Taunting rule has got to be defined.

[Gregg]

This has been awkward since the beginning of the season.

Last night Bear's Marsh gets called for taunting for looking at the sideline. Crazy stuff.

[Ken]

This has been awkward since the beginning of the season.

Last night Bear's Marsh gets called for taunting for looking at the sideline. Crazy stuff.

Pretty homer view IMO, that looked like he was taunting the Steelers' sideline to me. He got up from making the play and walked towards the Steelers sideline staring them down. If he wasn't *taunting*, what exactly was he doing? You think he was just lost and forgot which sideline to go to?

Now we can argue whether taunting should be a penalty, I don't think it should. But if it is, I can't imagine an unbiased perspective thinking that wasn't taunting.

[Gregg]

Pretty homer view IMO, that looked like he was taunting the Steelers' sideline to me. He got up from making the play and walked towards the Steelers sideline staring them down. If he wasn't *taunting*, what exactly was he doing? You think he was just lost and forgot which sideline to go to?

Now we can argue whether taunting should be a penalty, I don't think it should. But if it is, I can't imagine thinking that wasn't taunting.

Last night's announcers would seem to differ with you.

As a homer there were many more bad calls that I could point out and complain about. But this taunting deal I have seen way to much outside of Bears games.

[Ken]

Last night's announcers would seem to differ with you.

Announcers tend to drum up controversy, they are in the entertainment business.

What exactly what Marsh *doing* from your perspective if not taunting the steelers' sideline?? And separately why was McGovern so pissed at him if he did nothing wrong?

As a homer there were many more bad calls that I could point out and complain about. But this taunting deal I have seen way to much outside of Bears games.

There's bad calls in every game in a homer's view, I agree - I have the same reaction when watching my favorite teams too. I think your point would be more salient in a situation where the player wasn't literally taunting the other sideline.

[Gregg]

Announcers tend to drum up controversy, they are in the entertainment business.

What exactly what Marsh *doing* from your perspective if not taunting the steelers' sideline?? And separately why was McGovern so pissed at him if he did nothing wrong?



There's bad calls in every game in a homer's view, I agree - I have the same reaction when watching my favorite teams too. I think your point would be more salient in a situation where the player wasn't literally taunting the other sideline.

I agree with your entertainment comment. That said I cannot remember watching a game where the announcers were so vocal about officiating.

The weird thing about the "taunting" is I did not even know why the flag was thrown. Even after the first replay. Same for the announcers. Even thought the bump was the reason.

I guess I think of taunting as more egregious than a quick look.

I can't tell you what was in Marsh's head, he says he wasn't taunting.

Off topic...ish. Do you consider celebrations taunting?

[Gregg]

Ken, it seems that you watched the game last night, do you think the refs had a good game (taking out the taunting call)?

[Ken]

I can't tell you what was in Marsh's head, he says he wasn't taunting.

I was hoping you'd speculate. If there are alternate options for why you'd bow up and walk towards the opponent's sideline then maybe I'd understand better why it seems so wrong to you to penalize him.

Off topic...ish. Do you consider celebrations taunting?

Most of them no, but again I don't see a problem with taunting in the first place.

[Ken]

Ken, it seems that you watched the game last night, do you think the refs had a good game (taking out the taunting call)?

I didn't catch the whole game, I only caught it a few times in passing, I couldn't give you a good analysis in either direction. I wouldn't be surprised if it was poor officiating like you said though.

[Bene Futuis]

God, the Bears got the screw job sooooo bad. Did you see the ref that hip checked Marsh right before the penalty? One of the worst officiated games I’ve seen. You’re right to be upset, Gregg. Brutal officiating.

[Gregg]

I was hoping you'd speculate. If there are alternate options for why you'd bow up and walk towards the opponent's sideline then maybe I'd understand better why it seems so wrong to you to penalize him.



Most of them no, but again I don't see a problem with taunting in the first place.

If I did not notice it and the announcers did not notice it even with replay how taunting can it be? That said I understand your point. Zero tolerance means zero.

So no looks and muttering under your breath. Also no trash talking etc. Where do they draw the line?

[Gregg]

God, the Bears got the screw job sooooo bad. Did you see the ref that hip checked Marsh right before the penalty? One of the worst officiated games I’ve seen. You’re right to be upset, Gregg. Brutal officiating.

Thank you sir! I saw every second of that debacle of officiating. How is there so much disparity in the roughing the passer calls?

And...

Bears offensive lineman James Daniels was flagged for a 15-yard low block, even though Daniels was not outside the tight end box when he whiffed on a block at T.J. Watt‘s legs. The touchdown was called back.

Taking this to the absurd...do not even THINK about holding.

[Ken]

If I did not notice it and the announcers did not notice it even with replay how taunting can it be? That said I understand your point. Zero tolerance means zero.

So no looks and muttering under your breath. Also no trash talking etc. Where do they draw the line?

I get the frustration, but "no looks and muttering under your breath" is underselling what really happened here, right? Marsh sacks Ben on the Bears' side of the hash marks, he then walks all the way across to the opposite side of the field for no reason other than to stare down the sidelines. It looks blatant to me. He's not heading to celebrate the sack, he's specifically walking towards the opposing bench to show them up - there's no one else on his team in that direction - Go celebrate with your teammates and there's no penalty there.

Hate the rule, but it seems like this is consistent with how it is called.

[Bene Futuis]

Thank you sir! I saw every second of that debacle of officiating. How is there so much disparity in the roughing the passer calls?

And...

Bears offensive lineman James Daniels was flagged for a 15-yard low block, even though Daniels was not outside the tight end box when he whiffed on a block at T.J. Watt‘s legs. The touchdown was called back.

Taking this to the absurd...do not even THINK about holding.

Yeah, both the chop block call and the taunting call were awful and could have cost the bears the game.

[Gregg]

I get the frustration, but "no looks and muttering under your breath" is underselling what really happened here, right? Marsh sacks Ben on the Bears' side of the hash marks, he then walks all the way across to the opposite side of the field for no reason other than to stare down the sidelines. It looks blatant to me. He's not heading to celebrate the sack, he's specifically walking towards the opposing bench to show them up - there's no one else on his team in that direction - Go celebrate with your teammates and there's no penalty there.

Hate the rule, but it seems like this is consistent with how it is called.

I originally thought (and so did Marsh) that the celebratory high spin kick was the call. It was not. It was later explained that that the stare was the reason for the flag.

I am NOT saying this is evidence. I do find it strange that no one today that I can see thinks the stare was taunting. Present company excluded.

Now the focus is on the hip bump. Is this any kind of evidence of bias or worse?

https://twitter.com/i/status/1457923360545988613

[Bene Futuis]

Looked to me like the ref intentionally hip checked the Bears dude and then tossed the flag on him as he walked about four feet past the ref.


Edit: Yeah, that tweet pretty much describes what I saw. Very weird sequence, much to the chagrin of Bears fans I'm sure.