On Sunday, Jimmy Graham was called for pass interference on a would-have-been game-winning Hail Mary reception against the San Francisco 49ers. Though replays clearly showed Graham giving a purposefulshove to the back of Perrish c*x, Graham and his New Orleans Saints brethren immediately complained about the call and Fox announcer John Lynch suggested c*x had flopped to draw the flag.
The cries from the Saints grew louder when the 49ers won in overtime. After the game, Graham still couldnt believe hed been flagged and said so to reporters. Before we begin: You cannot, and should not, blame Graham for pleading his case. Thats what a guilty man is supposed to do. But nothing says you cant point out how wrong he is about it. (Quotes in bold, via NOLA.com)
It was definitely not a push-off.
That sentence either needed to remove a not (it was definitely a push-off) or addone(it was definitely not not a push-off.)
Im running down the field telling myself, Whatever you do, dont push off.'
Oh, well then! He didnt want to push off, so clearly he couldnt have done so! Look, if desiredictated reality, place kickers would never miss field goals, Rex Ryan would have six Super Bowl rings and Id be writing this post from my yacht while drinking bellinis alongside my best friends George Clooney and Veronica Mars. No receiver everwants to push off. No defender ever wants to interfere. These are unfortunate byproducts of the desire to make big plays.
Its interesting how guys grab me everywhere on the field and I put literally two fingers on somebody and they make that kind of call.
A) Jimmy Graham has a questionableinterpretation of what constitutes interesting.
B) Two fingers.
The general consensus is, you go down there, you can kick somebody in the chest and go up there and get it and youll be fine.But apparently not.
So which is it? Did you not touch the guy or did you give him the shoving equivalent of a kick to the chest?
This was a clear, no doubt pass interference call. Graham extended both hands, shoved and positioned himself for the catch. He cleared space to make the grab. Coxs stumble looks suspicious if you want to see suspicion, but if you watch all angles of the replayyoull see he didnt start stumbling until he was shoved. Anyway, who plays a Hail Mary hoping to get a call? If Graham is right in that the general consensus is players dont expect flags on Hail Marys, then c*x would have no expectation to receive one.
All that being said, utilizing the Graham strategy is a phenomenalstrategyforHail Marys. Receivers in those big scrums should give a little shove every time. Best-case scenario, the refs miss it and you catch a touchdown. Worst-case scenario, you get flagged and are forced to make a disingenuous defense of yourself after the game.
(Thanks to @cjzero for the GIF.)
Controversy, Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints, Perrish c*x, Referees, San Francisco 49ers, NFL
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Source: http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/11/jimmy-graham-pass-interference-saints-49ers-perrish-c*x
