Manny Pacquiao won. Pacquio landed 190 significant strikes compared to Bradley’s 108. Many analysts couldn’t believe the decision but its boxing what do you expect? 

3 Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" goal bests England: 

Yes soccer fans of course you made this list well how could you not? You have the “Hand of God” on your side. Back in the 1986 World Cup between Argentina vs England Diego Maradona pulls off one of the best hand ball no calls ever. He literally grabbed a ball from three England players as the ball was about to go in. No he was not the goalie. Argentina would go on to win 2-1 capturing Soccer’s most prestigious title. Don’t think Diego Maradona has made any trips to London in the last 30 years. 

2 Roy Jones Jr Olympics: 

In the 1988 Olympics boxing proved to the world that it wasn’t just the worst decision makers on pay per view they do it for free TV even during the Olympics. In the 1988 South Korean Olympics gold medal fight Roy Jones Jr bullies Park Si-Hun for the whole fight but somehow is declared the loser. In the three round contest Jones landed 86 shots when Park only landed 32. Two judges somehow ruled the fight in favor of Park. Many believe it  was for the hometown crowd and the winner was decided beforehand. Park would go on to apparently apologize to Jones Jr. Boxing also fired both judge and banned them for the rest of their lives from judging. Still will never give Jones Jr his gold medal. 

1 1972 olympics

One of the craziest games decided by officials during a crazy time. Remember we are in the middle of Cold War when the USA vs USSR play each other in the Olympics basketball gold medal game. The US basketball seemed to have won the game twice but both times the referees ordered them back on the court and put more time on the clock. Then the referees told US player they couldn’t try to block the inbound and had to move away from the inbounder. Which there is still no rule on that at all. You can block the inbound all you want. These events led to USSR chucking the ball down the court and hit the game winning bucket. The US team was next level pissed off and didn’t help the Cold War relations. The US team still to this day has not accepted their silver medals. 

By Matthew Doherty